TheSamba.com :: View topic - Verna Resoration

Wed Jul 08, 2015 9:45 am

I wanted to show the project my son just started. He named the Beetle "Verna" but refers to it as the "Uhg bug". He decided to buy a very ugly 1964 Beetle. He know what he was getting into and bought the bug for $500.00 with parts for two engines but was realistic in the issues that would be found. We knew she was very rusty and do have the funds to get her solid and back up and running. I will update this Topic all the time and put comments under most of the photos in time.

I am going to try and show you the progress as it happens but so far so good?????

In multiple place the body shows the origional color was Dark grey. Can't remember the exact name. It was painted at least 4 times in the past.

Special Walmart Edition but nice Radio Plug and Chrome

Noticed the head is bent. Working twards getting it straight. It is bent as if hit from the front right.

Very rusty but rebuildable. No big deal but thankfully it was not rusty higher.

Found this and the following two images when we flipped the pan. Looks like the Tranny mount is broken but we have new tranny for it, no biggy. Looks like they used parts from a kids swing set to get it put together. This is amazing. Imaging the inginuity to do this. All my son could say was WOW! What a POS. He and I both want it done right the first time and find it hard to see things like this. Still WOW!

Wed Jul 08, 2015 10:13 am

You guys are kicking butt on that!! SOOOOO glad you've gotten rid of that paint job. I wanted the discussion on mo-kan and couldn't stand the way this looked. Kudos for restoring the car!

Wed Jul 08, 2015 12:42 pm

tb03830 wrote:

In multiple place the body shows the origional color was Dark grey. Can't remember the exact name. It was painted at least 4 times in the past.

The grey that was available for a 1964 model year Bug is Anthracite.

Wed Jul 08, 2015 1:05 pm

That buggered up transaxle mount is... wow,

just... wow. Ugh Bug is right!

Nice progress elsewhere though!

Yeah, L469 Anthracite was the 64 factory gray - and not a very common color either.

-Andy

Wed Jul 08, 2015 2:09 pm

My anthracite '62 was repainted red in 1980- the OO's wife got tired of the unexciting color. Luckily, he went back to gray in '94 during a budget restoration. Nothing quite like anthracite!

Wed Jul 08, 2015 2:48 pm

That car looks sweet for that price and is going to be a great project

Thu Jul 09, 2015 5:03 pm

Keep at it, the final result will be worth it. Some sandblasting and new floor pans for sure. The bent front end has me worried though, it s hard to judge from the photos what it will take to correct.

Fri Jul 10, 2015 8:51 am

Added new photos. Looks like we will be able to straighten the head out. I have the technology.

Mon Jul 13, 2015 10:23 am

So my son and I worked on the bug this weekend in 90+ degree temperature with humidity that made it feel like 104 degrees. We decided to try and straighten the frame with alot of sweat. The problem we ran into was with the frame head also known as the bulkhead. We tried bending the frame back with a 7 ton Jeep jack but after several attempts we found that the head would flex but would not bend back in the position perminently even with hammering. We used several pieces of wood and straps to brace the buldhead on the other side so it wouldn't tweek the rest of the frame. You'll notice in this picture where the head is bent. We got it to move but never to stay in place. Soooo...we have decided to cut the bad Bulkhead off and replace it and the Nepolion Hat also since there is so much rust there.

Notice the Bends in the base plate and the passengers side of the tunnel?

Mon Jul 13, 2015 12:14 pm

While we wait on the new Bulkhead we are going to tear into the shifter bushing which is being held on by a wire??????? Looks like the hole the bushing goes into is broken. I have new metal plate to weld in to repair the hole. Pictures are forth coming.

Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:12 pm

when you were jacking on it, did you try a torch to relax the metal? Its amazing what a little heat will do. Doesn't do much for the rust unfortunately

carry on!

Mon Jul 13, 2015 10:10 pm

rusty60 wrote: when you were jacking on it, did you try a torch to relax the metal? Its amazing what a little heat will do. Doesn't do much for the rust unfortunately

carry on!

Yea, we tried that and the metal flexed but came back into a bad alignment. Too much metal to heat and bend at one time.

Wed Jul 15, 2015 11:19 pm

So my son and I tackled the Shifter bushing mounting ring. We knew it was bad and here is how we got to it. The shifter rod was held on by a wire.

We then cut the area around it and opened it up.

We found this when we pulled it out.

So We pulled the old one of and sand blasted the inner surface.

And prepped it to weld

Once welded we put it back in

We will grind it down tomorrow and paint it. I know the welds are a little rough but I think I was having trouble with the gas and it was spattering.
I cleaned it up with a wire brush and got this.

Thu Jul 16, 2015 5:30 am

Hard to imagine how that bracket broke inside like that, crazy!

Thu Jul 16, 2015 8:53 am

I had a problem mig welding outside ; there was a slight breeze and it was blowing the shielding gas away from the weld .
I was told this will give you a weaker weld .

" Just a thought " :)

Note ; Home depot sells a flap wheel to fit on a mini grinder that will give you a great smooth finish .

Thu Jul 16, 2015 11:10 am

BLAU GEIST wrote: Hard to imagine how that bracket broke inside like that, crazy!

With the bad transmission mount and the jerry rigging there I think the ring was broken in an accident i n the past and badly repaired.

Fri Jul 17, 2015 8:50 am

So here is what the shifter plate looks like after being welded in and painted. I think it looks good. Minor scratches under the paint/primer but it will all be under carpet and such

Fri Jul 17, 2015 8:55 am

So we started to cutthe head off and put a new one on. We got the Bulkhead from Mid-America. No issues getting it or dage so far.

Caught this as it happened to my son. Notice were the sparks are going. Moments later he jumps in the air and hops around. I could not stop laughing. He is leaning the hard way.

Fri Jul 17, 2015 1:49 pm

If there ever was a good time to replace the fuel line???? Hmmm just saying cant get better access

Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:11 pm

Tested it and other than surface rust it looks good and holds pressure.