Itinerant Air-Cooled

Bleyseng wrote:Finally I was able to pick up my rebuilt tranny!!! Mark had to new 2nd and 3rd gears, new synchro's and swap in some unbent shifting forks to get it back to working smooth again.
Now to finish up the metal repairs......

How can people *bend* shift forks? Do they use two hands on the gearshift?
Colin

The car had been hit in the right rear so I guess it happened then as the original engine case was damaged then too. It has a VW universal case and a couple of the tins were pounded out back into shape. Some of the metal work in the engine compartment is to repair the repairs....I hate doing this kind of work drilling and grinding out bad stick welds.
Back to the tranny, now it shifts smoothly and has nice sharp teeth on all the gears so it will "snick" into engagement. Also it should have no more of the vagueness trying to find the gears. I used AAtransaxle as I knew they had a stash of good OEM and NOS parts to bring it back from the dead. I am replacing the shift rod bushing before installing the engine and tranny.
Now if the weather will hold at 50F for a few days I will make some progress.....

Finally it stopped raining and it's warmer outside so back to the rusty metal repairs....
Test fit of the engine shelf/battery tray after a struggle to remove the spot welded to hell panel.
Re-installed the thermostat assembly and modified it so it works properly with the re-installed airflaps. Engine is ready to go back in so time to press on with the rust work.

Did a bunch of cutting, grinding, drilling today and got to the first fitting of the rear piece of the engine shelf. It fits kinda sorta well actually its going to take a bunch more cutting and grinding to get this to fit at all like the OEM engine bay.

I was able to work on the ghia for about two hours before daylight ended. I hate trying to fit and weld under a 500watt work light so I did as much as I could do today. Pieces are all fit and tack welded in although I have to weld in all the braces from underneath which should be fun. Looks a lot better without all the half rusted out engine shelf back there now.....

Bleyseng wrote:I was able to work on the ghia for about two hours before daylight ended. I hate trying to fit and weld under a 500watt work light so I did as much as I could do today. Pieces are all fit and tack welded in although I have to weld in all the braces from underneath which should be fun. Looks a lot better without all the half rusted out engine shelf back there now.....

What sort of "all the braces" are there? Did you use the engine deck lid as a locating assist for the rear apron, or did you use only the surrounding sheet metal?
Looking good so far.
Colin

Under the engine shelf there are several angle and straight braces that support the engine shelf metal and the overriders from the bumpers. That was the hard part of the disassembly, the drilling the spot welds out in really tight spots to free up the rusty shelf metal. I just puddle weld everything with my wire feed MIG setup and grind the welds smooth. I have to fab up all the little "Tabs" that hold the engine lid release cable and reattach the battery hold downs.
Got in about an hour of work before it poured stopping my work as the car is outside under a cover but I hate standing in water while I weld.....

I measured to find the center point to locate the rear apron so the engine lid closes properly. Lots of test fitting to make sure everything fits nicely which is interesting as the repaired side isn't the best repair I have ever seen.

A shot of the braces that I welded in today. I cut out and saved the old ones as they were in good shape and reusable.

Here is a pic of the 90% complete repair. I have to grind smooth the puddle welds and fill the gaps in with seam filler. I also have to make the clips to hold down the rear latch cable. On the left you can see where I was pounding out the big dent in the wheelhouse that was just left from the previous repair. Its just above the air cleaner stand and is hidden when you install the sound deadening panel but you can see it when you look above the tire. This was a good time to pound in out along with the smashed passengers side engine shelf.

Bleyseng wrote:On the left you can see where I was pounding out the big dent in the wheelhouse that was just left from the previous repair. Its just above the air cleaner stand and is hidden when you install the sound deadening panel but you can see it when you look above the tire. This was a good time to pound in out along with the smashed passengers side engine shelf.

That's the right, so help me God we are in the same Universe, no?

Air cleaner shelf is on the right (passenger side U.S.) yes?
Colin?

(looks good)

Yep, my error the dent was on the right side. Its more of a crumble from the rear ending which trashed the motor too.
I'll take a better picture once its smoothed out.

Well it's finally back together and I started it up today. Ran pretty good, adjusted the timing, no oil leaks and now for a good washing and cleaning. Just in time for summer!
I did spend 4 hrs changing the front shift bushing which was so fun, not! But it shifts like a dream now so it was worth it.

A picture of the engine installed as stock as possible.

Bleyseng wrote:A picture of the engine installed as stock as possible.

Looks good. Paint the generator pulley, schnell.
Colin

Yes Sire, I'll get right on it.