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2002: When I bought my GT I got a stack of
photos of a previous renovation in 2002. They have mainly renovated the
engine, good job. But dad curse their weldings! |
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Here the engine is parted. |
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The bottom is cut out and new ones welded in. |
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The empty engine space is painted and the renovated engine is being lowered
into it. |
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January 2006, week 2: Dad
arrives in his Chevy stepside (1940) which is loaded with welding tools.
Max has given him a skiing holiday although he didn’t wanted any “pay”, but
we know it is a great job. |
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Dad has written month and year in the dust on the bonnet.
Paint history.
Originally it was orange, but it has also been dark red, metallic cobalt
blue and dark blue. It was metallic dark red, like red wine, when I bought
it. |
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The separation starts. This is what was hidden under the expansion set. It
is always much worse than assumed at first. |
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More mudguards.
Dad taps gently to get the expansion set loose. |
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Disassembling of the ”eyes”. |
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Now there is only the body with engine left. We have spread the windows,
tank and several boxes with smaller parts all over the house and in several
sheds. |
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Left and right side in front of the doors. |
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Dad makes a new ”nose” and repairs the gills. |
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How to make a mudguard.
After forming the new part, the old part is cut off and the new is welded
in. |
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A rotten side member before and after. |
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Max adjusts springs from our Golf GTI to fit Tiny Honk.
Dad helps fitting them onto the GT, they are quite strong. |
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Max helps dad holding a new bottom while dad welds it in, it has to be very
precise. |
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January 2006, week 3: The
right side member has to be changed like the left. |
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The new side member is done and the lower part of the mudguard is closed
again. |
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The ”books” as dad and Max calls them. The previous owners have repaired by
welding layer onto layers, so it seemed like you could leaf through them
like in a book. Here are about 4 to 5 layers, but at the left side we found
up to SEVEN layers! |
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Right mudguard gets the same thorough treatment like the left one did. |
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My favourite plate smith in frame! :)
The bottom is formed and ready to be welded in the car. The last picture
shows the final result. |
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January 2006, week 4: Max is
alone. He cuts the behind off and starts making a new one. |
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This is what was hidden inside. Not as bad as under the front mudguards. The
last picture shows the behind that was cut off. |
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New behind is under construction. The archs, where the exhaust pipes comes
out, have to be precise.
The weldings are being filed. |
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New fittings for the bumper are under construction.
The picture clearly states the difference between good and bad workmanship.
The last picture shows the straightened and sandpapered bumper. Ready for
paint. Chromium-plating was to expensive for the moment. |
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Small fiberglass work on the expansion set. |
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Max has painted all the bare metal with special and very poisoning paint
which kills rust. Afterwards everything was sealed (the white with grey
lines). In the last picture he has primed all new welded parts. |
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Februar 2006, week 5: Dad
is here again and starts making a new part for the right mudguard. You start
with a piece of plate … |
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which you adjust with heat. The old part is cut out and the new one is tried
on. |
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The two parts look a lot like each other.
The final result.
Tin is welded into the rim of the right door. |
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Another ”book” – left rear mudguard.
We have bought new mudguards for an older model of a Golf. Of course they
don’t fit … |
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but they will soon.
Steel plate work is an art! |
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One more mudguard is needed for the right side.
Rust harvest of the day. |
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The behind is now as good as new and the left rear mudguard is almost ready.
It is no easy job to fit the inner and outer guard precisely. |
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Dad is no beer drinker as most other artisans, but he drinks lots of coffee
(see his homemade combined cup holder and warmer), eats lots of chocolate
turtles and cream puffs and the GT was made solely to Elvis music! |
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Continue to restoration 2006, week
9-14 |
