Retrovans 1956 OVAL Beetle is no more -RIP

[retrovan]

Hi Guys, with the Fastback Project drawing to a close, Have collected an OLDER girl to play with.

Not quit Old enough, but she will do till the 52 Auntie comes along.

Still not sure what to do with her, but some of you will tell me sure enough.

Edit;- changed the Title, due to my stupidity on Model year, ..

Here are some pic's as she sits in the workshop yard, at this moment.

















Herman

[Retrobug]

She's in good condition!

[retrovan]

Thanks.......

Not bad for a OLD girl....

Have stripped out the shortened beam.

Will now clean and find a serrated beam ratchet block and mate, as the one that is in the beam now, is a plain block, this will not do, 1st speed bump, and the setting is all gone.

Cleaning the steering box and all the parts.

Will be reassembling the beam, and then take a decision to keep of replace it with an original beam.

Awaiting the arrival of the engine on Wednesday.

Then we can test the rest of the drive gear.

Herman

[buggyfan]

just a pity that my pc crashed and i lost most of my pics ,but your Oval made it onto ACVWSA long before you.

http://www.aircooledvwsa.co.za/viewtopi ... 96#p103896

[retrovan]

Thanks for that Buggyfan,

Well lets hope I can make it better then it was the 1st time it was posted.

Not sure if I should keep the shortened beam, or replace it with a standaard beam.

have to make up 100 mm, not sure if the Disk Brakes will give me that. Some Info Please ??

Would like the out look of the car to appear as "original"

So the normal wheel will be going back on.

Calooker will be able to tell me how much the Disk Brakes kit add to the wheel spacing. ??

Should I have to fit Thick spacers, that will work as FlyWheels.

Herman

[jolas]

Nice one Herman, enjoy and best of luck with the restoration

[vw59beetle]

The car looks real solid. Congratulations and good luck with the restoration.
Wernher

[retrovan]

Cleaned the steering box, and striped the drums, and steering knuckles of the beam, and cleaned all the parts.

The King pins and link pins are shot, and got a new set today from Goldwagen.

Fitted the king pin bushes, but now need a Pilot Reamer to align the bushes, to receive the king pin.

Told my self to get a reamer, after doing the 59 Beetle, but that idea went with the Altshim....., or what ever you call it...

Not wanting to re-fit the shortened Adjustable beam, will try to sell, swop, or trade it for a Standard beam.

Want to bring it back to original, so if you have one, or want one, then find one, and swop one for the one you want.....

Herman

[Bushpig]

Hey Herman, she really looks good and a solid base to start with. At least she has all the parts. Look forward to seeing the progress.

[retrovan]

Thanks guys, much appreciate the encouragement, will be needed as the time goes on, and parts get more difficult to get, will see how we go, will be putting a lot of effort into her, but should I not have the "Correct" part at hand, with in a reasonably time, I will fit other Model parts to speed up the process.
Do not want a project standing in the back yard for ten years, will then loss interest and let it die.
No will fit newer model parts, and change them as they become available, hope to have the best part of it restored by next George Show.
If you have or know of parts location, will be most gratefully, such as the correct seats, these have been changed, not correct, so will have to change them some time.

Till then

Herman

[retrovan]

Finally found a STD front Beam for the Oval, so now I can get it on its wheels at least.
Why, you all ask as One, ...well I want to fit the engine into it, and drive it around the neighbourhood,..... I mean, the yard....., just to test out all the mechanical things, in case they need urgent work.
This will enable me to fix the mechanical things at the same time as the Body and Pan.
Hate to have a surprise waiting for me when I fit all the body parts, after restoration, and find, that I now have to start with mechanical repairs as well.

Will be posting the reworked beam before fitting it to the Body.

Herman

[MINCE]

Did you do a swop? Did you buy? Do you still have the other?

[MINCE]

Never mind. Saw your other post

[69bug]

Nice solid car, Herman. Enjoy the rebuild!

[retrovan]

Ok, so a lot of time and things have happened to this project.

To start with, the car had been lowered to the point of dragging on the ground, so could not move it to the Home garage from the workshop.

So I had to find a STD beam, once the beam was found, it did not make sense to fit it, just to take it out again.

So I reconditioned it, and readied it for the car. Then I thought, why not fit the disk brakes 1st, so that was done.

Fitted the now completed beam back to the Oval, and a-framed it back home.

With the VW family getting so big, had to make a carport for them all, so off I went, built the steel trusses, and built me a Carport.

As the Oval, arrived without an engine, I needed to find me a 1200 36Hp, this was done, still waiting for the papers, but at least the engine is here.

The engine looks to be in running order, but can not find out, as I would not like to start it blind.

One never knows what happened to it during its time out of the car.

To be able to run the motor, I would need to rebuild the Distributor, the fuel pump, and the Carb.

A quick shopping spree on line to CIP1 and the toy box arrived with the following.

Carb rebuild kit
Distributor rebuild kit
Points, condenser, and Cap
Fuel pump rebuild kit
Tie rod ends for the beetle
Brand New tie rods complete for the Split Bus
Brand new Drag line for the Split Bus

So this week end I have rebuilt the distributor, looks new
When starting to rebuild the fuel pump, I find that the 3 legged spring holder was broken, and alas this is not included in the Kit. Dam, so now I had to make one.
Too hard to make from steel, anyway it will just rust with our watery petrol, so I turned one from brass, what a job, had to file the little legs to fit.
Rebuilt the Fuel Pump, looks new, and it works...
Now we have the Carb, in the cleaning tank, noticed it was not originally to be black, was the dirt that made it look black..
Now, thanks to Bushpig, will soon have a starter, then we will have all the parts, then the big strip can begin.

Will tear down the motor, to inspect it, and recon the tinware, then rebuild, and 1st start, see if it runs, if it runs right.

Till then

Herman