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Altema
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010
Posts: 2906
Location: Lower Michigan
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 Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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Nice work on the fabrication!  |
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CiderGuy
Samba Member
Joined: December 23, 2013
Posts: 1351
Location: Bucks County, Pa
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| Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 10:47 am Post subject: |
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| Altema wrote: |
| Nice work on the fabrication! |
He is making the metal work look easy. I couldn't agree more. |
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danjlove
Samba Member
Joined: September 18, 2012
Posts: 32
Location: Columbia, MD
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| Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Seeing this stuff is encouraging since my Ghia is a bit of a rust bucket. I'm probably in the minority but I'm all for you getting rid of those big tail lights. |
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kman
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the encouragement. I just finesse and muscle the metal till it bends to my will  The rockers ain't easy for sure. A lot of test fitting but I think I'm close on one side. I'm using some thick sheet metal so that makes it a bit tougher. Still a bit of finish work on all the pieces.
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kman
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 10:20 am Post subject: |
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Putting a few things together. I did a bunch of sandblasting after making a makeshift booth out of tarps. Now I putting some of my homemade parts on using one part guesswork and one part hammer.
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kman
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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Exciting day. This makes me feel better about the whole thing.
Last edited by kman on Fri Apr 27, 2018 4:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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djway3474
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2585
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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| She is looking good. And how satisfying is that to have done it all yourself |
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CiderGuy
Samba Member
Joined: December 23, 2013
Posts: 1351
Location: Bucks County, Pa
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 2:03 am Post subject: |
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| Very nice metal work. What gauge metal are you using? I've had more luck forming hot rolled steel rather then cold rolled. |
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VWCOOL
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006
Posts: 1821
Location: Down under
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 3:13 am Post subject: |
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| Damn fine effort and results! |
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kman
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:25 am Post subject: |
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| CiderGuy wrote: |
| Very nice metal work. What gauge metal are you using? I've had more luck forming hot rolled steel rather then cold rolled. |
18 for the convertable support pieces, 20 for the rest. The bends can't be done all at once. Just one small section a little at a time. The triple 90 at the top of the outside rocker sections had to be the hardest part so far. |
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moogie32
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2005
Posts: 665
Location: Connecticut
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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Wow! This is so impressive!
_________________
RIP HBB (1984-2009)
Du liefst so gut
Du warst so schön
Doch leider musst du von uns gehn |
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HardwayVW
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2013
Posts: 52
Location: Austin TX
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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| I admire your work and dedication Kman. Your skills are impressive! I have done a little metal fab work here and there and even the small stuff takes hours, at least that is how long it took me. Makes me glad I paid up and bought a car with really nice paint and body to start with. However, seeing your work is very motivational. We look forward to more of your updates and pics! |
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c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8233
Location: San Dimas
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kman
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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Convertible supports and interior of rockers epoxied (weld through primer on flanges)
Interior of heater channel installed and epoxied.
This piece took an entire day to make and still didn't fit all that great.
One side assembled and welded together. I took off the door supports and nothing budged. I'm reasonably pleased. Now to do the other side.
Last edited by kman on Fri Apr 27, 2018 4:16 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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kman
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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Done with the rockers and heater channels. Look Ma, no door bracess!
Next is to deal with this mess on both sides. I'll make patches for the lighter gauge stuff but I'm going to buy the rear wheelhouse mounting panels. From what I recall the ones listed for the 68-79 beetle will fit. Correct???
rear wheelhouse panel to replace on both sides.
Last edited by kman on Fri Apr 27, 2018 4:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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carl4x4
Samba Member
Joined: March 20, 2012
Posts: 679
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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Yes you can use the Beetle repair panel for the rear inner arches, mine went in exactly the same place, you can see all the nasty old patches that were welded three deep on top of each other!
This is it with the beetle repair panel bolted to the shock mount, plus an extra bit that we fabricated to join the repair panel to the boot floor
then welded in
_________________
1969 UK Karmann Ghia build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=518789&highlight= |
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mountainkowboy
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2008
Posts: 951
Location: Socal
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| Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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Awesome work...I just picked up a 71 coupe that I will be starting on soon. You make body work look so easy.
_________________
Chuck in Socal
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71 Super Convertible...DD
78 Honda CB750K
06 Honda CR-V (wifes)
63 IH Scout 80 "Beater" |
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kman
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Thank you, Carl. |
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kman
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| mountainkowboy wrote: |
| Awesome work...I just picked up a 71 coupe that I will be starting on soon. You make body work look so easy. |
Thank you. I saw your new car. looks like all you will need is some elbow grease and paint if you feel like it. Nice find. |
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kman
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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With Carls reply I decided it was time to test fit the body to chassis to iron out any issues and make sure the new panels aligned properly. I only had to widen a few holes. All in all it went pretty well. It is amazing how solid it feels now. This will also give me a chance to measure for the maximum tire width I can use as I've been searching for decent used tires but don't know for sure if I can go up to 185 or not.
This is the panel screwed in with self tapping sheet metal screws. I'll cut through both layers and butt weld it in a little at a time. Then I can fill in the holes left behind with the welder too.
Top side
Bottom side.
Too bad I'll have to take it apart again, but it gives me hope I'll get done.
Last edited by kman on Fri Apr 27, 2018 4:35 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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