Finally my 53

[veskovici]

Well this is my 53 oval. I drove it , went to shows and gatherings collected small bits and parts as it was all with wrong parts, enjoying in it. I knew that when i start to correct and fix all bad welding and rotten parts joy is over for about one or more years. Also i never wanted new and shiny oval, but will see at the end what will come out.

This are some pictures of it when i drove on a daily basis.

Bad things are that body is welded to the chassis with no bolts at all and front frame is all rotted and badly fixed. ( some of bad fixes are my work done by laying under it and welding ), so i had to trace and acquire new correct year chassis. So I did.

Pictures of welded frame

and floor ( by the way floor has been made from 2mm sheet metal previously )

And new and already striped chassis

Then epoxy primer

First I started with front firewall as obviously mine will be cut of so I found not so good another one

And gave him a little love

First I thought ,well it will be easy done but now i know what I knew before, this is a beginning of a long road, but not without fun
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Oval 1954
Barndoor1954
Doubledoorsunroof

[scarabee]

Great work, Veskovici. I also like the contrast of the red Beetle with the background in your pictures.

[VW_Jimbo]

Very cool!

I will be, hopefully soon, dabbing up those same lower corners at the bulkhead wall. What did you use to make the recessed segment? Any tips?

Keep at it! Looks like a great project!
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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!

[veskovici]

[D. Haviland]

serious shit man!

[veskovici]

yes serious business.

As I move along I had to consider either to buy new entire section behind rear wheel or to try to reconstruct existing one. So first I will try later and then if I fail, I always can cut and weld a new.

first I transferred curve and dimensions to new sheet metal and then welded original center piece to it

Then i copied bracket from already cut piece

than fixed truck area lip that welds to inner wing

Then assembled all together to make sure it sits well and marked metal where to cut

then installed inner sheet metal

Than straightener part welded trough holes aka " spotwelded"

And Voila... finished and satisfied . I let it sit a little higher 0,5 cm as I suspect to measurements .. easy fix.

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Oval 1954
Barndoor1954
Doubledoorsunroof

[VW_Jimbo]

Very nice!
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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!

[veskovici]

After a while this story continues.

Meanwhile I had to complete westfalia 85 project, so back on a track.

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Oval 1954
Barndoor1954
Doubledoorsunroof

[Eric&Barb]

You will need to install the new axle boots with the seam turned downward to 3 or 9 O'clock position. With the seam up at 12 O'clock when the axle moves up and down that does not flex well in those directions, and will tear up the boot.
Also helps when you do install boots to tighten the inner side hose clamp and before tightening the smaller outer side clamp push the outer end of the boot inward about 4-5mm. That will keep the boots from getting torn up from being overstretched when jacked up off the ground.
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In Stereo, Where Available!