Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project

[VW_Jimbo]

Had a few minutes yesterday, so instead of going straight to the refrigerator to find something to increase my waistline. I thought, “How about walking around the block, your heart could use the exercise.” I headed out through the garage and the front axle beam caught my eye. 30 minutes later.....

After it was mounted, I started to scrap the crud off. Got about 3 inches and was done.
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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]

Started off yesterday by finishing the cleaning of the grime from the front beam. Wire brushed and scraped the large junk off. Then some Simple Green and a stiff nylon brush to remove what was left. Rinse it with water and allowed it to drip dry.

Looks good. I thought it had a rust hole in it but it was the bump stop arm. Found some numbers stamped into the steering box and the bumper arm of the beam.

Pulled the H apron, to try and get a plan for salvaging it. Looks like the heat shield needs to be welded back together. I will also need to fabricate up the side flanges and weld them back onto the apron. Seems simple and doable. And easier than anticipate

Backside of the apron.

Pulled the plug out. I thought it would just crumble away, but it remained fully intact.

Pretty cool!

Then back over to the car. Removed the seal retainer.

Then chiseled off the retainer, carefully.

With that removed, it was onto removing the bumper bracket from the new panel. That made it possible to overlay the panel with the new one. I then measured everything very carefully, double checking each measurement. I then wrote those onto the inner fender well.

I had to run a long bolt through one of the fender nuts, so that I could get the new panel to line up with the existing panel. I then drew the new panel, tightly onto the old and worked the new one with a hammer and dolly, along the body lines. The stamping had all large radiused bend, unlike the crisp lines on the old one. Defined them a little better than how it came!

Got it to nest into the old panel very well. I then triple checked the measurements and scribed a line along the new panel, onto the old one. I then broke out the snips and cut the rear inner fender off. Maybe I should build a Baja!

And there it is.....it had seen better days.

Took the previously fitted panel and clamped it to the body. Measured it again. It is too far back, now. Triple checked and scribed a new line. And started cutting. Do you see all those lines? Sure hope I cut the correct one!

That above is highly stressful! And now with it cut, I officially clamp the new to the old. Once again, checking my measurements. Made a slight tweak to the panel. It is now perfect. Tightened the clamps up and tacked it into place.

It was at this point, the better half informed me that we were going out onto our communities green belt and drink beer with several neighbors! I quickly cleaned up the garage!
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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]

Finished off the rear wheel well panel install.

After that, I started poking around the rest of the wheel well and had the wind knocked out of my sails. I knew I had to replace the wheel well, it’s just such a big job. Thanks for letting me be a cry baby for a few seconds. Then manned up and figured out a method to support the back half of the body while I tackle this next milestone. I am going to support it off of the frame horns with support legs up to the deck lid hinge bracket attachment under the vents.

So, pulled a piece of 1/4 x 3 inch steel out of the pile. Well it was actually 52 inches. I then cut off 16 and threw the remainder back into the pile. I drilled 2 3/4” holes through the flat bar and attached it to the horns.

From there, I will run posts up to the deck lid hinge supports. But that’s for another day next week. Maybe tomorrow, but the bottle of shielding gas is running really low. Really low!
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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!

[Volksvr6gti]

Nice progress today and got to enjoy the neighbors and a beer break and still squeeze in a little more progress. Not bad and she’s a little bit closer

[VW_Jimbo]

[67rustavenger]

Jimbo, Keep it up. This car is gonna look great when it's complete.
Lucky you and the wife got out to see some neighbors and have a few beers with them.
I finally got to visit my son in law and family at their ranch yesterday. It's been 6 weeks since my last visit. Before that. I worked there every weekend for the last year. It was nice to share a couple beers and do some chores throughout the day.

One of these day's. Maybe Xevin and I can come to HB for a visit and a few beers. Then eye ball the shit out of your handy work.

Have a great day.
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!

[AlteWagen]

I like the early cars with all the serial numbers on the different parts. Does yours have the pan number by the passenger side brake hose bracket? Its not a VIN its like the body number below the VIN tag on the body. I thought it stopped somewhere in 55 but not sure what the cut off was.
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Grapes of Wrath $200 Engine Rebuild
Official Dual Carb Thread
Cylinder Head Quick Reference Sheet

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

Made some progress today! Received the front clip from Ron Gunderson a few days ago. Greyhound did an awesome job! It was super easy to get it. I thought it was going to be a small ordeal due to a Covid 19. But it was easy. Again, THANK YOU Ron! You are the man!

Wanted to break it down to get a better assessment of what I have here. First off was the hood seal channel and the Cowl. I needed a new seal channel. The one on the car is, wait for it....rusted! I know - shocker. Drilled out the spot welds and chiseled it off.

Then I drilled out the spot welds holding in the trunk floor. It is welded on all 4 sides with a spot weld about every inch or so. I did not count them, but somewhere around 90 spots to drill, then carefully separate the panels with an air chisel. Then, BAM!

The valleys of this panel, there are 2 of them, are fairly rusted. I will need to replaced both valleys.

Check this past repair. The guy used screws to hold the panels together. It held this long and was a bitch to get apart, so got to give him props for that. But what a hokey way to fix it.

And after fighting it for 5 hours, here is the end result. Salvaged every single part of it! It already all spoken for. Know a few guys in need of some parts! 2 pieces are going to be part of Mike’s build - Franky. I think it important for us all to support one another.

After that, cleaned up! Tomorrow is Mother’s Day! For those of you still lucky enough to have a Momma, give her a hug and a kiss! Make her feel special!
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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]

Wow! Life has gotten really busy! Not really sure what it is, but...wait, I do know, it’s work! Damn it!

Decided to spend my 5 hours today to try repairing the new to me trunk floor. There are some rusty spots. Not nearly as bad as the piece I removed, but still requires a decent amount of work, to get it usable.

Here we go!

Here’s the 2 pieces laid out next to one another.

Started off making a paper template.

And here is the damage.

Cut out some steel and drew some guide lines.

I bent the outside flange.

But the piece curled very badly. I scratched my head for several minutes, but could not figure out why. So, cut off the flange and flattened out the good side of the piece. Then welded onto the newer floor. Had to cut the bad stuff out first.

Then welded it the self manufactured repair panel and ground the welds down. Really hard grinding that inside radius.

And on the cabin side.

Then I stacked new onto old and decided how much needed to be repaired on the front corner that welds by the gas tank.

During the welding, I dropped a sparky into my boot! Mother f*$#@r that hurts bad! But back to work.

Note to self, duct tape boots to socks. No f-ing way I am wearing long pants! Mother in laws suggestion! Love that woman!

Fabricated the end piece and the flange piece and welded them onto the new patch. Ground it all down and primed it. Came out really good. Still got to cut a hole in the panel, down at that gas tank piece, but that it for another day.

Onto the other side. Then I can weld this panel 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!

[67rustavenger]

OUCH!
Your MIL is correct. Pants would have likely prevented that nasty uncomfortable burn.

Nice work BTW.
Keep it up.
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!

[VW_Jimbo]

Hey Rusty! Thanks for checking in on me!

She does not need any additional ammunition. Please stop loading the clips for her! Seriously though. The wife was on a Zoom meeting with her parents when I finally walked back into the house. The MIL got to see it first hand! The FIL was laughing! He was a welder when he was a younger man.

I’ll recover. That’s why I go walking in salt water every week!
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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!

[67rustavenger]

Ha! That salt water is at the beach! Lucky man you are.
I wouldn't dip a toe into the frigid PNW ocean for a few months. It's freezing cold. Unlike that bath water that you enjoy year round.
I remember what it was like as a surfing teen in San Clemente.
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!

[VW_Jimbo]

[67rustavenger]

Last time I did any kind of surfing was 27 years ago. There was a huge day at Tressles. I boogie boarded that day. It took me 20 minutes to get past the breakers and seconds to hit the beach exhausted.

As kids we raided icechest's from that campground looking for beer and something for stoner teenagers to eat.

My family built a beach house at #55 Plaza La Playa, right behind life guard tower #4. We had a great view of Seal Rock! Step out the back door, step across the train tracks and hit the beach. What a great life.

Accept for the noncommittal friendships. I would help anyone that needed help. When I asked for help? Everyone was busy.
I soon moved away from that rat race and joined a better life. Where people cared for each other, a little more than the "What's in it for me" crowd.

I detect that you're not that kind of person Jimbo. That was just my childhood/adult experience in southern Orange County.
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!

[VW_Jimbo]

Well, today was both a waste of my life and productice! Let me explain.

Saw an ad in tS classified section, for an early beetle rear passenger quarter panel. I am in desperate need of a B pillar, as this one, IS RUSTED OUT! Been looking for one for 6 months, with no luck. The few I drove out to have been badly rusted out as well. About a week ago, I stumbled onto a 58 rear quarter section. I do some research and figure I can make it work. Email the seller and ask if it has any rust, as the headliner is still attached in the ads posted picture. “No rust.”, is the reply I get. I then set up to drive out to his place, an hour away, to pick it up.

I get up at 6:30, to get the business rolling, so that I can go play Bug guy. Everything gets solidified by 8:30, I eat breakfast and fly out of the house. Spend an hour on the freeways and get to the auto body repair shop. It is a shop that restores old VWs! Cool! I am now thinking this is legitimate. They have to know good from bad parts - right? I mean there are 2 Oval Ragtops being grafted in and a few other cars in various stages of restoration. I am feeling good.

I get out to the part, fold back the liner on the pillar and see a large rusty spot! Disappointment hits me in the gut. I then take my finger and poke the rusty spot. RIGHT THROUGH IT! F@#$!!!!! WTF! Y! Why post a part if it is not any good! Whatever.

I drive back, deflated and spent. I get to the house and decide to go out to the Bug, just because I do not know better. Thought about that B pillar and remembered I had an Oval rear lower panel sitting under a stack of other body panels. Dug the panel out and decided it had some of the B pillar to get me up to the quarter window.

And see that, it works out well, because I had already fabricated and welded in the lowest 6 inches of the B pillar. The cut at the bottom is 1/4 inch lower than what I have here.

So, up on the saw horses the old panel clip goes.

Had to remove the remnant piece of pillar wrapping and retaining nails.

I then proceeded to drill out the 70 spot welds holding everything together. Then I air chiseled it apart.

Ah, seperated!

And the small piece that I am after.

I then took that new to me piece over to the Bug and installed it utilizing an 8mm drill bit. That is the size of the door panel clip holes.. after that I marked the pillar. Scratched some cut lines into the current post, then cut the inside, followed by drilling out 4 spot welds at the window seam.

Knowing everything lines up and was easily marked, I went ahead and cut that rusted piece of crap out of there.

I then took the cut out and overplayed it on the new to me piece. Needed to trim a tiny amount from it. Triple checked the fit. All good!

But before welding it into place, I need to replace the striker plate bolt down plate, since access was easy and the old one has 2 broken screwsin it still. I have one without any broken screws, so, super simple right now!

Drill these 2 spot welds out and bend the retainer back.

Was about to slide the newer plate into place, and that’s when It hit me. Damn that inside edge of the pillar is rusted really bad. Let’s cut that out and replace it before welding in the backside. Man, talk about a snowball rolling down hill!

Went back over to the clip and cut off the inside edge of the leading face of the B pillar. Like this.

Did the same to the car. Here are the two cut offs, side by side. See all that rust damage?

Clamped and fitted. Cleaned and ready to weld!

Working my way down the pillar.

About 1/2” to go and this.....

Happens every other week! Or so it seems.

Broke out the flux core. Finished welding. Ground it down and sanded it.

Primed it and went in to Bar B Q up some Carne Asada!

Until tomorrow!
_________________
Jimbo

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

[66brm]

Time to start getting the big rolls of wire
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Aust. RHD 66 Type 1
Aust. RHD 57 Type 1 Oval

[tehillah1]

Seeing your skill and determination keeps me plugging along. Nice work!

[VW_Jimbo]