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1967 VW Variant.

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Comments

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    #602
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120988645#Comment_120988645

    Glad to know you are a regular. If there is something that puzzles you and you dont understand it just shout. Its no problem to clarify something at all with a better pic or explanation.



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    #603
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,265 ✭✭✭jmreire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989397#Comment_120989397

    The spot welder comment was more a general comment, I've used then a lot in other makes where the front wings are welded to the valance whereas the VW's are bolted, but the quarter panels in all of them are spot welded, and relatively easy to use the welder on. Strange now with all the improvements with electric welder's, so small and powerful that they can be carried around by hand, and prices have dropped, that a small spot welder is not available. The very first electric welder that I used was a huge heavy oil filled affair, on cast iron wheel's, and took effort to even move it around. But it did weld! I understand exactly where you are coming from, and I agree, but I also think that the first one you come across, you will snap it up!!!😊

    You mean the rear torsion bar suspension? They were indeed a rare bird to have to work on in my time. I think that I only ever had to replace one, and that was after a crash, and at this stage, my memory is sketchy at best as to the actual job. But, no I don't have any of the special tools that were used back then. Unfortunately. But recently, going through an old tool box, that hadn't been opened for many years, I came across a flat / Phillips reversible screwdriver, plug socket, 12-14 mm, 10-13 mm and a flat 27mm spanner, one of a pair needed for the lock nuts on the front hubs. And a set of AF sockets and spanners. And that's the physical remains of that stage of my life.. LOL.

    I wouldn't be into criticism at all. If you ( or anyone else |) had a problem, and I had the solution, I'd be more than happy to help, and if my advice etc, did help, I'd be delighted.



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    #604
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    I also think that the first one you come across, you will snap it up!!!😊

    To be honest, I'm almost surprised he hasn't built one from scratch, yet. 😁



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    #605
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,265 ✭✭✭jmreire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989951#Comment_120989951

    TBH, he has a lot on his hands at the moment, so I'd be inclined to give him a chance to finish the Variant first.....🤣



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    #606
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990007#Comment_120990007

    🤣 Yeah, let me finish the project in hand. Thats the tool that sets the rear suspension, as well as the front control arms to the right angle.

    I see a lot of beetles and some type 3 fast backs lowered that look crap. What with the serious handling issues created by this modification, they cant be roadworthy. And i know from some outings that some cars had to turn back as they could not get over any speed ramps, mad stuff. Shouldn't be allowed.


    I've seen dome of the suspension tools go for silly money on ebay. But when you want to set it right, its the only tool



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    #607
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Excuses, excuses...

    😂



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    #608
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Here you go JM, a blast from the past for you. No surprises here http://oacdp.org/tools.html



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    #609
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990383#Comment_120990383

    You are starting to sound like the missus🤣



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    #610
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,265 ✭✭✭jmreire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990385#Comment_120990385

    Absolutely brilliant kadman !!! Thanks a million. While the rest of the household is watching whatever is going on on TV, or more likely, stuck in their Ipads etc, I'll be surfing the pages of the brochure, and reliving the past.

    100% in agreement with you on altering any part of any car away from designer specs, and that applies especially to modifying any part of the brake, steering, or suspensions.

    Thanks again!!! Jim.



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    #611
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120991366#Comment_120991366

    Pay particular attention the the door hinge alignment tool. I know there would be a ready market for them, and very little making in them as you will appreciate. I know loads of guys who tackle their own A post repairs on beetles, but struggle to re attach the doors in the right place😉



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    #612
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    So today I seam welded the cill at the front hinge post A. And at the lock post B, where the new cill was attached to. I also tackled the short filler tapered panel at the end of the heater channel area, towards the rear of the car. This panel will be plug welded and covered by the rear wing.


    Here is the tailend filler piece plug welded and nearly finished.


    IMG_0408.JPG

    And here is the little filler piece between the new cill and the filler tailend.


    IMG_0409.JPG
    IMG_0404 (2).JPG

    Here is the cill at the door hinge post end welded in.


    IMG_0405 (2).JPG

    This is the end filler piece with the galvanised coating removed for welding with less dangerous fume emmisions.

    IMG_0403 (2).JPG

    And here is the B post welded to the cill and nearly all cleaned up.


    Just have to tidy up the plug welds a bit further, and then its on to the rear inner bulkhead panel.


    Oops, nearly forgot,

    this is the guy responsible for using up loads of boards bandwidth


    Kadman, yep this is me, I'm not just a myth, I'm real

    IMG_0399 (2).JPG

    🤣



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    #613
    Gremlinertia
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 59,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gremlinertia


    Proper cap an all, thanks for all the effort and enthralling posting



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    #614
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121001785#Comment_121001785

    I wore the cap coz the reflection off me old noggin would give me trouble with the camera pic🤣



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    #615
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,265 ✭✭✭jmreire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121001103#Comment_121001103

    That's a fine looking job now on the sill, very professional. Is there much work to do further back along the car after the Sill panels? You are on the home stretch now, as far as the metalwork goes. I'm still going through old VW parts list, very informative. When I started, the suspension trailer arms were connected to the hubs using King Pins, and shims for adjustment, and not the more modern ball-joint set up that arrived later on. And that you are looking for the alignment tool for. Sorry, I can't help you there. My Aunt ( RIP) had a Beetle which had the split rear screen, so that will give you an idea about the time frame. As for the re-aligning of the door pillar, that should not be that difficult, especially on restore job ( as against a crash repair) Normally, you can take a centre line, and measure from the intact side, and use that to position captive nuts within the pillar itself, and that should give you the factory tolerances. In your manual, they actually show a jig ( 671 -672 ) to use for checking the alignment of the rear tubular frame. The one where the towbars were bolted on to. And god help you if you managed to cross-thread one of them when trying to maneuver the towbar into position, and keep the engine - transmission in line with the chassis-tubing.



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    #616
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121002051#Comment_121002051

    Methinks I have awakened a sleeping VW resto dragon🤣



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    #617
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Seriously tho, the post I put up for old vw tools is really class, if you are a a vw head



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    #618
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Cross threading a gearbox wishbone support is so easy with the fine threads, Been there, done that unfortunately, and had to buy the tap to re thread. Pain in the hole for sure. Brothers in arms on that one Jim.😉



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    #619
    Jeff2
    Registered Users Posts: 6,980 ✭✭✭Jeff2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121002393#Comment_121002393

    Its very interesting to me and not a VW head but just to read it because of engineering.

    Maybe someone will download it and post as a pdf file.



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    #620
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Yeah, I think its easy enough to keep everything in line when you are replacing metal. Once you arrive at the proper sequence of cutting out and replacing, piece by piece, its easy enough to stay on track. And constant checking.


    Where problems occur is when you go mad with the angle grinder and cutting discs, cutting all the rust out in one go. Which i have seen loads of projects out there that are irretrievable because of that approach.


    Or when your project is so rusty that all the datums to start from are gone, and you are trying to position the first datum to commence, and all with no factory dims to guide you. Thats when you start pulling hair out.



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    #621
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,265 ✭✭✭jmreire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121002479#Comment_121002479

    I copied the URL, PM me and I will sent it to you, if you like.



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    #622
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,265 ✭✭✭jmreire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121002716#Comment_121002716

    Way to go. Concentrate on one section at a time, and ignore the rest. Here's a few pic's of a VW T2 van restore project I saw recently. Belongs to a friend of mine. What do ye think???

    20230624_114656.jpg
    20230624_114743.jpg




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    #623
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    I think your friend is suffering from the same affliction I have . I must admit if I thought it was repairable, then I would probably tackle it too. He is not afraid of hard work for sure if he is going to restore that T2.

    Reality for the T2's is, that you can either buy one at 2000 which is a project with a log book, needing welding.

    Pay 12,500 for a nicely painted camper that needs major panel roof and chassis welding, so same thing for more money

    Or Pay 25,ooo for a good looking camper, that needs welding and tidying up, or pay 45,000 that needs no wedling.....Yet.

    They will all need welding at some stage as these are 50 plus year old vehicles.

    The easiest vehicles to do are the T2 for sure. Its large, good accessibility, spare parts of every description available, and parts are reasonably cheap.

    Beetles fall into the same category for the same reasons, cheap parts , and everything available.

    Hardest vw for restoring is any of the type 3's like I am doing. fastbacks, variants, and notchbacks and T34 Karmann ghia coupe.

    Body panels in particular are not generally available unless you come across NOS if you are lucky enough. And if you do find them, the you are going to pay top dollar.

    So if your friend is up to the task, has the skills, and the time, tools and space to do it. Then hell yeah....why not.

    But if he scares easy..............................then he should run Forrest, Run,,,,,



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    #624
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,265 ✭✭✭jmreire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121002393#Comment_121002393

    There were several items in it that interested me and one in particular brought back many memories ( and a bit of history too!) nr 763, location plates which were fixed to the floor around the wheel free lift, which was specifically for the Beetle. So you drove the car onto these 4 plates, which positioned the car perfectly over the lift. There were 4 posts placed at 4 points around the lift, each with a mirror attached, so one person could carry out all the check functions lights etc. from the drivers seat. Also on the rear post on the drivers side, was an electronic box or terminal. A very new arrival at the time, the Sun Analyzer . It connected via a cable to a socket in the engine compartment, and could be used during a service to check and report on various functions. It was a very basic forerunner to what we call the OBD system today. It marked the new concept of each mechanic having his own bay, complete with lift. Marked a big change from the single lift multiple pits garages.



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    #625
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Very innovative of vw even back then.

    I must have a look at 763 later today. I think one or two tools were made upto the recent past and possibly still by tatra or matra or some sounding similar name.

    You will surely know what I mean.



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    #626
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    I see a few Sun Analyzer come up for sale now and again alright. Large bit of kit. But on most of the vw's I had the terminal was removed. Although the terminal block in my own type 3 is still intact, but with some wires disconnected.



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    #627
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Secret of a manageable resto is knowing what to cut out, and more important, when to cut it. here is the rear right hand corner that has significant rust which is the norm for a 50+ year old vw variant

    IMG_0413 (2).JPG

    And again the same corner.

    IMG_0411 (2).JPG

    If you note there are a number of shaped panels that will be needed to repair the profile. I know lads that would lauch into this with an angle grinder and cut out every bit of rust in site, which does 2 things. It removes all the rust, and it removes all the set datum points that you have in these pictures. Before I go cutting I will remove the largest plain panel fo visual access, that does not destroy its original location points. So the most rusted area of the big side panel is cut out which gives me great visuals of the inside of the aircooling area, as well as keeps all the reference points intact. Softly softly catchee monkey😉



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    #628
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,265 ✭✭✭jmreire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121005773#Comment_121005773

    You mentioned a tool for aligning the hinges on the door pillars, but try as I might. I was unable to find it. If you are more successful in locating it, you might pas the Nr on, OK? Thx



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    #629
    jmreire
    Registered Users Posts: 8,265 ✭✭✭jmreire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121007245#Comment_121007245

    Going crazy with an angle grinder on the rust would be a rookie mistake, kadman,,,,,,but its been a long time since you were that !!! LOL 😂 🤣



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    #630
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    In all fairness it looks like a disaster area, and you would be tempted to run forrest run.

    IMG_0417 (2).JPG

    But when you start slicing and dicing, you can see decent metal in there somewhere. Its just to get to it and rebuilding outwards.

    IMG_0419 (2).JPG

    Once you cut out the large panel, you can see what you need to see to make an assessment of the best way to proceed.



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    #631
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,057 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Once you have chosen the correct panel to start with, its an easy thing to re make the jigsaw. Just make sure your chosen panel is not going to be in the way of other panels when you weld it in. It would be awkward if you welded in anew metal, that would prevent you from taking out a rusted panel.

    IMG_0434 (2).JPG


    And just make sure you take plenty of pics to record reference points for any new panels you have to make

    IMG_0416 (2).JPG

    When you are sure you have enough photos and reference points recorded. Now its time to get cutting.



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