So my beloved bug turned 50 this year, and to celebrate I'm gonna strip it down and give her the paint job she deserves. 馃槏
Started today by removing trim, wings etc.
I knew it had been resprayed battleship grey before with a basic mask and spray job, so I'm uncovering original Anthracite paint everywhere, which is kinda nice. I feel like I'm seeing the real deal under the dull grey.
Also finding some dreaded rust, but I expect that for a car of her age!
Wish me luck! No turning back now!!
Nickster 路
a shot of where I finished today. So much more to do. Loving it though.
tar76 路
good luck. ( i'll pull my pants back up) 馃檪
matberry 路
Happy birthday
modnrod 路
I almost dreaded looking at this thread with that title.........nasty images of poolsides and people my age sprung up unfortunately.
Glad to see the car getting the treatment!
empi 路
Anthricite seems to be the new black!! Looks good dude.馃檪
vw54 路
nice colour for a 62
Nickster 路
Started to remove paint today and found the dreaded bog all over the left hand side. In places it was almost an inch thick!
The metal under the bog is seriously dented and rusting in places.
Looks like I will be seriously testing my welding skills. Can you buy full panels to replace these?
Nickster 路
Front panel
Nickster 路
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Nickster 路
Rear Qtr Panel
Carl and Emily 路
We're so so sorry to see your discovery of the dreaded rust and filler on your car.
We can imagine your feeling very disheartened right now.
If you need some cheering up have a read of our '68 German bug thread.
You're not alone.馃ゲ
Thanks Carl & Emily - checked out your thread, ur '68 is coming along nicely, and is in good hands by the look of things. 馃憤
Nickster 路
Carl and Emily wrote:We're so so sorry to see your discovery of the dreaded rust and filler on your car.
We can imagine your feeling very disheartened right now.
If you need some cheering up have a read of our '68 German bug thread.
You're not alone.馃ゲ
Thanks for the link too.... just what I was looking for (although my wallet has run away and hidden!)
smithy68 路
Poor buggy, you just really never know what's under the paint sometimes until you start digging at it.
Best of luck mate. What color you going to go with?
Nickster 路
Thanks smithy. Planning to put it back to its original colour - Anthracite.
Nickster 路
After the depressing bog find yesterday I had to do something productive today, so in the couple of hours I had free (whilst the missus took the kiddie winks out of the house) I stripped back one side of the floor pan and the centre tunnel and gave it a coat of protective paint.
I'll finish off the other side and the underneath next...
Nickster 路
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Nickster 路
mmm shiney..
LUFTMEISTER 路
I have a nos panel that will replace that rear wheel arch section (its the part that #26 in Catalouge attaches to.) Genuine VW spare part. Nth Brisbane 0422983260 Marcus
baghall 路
Good luck!
Nickster 路
PM sent marcus
ian.mezz 路
It will be good to see you finish what you started & It will be nice to see it all back together.
Good for another 50 years.
Carl and Emily 路
Where are you up to with this?
Progress report please.
Nickster 路
Update 12/08/12: Cut out and removed the passenger side lower pillar, welded in a new bit of metal. Need to practise my welding skills but it's in place, feels strong and the door fits!
Nickster 路
will need a light coat of filler to hide my shabby welding but otherwise I'm pretty stoked with the result
Nickster 路
also stripped back the floor and gave it a coat of protective paint. Was probably not the best time to do, given the amount of bodywork left to do..
Nickster 路
Continuing to strip paint and bog, repairing sections as I go. Am using a heat gun to remove the paint in combination with a strip it disc and manual sanding.
I've removed the lower section of the rear qtr panel and replaced it with a repro panel from justkampers. This whole section had a lot of bog in it and is pretty beat up, so will need a lot more work to get it anywhere near straight, but the panel had replaced a section that was beyond straightening out.
As I was stripping back the rear quarter panel I was aware of the fluffy insulation sticking out under the headliner (around the window) and recall thinking that I should probably remove that before welding anymore.... well I forgot and it caught alight! Not a nice feeling to look up from welding to see the inside roof of my car ablaze! Thankfully I had a fire extinguisher on hand so it was put out pretty quick! My wifes response to the smoke and smell took a little longer to put out 馃お
Nickster 路
the result of the headliner going up in flames! Some scorching on the inside and some paint bubbling on the outside (which is fine as it's gonna get removed soon anyway)
tar76 路
Floor's looking sweet mate.
ian.mezz 路
馃憤
Nickster 路
Work continues...slowly!
Have been spending free time sanding back seat frames and painting them ready for reupholstering.
Am also working through the body issues, removing more bog and welding in repair panels. Will try and post some pics soon. Have a week off in October, really hoping to get a fair bit done on the body. Hoping to be ready for paint by the end of the year. A lot of hope!!
tar76 路
Keep it going mate just yell if you need a hand.
Nickster 路
Here's a bit of an update.
Have sanded down and resprayed the seat frames, did the first one with the springs in place, then found it was easier to remove them.
Used a Dulux Industrial rattle can from Bunnings. It didn't work well with the Septone clear coat, so ended up rubbing it back and using a Dulux clear coat. Took twice as long to finish but it makes sense to use the same brand all the way. At the time the Septone was what I had. You live and learn!
Nickster 路
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Nickster 路
After many evenings sat staring at the damaged rear quarter panel I made the leap to cut it out and put some new steel in there. I had already put in a repro panel to replace the really badly buckled section, but the area above it was very badly dimpled and had a large fold from whatever hit the door frame in a previous life.
I'm still not 100% happy with my welding skills but as I practise it seems to be coming together. Half way through I realised this was probably not the best way to practise, but hey ho I persevered and got there in the end.
Nickster 路
my neighbours love me and my grinder!!! 馃お
Nickster 路
I'm also working my way through the wings, need to reposition the indicator on the passenger side wing as it currently sits too close to the head light (replacement wing). Fixing rust and dings as I go.
The yellow primer filler is good stuff for covering up little scratches.
I'm not going back to bare steel where I don't have too.
baghall 路
Nice to see the progress.馃憤
tar76 路
keep it up mate 馃憤
Nickster 路
So my week off begins with a revisit to my last job. I wasn't happy with the finish of the qtr panel repair. It was not the right shape and I was hoping for a no bog / light skim finish, but it was looking like it needed more of the dreaded bog, and I don't wanna go back there. So, thanks to Luftmeister I landed a repair panel from another 62.
Nickster 路
Cut out the old /repaired section
Nickster 路
and, following some sound advice from Luftmeister, I grafted in the repair panel.... I kept the lower half of the original repair, as the replacement panel was a little rusted.
LUFTMEISTER 路
Good work Nick.馃槈
Nickster 路
Day two of my 'resto' holiday.
I spent most of the day arranging gas supply, as I was using those little disposable gas cylinders you can get from Repco / hardware stores, but have realised that they contain less gas than a fart... so I bit the bullet and hired a tank from an Air Liquide outlet. I then had to source the regulator and all the bits to connect it up to my MIG. Quite an exxy day!
After all that I got a few hours of cutting and patching done.... Front valance had a hole, so too the inner wing.
Nickster 路
patched with real steel 馃檪
Nickster 路
inner wing patched...
Nickster 路
Also stripped the horsehair and some of the glue from the luggage compartment.
I had read on here that Goof Off worked well on the glue, but I didn't find that to be the case. It worked well around the windows getting the glue and fluff off that was left over from the headlining, but elbow grease and a wire brush got me this far in the luggage area.
Any recommendations for getting the last of the glue off... I'm assuming I should remove all of this old stuff so the new carpet glue will adhere properly??
Also those hooks that run up the pillar to attach the headlining are little bastards! Ripped my thumb open good and proper. Might tape them up to prevent further injury!
Nickster 路
Day three
Spent all day stripping the decklid and repairing the inevitable rust / previous repairs. I found more bog layered thick on top of some quick and nasty repair work, so had to cut it out and put in some fresh steel.
Nickster 路
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Nickster 路
cut out the old repair...
Nickster 路
...and put in some new steel.
My welding is slowly getting better. I seem to lay down a lot of weld though, which takes some grinding back, and I'm always having to fix up little holes. Need to fine tune my wire speed and the speed I am welding I think...
Nickster 路
Also filled the indicator hole in the passenger side wing. This wing is not the original one and the indicator was far too low when compared to the original wing on the drivers side.
Will redrill new holes before paint.
tar76 路
Nice work man !
Nickster 路
Thanks Tarin. I'm itching to get it complete but still a way to go yet (gotta save some $$ for the paint!)
Nickster 路
day four.... time to strip!
Nickster 路
used paint stripper, a chisel and then my orbital sander with 60 grit, then 120 grit. Came up a treat, and no rust or previous repairs!! I was surprised 馃憤馃憤
Nickster 路
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Nickster 路
now moved on to the roof... will finish off tomorrow.
Nickster 路
Oops, been offline for a while not doing much! 馃榾
Stripped the roof and primed it.
Nickster 路
spot the rust holes in the top channel. Will need to fix that up..
Nickster 路
Tackled the front quarter panel too.... had no luck finding a repair section so made up my own from some sheet steel.
Nickster 路
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Nickster 路
Am also trying to perfect the rear qrtr panel, gave the welds a skim. Can still see some high points so will need to work on it some more.
I've also just noticed the bottom corner of the panel is sticking out in this photo.... a trip back to the garage is in order to check that for real as I hadn't noticed it before. I'll be pissed if I've buggered this up!
Nickster 路
I've been quietly busy on my car, the issue I spotted above turned out to be a dodgy panel fitted by a rank amateur (me!), I've also spent far too many hours trying to finish of the front quarter panel. Bodywork geeeeeez!!
Tonight I've spun her round in the garage so I can start the other side... Should be ready for paint.. In 2014!!
I've also been using Gibbs underneath, to protect the bare metal bits and in books and crannies to fight off the rust and give it a chance of lasting a few more decades.
Nickster 路
Have started to tackle the bodywork on the drivers side now. No surprises to say I found more damage, rust and bog 馃檨
Have cut out all the rust spots and am working my way through patching them up with new metal.
The lower rear quarter panel produced more than I expected, after cutting out a couple of rusting sections I found the sill was rusting and thin. I tried to patch it, and then decided to cut out the lower quarter panel to get a clearer picture of what was going on. I found a badly rusted heater channel ;(
I made up a repair section and welded that in place, then worked around the lower wing mounting section to get the metalwork looking right, before fitting a repair section onto the lower quarter panel.
Looking good man. Before you know it we'll be cruising over to Bribie for fishnchips.
Doug Sweetman 路
This took me back fifteen years to my first car, it's a great journey doing your own rust repairs, you will be satisfied in the end !
Nickster 路
It's been a while since my last update on this thread, but I've been busy collecting parts and getting the car ready for paint. Have got it booked in for the final bits of panel beating and paint in early April. Can't wait for it to get some colour, sick of looking at grey primer! Have now replaced both rear quarter panels, front quarter panel on the LHS, lower pillars, inner wing LHS, heater channel repairs and countless rust repairs inside and out. Just need a replacement drivers door, as rust has got the better of mine.
Will drop the engine out whilst it's in the shop to give it a clean and a going over.
Will post some pics when there's something worth putting up 馃檪
tar76 路
be ready for a run to Warwick this year?
Nickster 路
That's a realistic date mate... I hope so!
Nickster 路
The day finally arrived yesterday. My '62 was picked up and taken for panel alignment and paint. She'll be gone for six weeks 馃檨
Aussie 路
Looks good! 馃檯 Are you sticking to the original colour or going for something different?
Nickster 路
Thanks Aussie. Original Anthracite will be complimented with Silver Beige on the side panels.
hrastovica 路
Great work! Will be awesome when its painted. Wish i had the guts to do my own rust repairs... scary business as u never know what u will find. So 6 weeks til the big unveil 馃檪 Cant wait to see it.
Nickster 路
So it's been 9 weeks now, and the car is still in the bodyshop 馃檨
I picked a bodyshop that decided to take on another shop so priorities got shifted. Work has started in the last week or so, pics below...
Nickster 路
Pic taken last weekend at the bodyshop..
Nickster 路
Another bodyshop pic.. a fair bit of panel alignment has occured, correcting my amateur effort!
Nickster 路
Today I finally put the engine back together after painting the tinware and acquring a few new parts. Just waiting for the coil bracket to dry before I mount it...
Nickster 路
At last there's some real progess at the paint shop.
It's in the booth having had it's first coat of primer applied and is now ready to be rubbed down.
It's getting close to the exciting part!!
Nickster 路
I'm pretty happy with the bodywork. The paint shop has worked on panel alignment and straightened the rear valance which was pretty bent.
Nickster 路
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tar76 路
Looking good Nick...some nice work . going to be good to see it in your drive way, I might have to save a couple of those boags beers and bring them over?
vw40hp 路
Looking pretty good.
Nickster 路
Thanks Guys, I reckon I'll be spending quite a few evenings sat looking at my car & sipping a beer when it finally comes home in paint! I might be too scared to touch it in case I scratch it!!
Nickster 路
My car returned from the paint shop yesterday and I am stoked to see it in paint. Benny is a master with the paint gun!
Nickster 路
Not the best picture, but I put a few hours in yesterday putting on trim and the wheels.
tar76 路
馃憤
herbug74 路
What a fantastic colour, great job馃憤馃憤馃憤馃憤馃憤
Nickster 路
Latest update: Headliner in, windows in, electrics almost finished. Seats are at the trimmers. Engine going back in in two weeks. Fingers crossed she fires up!
Aussie Dubbin 路
sweet ride fella
Carl and Emily 路
Looking great Nickster!
Wil it be ready for Action Day?
clyve 路
dam she looks nice 馃槑
vwvic 路
That is one sweet looking ride.馃憤
Nickster 路
Thanks Guys, it's not 100% finished (no carpet for one!) but it's good enough. Engine's in and it's now got a RWC and rego. Will be taking her to Action Day now it's been rescheduled, so hope to say g'day to a few of ya this Sunday.
Alexanderbeetle 路
Real nice! That's all I can say, real nice!
Nickster 路
Here's some pictures of the interior.
Meisterberg supplied the seat covers and door trim kit, Michael Holman fitted up the seats (thanks again mate), I put in the door trims.
Meisterberg is great value and appears to be very good quality.
I took these pictures straight after I put the seats back in the car. Seat covers have tightened and creases gone since it's been in the car.
1916baja 路
Nickster wrote:I took these pictures straight after I put the seats back in the car. Seat covers have tightened and creases gone since it's been in the car.
Good, I was going to tell you to bring them back down to me! Looks good dude!
ian.mezz 路
well done and you didn't muck around getting him back on the road.馃憤
Craig Torrens 路
love it 馃憤馃憤馃憤
Nickster 路
Fitted some 3" drop plates at the end of last year to get rid of the rake, adjusted it to drop the ride height by a couple of inches at the back. Now sits level.
Nickster 路
Also added a spot of pinstriping...
vduboy 路
Very sexy car mate, that would have to be my favourite VW colour, my mate's dad is doing up a Alfafa in almost the same colour and looks just as nice, for an alfa... 馃槀
that is one of the best beetles I've ever seen, kudos to you mate!
Performance Upholstery 路
I haven't been able to get onto justin at Meisterberg since before Christmas... Not answering his phone, texts, emails... I've given up. I've had to import tmi from the states for other customers.
psimitar 路
rocking the paint job dude 馃檪
Great work.
BTW, what colour is it cos in some photos it looks grey but in another it looked like a nutty brown?
Nickster 路
psimitar wrote:rocking the paint job dude 馃檪
Great work.
BTW, what colour is it cos in some photos it looks grey but in another it looked like a nutty brown?
Thanks mate, It's Anthracite, and it does appear to change colour depending on the light.
Nickster 路
Performance Upholstery wrote:I haven't been able to get onto justin at Meisterberg since before Christmas... Not answering his phone, texts, emails... I've given up. I've had to import tmi from the states for other customers.
That's a real shame, he was onto a winner. I've not heard from him since November - he was gonna furnish me with some stickers to promote his gear too.
Might have some more work for you soon 馃槈
Boozo 路
Nice car man. im kinda local to you too 馃檪 If you see a large bearded man hanging out of random cars while you drive past....assume its me
PS, it needs biger rubber on the rear, both for filling the guards and for your sanity on the HWY