Field find 1954 Canadian custom

[sunroof]

I got the last of the repair bits welded in last night. I warped this one a little because the old metal kept evaporating when I pulled the trigger. I was as careful as I could be but I just kept having to fill holes. A little discouraging but it is done. If I had longer arms I could do some hammer and dolly to straighten it out bit it will have to do.

I am also taking off the grey primer and replacing it with the copper only because I like the look of the copper better.

Finally I am going to tackle this mess. Lots to say about the A pillar and Virtanen's repair piece.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[grailoc]

I follow you that this entire section is quite tricky and delicate to address.

On my side I was able to nail down the repair, 2 months I was on it, it was time to finish that I was becoming crazy.

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My 59 low light ghia: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=452128
My 56 beetle convertible: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7796259
My 60 SO23 westy: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=341539
My oldspeed 36hp autotechnik express build: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=670827
My garage build: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199438

[sunroof]

Spent a couple more hours tonight cutting away the cancer. I can see the finish line from here.

I am only using a little of this very expensive piece so I will be selling whatever is left.

I think this would be an auspicious moment to weld this in:

And then while I'm doing that I need to fill in these 2 little bits.

There is still this problem to deal with, the repair piece overhangs the heater channel by a bit. It is fairly obvious it is a problem with the shape of the heater channel, this did not happen on the other side and the firewall piece went in very nicely.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[Busstom]

If I'm not mistaken, you have a $1,300 Wolf quarter panel, of which you only need that lower-rear quadrant. I've been pondering the same purchase, and I too only need partial, but I need the entire fender-mounting arc, and it looks like you'll be using the rear-most section with two or three fender-attach nuts, correct?

[sunroof]

What do you call 100 lawyers floating in the bay? A good start.

This is my own good start.

Trimming, trimming, trimming

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[VW_Jimbo]

A GREAT start! Good is an understatement!

Panel fitting is such tedious, time consuming work. Keep at it, you are almost there!
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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!

[Busstom]

Is it an illusion or does that 52-60 wheel well have a narrower fender-flange mounting surface than the later panel it's mating to?

[sunroof]

It is an illusion, the '52 - '60 panel is fitting up to a '54 so everything is right as rain.

Speaking of which:

It is coming together nicely I must say.

I have to figure out what to do about this little bit:

This is what I love about Wolfparts, the fit is amazing every time, I mean look at the way that lines up, could not be better if it was NOS.

Don
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[Busstom]

Yep, that's a beauty.

Perhaps you can lift open a 1/2 inch or so of the original pillar fold and slip the Wolf flange upwards and under, close 'er up, then weld and grind accordingly to conceal the intersection

[sunroof]

I dunno, I still have to cut the inner lip somehow.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[VW_Jimbo]

Don, Jeremy in the late forum went through this. He made a tool for opening up the folded seam. Page 25, half way down.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...;start=480
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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]

Spent a couple of minutes in the garage tonight and figured out what to do about the pinch seam. Thank you to Busstom for the idea.

I opened up the pinch seam a couple of inches and got my Dremel tool in there and managed to just cut the inner flange and some of the old panel away. This really clears the way for the Big Cut.

Before I do that I'm going to have to make a trip to Pricess Auto and buy another clamp like this one. It has many shortcomings but really shines in this application.

BTW Along with the many hours I am going to have to spend reshaping the Virtanen part to make it fit I will also have to trim the pinch flange. As you may be able to see from the picture it is about 1/3 too wide and will not fold properly.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[Busstom]

Excellent. Dremels are great for getting down to surgical work. I'm sure it will all be invisible when you're all done.

[sunroof]

A couple more hours trimming and adjusting.

There will need to be a little persuasion at this flange to get things tight.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[tomsbuggered]

That is looking really close Don. I think your skill level has improved with every repair. You are exercising good patience; sometimes the best thing to do is back away and evaluate things.
You have had a good run this winter. I hope to get back on bodywork this Spring.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[VW_Jimbo]

Nice! That looks like a great fit. Does the speedo hole still align?

Very cool!
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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]

So that is it for fitting up. Probably 7 to 8 hours to get this panel fitted. And that with out any rework to get it to fit the car, just trimming.

VW_Jimbo asked if the speedo hole aligns. Very close and I think it will be closer once the panel is welded in place.

Not to get boring on the subject but...

This is how Wolfparts fit:

Next and final is the Virtanen piece. This will be many many hours to make it fit a Volkswagen beetle.

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[sunroof]

Holes punched, primer on:

Don
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Better and better mistakes!

[sunroof]

OK, that went well.

A little bit of stretching needed here and there, no biggie.

Don
_________________
Better and better mistakes!

[VW_Jimbo]

That looks great! Nice job!
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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!