Project Advice

[beetle_man]

I started a roofchop project (71 super) at the beginning of the summer for fun, thinking I might end up with a pile of scrap metal ( build website ). It has gone better than expected, and we are now hoping to make it to the end of summer show and a wedding in September. Most of the major body modification is finished, the body is off the frame, and we are continuing to pretty up the major mods. I have a hundred questions and I thought this would be a good spot to start asking them and try and generate some discussion. First here is a pic to see where we are at:


1)I think we should remove the paint and rust before we replace the heater channels (I have a new one for the drivers side, need one for the passengers side). Does anybody know a good shop and about how much it would cost to do the body only (I can drop off and pick up). I have a cheap bucket sandblaster, but think it would be too much trouble for the body, probably help us clean up the chasis though.

2) I have a low spot on the white roof at the end of the relief cuts, resulting from altering the shape. Is there a way to expand the metal (heating and rapid cooling), should I just fill it with fiberglass? Not sure what to do about this section (see pic)


Those are the 2 major ones, but lots of others. The grand plan is to slap new heater channels on, fiberglass hood, fenders & aprons and lower it. We need:
passenger side heater channel
rear inner fender bumper mount
front suspension bushing & lowering components
Rear Axle bolts (the ones with the allen keys to put the tranny in)
Chasis paint (por15)

We have extra parts too if anyone is looking for 71 super parts.

If anyone wants to come by and help out we usually work on it Wednesday nights, and sometimes Sunday afternoon, PM me.

The white car was purchased from westside a couple years ago, the blue car was an old driveway project, and made it to one of the shows.



Josh

[dpeters83gti]

Don't fill the roof with fiberglass...

I'm thinking that another roof section properly contoured to fit where yours needs work (welded in of course)would be the best solution.

I'm not an expert, or even a rank amateur...I applaud your hard work.
Few people go through the effort of chop-tops.

- Doug
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<img src="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/dpeters83gti/Regina%20VW%20Show-n-Shine%202007/Show-n-shine%20part2/th_DSCF0016.jpg>

[commercial air]

I agree with DP....no fibreglass. That goes for the body parts as well. Stick with metal and you won't be sorry.
As far as the low spot goes, I think you need to carry the roof line back farther. You have chopped the top, but it still needs to be channelled. It will involve cutting the centre section of the roof out (probably from the body line above the rain gutters) and patching in another donor roof and some extra metal. As you have found, the gutters are now farther apart than stock and you need to compensate for that. It's a great project and I'd love to build one myself one day. HotVW or VW Trends did a great article on it a number of years ago........not sure how long though. Good luck,

Chris
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My favorite VW's are the ones that "work"

[Kombi]

[thevwmedic]

Sorry Guys but I'm booked till next fall and then some. But I do have a good roof section with a sliding sunroof(metal Kind-74 Bug) that could be the cure for the roof problem.

[beetle_man]

Thanks for the advice. I like the idea of patching some metal. I will see what I can do with the rest of the blue roof. The middle of the 2 roofs line up perfectly, so I likely need triangular type pieces coming out from the center. I have read the magazine article (numerous times), the one I found is from volksworld from 98, their roofs appeared to line up better than ours (link on website).

I am interested in removing the paint/rust. I thought I would ask if anybody has had any experience, before I start randomly calling places. I am more than willing (even preferred) to rent a facility capable of the process as well. Just think it would make the paint and body work easier.

Josh

[beetle_man]

I started this thread a while ago, just thought I would let everybody see what I did.


Josh
roofchop

[MP3Cab]

Keep up the good work. In time you will have something that looks like this:



A Bug I have only seen in a drive way on the south side.
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'89 Golf Cabriolet new project
'01 Passat GLS V6 4Motion
river found.

[di0nysus]

Cool!

I've got a finished car very similar to yours