1980 B1 Passat Project

[gldgti]

you really are one for all of us to look up to pete - inspiring stuff! magic!

[Peter Jones]

The inner guard took a fair whack.

The idea is to trial fit the new skin up and bring the inner guard out to meet it.

Lots of adventures with clecos (skin pins) tomorrow.

Pete

[Jarred]

wohoo pete. Good to see you're finally getting stuck in!

[Peter Jones]

Progress slowed today. The inner guard is defeating me at the moment.

Got the fuel tank out because it's a bit too close to where I'll be welding.

Fitted and adjusted the new door which took a bit of stuffing about. Passat's don't have the greatest range of adjustments.

I won't get much done next weekend due to Phillip Island, but the weekend after that should see it done.

Then it's on to painting which should be an adventure.

Need to get this on the road before DOVW.

Pete

[Golf Loon]

Nice writeup Pete as usual.

I actually have a Passat roof in the garage at the mo that someone kindly chopped off for me. Stage 2 of that is to graft it into the scirocco and get rid of the sunroof. That will be an adventure!

I was surprised at how similar the roofs and angles were and how small the roof section is once removed.

[Peter Jones]

After staring at the new panel for hours trying to figure out how to tackle it I realised this was probably beyond me and called for help.

Dennis is an old friend of mine and is one of those old skool metal smiths that are rarely found these days. He took some time off fixing Ferrari 360s to get me back on track.

The bottom corner of the guard had a rust pinhole in it, when I cleaned it up with a wire brush the panel started to disapear. It was mostly rust held together by a layer of paint. Dennis said he just have to put a 'piece' in there. Before I knew it he had fabricated a new corner to the guard!

Watch and learn.



Most of the morning Dennis spent straightening out the inner guard. I hadn't even got it close.
Here it's been etch primed and painted before the outer skin gets attached.

[Peter Jones]

This is where I've left it tonight, just a bit of etch primer and high fill on it to keep it from rusting. I've seam sealer'd the interior joins and the inner lip on the guard.


Pete

[Preen59]

Very nice! People with talents in sheet metal just amaze me.. I'm bloody hopeless with the stuff! haha.

[gldgti]

pete, i think we should invent some kind of forum award and give it to you. every time you post up in one of your resto threads i feel like you've been reading my thoughts and then go about answering all my questions with a writeup on something new and cool.

all i can say is thanks - the pictures tell a thousand words

[16v_kid]

pete, very nice work.

and done properly.

really impressed mate.


keep it up.


Gordan.

[Peter Jones]

Very nice! People with talents in sheet metal just amaze me.. I'm bloody hopeless with the stuff! haha.

Yeah Dennis is freak. I've seen him make panels from photographs. When I first met him he was making panels for a Schwimmwagen. Crazy skills. Biggest hammer collection on earth!

Pete

[Golf Loon]

Another sweet writeup Pete.

And man enough to call in a pro for a particularly tough job.

Car looks pretty good now.

[phaeton]

Yeah looks great

[Jarred]

Amazing work.

The welds are so straight! Amazing.

Give me a holler when you want a hand sanding

ooh, and the carport looks good too!

[vinderliker]

Fantastic work. Slotted disk brake rear end! Tell me more please. Bridgestone Adrenalins as well? Love the rims, a bit easier to clean than mine as the meshing/cross hatching is finer and yours look in great condition.
James