1960 Split Window Kombi – "Walter"

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

More of a deconstruction day, than construction, but I think its progress.  Concentrating on the front now.  So decided to change the temp bracing I had so I could get at the floor.  Then set about carefully cutting it all back so I could gain access the the ends of the chassis from above but also getting it back to good metal.  Has come up well.

At some stage in its life its had a small whack on the end of the passenger chassis ail.  I reckon it would be possible to straighten it but I have seen its actually rusted through.  I think given its job I will let in a repair section.

And Suesy and I got a bit excited, I removed the high beam dipper switch and I think there is original colour paint under it, so am asking the Kombi gurus if this was original.  If it is I might mask it up so its preserved in case anyone wnated one day to put it back.

And lastly after to lots of applications of Inox, I finally have managed to free the rudimentary heater tube so it works  :D

[vinParticipant saSL/LEE View build HERE Member since: June 5, 2019 Posts: 66]

sorry about that script fiasco, as I was typing the cat decided to run over keyboard into my lap and bingo mess, funny when she was a kitten she used to paw the mouse cursor on screen.

Thats a really nice job with the construction/welding, nice talent to have. That light jade green you found does look familiar to vdubs, I have seen a few similar many years ago at an old friend’s workshop in a side street next to the back carpark at westfield arndale shopping centre, he dealt with 99% vw cars. Got to see a lot of early cars.

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Don’t stress mate just hadn’t got around to cleaning it up, but all done

Thanks, very pleased to find it, I am going for something completely different but will be nice to preserve it for someone later one day.

Had a bit of a play last night and got the old window frame removed, now I have been doing it for a while, kind of know the process which is good.  Then got to do a first trial front fit up to show Suesy, getting there…

 

 

• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by  VRSenator065.

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Working from home yesterday so had a bit of a play in the morning while it was coolish.  Decided to have a crack at fixing the chassis rail.  First job was straightening it where it was bent.  Improvised with a puller I have, and after several goes at it, it actually came up a treat.  Then when I looked at the rust, and realised actually I could leave the nuts and cut out the triangle above them forwards.  Unfortunately got caught up doing that so didn’t take any pics.  But its nice and straight and solid steel now      Few pics

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Well that’s a bloody long day.  One of those where you do heaps but doesn’t seem like there is much to show for it at the end.  Started off by removing the pins from the passenger door.  Thought I had nailed it.  Then stupidly using the puller broke the end off the hinge.  Luckily Cooper had one but it meant a repair.  In case its useful to anyone here s my method for removing door pins.

Make up a plate that sits under the hinge with a hole in the middle big enough that the head of the hing pin will pass through.  Then drill two holes outside that and  use two long bolts to secure the puller.  I found using an M8 socket head screw perfect, as my puller centered in the hex, and an m8 screw is slightly less than 8mm in diameter.  use this to take the pin ALL the way out.  My first attempt when i got far enough to separate the hinge halves I did, then when i did it to get the last bit out the end was unsupported and it broke off.  So keep the hinge assembled to it supports itself.  Hope that makes sense. I used the broken end to make up a nut plate for the screwing the new hinge in.  I will but some decent screws, i just used what i had.

Then repaired the chassis on the drivers side.  So that’s pretty much the front chassis stuff rust free.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by  VRSenator065.

[Anonymous View build HERE Member since: January 1, 1970 Posts: 0]

This is what reality TV glosses over, you can spend an entire day doing one small job until it’s right and as you say there’s very little to show for it..

HUGE difference to having a build planned/executed months in advance by a full team then blowing it apart and doing final assembly for the cameras.

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Yea couldn’t agree more.  I also sometimes wonder what some of those cars must look like a year later…

[Judge1 FrazerParticipant new zealand1983 VB LSA MG9 6060 6 speed View build HERE Member since: February 5, 2016 Posts: 775]

That’s looking good Gary the rust around the window looks nasty

T

VRSenator065 wrote:

sometimes wonder what some of those cars must look like a year later… one show comes to mind Car SOS British show

 

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Yea I have a whole new A pillar for that side too.  It’s toast.  Just lots of prep to get rid of the rot.  Slow and steady wins the race.

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Seems like its not easy to get hold of the passenger side door inner in Oz at the moment.  So pulled the buggered skin off the spare I have, also cut the front headlight buckets out of the old nose.  And Cooper gave me the inner front guards.  So thought I might as well get them off for blasting.  Matt is racing in the karting nationals at the Bend at the end of the month so with that, and practicing for it, I think it will be on a bit of a go slow for a while.

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

That’s me for the day, heading into the Fringe.  Doing the doors, tricky little sucker to work on.  Not sure if this door is really worth the effort but going to give it a crack.  Haven’t sanded the welds etc, doing a bit of racing the next couple of weeks so not sure when I will get another crack at it.

[Judge1 FrazerParticipant new zealand1983 VB LSA MG9 6060 6 speed View build HERE Member since: February 5, 2016 Posts: 775]

wow that rust just keeps on going ..nice work Gary

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Yea I know, 60 years old and they were ever really built to last, more a work horse.  I kinda think each bit I cut out and repair is one less piece  of rust before the end

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Couldn’t resist squeezing in an hour or two.  Scored a donor door off Cooper that had the lower curved part.  Interesting the height difference isn’t there, so the mod I had to do to the lower part I now have to make this part to suit.  must be just natural variances in years etc.   Also Cooper popped down, and as I suspected the inner frame is OK, but the door skin is past saving on this side, so will buy a new skin, but finish the resto of the frame.  The passenger door though looks like its saveable which is great.

[Judge1 FrazerParticipant new zealand1983 VB LSA MG9 6060 6 speed View build HERE Member since: February 5, 2016 Posts: 775]

Hey Gary saw this and thought of Walter go to 4:26 this one moving a little bit faster

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Lol, that’s hooking!!

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Pretty happy with that given I’m a rank amateur.  Just using what I have, which is a stuffed passenger side door what I need part of for that door, so cutting and shutting to get this done. Put my shrinker to good use and made up the curved part from scratch. Now I have the old skin off, tomorrow I will be able to attach it with a dolly and hammer and smooth it out a little, but I am not after a show car so happy now tbh.  Finished the day just doing a test fit of the new skin, fits perfectly, almost clips into place.  Happy days.

[Anonymous View build HERE Member since: January 1, 1970 Posts: 0]

The”difference” will be you’ve done it yourself, doesn’t have to be show quality it’s going to be a driver, you should have a huge sense of accomplishment!

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Thanks IJ.  Totally agree.  Truly built not bought.  U know a guy with a V8 powered BMW with the same kind of commitment!

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Holy crap that was a long day.  This door seems to be a never ending story, but progress is progress I guess.  Made up a section where the lower hinge reinforcing box had rusted away,  happy how it tuned out.  Then spent a bit of time going over what I had done so far and wasn’t happy with the rest of the lower part of the frame so decided I may as well make up a new section since I have gone so far already.  Then repaired the rusted out ends  of the vertical struts using some donor parts off the old door I have.  Its not finished but getting very close now.  What an epic journey this bloody door has turned out to be!!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by  VRSenator065.

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