Field find 1954 Canadian custom

[sunroof]

With the panel all clecoed into place:

It all fits very nicely. Some little gaps here and there but Body Hammer will ease everything into place as I start to weld.

Frankenpanel getting its primer coat:

All welded in:

Tomorrow we Grind! Right after I go to the bar with my buddies and play pool and get drunk, maybe watch some rippers. Haha, Not!


Up next: Welding the heater muffler holder back in. I'm dying to see how I'm going to do this because frankly, I have no clue. I hated cutting it out but I couldn't see any other way.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[tomsbuggered]

Lookin good Don, theres no catching you now.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[56samba]

Looking really good so far! When welding the heater baffle back in, make sure it lines up with the upper part. I forgot to check about that and now I have to deal with a big, leaking gap between lower and upper part...

[sunroof]

Thanks for the heads up. I will do that.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[sunroof]

Well, that was challenging. I had to figure out how to weld without being able to see what I was doing. The clamp and my hands were in the way but I managed it and did a not bad job. Like I said before, when I cut it apart I looked at it and could not figure out how I was going to weld it back together. That is now done.

Everything fitted back together nicely.

Finally the final part and the passenger side is done:

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[tomsbuggered]

Looking good Don !

I have pondered over the same refit but it looks like yours went smoothly.

Mine will not go quite as good. based on the fact that my heater channels have a flange top and bottom for the feed pipe from the engine bay.

That and the fact the pipe does not line up; so I am going to have to modify that when I get to it.

I haven't worked on the project for over two weeks, so I have time to ponder my process before I get there.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[sunroof]

You are in for some work! I'm glad I paid for the Klassic Fab, there are some issues with it but nothing serious. Sadly Concept1 in Calgary will not be ordering any more KlassiFab so I will have to PAY for shipping. Ouch.

Once I weld in the seat support the passenger side is done. The plan right now is to reassemble the door next. This will require all new seals and rubber. I'll post something later today.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[Dan22]

Fantastic work Sunroof.

Quick question. Are you using a MIG or TIG welder, and what settings work best for you, especially on that thin interior metal?

Thank you.
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1-0900722 die langsame grüne Schildkröte
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=765074

[VW_Jimbo]

[sunroof]

[VW_Jimbo]

As in Mario Brothers, “Lets do it again!”
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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!

[sunroof]

As I said, it was never my intention to start work on the drivers side this year, it was supposed to be next winter's project. Since spring seems to have stalled here and all my friends suddenly don't want to hang out anymore I will do the unexpected. Today I put the body back down on the chassis to spin it around in preparation to start on the drivers side.

All ready to get cutting:

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[tomsbuggered]

You are on a roll Don, keep it going.

I am still waiting for the green light to get back at mine. Spring has finally arrived so I may not proceed until the Fall.
I do have some bare metal I need to deal with so will have to wait to see what the future brings.


I may be slightly jealous but I will get over it.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[sunroof]

Before I do any serious cutting I decided to document carefully how it all went together originally. I'm going to have to decide whether to match the passenger side or do the drivers side correctly and not worry that the 2 sides are different. I am certainly NOT going to cut the passenger side apart and correct my mistakes that's for darn sure.

Cut-off wheel on the angle grinder goes through this thing like butta.

Bottom plate off. Like 50 lawyers floating in the bay, I call it a good start.

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Better and better mistakes!

[tomsbuggered]

Don, I see some cutting, grinding and welding in your immediate future. At this rate you are going to be starting your other project sooner than you thought.

I spent yesterday sharpening a pile of drill bits
Somehow it just doesn't compare. Onward McDuff.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[sunroof]

Not to give too much away but... A buddy of mine has a 1959 Nash Metropolitan that his father did a careful restoration of 40 years ago. He intended to take it to car shows and win prizes with it; it was very carefully restored. Michael drove the car twice, took it to a couple of car shows and lost interest in it. Since he could never recover the money he spent restoring it he kept it. He died in 2001 and his son still has it. It has been under a car cover in an unheated garage not moving since 1980. I'd like to put it back on the road and drive it for at least a season. I think the British car club I belong to would love the car as it is British in spite of being a Nash.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Metropolitan

I love showing up at British car events in my beetle and Volkswagen events in my TR6, just the kind of guy I am.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[nshaddox]

Father in law has a pretty nice older Nash restoration. Just drove it for the first time last week after we put a new carpet kit in it. Pretty fun little cars. I support.

[VW_Jimbo]

Your my kind of guy. Keep em guessing!
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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!

[sunroof]

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Better and better mistakes!

[VW_Jimbo]

Look at all that unmolested, clean steel! You are soooo lucky! I betcha don’t even burn through the steel, EVER! So, lucky!

This side ought to be a piece of cake. I am guessing 4 hours!

Have fun!
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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!