Aircooled VW South Africa

Very Nice Dirk.

If you take a look at the previous pictures I posted here, you will note that the driver side door is in quite a state.

I spent the last 3 days cleaning that door down to bare metal. There was as much as 1cm deep putty in places, I finally managed to get it all gone... three 40 grit and three 80 grit sanding disks later.

I'll post some pics soon.

I don't know if I want to keep this door. I'm sure it can be saved, but if I can find a Type 3 driver's side door that is straight and rust free, I'd much rather invest in that.
So if you know of one lying around, be so kind as to inform me

Get someone to pin and file the door for you, then you will only use a very fin layer of body filler or sprayfiller,

I have bad news guys.

Against all my wishes I've had to declare this fasty dead.
Time of death is 4 October 2008 at 10:15.

Two doctors concurred, that the wishbone being rusted through, to the extent that you can stick your fist through it, is everything but safe regardless of how you
weld it. Yes, for the right amount of gold we can pull a Lazarus maneuver, but even then one would never be able to trust it. Resurrection is therefore not an option anymore.

In accordance with tradition, the last rites were read and we are happy to report that this Fasty was a card carrying organ donor.
I'm still hoping for another Fasty, but if you are looking for something you might want to contact me and see if I'm willing/able to part with it.

This is a hard day for me, and I'm sure it's just as hard for some of you, but there is good in this still and we should be full of hope for the next one.

Hey, don't give up on her just yet!!

What do you mean with 'wishbone'?

Would a donor chassis solve your problems??

*Doctor, we have a pulse!*

I'll take pictures and show it here.

Hy jong man as dokters mense kan red dan is enigiets op `n car salvagable

Soos Pine se We have a Pulse then get a 2nd opinion "So to speak"


Dit this is is nie not goeie good nuus news

Bugger, yes I can save this car, with a budget of about R25K.

Sorry dude, I have thousands to spend, not tens-of-thousands. And I can't sell this chassis with a clear conscience, so I'll be splitting it up for spares.
Finding another chassis isn't an option either, I got underneath the corpse to look at the damage today. One of the rear bumper bolt brackets came off in my hands, I just brought a wrench to it and it jumped off at me.

Trust me guys, there are simply to many things wrong with both the body and the substructure. The only pulse left here is in the form of ridiculous amounts of cash.
Now, unless someone here is feeling rather flush... I'd rather spend money on another, savable project.

Sorry to hear it is so far gone

Well like they always say things happen in mysterious ways not that we know why but maybe on the horison there is a
Very good donor lying and waiting for you

We`ll hold thumbs for you

Dirk, don't give up hope.

Please show us some pics of what you are referring to....

I saw a Fastback from the main road in Brakpan a while ago, haven't had time to go and have a look at it yet, but I will see what I can do, I am interested in the rear brake drums, brake shoes and slave cylinders

Are they stripping it for spares? I'm interested in the bootlid and doors...

I'm sure that it wouldn't be too hard to find you a donor Fasty dirk.

Blitz,

The criteria is simple.

The question I need to ask myself is: Would I be able to let my wife drive the
car without concern for her safety?

With what I've seen, the answer to that question would NEVER BE YES.

Sorry Blitz, that is where I draw the line. I'm willing to risk a lot, but that
is one area where I do not take chances.

But all is not lost, right now I hope to find another Fasty, and use the one I
have as a donor. If I don't find one within the next few weeks, you will all
have an incredibly good supply of spares.

Both the doors and boot lid are more than serviceable. In fact, all the panels
are more than serviceable. I've already taken them off. Both the 1500 and 1600
engines I have are also very good, with all tin available as far as I can see.
And of course, all the glass is there, so if you are looking for a windshield
or back window... you know who to contact. The seats are also good, and as you
have all seen, they have been re-upholstered, the side panels are also newly
cut hardboard, with new upholstery.

Guys, this is tough enough for me as it is. But I honestly had to make the call.
Right now, all I can do with a clear conscience is to recover the funds I've
already put into it, and hope to get another Fasty.

As you can see, I haven't given up on restoring a Fasty. I have however given
up on restoring THIS PARTICULAR Fasty, and trust me, it wasn't an easy decision
to make. Even after I announced the decision on Saturday night, I secretly hoped
that I was wrong. That is why I lifted the car on Sunday morning, just to make
absolutely sure that I can not save it. I spent all of Saturday and Sunday
fighting good sense and reason, looking for excuses to continue the restoration.

I'm sorry guys and gals. The call has been made, and I'm afraid to say the call
is final, in every respect of the word. This Fastback is now officially spares,
to be used to keep other Fastbacks alive.

Yes, it breaks my hart to say it. Even now I'm nursing a drop of defiance, but
the facts are what they are, and even though I would like to give Entropy the
finger and stand my ground, I can not continue this resto and still call myself
even remotely sane.

There is a very fine line between dedication and stubborn-stupidity, continuing
this restoration is well beyond the stupidity line.

Honestly guys, this is like taking a family pet to be put down. The major
difference here, is that you can't just walk away, cry your hart out and wake up
the next morning feeling all better about it. You have to live with this thing
in your front yard and literally take it apart.

Imagine having to put your lovely pet down, then having to skin it and prepare it
as a meal for your guests.

THAT IS WHAT I'M FEELING AT THIS MOMENT!

Please don't continue along the line of: "Save it! Save it!"

Yes, if I had R30k to throw around, I'd probably do it. Heck if I had a couple of
million to throw around I'd build a factory that pushes out brand new Fasties every
day.

There is the dream, and then there is the reality. Right now, I have to face reality.
It's a bitter pill to swallow, so let's leave it at that shall we?

Thank you.

If his unpleasant wounding has in some way enlightened the rest of you as to the grim finish beneath the glossy veneer of restoring an air cooled VW, and inspired you to reconsider before buying off-hand, then his injuries carries with it an inherent nobility and a supreme glory. We should all be so fortunate. You say, "poor Fasty".

I say, "poor us".

Well at least you got a nice seatcover to sooooooth your broken heart and make you feel like a million bucks again