52 Split Crotch Cooler Rebuild

[topnotch]

Hi,

I thought i'd create a thread to track the process on my rebuild . I've owned loads of aircooled vws over the years, but never one this early!

Its a 1952 Split Beetle Delux Crotch Cooler car. It was delivered to Cologne in Germany originally, spent some time in France aswell. It was picked up by BBT in belgium around 10 years ago and then moved to Holland where i bought it from in October.

From digging in the car, it looks like it was parked up around 1972 - there is a receipt for an oil service 29/10/1971 at 65400 kms and the speedo readout is 69779 kms so i reckon it was probably parked up around 1972 sometime

Its mostly all there including the interior - just a few things not right - wrong wings, bonnet, lights, bumpers, popes nose, headliner - i didnt want to spend a fortune tracking lots of split bug parts down!

Its had several resprays in its time - i thought it was pastel green, then azure blue, then i got the certificate from VW which states sand beige - and sure enough, if i remove enough paint, it is there underneath!

The plan is to remove the body from the pan, carry out the repairs, and hopefully get the paint back to the og sand beige - although obviously, the wing and bonnet will have to be blown in.

Here are some pics from when BBT when they had it and some more from more recent here - its not changed in that time -

[topnotch]

So, the first thing i've been up to is stripping it all down and then seperating the body from the pan. I have never done this before so was a bit nervous! But it was pretty easy once i sorted my hoist out - i knew that steel beam in the garage would become useful one day!

Once apart, i had a good look at all the numbers etc and it looks like the pan, chassis and front beam are all matching. The engine has a 1953 number, but it also has some of the split beetle parts on it like the seamed fan shroud. I think its likely that the original engine failed and it got a replacement engine which some of the ancillaries were transferred on to. The gearbox has a code from 1950 on it - but is also prefixed with KD which i'm led to believe that has been rebuilt, so maybe this was swapped in at some point aswell.

I also had a good look at the engine today and stripped it down. There is definitely something amiss inside the case as it is very stiff to turn at a couple of points which i think is why it was parked up.

After splitting the pan and body, the pan is in very good condition for the age - i think the only repair i'm going to have to do is graft some sections into the floorpan around the battery where the floor is pinholed - everything else looks great

The body needs quite a it of work! I'll get some pics up at some point. Its not actually rotten, but more like crash repairs - its been hit in the front end at some point so the front inner wings are all rippled which i'll have to replace. The rear inner wings have not rusted but have literally cracked and failed so they'll have to be repaired aswell. Heater channels are good, but will need some repiars at the front and around the base of the a posts.

I have just spent quite a bit of money with virtanen and his panels which look very good - they will keep me busy for a quite a while!!

Anyway here are some pics of taking the body off - i'll get some more of the bits that need repairing when i get chance.

Cheers, Mike

[ZENVWDRIVER]

interesting car - looks to have been updated, over the years - youll have the time of your life - gotta' go, but will look more closely later - is sweet! - z
_________________
5/50, pastel green 11G - SOLD
8/50, gray 11A Beetle
6/52, pastel green 11C - SOLD
11/4/52, black Zwitter - SOLD to my little bro.
1954 Porsche, pre A, with VW 36 horse- SOLD
1/54, black 11C Beetle - TRADED
2/55 Iceland green Beetle, on a 1965 pan
3/55 113 Beetle, stratos silver
1955 Messerschmitt KR175 - SOLD, sadly
1960 single cab
1962 SO33, with SO 42 interior
9/63 Pacific blue, Ghia
'87 Toyota MR2
'02 WestFORDia E-150, GAVE TO OUR SON

All super-heroes, wear a MASK

[Two Glove Boxes]

_________________
1951 Split Standard Hoffman Build

1960 Dove Blue Double Cab Patina Build

Two Glove Boxes

DLK

[ZENVWDRIVER]

i'm back from my nap - I looked more closely, at your pictures - pretty solid condition - I like the way, it's been maintained - body updated functionally, instead of "restored" - using more assessable parts - front wings, rear W and nose, rear apron, dual exhaust, (look like) '56 hub caps, assist bar on the dash, oval batwing, , bumpers, rear view mirror?, cigarette lighter and more - at least, kept very functional - Notice it has rear shocks, instead of knee-actions - my '50 11 G had telescopic shocks too -...
… Like the 25 horse and the front hood - looks original and can't beat crotch coolers - guess VW ceased production of them, in favor of vent windows, beginning in 10/52, on the zwitter and thereafter -
… would be nice to leave it, as is - everyone would know it's age by the CCs , KDF dash and split windows, but that's no fun - a restoration is the way to go... ain't nothin' like drivin' full crash-box and peering out the back, through the split glass - one-a'-my split windows had a bubble and a distorting-image line in it - musta' nott been safety glass - have fun - z
_________________
5/50, pastel green 11G - SOLD
8/50, gray 11A Beetle
6/52, pastel green 11C - SOLD
11/4/52, black Zwitter - SOLD to my little bro.
1954 Porsche, pre A, with VW 36 horse- SOLD
1/54, black 11C Beetle - TRADED
2/55 Iceland green Beetle, on a 1965 pan
3/55 113 Beetle, stratos silver
1955 Messerschmitt KR175 - SOLD, sadly
1960 single cab
1962 SO33, with SO 42 interior
9/63 Pacific blue, Ghia
'87 Toyota MR2
'02 WestFORDia E-150, GAVE TO OUR SON

All super-heroes, wear a MASK

[topnotch]

Hi - yes someone has definitely updated it to look / function like a later car!

I didn’t realise about the grab handle - but it also has an oval cigarette tray under the dash and the ignition has been converted to an (oval?) steering lock version on the column.

I’m sure the deck lid is original even though it has been fitted with a later popes nose and the rear valance too as they have the original sand paint on them. The front I’m not so sure though.

The bonnet is defo not og - I can tell by the hinges and the Vw badge has 3 pins - the 2 tabs at the bottom are not there fir the Wolfsburg badge and a longer chrome strip.

I also didn’t realise about the steering wheel - is a split one not a batwing?

But all in all - still very pleased! Just have to find the time now to sneak into the garage!!

[sled]

yes the deckled and steering wheel are original split parts, as well as the telescopic shocks in the rear..this was changed near the end of March 1951. The steering wheel itself COULD be off of an early oval, but it is correct for your car.
_________________
drive your split.

[topnotch]

So while I’ve been waiting for panels to turn up, I’ve been dismantling the engine.

It had a couple of hard spots to turn through , but once I removed the heads and pistons etc , it turned nice and free. It had a bit of end float perhaps 0.2mm, but when I split the case the bearings were not bad at all - nice and tight in their saddles and the thrust bearing nice and tight on the case. I think the wear was in the flywheel shins. You can see where they had worn. So no machining costs 😀

I knew from the engine number that it was from April 53 and my car is feb 52, but it looks like the engine is a factory rebuild. There are some split parts on there like the seamed fan shroud and after cleaning a bit, I discovered the rebuilder stamp on the side of the engine - KD 407535 . Referencing that to engine numbers, that would make it my original engine number for late feb 52 which is what my car is. So I have sone original engine bits on there 🙂

Pistons, barrels, heads all look in good condition. I’ll remove the valves one night this week to take a look at them 👍

[2003nbc]

Some information on the engine serial numbers found on the engine case. Number 1-0572687 is the original engine number stamped on the engine when it was fist manufactured and installed in a car (It appears not to have been milled and re-stamped). As noted the serial number corresponds to April of 1953 and was likely installed in a car in April of 1953. At some point the engine found its way back to the VW factory via the engine exchange program and was rebuilt. The engine was then assigned a KD Exchange serial number of 407535. According to VW this exchange serial number indicates it was rebuilt during the month of March 1960. See the below link for information and details about VW’s exchange program and serial numbers. The exchange number stamped on the side of the generator is not related to any “original” serial number it is simply the KD engine number sequencing.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8313075&highlight=#8313075

[topnotch]

Thanks for interesting information. Is there any chance you could post or send me the article on rebuilds and the vvwca newsletter if you still have them? My email is [email protected]

Thanks

[2003nbc]

Article on KD engine Rebuilding:

[topnotch]

Recycling at its best!

I wish i could fully dissassemble he engine in 5-10 mins and and reassemble in 20 mins - i need to get my act together!

I'm just waiting on an 17mm oil pump for my engine from belgium - bloody brexit is making importing any parts into the uk a nightmare!

Will stick some photos up tomorrow

[henry roberts]

[topnotch]

So I’m from finally getting round to rebuilding the engine after cleaning 60 odd years of mud and oil off it!

I have been through everything and it’s not looked in too bad condition- The engine has been rebuilt by the factory at some point and was fitted with slightly oversize 75.45 pistons and these and the rings look ok so have been reused. Heads are good with valve guides in tolerance aswell 🙂
I’ve fitted new bearings throughout and everything is nice and clean and not gunked up.
I’ve also rebuilt the fuel pump and currently rebuilding the carb despite a ‘minor’ issue where the emulsion tube holder broke like butter 😮

I was mulling over whether to have the tinware all powder coated but in the end my hand was forced as everything is closed in lockdown an so decided to keep it the way it is - a bit tatty, but original. I think this may well suit the long term look for car as i intend to have the car looking original as possible and it will be used on the roads regularly 👍

I’m just waiting for new 17mm oil pump to arrive tomorrow from
Bbt in Belgium (as this was worn too far) and I might even be able to test start the engine on my stand at the weekend 😀

[topnotch]

Had some spare time this afternoon and thought I’d start the long road of welding the 52 up 🙂
Managed to get one of the rear quarters done. The metal is so much thicker and easier to weld than the later models!

[Iluvmy23]

Looking awesome! I have a March 52 I imported from the Netherlands. Just been sitting in the garage for 3 years now. I shall be intently following your thread for inspiration!

[topnotch]

Thanks - it is slow progress though, just when I get a few hours here and there at the weekends!

I did get some time though on sat afternoon and managed to get the rebuilt engine started up after sorting a few probs - it turns out 50 year old ht leads don’t give a very good spark! I also had some new bushes fitted to the carb and it ultrasonically cleaned,

All running now though - please excuse the noisy holey exhaust and the fan catching the shroud which needs adjusting 🙂


Link


I also had a go at the other rear inner wing which had been ‘repaired’ previously !

Ran out of welding wire though so will finish next week.

[Bendango]

Lovely project - great stuff - pretty jealous!
_________________
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

[Blue Baron]

[Two Glove Boxes]

_________________
1951 Split Standard Hoffman Build

1960 Dove Blue Double Cab Patina Build

Two Glove Boxes

DLK