A Schwimmwagen named "ilsa"

[54bugn]

Hello, my name is Mike and this is the start of a new build thread. It is not my first thread, as between 2010 and 2018, I wrote a thread about my total rebuild back to stock of a 1954 European Deluxe beetle in Iceland Green. The blog if you want to see it is as per the following title “My European Deluxe from start to finish” or the link below.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...;start=420

(Prior to 2012 my photos appear to be gone, but the rest are there)

I completed most of the work on the car myself, and the final result looked like the photos below. It was a great learning experience and in the end was very rewarding in many ways.

Fast forward to 2021 and although I love driving, tinkering and showing off “Schultz” I am itching for a new project. As usual I was surfing through online VW and car sale sites and came across a project that I have always wanted to take on but I never dreamed I would have a chance at. I am a self-made mechanic with Aviation maintenance training but I do not have the funds to finance a real Schwimmwagen. So when I saw the ad for a fiberglass repro body with already shortened pan, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity. Now I am sure there will be lots of comments, and I will be the first to say, the fiberglass body is not as close to the original as it could be but I intend to change that and if you want to follow the procedure then I will endeavor to modify and make more original looking on this thread. I have been awed and inspired by “Mr Slugs” work on his Schwimmwagen repro and more recently his original fire damaged Schwimmwagen restoration.

Here is what I purchased:

I have already begun to modify the body to more accurately match the original Schwimmwagens so stay tuned to see what I am doing.

Thanks, Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[54bugn]

The first thing I did when I got it home was to break out my measuring tape and compare every detail I could to an original Schwimmwagen. I was allowed access to a real Schwimmwagen at the Canadian War museum by the curator and spent well over an hour taking pics and measurements all over the car.

I have found the body overall is very close to the correct dimensions in most ways including the wheel base which is 40 cm’s shorter than a beetle. There are some changes that definitely need to be made to make it look closer to the real thing, so let us get started.

First job was to disassemble it all to start the work on the main frame that needed some restoration and also modifications to make it fully operational, safe and complete. The pan comes from a 1971 beetle but was already cut down 40 cm to the proper length.

Thanks, Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[54bugn]

The section of the main beam they cut out was where the parking brake was mounted. I had some parts left over from my 54 build so after creating an external handle mount beside the shifter (like the original) I cut a hole in the center beam and bent the brake cable tubes to exit the beam. Then I used the 54 brake rod cut shorter and run through the right hand napoleon hat using the original spring and cable attachments to set up an emergency brake system. Here is some pics of the restored beam, after additional welding for strength at the cut point, some new brake components, cables, cleanup and repaint. Also added a mount plate for the 4 wheel drive shifter (this will not be 4wd, but am trying for amphibious) More on the shifter location later. Also will be raising the rear torsion spring one notch I think to account for the addition of reduction gearboxes.

Thanks, Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[54bugn]

I have spent a lot of time looking for detailing parts for the car, a lot of the specific Schwimmwagen pieces have been coming from Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria. But a lot of items I have been making as well. I purchased two original very rusty forward Notek lights from Lithuania, which I repaired and turned into one light which I got working, first pics. I purchased a Notek rear light backing plate which gave me dimensions to manufacture the rear Notek light and get it working for left turn signal, brake and green convoy lights. I modified a new 12 volt horn to as close as I can match the original horns. Also the bodys for the schwimmwagens were made by Ambi-Budd in Berlin and I made my own copy of the builders plate, original on the left mine on the right. Just a sample of some of the many small projects I have been working on.

Thanks, Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[54bugn]

Please keep in mind this is a reproduction and I plan on making it look very distressed and used once I am done, plus wartime production was far from perfect.

Aside from all the side projects, and parts acquisition, the next jobs in my mind all have to do with fixing the incorrectly formed portions of the fiberglass body. First project was to remove the two side fenders reform them and then bolt and bond them back on to make a watertight seal. You can also see I installed and sealed the forward tow hook in the nose. Yes I have to fix the shape of the area around the spare tire, coming up.

Second up was moving the exhaust pipes spacing through the body. Done.

Next up was strengthening and reforming the shape of the propeller mount on the back end of the body. Eventually it will also have a steel cage attached on the inside to match the original and strengthen the propeller mount area.

Thanks, Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[finster]

a very interesting project...that nose needs a bit of reshaping and I think you will have to put a water-tight bulkhead at the nap's hat like the original had. large wheels will help too.


_________________
"we're here on Earth to fart around" kurt vonnegut

nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect...

[54bugn]

Hello finster, thanks for the reply. I absolutely agree to both, the nose is next on my list to reshape, and I also plan on a bulkhead install later, it will be metal as opposed to fiberglass.

Stay tuned for more.

Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[Pruneman99]

Cool project.

The shortened pan looks crooked from the pictures. It could be an illusion, but it looks like it goes off plane right where you said it was shortened.

Might want to check it out to ensure your good to go.

[54bugn]

Hello Pruneman99, thanks for the reply. I am positive it’s the picture, I ran a line when it was upside down and it’s straight but thanks for getting me to check.

Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[Pruneman99]

[cyberdyne systems 101]

Looks like the project is in good hands. Looking forward to your next update.
_________________
When I think of something to say - I'll be the first to know

56' Oval
71' Westy

[54bugn]

Thank you cyberdyne systems 101.

Should be an update in the next month or so.

Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[54bugn]

So next up trying to finish up the fiberglass work on the aft end of the car, I need to add the two raised mounts for the aft r/h Machine gun mount, and the aft L/h side tripod mount. I built up the two raised areas using extra preformed fiberglass panels cut to shape levelled and temporarily glued in place. I will fiberglass cloth over the top once the glue is dry.

Thanks,
Mike

_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[mikeandkirsti]

Why would anyone add an Ambi-Budd plate on a Schwimmwagen+ They were built at the Presswerke at Volkswagenwerk in Wolfsburg, never by Ambi-Budd. Only 122 pre-production prototypes were built from small sections welded together at Ambi-Budd but the large body presses and actual production took place at the VW plant.

[finster]

"Why would anyone add an Ambi-Budd plate on a Schwimmwagen?"

erm, it's not a real one. he could put a 'made in america' plate on it if he wanted to...
_________________
"we're here on Earth to fart around" kurt vonnegut

nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect...

[mk-Zero]

Cool project! Looks like you've got the skills and dedication to make it happen.
_________________
Vintage Classic Specialist, Orange, CA
www.VCSresto.com
[email protected]
1952 VW Standard beetle
1955 VW Type 1, 231 hp daily driver
1956 VW Karmann Convertible Okrasa

[54bugn]

Hello mikeandkirsti, because I am building a reproduction Schwimmwagen, I don’t have the advantage of rebuilding an original. Because of this I have been doing what research I can find online and on the original Schwimmwagen in the Canadian War Museum half way across the country. What you say may well be true, but I would appreciate if you would provide where you came by this information? Also is there any good books that exist regarding the building of the schwimmwagens?

Anyway, thanks finster, and mk-Zero thanks for the comments.

So to get back to the build, I managed to get the two machine gun and tripod mount pads fibreglassed sanded, filled, and finally painted today. I temporarily mounted the machine gun mount and put the muffler in place to see if the dimensions look correct. See for yourself.

Fibreglass work on the back end of this car is done for now. Next up fixing the incorrect front end.

Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[54bugn]

Made some more progress today. I wanted to put the same grey on the back end, so did this today, for now:

Then started working on cutting the upper nose of the fibreglass hull to more closely match the original. After cutting I used welding clamps and aluminum tape to hold the pieces back together on the outside. Next is to fibreglass the inside first to get the strength back in this position. After I have to reshape the two nose pieces and smooth the outside shape.

Thanks,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[Joe 20]

I think it looks great! I would not have the guts or the skill to tackle such a project. Bravo!
_________________
"Someday the world is gonna be populated by nothing but Volkswagens'" Corporal Klairvoy

[54bugn]

Thanks Joe 20 appreciate it. It’s going to be fun.

Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940