Just thought I`d post a few pics of Mattie`s Ragtop which I am currently undertaking a whole heap of welding on.
I reckon this thing had been lying in a creek on it`s passenger side for a few years or something! It`s amazing how it needs heater channel, floor, major front quarter/door pillar repair, windsreen surround bottom, front bumper mount/spare wheel well all on the one side and yet the drivers side only needs battery tray and a small
repair to the door pillar bottom!
Anyway I have been given the OK to post a few pics for you guys to see and if anyone else in SA needs some welding doing................!
Cheers
Graham.
57 Chook Shed ·
Probably the dodgiest repair I have ever seen!!!
57 Chook Shed ·
Hilarious and is definately one for the garage wall!
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This is how much had to go.............................
57 Chook Shed ·
Just waiting on the donor car to be dropped off on Saturday for the repair sections. It was definately on the cards to transfer the roof into a better shell but to keep an original Ragtop rather than cut one up to make a non original Ragtop seemed the way to go.
Here`s a bit of a repair I did today on the nose.
57 Chook Shed ·
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But the drivers side is a completely different story!
cam070 ·
Some nice welding & patching there. if you were closer, I'd have some work for you!
mattie ·
wow gra!!!! that front section looks fab!!
your doing a great job buddy ill call ya tomorrow n arrange a time to head up saturday.
Great job.
mattie
57 Chook Shed ·
Thanks for the compliments guys
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Added the captive nut (from the section of front quarter I cut out) for the lower front guard bolt.
57 Chook Shed ·
Gotta love this repair!!
Do you want me to leave this Mattie or you want it to look more original?!!!! Solid as (Tek screws)!!!
bajachris88 ·
Very well done man 👍
Out of curiousity, whats ur methods for smoothing off the welds and blending it in really nicely like you done?
grind most of it off then finish with some waffle pad or something?
57 Chook Shed ·
Thanks mate.
I just use Flapdiscs which are fairly expensive but available from all good hardware stores!
They are great because you can go from taking off large amounts of metal to pretty much a light buff depending on how the amount of pressure put on them.
I swear by them and don`t really know how I ever managed without them!
Cheers
Graham.
57 Chook Shed ·
Thats on the angle grinder by the way.
57 Chook Shed ·
Been working on a little side line of "Car Art" also. Here`s a wall mounted planter I made from a couple of Bug front guards and some old Art Nouveau pressed tin ceiling sheet.
Scarab ·
lovin that corrugated iron floor....the boys at Regency would love that!!! 😂
Nice work Graham! lovely to see an original being repaired!
Will catch up soon Mattie 😀
Scarab (aka: Paul)
Turbo54 ·
Hi Graham,
Nice work,
When do you what to start on my turbo54? It is a lot better than this as a starting point.
Heath
vw54 ·
thats a great repair congrads hope it goes well
Whats the chassis number as a matter of interest is it 64 or 65 ??
what to see how close to mine it may be I have a June 65
57 Chook Shed ·
Hey Heath long time no see! When do you want me to start? Lovin the response I'm gettin! Need premises, my driveway is gettin full! Seriously tho mate sure I cam help you out. Will get that chassis number Dave.
57 Chook Shed ·
Chassis number is 195622618 would be pretty close to yours I reckon.
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Here`s a few progress pictures of the Ragtop.
I cut out the remainder of the passenger floor and heater channel today. I unpicked the factory seams where possible and cleaned it all up ready for the new metal.
57 Chook Shed ·
Here`s the donor Bug. Nice job trying to "modernise" it!!
Love the Salisbury Hood Graphix!
Don`t worry though she`s going to good use. After the required body cuts are taken and the roof removed for the roof chop on my `57 VolksRod, the rest will be stored ready to repair other needy Bugs and the chassis will be made into a paddock bashing sandrail style of type of thing for the kids over at my inlaws property! It`s good recycling.
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Took the body off the pan on the donor Bug today ready to unpick the various sections.
You know a heater channel is good when the bolts look like this.............
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Nice.....
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I am feeling guilty about cutting this one up now. Can`t look it in the eye! Just need to look at it as being a full set of repair panels!
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Slammed!!
DieSchnelleKafer ·
awsome work your doing there man. dont feel guilty about cutting it up, survival of the fittest, in this case your rag is the fittest
mattie ·
the rags a heap of junk haha but in gra`s hands it will see the light of day once again.
jacky_moo ·
fantastic work there mate!
I had an old laser that was so full of rust every time i parked it anywhere it would get all beetle-esque and mark its territory ... not with oil but with rust flakes!
If you ever move to Melbourne and need a job as a welder give me a shout 😉
in re to the donor car ... put a sheet over its lights so it cant see :P
nbturbo ·
Mattie-where did you find the Rag top car?
DieSchnelleKafer ·
sorry to hear, my condolences.
mattie ·
sorry to hear that gra.
Gary it was in the local paper a mate bought it then i bought it off him,big project but wanted one since i was 15 got one now 7 years later on! got it all planned in my head already too for paint style interior ect
Turbo54 ·
Sorry to hear Graham, Will catch up soon.
Hey Mattie, Any chance of keeping the inner rear guard sections of your donor car for me to make tubbing easier? The wheel arch sections behind the back seat. Let me know,
Heath
nbturbo ·
Good one Mattie-big project,but I know you will turn it into a real show car.Still got your 6 volter that came from up here?
mattie ·
thanks gary will try my best!
Heath not sure what needs repalcing still haha i got another one coming soon ill let ya know what i got k
Matt
57 Chook Shed ·
Ok, finally got back into it today after the family dramas.
Cleaned off the replacement floorpan half, drilled out the spot welds and out she came.
Fits like a glove in the `Rag!
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Ok so the donor Bug got hacked up into the required sections. The rest will go to good use somewhere at sometime.
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Heater Channel cleaned up nicely. Door pillar bottom is rusted out but I will replace this once everything else is aligned, it has only gone on the outer skin.
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Lifted the body off the `pan a few inches to slot the section in. All that careful measuring and marking out paid off!
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Clamped and bolted it in place and fired up the welder and grinder!
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Come a long way!
zayus ·
Mattie, you weren't kidding when you said: "I reckon this thing had been lying in a creek on it`s passenger side for a few years or something!"
The work you done so far is fantastic!
As for all the measuring... who says we don't need geometry after school?!
Look forward to more photos.
57 Chook Shed ·
Thanks mate.
I'm Graham by the way, this is Matties car tho!
Just a reminder to people I am available for more of this kind of work!
dubai ·
Wow, Nice work I would of thought it was too far gone but look at what you have done wow.
57 Chook Shed ·
Ok, been having trouble uploading pics of Matties Rag, something has changed??
Anyway heres a link to every photo taken so far of the work I have done.
Just a reminder if anyone else needs repair work such as this doing then feel free to contact me.
Cheers
Graham
0407320313
Camo ·
Hi Graham,
When I first saw the photos of the rust in the front guard and heater channel, if it were mine I would have run a mile and then had to clean the brown stuff out of my pants. That stuff (rust) scares the crap out of me and I wish I had your talents. Mattie must be very happy with what you are doing, keep up the great work.
Kev
P.S. That last post of yours with the link to photobucket requires a password once in 🙁
P.S.S. If only you were only closer to Sydney, I would buy another project and hand it over to you.