1957 Oval Euro Ragtop

[1958ghia]

After getting quarter fender replaced and rear bumper brackets were all fixed, the rest of the body was 100% rust-free and original, so started getting ready for epoxy primer.

Then got the epoxy primer applied and high-build urethane:

Laid down some good paint eventually (I screwed up mixture on initial paint and it was too thick, my compressor crapped out unknowingly during painting, etc.) So needless to say there is a lot of paint sprayed on this car now! I used single stage urethane paint, mixed as close as I could get to the OG L331 Horizon Blue, because I kept the interior OG paint and exterior is all that got resprayed (including under fenders, fender wells, etc.)

Finished product after fenders reinstalled:

Next to my '67 Westy:

[1958ghia]

Couldn't resist getting some pics of my mom's Mignonette 1959 Ragtop while I was putting on running boards and fixing the brakes! Pretty cool to have a couple ragtops in the garage at once!

[1958ghia]

Now a current update, after getting correct symmetrical euro headlights installed, got the semaphores working, bumpers installed, etc.. Basically exterior is done because I've been waiting since early March for interior kit to show up from WCC. I think it'll show up any day now for the correct blue polka dot complete seat covers and door panels! Time to start on headliner next then work my way down.

[1958ghia]

Oh, and a couple interior shots as well. Got the radio installed, new speaker installed and working great! Also the interior is absolutely ready for the new kit from WCC - I put down some thin/rubber Dynamat-style insulation, 1/4" foam insulation over that, and then carpet padding/headliner padding into the roof area as well. Coming along!

Here is a couple dash pictures of how I am going to roll with the OG paint. Got some knob/switch rings as well that are all in German (evidently Choke in German is "Choke" lol!). Thought they fit the car nicely considering it was originally delivered to Berlin.

[aa390392]

Very nice job, gtreat progress pics, liking the stance.? Were those dash knob inserts an options items? Or aftermarket? Kinda sorta funny, 3 knobs for short memory individuals
Tomas
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getting grumpy & less tolerant!


55 ragtop
56 delux sedan
56 Kabriolet

[pastellgreen]

Outstanding work and a beautiful car.
Like the other one too, what does it have for a colour?

[1958ghia]

The green 1959 ragtop is a 9-month only color for square windows called L14 Mignonette Green - it was also used in split window cars called Reseda Green I believe as well.

Tomas - the dash knob rings are just magnetic aftermarket pieces that someone makes - not sure if I'll keep them on or not, but I kind of like the German language on them.

[Bendango]

Looks great especially next to your mums car. What a garage and great job.
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I want a real garage.

WANTED - [WTB] 55-62 Bus Thin Lip Package Tray SWR

Getting Used - SWR 60 westy copy built by vw ( apparently )
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=320866

[5500]

The paint looks amazing in the photos. Very nice build! Interior will really set it off!

[RandyV]

Awesome! And a few questions....

1.) Please tell me you've done paint & body before.......that work (metalwork ta' boot) is too good for you to just have picked up some tools & had at it.

2.) Looks like you did all right in the garage yes? How did you vent the fumes?? (I'm great at paint repair, preservation, etc. but have never touched a spray gun & would like to be able to in the future so I could handle my own repairs/sprays if I had to)

3.) Whose disc brake kit is that (if you know)

Thanks in advance!

[1958ghia]

RandyV - to answer your questions!
1 - that was the first car that I've fully done bodywork/paint on. I definitely learned a TON, and I have a LOT of stuff in my garage now that is Horizon Blue that my wife is kinda pissed about.. hahahaha!

2 - I actually didn't vent it out, because I was worried about bugs and stuff from outside, that was one of the items that I would do differently. Here is right after painting:

3 - I'm not sure who's disc brake kit it is, but I am thinking Empi or one of the cheaper kits - I put an AC Industries kit on my Westy and was actually quite impressed with it. I would recommend AC Industries even though it is a Chinese kit - there is another forum outside of theSamba that someone did all the measurements for run-out, etc. and said everything was spot-on too!

[1958ghia]

Started to get some headliner material in. I can at least get the pieces that won't be touching the blue polka dot material (aka b-pillar) done, which really just amounts to the rear window surround. Definitely the toughest piece to get situated right, but I think it turned out pretty well. This is one of the cheaper Wolfsburg West headliner kits, but I was pretty happy with the one that I installed in my mom's '59 ragtop. Maybe my next car will get the full treatment of the WCC german cloth!

You can see the foam insulation overlaid over the thin/rubbery Dynamat style stuff here - it definitely deadened the sound!

Window area cut out and glued to the exterior edge of the window. Window rubber will really hold it in-place nicely.

Final work, just some clips to dry overnight.

[RandyV]

Great work again!!

Wow! You did a fantastic job in my amateur opinion on paint! I can imagine how the wife feels...LOL!! (25 years ago a buddy of our "group" used to paint in a garage that we vented with a couple of house fans and cops would eventually shut it down but those are great old stories to tell....)

And more kudos to you on headliner. I currently am dealing with a PO "looser than I'd like" install and while I'd probably help a friend on their install....I'd rather leave mine to the pros for an uber-tight and proper (ragtop too) install.

Kudos again!!!

[1958ghia]

Getting a couple things going lately. Finally found a good-looking US Forces in Germany ‘57 front plate and got it mounted, and got some pics of my almost done interior kit from WCC/Silver Lining Auto Restoration (Morrie). Excited to get this kit in my hands! Unfortunately Lenny didn’t write down my request for lighter blue vinyl and light gray rear cardboard, but I’m excited to get the polka dot blue fabric interior either way!

[VW_Jimbo]

Beautiful work! I am hoping you blew out the pilot light on the water heater before spraying that gas cloud in the garage? If not, someone is watching out for you!

Car looks great!
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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!

[1958ghia]

Haha, good point Jimbo! I think the picture looked MUCH worse than it actually was, because there are two pilot lights in there - hot water heater and gas furnace!

[VW_Jimbo]

[1958ghia]

Thanks Jimbo! It's getting there. I can't wait to get the interior to my house and start installing the rest of the headliner and then move onto carpet/interior bits!

[VW_Jimbo]

I can’t wait either! You are tackling all of the items that I will have coming up in the next 2 years! I am watching the details getting checked off. Keep the pictures going!
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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!

[1958ghia]

Few updates that I've had little time to work on lately with the holidays and such, but I was able to get the blue canvas sunroof cover on and complete out the headliner. It is the WCC sunroof cover and I might pull it back off to try to get it to "pucker" less where it transitions to the side edges - not terribly happy with the fit as it seems too narrow too. I'm working with Morrie that bought WCC and he is interested in getting measurements and OG samples of bug sunroof covers if anyone has one that they're taking off and not using again (ripped/etc) just for details! Let me know if you have one.