East coast restorations

Is it really necessary to do steel work or filler on a VW fender? Can't new
ones be purchased for earlier models cheaper than paying flat rate for body
work?

jjs wrote:
> Is it really necessary to do steel work or filler on a VW fender? Can't new
> ones be purchased for earlier models cheaper than paying flat rate for body
> work?
>
>

The quality of new ones is inferior compared to original, even slightly
rusty and dented original. Sometimes a pair of fenders bought at teh
same time don't even match each other. Light assemblies at different
heights etc..
And you still have to strip the storage paint off and start with bare
metal. Possibly some body work.

If you have decent originals to work with, stick with those.
Of course it's probably more expensive, done properly. If you want
cheap, you can buy new. Funny huh

Jan

This is also true or newer vehicle parts. Auto salvage yards do a booming
business in nice used parts as they are usually far superior to aftermarket
parts.
Andy

"Jan" > wrote in message
...
> jjs wrote:
>> Is it really necessary to do steel work or filler on a VW fender? Can't
>> new ones be purchased for earlier models cheaper than paying flat rate
>> for body work?
>>
>>
>
> The quality of new ones is inferior compared to original, even slightly
> rusty and dented original. Sometimes a pair of fenders bought at teh same
> time don't even match each other. Light assemblies at different heights
> etc..
> And you still have to strip the storage paint off and start with bare
> metal. Possibly some body work.
>
> If you have decent originals to work with, stick with those.
> Of course it's probably more expensive, done properly. If you want cheap,
> you can buy new. Funny huh
>
> Jan

On Dec 15, 9:41 pm, Jan > wrote:
> jjs wrote:
> > Is it really necessary to do steel work or filler on a VW fender? Can't new
> > ones be purchased for earlier models cheaper than paying flat rate for body
> > work?
>
> The quality of new ones is inferior compared to original, even slightly
> rusty and dented original. Sometimes a pair of fenders bought at teh
> same time don't even match each other. Light assemblies at different
> heights etc..
> And you still have to strip the storage paint off and start with bare
> metal. Possibly some body work.
>
> If you have decent originals to work with, stick with those.
> Of course it's probably more expensive, done properly. If you want
> cheap, you can buy new. Funny huh
>
> Jan

Its real easy to tell the aftermarket fenders from real , the rear
fenders always hang about 15cm lower then the rear apron and on the
front just look at the horn grills, they set at different heigths.

On a 72 super that I put on wider wheels and tires you could easily
see the differance in widths.

With aftermarket fenders you want to apply a heavy coat of paint and
undercoating underneath to stop rust and dinging from stones that fly
off the tires.

I had a customer ask if it would have been cheaper to buy aftermarket
fenders then fix the dents and rusted headlight bucket on his beetle
till I showed him an aftermarket set, He was real happy I fixed his.

Mario
Vintage Werks resto

wrote:
> On Dec 15, 9:41 pm, Jan > wrote:
>> jjs wrote:
>>> Is it really necessary to do steel work or filler on a VW fender? Can't new
>>> ones be purchased for earlier models cheaper than paying flat rate for body
>>> work?
>> The quality of new ones is inferior compared to original, even slightly
>> rusty and dented original. Sometimes a pair of fenders bought at teh
>> same time don't even match each other. Light assemblies at different
>> heights etc..
>> And you still have to strip the storage paint off and start with bare
>> metal. Possibly some body work.
>>
>> If you have decent originals to work with, stick with those.
>> Of course it's probably more expensive, done properly. If you want
>> cheap, you can buy new. Funny huh
>>
>> Jan
>
> Its real easy to tell the aftermarket fenders from real , the rear
> fenders always hang about 15cm lower then the rear apron and on the
> front just look at the horn grills, they set at different heigths.
>

15cm is just slightly under 6 inches. I suspect you have made a error
in units. Maybe you mean 15mm (roughly about 0.6 inches).

LOL my mistake , yes I meant 15mm, thank

I hope with the more intrest there is in the aircooled Beetles that
some business will step up and make better sheet metal parts.
>
> 15cm is just slightly under 6 inches. I suspect you have made a error
> in units. Maybe you mean 15mm (roughly about 0.6 inches).- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

On Dec 16, 5:18 pm, " > wrote:
> LOL my mistake , yes I meant 15mm, thank
>
> I hope with the more intrest there is in the aircooled Beetles that
> some business will step up and make better sheet metal parts.
>
>
>
> > 15cm is just slightly under 6 inches. I suspect you have made a error
> > in units. Maybe you mean 15mm (roughly about 0.6 inches).- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -

Honest mistake, Bondario.... When you are applying bondo at depths of
15cm, that figure probably sticks in your head.

On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:35:50 -0800 (PST), Legion of Doom
> wrote:

>On Dec 16, 5:18 pm, " > wrote:
>> LOL my mistake , yes I meant 15mm, thank
>>
>> I hope with the more intrest there is in the aircooled Beetles that
>> some business will step up and make better sheet metal parts.
>>
>>
>>
>> > 15cm is just slightly under 6 inches. I suspect you have made a error
>> > in units. Maybe you mean 15mm (roughly about 0.6 inches).- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> > - Show quoted text -
>
>Honest mistake, Bondario.... When you are applying bondo at depths of
>15cm, that figure probably sticks in your head.
kinda like the difference between 9 and 9,000 dollars. simple slip of
the tongue

Yup, John. What have you been up to?
Andy
(busman)

> wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:35:50 -0800 (PST), Legion of Doom
> > wrote:
>
>>On Dec 16, 5:18 pm, " > wrote:
>>> LOL my mistake , yes I meant 15mm, thank
>>>
>>> I hope with the more intrest there is in the aircooled Beetles that
>>> some business will step up and make better sheet metal parts.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> > 15cm is just slightly under 6 inches. I suspect you have made a error
>>> > in units. Maybe you mean 15mm (roughly about 0.6 inches).- Hide
>>> > quoted text -
>>>
>>> > - Show quoted text -
>>
>>Honest mistake, Bondario.... When you are applying bondo at depths of
>>15cm, that figure probably sticks in your head.
> kinda like the difference between 9 and 9,000 dollars. simple slip of
> the tongue

On Dec 21, 11:20*am, "Scott H" > wrote:
> > wrote ...
>
>
>
>
>
> >I was reading my Jan 08 Hot VW mag at the type 2 nose job and was
> > looking at the before picture with the caption below that says "there
> > was no way of pounding all that damage outand keeping it straight with
> > out the use of body filler.
> > Well here on the east coast we don't have many rust/dent free split
> > window buses to cut replacement noses from (most are being restored if
> > any part is good.
> > It seems like an experianced body man with a stinger stud gun and a
> > small heating torch could hyave fixed that area with just a skim coat
> > of filler. If you look at the large picture in the beginning of the
> > article it looks like the replacement panel has dents that will
> > require some filler work it self.
> > Yes it would be nice to have a bunch of rust/dent free VW parts cars
> > in junk yards around here to get replacement parts from, but if you
> > have been keeping up with all the talk its getting harder to find
> > anything and with out side sources buying everything up we have to
> > work with what we have.
> > I think its great they have good parts on the west coast but thats
> > little help for us in the east.
> > The last time I tried buying a set of early rust free doors from
> > someone on the west coast, I sent the money and got nothing in return.
> > Not saying its always like that some times you get parts that have
> > been misrepresented.
> > And its hard to explain to a customer that you spent hours and hours
> > running around looking for good replacement parts.
> > Mario
> > Vintage Werks resto.
>
> For any that might be interested, this is a $9000.00 "restoration" by Mario
> Gavazzi at Vintage Werks "resto":http://youtube.com/watch?v=tf5_tHPLYYY

Thats funny that the beetle was stripped of all the chrome and rubber
and glass , lights and engine just to try to make me look bad. And
it was taken before I finished

Some one again tell me how she was better off letting that bweetle be
stripped then to just finish it.

Mario
Vintage werks resto -