63 vert stick shift project

[automaticsamba]

The story so far, well i started off with a burnt out 69 semi auto that i picked up cheap and intended restoring it but then i got thinking about an early vert and the wife was keen, well that was it we saw this vert for sale at a v dub show and it was very solid so the deal was done and a couple of weeks later it was parked in my garage the first job was to strip down the 69 to the floor pan 






The 69 ready for the strip down










The pan after being welded bare metaled and painted


I then turned my attention on to the vert body the next job was the right hand drive conversion


















After finishing the dash i then welded some angle iron lengths across the body to strengthen
the body before lifting


The original pan and engine moth balled just in case it ever needs to go back to stock


well thats it so far i'll post some more later 

[Bookwus]

Hiya Phil,

Boy!  You really tear into the big projects, don't you!

The pan on that 69 looks really quite good, especially for being a fire survivor.  A question or two for you.............I noticed that your 63 had Brit plates on it.  Were VWs delivered into/sold in Great Britain with left hand drive?  Or is this a private import?  And did you ever get the "Park" situation figured out to your satisfaction?

I love the pictures (really enjoyed looking at your Bus too!).  Keep 'em coming.

[automaticsamba]

Hi Bookwus heres a few more rescent pics sorry for the picture quality my camera has died so I'm
borrowing my daughters old one 
yes my 63 was a us import that a previous owner had shipped over a couple of years ago
i think it had had a full resto over there some time  around 2000 the TMI door panels
have that date on them and the body  was originaly painted red, the metal is solid, although
it has had two new heater channels possibly when the resto was done
I haven't touched the gear box yet but from what every one has told me it seems to have
the third selector for park, Ive got my Bentleys manual which seems to cover it very well
and a load of seals and a new clutch to fit so I'm sure you will see a few posts in the technical
section when i do                      
Any way I'm glad you like the pics it may be a while before i take any more as I'm scraping
under seal off next, very boring but it has to be done
   
Temporary strengthening tacked behind were the rear cards go so i can just touch up paint after   

The dash can be sprayed in once its back on the pan

All four wheels back on the pan with a five inch narrowed beam and drop spindles

Modified end plates with iron cross

Four to five stud wheel adapters

Heater leavers removed and early heater nob fitted ready for welding



The wheel adapters and drop spindles do widen the track by at least 2 inch so i should have
around 2-3 inch over all wheel tuck to clear the front wings when its lowered
well thats it for now role on next summer 

[68autobug]

Wow,
what a job....
Many of Us have done things to their Beetles but this must be the Biggest
job....  changing chassis ...

I suppose you know that Karmann type 1 chassis are reinforced on both sides
to stop flexing...

All Karmann made VWs are rare in Australia...
only a few Karmann Ghias were sold down here...
No Karmann cabriolets at all....

cheers

Lee

PS: thanks for the pics..

[automaticsamba]

Thanks Lee I'm glad you like the pics, i know i said i wouldn't post any for a while but as  your
interested here's a few more for you 
As you said the karmann beetles do have extra strengthening but to the body, the main difference
with the floor pan is that they don't have the jacking points on, there all ready Incorporated in to 
the box section below the heater channels there are other differences as well as can be seen in
the pics         
heater channels with strengthening box section



Extra strengthening to the back seat base

under the bonnet pressed steel plates welded to the top of the inner wing 

The top of the heater channels curve up in to the corners of the door gap

The inner wings look different too i think some one had cut holes for speakers at some point in the past 

All four wings and the underneath will need painting to match the body but at least there solid



The inner wing mounting bracket will need approx 1 inch cutting off the bottom to fit the
later pan as there mounted higher up on the inner wing on IRS beetles   




I'm surprised that there were no karmann cabriolets sold down under with all the
sunny weather you have a cabriolet would have been ideal, they are few and far
between over here and early ones don't come up to often at affordable prices.
Do you get the new shape beetle cabriolet now ?
all the best phil 

[volkenstein]

Phil,
     Damn. Flying into it!! It'll be worth it no doubt.

The inner wing mounting bracket will need approx 1 inch cutting off the bottom to fit the
later pan as there mounted higher up on the inner wing on IRS beetles   

Just FYI, the "accepted" practice seems to be to cut the triangular mount off completely and re-welding the entire bracket higher rather than chop an inch out of it. If you want I'll scan some photos of how one of our locals did it which he based on a US HotVW's article (I think?).

Pics are great. The more the merrier!!

I honestly don't know why we never got convertibles. Maybe the population size vs units sold was just un-economical. I would also think our lawmakers might have given them the thumbs down on some safety aspects. All back in the day mind you, now you see a fair few modern convertibles.


Regards
Sean
 

[68autobug]

thanks for the pics Phil

I didn't realise there were so many differences to the Karmann made bodies..

there have been a few late Karmann cabriolets imported from the uSA [LHD] and Japan [RHD]
Karmann Ghia sedans were only sold around 1959-1960 and no cabriolets at all..
and there are a few of those about Now... mainly late models [many with autosticks] imported from the USA [LHD}
Even beetles with sunroofs are very rare in Australia...
Volkswagen Australasia just made plain beetles... Any options are very rare...
No pop out side windows..  they should have been standard in Australia..
it seems the only fully imported beetles were the Autosticks [plus one load of beetles in early 1968]

when on these forums I call wings/mudguards   Fenders for our North Americian friends...

its very interesting to see how You put the body up on bricks and tied the steel strengthener up with rope etc..
plus Your welding looks good..  I used to have a welder and used to use it but it was a hit and miss affair-
My Son now has it and he has welding tickets..  and VWs...
My Son cuts beetles plus other makes up and fixes up rusted ones...

I;m not sure how My Son cut the rear towers to fit late chassis...

Best of Luck with the resto...

cheers

Lee

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug

[automaticsamba]

Phil,
     Damn. Flying into it!! It'll be worth it no doubt.

The inner wing mounting bracket will need approx 1 inch cutting off the bottom to fit the
later pan as there mounted higher up on the inner wing on IRS beetles   

Just FYI, the "accepted" practice seems to be to cut the triangular mount off completely and re-welding the entire bracket higher rather than chop an inch out of it. If you want I'll scan some photos of how one of our locals did it which he based on a US HotVW's article (I think?).

Regards
Sean
 

Thanks Sean any photos would be much appreciated any help and info is always welcome 
I did a search on the samba and saw a guy that did it by chopping off the bottom inch off the
bracket but if its going to be better to do it that way i give it a go. 
thanks again phil 
     

[automaticsamba]

thanks for the pics Phil

I didn't realise there were so many differences to the Karmann made bodies..

there have been a few late Karmann cabriolets imported from the uSA [LHD] and Japan [RHD]
Karmann Ghia sedans were only sold around 1959-1960 and no cabriolets at all..
and there are a few of those about Now... mainly late models [many with autosticks] imported from the USA [LHD}
Even beetles with sunroofs are very rare in Australia...
Volkswagen Australasia just made plain beetles... Any options are very rare...
No pop out side windows..  they should have been standard in Australia..
it seems the only fully imported beetles were the Autosticks [plus one load of beetles in early 1968]

when on these forums I call wings/mudguards   Fenders for our North Americian friends...

its very interesting to see how You put the body up on bricks and tied the steel strengthener up with rope etc..
plus Your welding looks good..  I used to have a welder and used to use it but it was a hit and miss affair-
My Son now has it and he has welding tickets..  and VWs...
My Son cuts beetles plus other makes up and fixes up rusted ones...

I;m not sure how My Son cut the rear towers to fit late chassis...

Best of Luck with the resto...

cheers

Lee

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug

Hi Lee interesting info on the types of vw you got over there did you get any razor edge ghia's over there
they made some of them as automatics, im not sure whether they were fully or semi auto though

sorry i forgot my self when i said wings i don't know why we call them wings, over here bicycles and
motorbikes have mud guards and car's have wings, i don't know if you know but i heard that the word for
the dash board originally came from the old horse and carts, the driver had a wooden board in front of
him to protect him from mud flying off the horses hooves [the dash board] its funny how the meanings of
words develop   
The bricks the body resting on arnt the safest thing to rest it on but as its hanging from my garage roof
i don't think it can fall very far i wouldn't risk it with out the ropes etc
i know what you mean about welding being hit and miss, welding upside down is the worst     

cheers phil   

[volkenstein]

Phil,
     Here they are. The car is a 63 Body on a 70 Pan.











The sticks used are the thickness of a COMPRESSED body mount rubber, and he also mentions he had to do a little clearancing as well.


HTH
Sean

[automaticsamba]

Thanks for the pics Sean most appreciated there going to be very useful, defiantly the
right way to do it i hope there's not to much clearancing i would rather remove the metal
from the shocker tower than the body if possible  but we will see 
Thanks again all the best phil
   

[AUTO]

Here you go just a few for now, fresh new paint!

mounting brackets re positioned

steering column hole and fuse box swaped to right hand side

view from the under the petrol tank

[AUTO]

The bodies on to check the fit mm's to spare between the shock towers 

fits good every were on the auto pan even the steering column lines up perfect

1641 twinport rebuilt and ready

alloy manifold end drilled and tapped with brass fitting for vacume pipe

[Bookwus]

Hiya Phil,

You are da' man!

Keep those pictures coming.  I am to all ends impressed with your vision and skills.  I only wish I had some of your talent. 

By the way, are all Brits really good at body work?  Certainly seems that way!

[AUTO]

cheers mike
I do enjoy the body work, once its done its done
its the the mechanics that gets me every time its never done
theres always something going wrong