Author Topic: 64 Sunroof Little-big Window (Read 8922 times)

silas · « **on:** October 30, 2005, 01:19:36 AM »

here it is.

64 steel sunroof beetle. probably about 50-60% original black paint, original wiring harness, original pans (need a little love), uncut dash, strong rebuilt 1600 dp with about 2000 miles on it, early popouts...

64 has always been one of my favourite years for beetles. first year of the steel sunroof. last year of the early popouts, little-big windows, t handle on the decklid, wide door posts...

this one is far from perfect but is very clean rust wise. the front & rear bumper mounts are good, the fender wells are clean, the channels are solid, the rear crossmembers and lower rear 1/4's are all there. it does have 2 repro fenders on it (one that is grey & one that was painted black with a brush), aswell as a decklid and drivers door from another car. the front drivers 1/4 panel has a crinkle in it. but all in all i'm very pleased with it.

had a day off today to wash it and have a good look over it. the front end needs to be tightened up & i have to get the horn to work and then clean up the pans and fix the sunroof (small leak & naughty cables) and then i should be able to get the safety inspection and insure it and enjoy it.

das pics...

a little bit of bubbling around the passengers headlight bucket & the brake fluid resi tray & the repro grey fender on the drivers side...but if you look closely you can see the original L41 paint tag.

i dont care if it rains or freezes, as long as i've got my plastic jesus, sitting on the dashboard of my car...

at work...in the back...on the hoist...

more to come later.

Russ · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2005, 07:32:38 AM »

nice looking car.
you planning on this being your daily driver?

Needles · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2005, 08:10:42 AM »

Very nice!

ScreamnStroker · « **Reply #3 on:** October 30, 2005, 08:49:39 AM »

Nice Car

Hansk · « **Reply #4 on:** October 30, 2005, 09:08:23 AM »

Looks awesome! Where is it that you work? Looks awesome too!

Shane · « **Reply #5 on:** October 30, 2005, 09:35:01 AM »

welcome back to vw's dood

silas · « **Reply #6 on:** October 30, 2005, 12:04:19 PM »

thanks y'all.

hey shane...i never left vws, i've just been lacking a driver.

and it does feel good to have a running and driving vw again. i cant wait to insure it. i just have to make sure not to neglect the 56. she needs some love too.

it will be a daily driver. cosmetically, it is not perfect so i'm not to worried about driving it in the crazy vancouver traffic. as long as i can get the sunroof good and sealed it should be allright.

hans, i work at a shop called british classic auto. i found the place on clark drive and we recently moved to 346 west 5th, right by the cop shop. it's a small operation, with just me, the owner and the parts guy, but it's a good place to work. lots of 70's tr6's, 60's tr4's, that black convertable mercedes is getting put back together, the e type jag just sold, and that 2 tone 61 rover beside the hoist is awesome. wood panel dash & original leather interior, suicide rear doors. it has been parked for awhile so we're going through it. and there is a real lotus super 7 hidden in there too. we also work on newer stuff. import & domestic & we're trying to bust into the new mini market. i'll be working there until january and then i go back to school.

if anyone wants to stop by, business hours are 930-530 monday to friday.

ehos · « **Reply #7 on:** October 30, 2005, 01:53:13 PM »

Any updates on the 56??

silas · « **Reply #8 on:** October 30, 2005, 03:14:09 PM »

Quote

Any updates on the 56??

currently hanging doors and measuring gaps so i can button up the lower rear inner 1/4's.

xcasper · « **Reply #9 on:** October 30, 2005, 04:49:24 PM »

Eowww! Silas it is really nice. I like it in deadly black too. Looks like a beauty. Congrats, I know you will love it. Steve in Maple Ridge.

HeliMike · « **Reply #10 on:** October 30, 2005, 05:14:12 PM »

Right on Silas

Looks like a good'r!

egspot · « **Reply #11 on:** October 30, 2005, 10:44:14 PM »

How do you guys find this &%#$%^@#^#%^ deals.

Great find, /enjoy it.

Emilio

Mike Scott · « **Reply #12 on:** October 31, 2005, 11:49:43 AM »

Silas,

Glad you got her home safe. Looks like a great driver!

Enjoy,

Mike

G-dog · « **Reply #13 on:** October 31, 2005, 05:20:43 PM »

Bitchin' Silas man ,just keep that Lucas prince of darkness wiring away from yer Bosch bits!!!

silas · « **Reply #14 on:** October 31, 2005, 06:58:17 PM »

Quote

just keep that Lucas prince of darkness wiring away from yer Bosch bits!!!

lmao.

Hillbilly · « **Reply #15 on:** October 31, 2005, 09:40:46 PM »

Hey silas nice ride man looks in real decent shape.come by and I will lend you my crud buster for claening up that rust... works great .Oh and I would go with trimclad

Hansk · « **Reply #16 on:** November 02, 2005, 08:41:02 PM »

Quote

thanks y'all.

hey shane...i never left vws, i've just been lacking a driver. and it does feel good to have a running and driving vw again. i cant wait to insure it. i just have to make sure not to neglect the 56. she needs some love too.

it will be a daily driver. cosmetically, it is not perfect so i'm not to worried about driving it in the crazy vancouver traffic. as long as i can get the sunroof good and sealed it should be allright.

hans, i work at a shop called british classic auto. i found the place on clark drive and we recently moved to 346 west 5th, right by the cop shop. it's a small operation, with just me, the owner and the parts guy, but it's a good place to work. lots of 70's tr6's, 60's tr4's, that black convertable mercedes is getting put back together, the e type jag just sold, and that 2 tone 61 rover beside the hoist is awesome. wood panel dash & original leather interior, suicide rear doors. it has been parked for awhile so we're going through it. and there is a real lotus super 7 hidden in there too. we also work on newer stuff. import & domestic & we're trying to bust into the new mini market. i'll be working there until january and then i go back to school.

if anyone wants to stop by, business hours are 930-530 monday to friday.

Cool stuff ! I've always liked super 7's

silas · « **Reply #17 on:** November 06, 2005, 10:03:21 PM »

one day after work last week i pulled the rubber mats and tarboards and wire wheeled the surface rust on the pans and then coated them with 3m rust inhibitor. the area behind the drivers seat was a little worse for wear...

so i cut out the bad...

ordered a pan 1/4 section and trimmed it to fit...

tacked it in place...

and then welded it in good & tight...

next up is to seal it and cover it and then tidy up a few more things and take it to get it safetied.

markm · « **Reply #18 on:** November 07, 2005, 03:31:31 AM »

Silas,
Nice ride, I am sure you will enjoy it. Let me know when you get that sunroof repaired. Nice clean job on the pan too.

Mike Scott · « **Reply #19 on:** November 07, 2005, 07:59:13 AM »

Silas,

Nice pan repair. I have a couple of questions. I am a novice welder and trying to work to better my skills.

What did you use for wire? .023 gas shielded?

Did you use a series of spot welds or weld or run a continous pass all the way around?

Cheers
Mike

silas · « **Reply #20 on:** November 08, 2005, 07:47:20 PM »

thanks mark.

hey mike, i'm a novice welder too! i used my miller 135 mig welder w/ gas (75% argon & 25% co2). i used .023 wire, had the voltage set at 2.5 & the wire speed at 3.5 and set the gas to flow at 15cfh. the settings will vary for different welders and different users, but this is what i have found works best for me and my machine.

the hardest part was fitting the donor peice. after i got it as tight as possible i tacked all 4 corners and put one tack on each long side. then i left it for a night and came back the next day to make sure i was happy with it. i was so i then tacked in the middle of those first tacks. and then in the middle of those tacks...and so on...working my way around in an orderly fashion so i wouldnt create to much heat in one area and warp the metal. a little hammer and dolly action here and there and it was finished.

personally, i am not skilled enough to lay a nice bead. i find the metal to be too thin and i end up blowing through. or it gets to hot before i stop and it warps. the tacks arent as pretty as a nice bead, but the weld is still very strong. i showed it to my boss and he gave me the \"is it that strong?\" look. i told him to go ahead and jump on it. the rest of the car will break before that patch does.

Trevor P · « **Reply #21 on:** November 09, 2005, 04:08:42 PM »

I've always been partial to the cloth roofs, but your car with the small windows, and steel sunroof is too cool.

You certain don't see many of those around these days.

btljuce · « **Reply #22 on:** November 09, 2005, 09:16:05 PM »

way to go silas, the car looks like it's in nice shape !!!!! how long before the top 20 ??

Lanny · « **Reply #23 on:** November 11, 2005, 07:32:12 PM »

Quote

thanks mark.

hey mike, i'm a novice welder too! i used my miller 135 mig welder w/ gas (75% argon & 25% co2). i used .023 wire, had the voltage set at 2.5 & the wire speed at 3.5 and set the gas to flow at 15cfh. the settings will vary for different welders and different users, but this is what i have found works best for me and my machine.

the hardest part was fitting the donor peice. after i got it as tight as possible i tacked all 4 corners and put one tack on each long side. then i left it for a night and came back the next day to make sure i was happy with it. i was so i then tacked in the middle of those first tacks. and then in the middle of those tacks...and so on...working my way around in an orderly fashion so i wouldnt create to much heat in one area and warp the metal. a little hammer and dolly action here and there and it was finished.

personally, i am not skilled enough to lay a nice bead. i find the metal to be too thin and i end up blowing through. or it gets to hot before i stop and it warps. the tacks arent as pretty as a nice bead, but the weld is still very strong. i showed it to my boss and he gave me the "is it that strong?" look. i told him to go ahead and jump on it. the rest of the car will break before that patch does.

Fun eh Silas?... Tig would allow a continuous pass.

silas · « **Reply #24 on:** November 11, 2005, 11:06:09 PM »

Quote

how long before the top 20 ??

not soon.

i'll shoot for slow...then low...and then eventually go.

Quote

Fun eh Silas?...

i love welding. or trying to.

Bug Maniac · « **Reply #25 on:** November 12, 2005, 10:36:53 AM »

Wicked bug, I'm loving the paint, nice cars where ya work too.

silas · « **Reply #26 on:** December 05, 2005, 12:10:19 AM »

primed & sealed the new floor...

and then decided to tremclad the pans...

i pulled back the headliner in the front corner on the drivers side and found a sponge, some silicone and some nasty brazing and a few holes. i tried to spot the holes shut but they kept blowing through. so i cut out the corner and made a piece to go in there with a \"spout\" that the drain hose can go on. it's not the prettiest peice of work i've done, but it will effectively get water from the rail and out of the car. unfortunately i didnt get any pics but i will try to take a few before i put the headliner back up.

kirin · « **Reply #27 on:** December 05, 2005, 12:42:39 PM »

Good work silas!
I wish the previous owner of my beetle did welding half as good as yours... Sigh
Can't wait to see the black beast in action...

silas · « **Reply #28 on:** December 21, 2005, 12:12:06 AM »

cant find the pics of the sunroof rail repair, but the good news is that i rebuilt the king & link pins & bushings in the front end, got the car through the safety inspection and it is now insured.

it sure feels good to drive an acvw again, allthough i've been too busy working to do much cruising. but i'm on the road.

if you see a guy with a parka, touque and gloves driving a black 64 sunroof with a grey front left fender...honk and flip me the bird.

HeliMike · « **Reply #29 on:** December 21, 2005, 07:45:30 AM »

My horn's broken so I'll just flip you the bird

Good to hear you're driving her. No heat or what?

Author Topic: 64 Sunroof Little-big Window (Read 8922 times)

Russ