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Post by Lars Aksel Thingelstad on Sept 11, 2012 13:08:32 GMT -8
Blasting also uncovered this mess, this is a typical repair I see all too often on cars which have come from America  drill holes, dent pull and bondo it up.............I mean WTF???  Just a joke, obviously not capable of anything else.....................will probably cut that whole area out and make a new panel. What makes it even more stupid is the fact you can get at all the damage easily from behind so why drill a bunch of holes and make a mess out of it?  Seems like you are more than capable to sort this out, but I have a piece of Razor edge suitable for repair of this area, if you would like it. It's from a rear wing, but the profile should be the same. ![]() G:\Razor edge_c.JPG[/img] Attachments:
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Post by John Kanters on Sept 12, 2012 1:37:31 GMT -8
That would certainly save me making a filler piece, I've sent you a message.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2012 6:08:06 GMT -8
You are a complete legend and complete madman!.... Totally blown away by your efforts with this car.... Thank you so much for blogging this rebuild.... And I am looking forward to seeing what comes next!
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Post by John Kanters on Sept 13, 2012 1:30:28 GMT -8
Cheers! I do try haha.
Poor old girl doesn't know whats hit it, been going gangbusters this week, managed at least 1-2 hours every night after work so lots has been done, will do a bit of a write up tomorow.
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Post by John Kanters on Sept 14, 2012 0:08:28 GMT -8
Updates from this past week, What a huge difference a couple of hours each day make, been doing more rust rust and some rust. The sandblasting revealed lots of pinholes and very bad pitting in the front trunk area and after trying to weld up the pin holes it became evedent pretty quickly that wasn't going to work how I wanted it. 2 options, bodge it or cut each area out and make new pieces................guess which one I went with.....  First area to be done was around the front hinge and trunk corner so with new pieces made they were welded in and cleaned up, quite a tricky area to do as there's not really any room for a grinder or such. Did most of it with a die grinder which was pretty slow going but its looking a whole lot better.   Next the area of the inner fender which was holed / pitted really badly so quite a big section cut out and replaced, multi curved panel created a few challenges............... End of the heater channel closed in on that side as well so now just a couple more patches to go on this front corner ;D will it ever end?    Brings me to tonights efforts, even some of the wiring hold down straps had rusted away but at least they were a 5 min job to re make and weld on which pretty much completed the left front corner other than the fender damage and fender bottom which I cant do till the door is mounted. Hopefully getting the lower nose welded back together tomorrow. I'm gaining on the rust, slowly its all going away!   |
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Post by John Kanters on Sept 15, 2012 14:37:56 GMT -8
Some pretty epic progress made yesterday welding its face back together , helps having all the pieces already made so got started drilling holes in it for the plug welds and then lining up the new panel on the body and holing it in place with panel clamps and vise grips. Double check everything before tacking it in place, took me quite a bit of time to make this lower nose so the last thing I need is to screw it up welding it in place!  Happy with where it sits I began removing the clamps one by one welding as I went being carefull not to build up too much heat. Concentrated on the center section and worked outwards, grinding up each area and metal finishing as I went along, being that there's a big hole just underneath the weld area it made it a lot easier to work the panel with the dolly / slapstick. Seeing it all come together was an awesome feeling, not often I'm impressed with what I've done but I'm pretty stoked to get where I am with this.   So after about 3/4's of the days work on the nose its pretty much done, all welded, ground and metal finished. Still have a couple of things left to finish on it, especially on the inner side but its another big piece done and back together. Once its primed I'll block it and see if I can pick out some of the smaller lows and bring those out as well, would be nice if I can do a no filler repair on it.    With a few hours left in the day I took out a bunch of other dents in the body and started looking at repairing the spare wheel tub. It would probably be easier finding another wheel tub but its almost impossible in NZ so I'd have to import one which takes time and $$ so I'll just fix what I have instead. As you can see its quite a mess of dents and rust holes so my aim is to fix each end of it and cut out the center section and replace that as its rusted. Before and after, this is after about an hours work with the dolly / slapstick coming out better than I thought. Hopefully on monday do the other side and then fix the rust.    |
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Post by John Kanters on Sept 20, 2012 0:57:19 GMT -8
Worked on the tyre well every night this week so far, monday I hammered out the dents on the other side and then cut a big hole in the center where the worst rust was. Took 3 goes at if before I figured out where to shrink / stretch the patch metal to get it to go where I wanted it.  With some more work in the english wheel it started to look ok so I began welding it in place, working it with hammer / dolly as I went. There were 2 other rusted out parts to replace also which were easy enough once the main panel was in. Quite a few test fits in the body to make sure it was still going to fit in the hole before final welding the whole thing. Just about there, decided to stick at it tonight and finish the damn thing, in all there's 8-10 hours work just repairing this stupid piece  Welded up the un needed drain holes (thanks Lee for the pics) and just drilled one main one at the lowest point.   Dropped the gas tank in and bolted tyre well in, had a brief look at the spare wheel cover which is next on the list this weekend....................looks like I'll be making another................this one is toast   |
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Post by Matthias Andree on Sept 21, 2012 2:24:57 GMT -8
Hi, John! First off all: geat job on Your Type34! Wow! And as quick! It is a nice and grear feeling to see when the issue gets done step by step, right?! Having the restored and completed Karmann in mind, gives You the power to realise projects like this.
I know that feeling very well when I restored my T34 for the 50-Years-anniversary in Germany.
I saw the spare tire cover, but You wrote You will make it this weekend.
Let´s say this way: if You´ve no more important things to do - I have two of these left in good conditions...powder coating should be done only...
Best regards from Berlin/Germany and good luck/fun with Your T34 body work!
Matthias
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Post by Jürgen Klein on Sept 21, 2012 10:22:02 GMT -8
Maybe Matthias and I can send you the spare wheel cover and the 4 mats together in one parcel ....
Jürgen
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Post by Lee Hedges on Sept 21, 2012 12:01:19 GMT -8
John (and friends) ... you've just gotta love this kind of friendship, don't you???
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Post by John Kanters on Sept 21, 2012 13:22:59 GMT -8
Wow lucky I saw this before starting on the wheel cover, truely gratefull for the offer guys and have sent you a message Matthias! I have plenty of other things to carry on with haha  You say its quick however I feel I'm going quite slowly, must be that I see it nearly every day so you don't see the progress so much but a lot has been done I guess. Lee its people like this which make all the difference and we are lucky to have them here, Lars from Norway has also already sent the fender section as well which should make life easier.  |
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Post by Matthias Andree on Sept 21, 2012 23:19:14 GMT -8
Hi, John! I´m glad that Jürgen (I know him and his Type 3 and 34 projects for many years) is planning to send a parcel to You anyway. Of course I get it done to send it to Jürgen! If it is ok I will check the condition of the cover and get the best one for You - tomorrow (on sunday in Berlin) because today I will have a drive out with Berlin´s Type 3 fans. Guess what Type we take for  right the 34! Maybe the last neice wether drive out this year... John, You are right: people like us and thier friendship around the world makes having a Type34 so fun and special. And Lee: Yes, we´re enjoing this kind of friendship! Thanks for all! The more I get to know the T34 scene the more I feel sad to get it known after finishing my own restoration.... Best regards fom Berlin! jürgen: please send me Your email adress for further actions |
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Post by John Kanters on Sept 22, 2012 14:24:14 GMT -8
Righto bit of an update from the work done yesterday, since a replacement tyre cover has been offered I just concentrated on finishing the rust repairs on the front half of the car. Finished welding on the last lower repair piece on the right pillar and got the lower fender attachment lip ready for making the new fender bottom once the doors are back on. The Ebay door bushing kit should be here next week which means that job will be next, repair hinges and fit the doors. With the doors in place I can final set the front fenders and bolt that door edge back on again.  Little bit of work on the other pillar also done that completely finishes that area too. Front trunk area is also done after welding up lots of pin holes and replacing a couple of smaller areas which were too big to just fill. Other side trunk corner welded in and completed, feels good to complete sections of the body, we are getting somewhere.  With all the structural repairs done I could cut out the X brace I put in at the start so that I can get at the dash better. I did wonder if the whole thing would go booooiiiinnnggg when cut out but no such thing happened  solid as a rock. Dash, well can't say I've ever had a rusty dash on any VW but this one does, last job for the day I cut the rust out, will start making the patches next week.   |
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Post by Matthias Andree on Sept 23, 2012 3:35:54 GMT -8
John, the dash is really a part of the car where rosty sections are, isn´t it? My theory is that the (damn) wooden plasic cover of the dash is the reason. The Type34 I restored was parked for may years on a grassland and after the time the floor just rusted away and the moisture came inside. The wooden look like cover came off the metall and the desaster stared...(The window frame was ok for all who think the water came through here...) See images of my dash. Even the ash-try and coin was rusted... I decided to change the complete thing... Best regards from Berlin! Attachments:
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Post by Matthias Andree on Sept 23, 2012 3:41:40 GMT -8
John, I meant that the dash is a part of the car where You don´t await to find rosty sections...(sorry my English) Regards... Attachments:
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drill holes, dent pull and bondo it up.............I mean WTF??? 
right the 34! Maybe the last neice wether drive out this year...
solid as a rock.
