Retrovans 1952 Split Beetle -Lady Phoenix

[retrovan]

Thanks guys...

So today I made an effort to do the handbrake, this may sound easy, but for the guys that do not know, the 1952 beetle, has an handbrake rod that runs to the front of the pan, where it connects to the brake cables, that run all the way back to the back wheels.
So why where you having a hard time, I hear you all ask..... well let me tell you.

These here rods would be hard to get and impossible to ship, so it has to be made, made from what, as there are not many drawings of it.



So no sooner have I made one, that I find it will not run through the tunnel in a straight line, being things like the choke knob and cable, as well as the gear lever clutch cable and all the other things in there.

So I had to work out the rout least interference, and bend the rod around these obstacles, without it loosing its functionality.

As I now have the lengths, Now I need to get the cables, get them in and do the set up

Also got the new brake pipes and flexible hoses in and fitted the brake shoe's

Thanks

Herman

[retrovan]

Been trying to find a panel beater to do my pan straightening......

but alas, non are willing to do it on short notice.

So the self sufficient in me decided that I too can do this.

With angle iron brackets, and 10 mm wall plug screws and drill, I bolted the two brackets to the floor, under the two axles.

With the pan on tripods, I strapped the 3 high points to the floor, and jacked up the low point.

Over jacking a bit at a time, I had the pan straight to the mm, and now I can complete the work without having to lick someones a$$ to do the pan.

Will post pic's tomorrow, as I did not have the Camera with me at the workshop.

Till then

Herman

[Tony Z]

Herman the magician!

[Donovan D]

When can I drop off the oval ?

Great work Herman !

[retrovan]

Herman the magician!

Definitely not... .... but sometimes wish I was..

When can I drop off the oval ?

Great work Herman !

Now let me think.........



Thanks guys.....



Well here you go, very crud, but effective.......









Herman

[retrovan]

OK so I did some work on the split beetle again...

So, not only did I have to fabricate a new tow-bar for my son's car, as well as fit it, but had to do it in the sandstorm that we had in J-Bay this Sunday.

Well so much for the fun ......

Back to the 1952 split Beetle...

Got the hand brake cables and fitted the brake rod that had to be made and painted.

As the Gearbox was now in place, so the back wheel bearings where replaced with new, as well as the seals.

Now we have new slave cylinders, with new brake cables and new oil seals, meaning the back axle is complete.

OK, How said that...?? NO, the back shocks are still in good condition, and the shoes and drums are too, so for originality, they will all stay till they wear to the point of replacement..

With all the work on the tunnel, I was not happy with the gear shift rod, so it came out.

Well.. thank goodness I had a look, it was bent in places that I thought it could not bend, it was rusty to the point of it being red brown.

This was straitened, cleaned, de-rusted and painted, set to the correct profile, and returned, now just waiting for the new gear shift rod coupler, as the old one was modified along its life, and has bolts and not rubber holding it together.

Finally worked out what the paddles stops should look like, and made two, one for clutch, other for brake, the petrol roller has its own built in stop, both ways.

Punching the holes in the body/pan rubbers, and getting ready to fit in place.

Will place pic of brake rod insitu next time

Herman

[retrovan]

Has any body got an 1950" single glass door armature and door lock unit,

Have the right hand driver door internals, but am missing the full passenger left hand side internals.

Please let me know.

Thanks

Herman

[retrovan]

So here are the photo's of the handbrake system, for those not knowing the way the split had used half the old system from the mechanical brakes before hydraulics.





Here to I have a photo of the peddle stops for the split / oval system that is hard to come by, as no info is found on the web, or books.







These stops can now be adjusted forwards or back to set the required position of each peddle.

Just now still waiting for my new Gear Rod coupler, then I can close up the hole in the tunnel, and fit the body back on.

Herman

[Drusky]

Love the use of ratchet straps. Impressive ingenuity.

[retrovan]

Thanks Drusky,

OK, So they tell us that sometimes you have to go backwards to be able to go forwards......

Well I thought that as I had the back axle together, that I was done with it for a few years.

Wrong....

When the car went back onto the floor, I found that I had play between wheels in the spider gears, that I was not Happy with.

So off came the wheels, boots, brakes, bearings, side shafts, and gearbox.

Striped the side shafts out the box, thinking that I had F#@ked Up when fitting all the parts.

But no, it was the play of the old side shaft parts in the new recon box that did not fit.

Hunted the internet for fulcrum suppliers, and side shaft gear suppliers, and landed up with the only option, other then waiting for import time, was to try and find a 2nd hand box with no or little wear.

Managed to find a box not far from home, for less then the custom duty's, and started to strip.

Lucky for me, it too was a 15/10 gear box, and these parts fitted right in, trying different scenarios, landed up with the least amount of play possible, well none actually.

So now I just need to refit the whole lot back onto the pan and..........

(to be continued......)

Herman

[retrovan]

This last week was spent stripping out the 2nd hand gearbox, that was bought for spares, and the split box and side shafts where refitted

With the box back on the pan, and the back bearings once again fitted, and the brake drums reassembled and fitted back on the axles, it was again ready to get the body back on the pan.

Had to entice the the family to visit under false pretense of a good home cooked lunch, then springing on them the conditions of entitlement to this for mentioned lunch.



No, they where more then happy to lift the beetle body back onto the pan for their dear old pappy.

So this week will see the bolts go in, and the car made ready for its trip on A-frame to PE for paint.

Will post pic's of this epic trip

Till then, thanks for looking.

Herman

[Bugger]

Glad to See you are making head way with this Epic Project

[retrovan]

Thanks Pierre, If only life would not interfere, I could have it done by now........

So the body finally went back on, and the bolts where refitted and the wheels went back on.

Got the incorrect mudguards off, and fitted the re-worked 52 mudguards back on.

She is now ready to go to Paint.

What colour should I paint her, lets get your input please..............





















Thanks for looking,

Herman

[Jdt1976]

If you want to paint an original colour, here they are:

[Drusky]

Pastel green, with light cream colour upholstery.


Azure blue with cream or ox blood red interior.


Sand beige with ox blood red interior.


Chestnut brown with cream colour upholstery.


Bordeux red with cream upholstery.


Middle brown with cream upholstery.


Black, with cream or ox blood interior.