TP's 56 Oval Project

[tomsbuggered]

I welded in both A pillar posts yesterday. I used the door opening specs and was 1mm of being dead nuts on door widths.

I measured , finessed, cajoled and measured some more while fitting up each door before tacking and final weld.

After a full day, the doors still do not have an acceptable gap. There are so many parameters to take into account. I am running out of good weather likely won't get back to it until next Spring.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[RLFD213]

Put the body back on the pan and tighten it down. That helps with your door gaps.

[VW_Jimbo]

[tomsbuggered]

[tomsbuggered]

Today I spent time sourcing paint match for the interior bits which I thought would be reasonably simple.

The scanned sample was too tan so we had to wing it, and got a close match, albeit a slightly lighter than original. The photo doesn"t capture it well. I can live with it.

Positive vented, down draft paint booth.

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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[tomsbuggered]

I have been taking advantage of the warm weather we've had to disassemble the seats
The were surprisingly rusted in places so took everything down to bare metal. The areas I couldn't reach I hit with rust killer.

Have frames in primer and first finish coat

I plan on upholstering this winter.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[tomsbuggered]

I am going to do my own upholstery, it will be a good winter project and save me some money.

I did a test swatch to get the pleat width for hidden stitching. The centre one is as per original.

I am using an old industrial machine that is not suggested for vinyl but I think it might be up to the task.

I'm making a steering wheel cover on my restored wheel as a start, to get my head around sewing again.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[tomsbuggered]

Steering wheel upholstered, hand stitched to wheel.

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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[tomsbuggered]

With the snow and colder temperatures I started making templates and patterns to upholster the front seats.

I have done a material takeoff to complete the interior upholstry and will be ordering it within a week. I have done some modificatons to my industrial machine to make it more suitable to do cording and top stitching.

I have to leave body work for now, with hopes of getting back into it in early Spring.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[VW_Jimbo]

Good to see all the support stuff getting sorted and dealt with! Never heard of a “front butt”. Most butts I know of are in the rear! 🤪
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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!

[tomsbuggered]

[VW_Jimbo]

[tomsbuggered]

I got my sewing machine dialed in for doing the cording on the seat edges. This is just scrap pieces I had laying around.

The money tree in the backyard lost all its green for winter so I have to wait until the New Year to buy the material to start.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[tomsbuggered]

I finally ordered and received my material to upholster my 56 Oval. I wanted to get as close to original vinyl as I could get locally. I talked to a couple upholstery shops and finally found a colour I was happy with. The shop was good enough to order the material for me

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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[VW_Jimbo]

Looks good!
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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!

[tomsbuggered]

Slow going, but sewed the piping on passenger front seat bottom.

After considerable deliberation, I opted to go with black piping.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[VW_Jimbo]

I think black piping looks best! That’s what is going back into the 54!
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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!

[tomsbuggered]

[VW_Jimbo]

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