Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project

[RLFD213]

Jimmy love watching this build. Can’t wait to see it done. What look are you going with this to finish? Just all stock or ???

[aa390392]

Jimmy won’t finish car, he loves fixing it.
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getting grumpy & less tolerant!


55 ragtop
56 delux sedan
56 Kabriolet

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[markendee]

[VW_Jimbo]

Back at it for 2 more hours today!

Pulled the Bug over to the center of the garage. Then cleaned up 2 lengths of seal channel for the hood. Followed that up with some weld through primer.

Once dried, I laid the channel onto the seal shelf and clamped it into position.

Drilled a plug weld hole.

Then welded it to the body. Followed that up by repeating that series of events 18 more times. I also had to shorten the length of the channel about 3 inches.

Then ground those down.

Not too bad! I will need to fill a few holes.

Then onto the other side.

And I also filled a few holes on the first side.

That’s when the beer bell went off! Until next weekend!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[matthew henricks]

Progress....
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1964 Original Owner build Thread. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=702135&highlight=

Ambulance Fan's. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=627707&highlight=

Parts i am looking for:
64 bug nice used front/rear Black LHD floor mat.

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

Had a couple of hours out at the Bug yesterday, between improving my health and date night with the wife! Looking back, yesterday was a stellar day!

Just working on the tiny spots that need to be addressed. Boring shit, in which every build seems to move like molasses on a cold winter day! There is just no joy in it! I think due to no large improvements being uncovered. But if you are still following, you knew it was coming…..

The dash holes! Finally, working on the small stuff! Non structural. Easy access from both sides! What more is there to be said!

See those 2 holes to the left of the speedometer hole? Yep, those are the holes that farmer John created, for a semaphore turn signal switch (even though there was one on the steering column) and a starter button (even though the ignition switch worked fine). So, let’s weld those shut.

Knocked off the surrounding paint with a 36 grit disc.

I then grabbed a small piece of metal and with a magnet, held it against the back side of the dash. While that was hanging out, I traced a cut line from the front side of the dash.

And numbered them, 1 and 2.

Pulled the steel out from the backside of the dash and cut out the small patches.

Then cleaned off the edges and placed them into their selective opening.

They then got the privilege of becoming one with the car!

Ground those down, hit them with a sanding disc and hit them with some weld through primer.

Need to hammer and dolly that a tiny bit, but it looks great! Onto the trunk.

There are a few spots that needed a bit more work, mainly from blow throughs and burning rust, all during welding the floor into the trunk, from a while ago.

Clean the spots to bare metal, welded them, ground the welds down, sanded those spots and primed them.

With that done. It was time to try and shape the seal channel at the engine compartment. It is 3 pieces. The 2 top ones are easy. The bottom one is a big “U”.

I took the J channel and stretched and shrank it, back and forth, from the car to the tools. 20 minutes later, I got the lower “U” done. It was then the slight curves going up the sides.

It finally got the curve right. Then clamped it to the body.

Then I welded it to the car.

Ground those down and primed all of that.

Cleaned up the garage and went to dinner with the wife! Let’s see what today holds!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[VW_Jimbo]

Another 3 hours! Got the seal channel at the rear completed.

Continued on the seal channel at the rear decklid. Pulled out one length of the J channel and cut 2 lengths, one for each upper side of the engine compartment.

Then stretched and shrunk the channel to mimic the original curve.

After a few back and forths.

With the 2 channels bent. I cleaned them up and primed them. Ready for welding. So, I clamped them into position.

Then went through and dimpled the primer, right next to the channels.

Welded those spots, ground them down and shot some weld thru primer, just in case I left a hole or 2.

Sure enough. 1 hole and I accidentally burned too close to the lower J portion of the channel, creating a small segment to disappear! So, I had to fabricate some copper sheeting into weld pool holders! Like this! One at the back side, to keep the molten mass from burning more steel up. Then another section, shaped like the interior of the J to keep the area from caving in on itself.

Then I welded those spots up and ground them down.

In case you need a visual on those copper backers. Here you go.

Finished it up.

Followed with some primer.

Maybe tomorrow I can get a few more hours in!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[Clatter]

Always enjoy this thread.
Thanks for taking the time to share.


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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

I have continued to peck away at my list! I can finally say, the Bug body is ready to go to the blasters! There is no other part, I need to repair, on the body, by fabricating steel patches or by welding any new steel into the existing body! Yippee! I still have several hundred pin holes to address. I still need to dress up a few welds. I will most likely have to repair some portion of the body after the blaster, but I am okay with that. So, follow me on my last post related to body panel replacement!

Started last weekend. I walked out into the garage and stared at the Bug. You guys with projects know where I was at. I too, recognized my position in this relationship. I was over it and wanting it to be done, but helplessly powerless in the motivation necessary to gain any form of energy to make it happen. Hate hitting that spot!

But….I have experience! Always a great thing to have during those bleak times. In the past, I would just shut down and hope shit would get done. Then, I evolved and got to, taking a short break and talking myself into working on the car for an hour. Moved on too, making a list and working through it. And that last one is the magic ticket for me! Lists! Because I get to remove a line item at each goal I set. Today I erased, from my phone under “Body Work”, the line that read, “weld back seat supports in.” The next line is “Drop off at the Blasters”.

Here are the last few body repairs. Welded in the remaining rear seat support, and finished off the rear decklid area. The body changed a little from welding the air baffles back in, under the rear window. This lead to some big hits with the hammer and a large pipe clamp. But first….

The starting point.

The decklid had a different shape than the body, from the start. It was too large of a radius. So, I changed it, to mimic the car more. See how it flares up and away from the body line?

Got one of my pipe clamps out and squeezed the lid! Wa La!

Perfect, but the center dips slightly in 2 spots, along the weld path. Time for some strong manipulation. Also, the left side body curve is out, just a tiny, 1/16”. I have an old template I made for this check. The template is in bad shape and black, which makes the gap hard to see. So, I traced that template onto a paper plate. Way easier to see!

See the gap?

Let’s see if bending the decklid helps any. Had to balance the lid, while juggling the clamp.

And then the starting measurement. 6 13/16”

Then squeeze and release. 7 1/16” relaxed. That is a 5/16” change!

Got it back on the car and it looks really good. Now, I need to reshape the dips from welding the vents back in. There are high spots and low spots. Let’s see if we can find the happy medium!

Just take a quick look at the Bug it is not super clear. But when you get down and scrutinize it, you can see all the defects!

The body is just wonky from the metal repairs. Onto the fix! Broke out the pipe clamp once again, and stretched out the engine compartment, at the top. Just a tiny bit.

Then, I hammered and dollied the high and lows until it felt good. Decklid was then reinstalled and the two planes were checked.

That is much better! But it still needs to move MORE! So, I set the clamp back into place, and added some retention clamps. Last time the clamp fell on my steel toe boots when I was hammering. Not good, but it could have been worse, had I been in Vans!

Decided that pounding in the body line, would result in more of the shape that was needed. So with the pointy dolly, I knocked the body over to the center, while squeezing the engine compartment.

I then needed to pound out the plug weld spots, under the vent area. Kind of a hard spot to shape, but a curve dolly to the rescue!

All edges on this dolly serve a different radius. I picked the closest one and went to work!

And POUND AWAY I did! I was hitting it hard, to move the steel. With each blow, I was scared of ricocheting and deforming the vents.

More hits!

Perfect! Check it out!

I can live with this!

It was then onto the rear seat supports. I had already welded in the passenger side. But the drivers side had some steel damages. I debated purchasing a good used one for 40 bucks plus shipping from Europe, but decided that I could most likely repair the one I had for the cost of some gas, some of the grinding disc and some gas. Here I go!

Mounted the support to the car dolly upright, so it was at a comfortable position to work on.

Then cut out the compromised steel.

Cut a patch from some 14 gauge steel I had and tacked it into position.

Realigned it and welded it into place.

Then ground the welds down.

Drilled some holes for plug welding.

Then into the Bug it went!

Then welded.

Then ground those welds down.

There is one spot at the front edge that I cannot grind to my satisfaction, with the 4” grinder. Let’s get a small cutting wheel and see what can be done!

Got it, but forgot to snap a picture.

And for shits and giggles, here are the old inside B pillar pieces I retained for marking those support locations.

Until the next update!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[matthew henricks]

[markendee]

Great work Jimbo.

Getting all this correct before paint will pay off one thousand fold.

How long will the little bloke be away at the blasters?

Not too long I hope, I look forward to your posts.

Regards,

Mark.
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Member # 145244

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[sunroof]

Brings back memories!

Due to a lack of metal forming skills I had to frankenstein it together.

Two important things to keep in mind when repairing these areas of the car:

1: You cannot look at both sides of the car at the same time

2: Hidden areas are hidden.


Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[VW_Jimbo]

[sunroof]

You're doing great Jimbo. Even if I'm not posting I never miss an episode.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!