Replacing the inner wooden walls

vwspijlbus · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 3:27 am Post subject: Replacing the inner wooden walls

Hi,

I'm thinking about replacing the inner wooden walls in my 1967 SO-67.
I noticed that (especially in the doors) the wood is bended.
Has anybody got experiannce in bending the new wood without braking it?
Any feedback is welcome.

The bus I'm talking about is to be found on http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_author=vwspijlbus
_________________
Frank
1967 Dutch SO-42
www.vwspijlbus.blogspot.com

cris torlasco · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 6:17 am Post subject:

Hi vwspijlbus;

The original material is only about 1/8" thick (or it's equivalent in metric), and thus extremely flexible. I've used 5 feet by 5 feet baltic birch sheets in the past (which is what Westfalia used, I understand), with great results. After some coats of varnish, all the panels (including ceiling) looked very close to the originals.
Regards,

vwspijlbus · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 7:14 am Post subject: thanks for the reply

Could you please post some closeup pictures of you inner walls?
And how about the bending?
Did you bend the wood before mounting them in the van?
_________________
Frank
1967 Dutch SO-42
www.vwspijlbus.blogspot.com

TeamSpatula · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 7:53 am Post subject:

Although I didn't use the correct wood, I was able to install 1/8" wood panelling (From Lowe's) with no problems. Just cut the panels, drill the holes, and fasten it to the walls & doors. It should flex into place with no problems. Are you doing the ceiling panels? Those have a bigger curve, but I didn't have a problem with that either. Just be easy on it, and it should bend right into place.
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veedubgirl · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 8:09 am Post subject:

It also depends on which direction the graqin is running. If you try to bend it in one direction it's like concrete....if you bend it opposite....easy as pie.... just get your sheet and bend it a few different ways and you'll know immediately which way works....

We found this out the hard way. Cut a piece out and clear coated it, tried to put it in and it didn't budge...Also if you have to bend around a sharp corner, you may have to sand down the back side of the board so that it's thinner, thus will bend better...just be careful not to over bend or it will break
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Living is driving a vintage VW!
I love my LULU the '59 beetle
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1960 beetle

marklaken · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 8:40 am Post subject:

i thought the toughest panels were the rearmost side panels,

for these, i put wet rags on the backside of the area that had the extreme bends...let them soak for a couple hours, then they flexed real easy and i screwed them in and let them dry overnight....after that, i took them off (the wood dried and memorized its shape) then i sanded and applied miniwax natural stain/sealer all in one product and reinstalled once the stain was dried to the touch (about 30 minutes, i think)...

all the other panels easily bent to shape and i was able to install them after staining/sealing with no problems...

i haven't redone my ceiling yet....
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pyrOman · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 8:52 am Post subject:

Whatever you end up doing, buy at least 2 more extra panels when you buy what you need. Chances are you will mess one up during installation and if you have to go back and get another one, more than likely you will not find the same grain and color as the "batch" you got originally.

I also found this out the hard way. However, I wasn't going for anything OG so I actually took advantage of this and it made for an interesting contrast between light and dark colored wood. Cool

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Uniballer · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 5:19 pm Post subject:

As my wife (veedubgirl) was saying... you have to bend it with the grain of the wood...it wont bend the other way....1/8" is pretty flexable

vwspijlbus · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 3:43 am Post subject: THANKS

Thanks for the feedback!!
_________________
Frank
1967 Dutch SO-42
www.vwspijlbus.blogspot.com

[email protected] · Samba Member Joined: September 22, 2002 Posts: 1243

baltic brich plywood works ok for a quick ok resto.
birch its a littel thicker than the orig "Limba "plywood used in all Westfalia even vanagons.
to do it 100% right buy some costom made limba plywood panel in the correct thikness from a good Plywood house.
I found one in NY that can make it size limba plywood with the corect grain patern for early westfalias. The early one used quarter sawn plywood limba venears while later used rotory cut venears.
The rotory cut looks more like birch than the early quater sawn.
costom limba $100 a sheet birch $20.

Major Woody · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:43 pm Post subject:

I just finished making up and applying finish to all my new replacement interior panels.
For the two rearmost upper side panels where they curve toward the rear hatch and have to flex quite a bit, I used a belt sander and a 36 grit belt to remove one of the three layers of wood from the plywood sandwich. Now it bends easily without using moisture.

2true · Samba Member Joined: December 13, 2004 Posts: 1218

Thank God for TheSamba. I am doing my interior in my 67 Westy and this helps SOOOOO much! Thanks guys!

werksberg · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:00 pm Post subject:

OG67westy · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 7:51 pm Post subject:


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