1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

For Type 3 and 4 restoration projects, interesting history, adventure trips etc
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broady_6
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 7th February 2016 - 9:28pm

Cheers for that, I wont be setting any targets. They always become a bind and having just built this

http://www.moler-one.com/gyvwforum/inde ... pic=5451.0

Im well over due for a break before the race season hits!
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 7th February 2016 - 9:39pm

Oh and when I saw the ole girl I notice some blistering under the rear window seal. So ill be removing that before its too late
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937carrera
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by 937carrera » 7th February 2016 - 11:05pm

You have been a busy boy - always difficult to know how many projects someone has on the go at any point in time :)

What's the race season involvement - competitor, preparer, loyal supporter ??
David
1974 412LS Variant
1973 412LE 4 door Fastback / Saloon

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broady_6
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 8th February 2016 - 7:51am

prepareifier, late start to the season this year so ive got two months. though there isnt a lot of racing in the classic/historic world this year. Still ive got plenty to do haha!
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 10th February 2016 - 10:04pm

Small update, I ordered some new bits. Seemingly quite hard to track down all of a sudden! Yet only a few years ago i offered some part worn ones on here for sale and I was told no one will want them as new ones were ten a penny! Oh how times change :(

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 14th February 2016 - 8:33pm

What wiv all these cold orrible evenins I decided id fix something I broke while being an ape.

Some 7 months ago the fuel gauge was playing up, it would read the level pretty well, but it kept flickering every so often and it annoyed me. I tested the gauge with a few resisters and it was stable, but when i did a resistance test on the sender it was a touch intermittent. After removing the tube I did this. DOH

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It was only after I found out its nichrome wire, very hard to get hold of in the right gauge and the company which does supply it only does it in about 10 meter rolls. Expensive when I need about 30cm. Fortunately the editor has some stock so I gave him a couple of quid and he posted me a meter! It was some time later I came to get this meter out of the draw only to find I had lost it, I still have no idea how. So I asked very nicely and with a few more pounds exchanged he posted me a second length. With is arrival I got on before I had time to loose that too.

Nichrome wire also needs a special acid solder which again is expensive to buy a roll when you need 2 small dabs. So i decided to challenge myself and try to melt the solder slip old wire out and the new wire in. Needless to say I was already using 3 of my 2 hands so I didnt have another to take any photos.

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What I hadn't realized until the flash in the photo highlighted it, is that the wire is twisted. I should be able to dismantle and untwist with out the need to disconnect the wire again which is good news :D

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The only thing stopping me from refitting it now is this nut, or the lack there of. Any one know where I can get one, or more importantly what the thread is?

She was dug out of storage today, after changing the fuel lines which had gone solid and leaked at every joint. I poured a gob fuel of fuel down each carb and the engine struck up. Not bad for 7 months of sitting idle. Couple of miles later all was well, engines fairly smooth, brakes were all still even, just the slight bump from the oval rear drums, which will be sorted with the above.

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by Editor » 14th February 2016 - 11:33pm

Well done on making 2 hands do the work of 3! Shame about the twist. Does the float slide up and down? If so try connecting an ohm-meter to the case and the terminal and tilt it upside down - does the resistance change smoothly? It may not matter in use.

There's a lock-tab washer that stops it undoing - just a thin washer that you lift up the edges of to stop the nut undoing. I can't find anything that says the size of the nut, but I'd guess it's around M3. Just checked on a spare and it is M3 (0.5mm pitch seems the normal one).
Dave.

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 15th February 2016 - 7:51am

Yeah the float slides up and down without sticking, Ive have a multimeter on it and it does jump about a bit near to full but 3/4 to empty seems nice and smooth. Ill plug it into the car this week and see how it behaves.

Looks like I best get myself on ebay and order a nut or two!

Many thanks
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by Editor » 16th February 2016 - 12:27am

Stainless steel nylocs, at 10 for 99p inc post - specify M3. Probably the best value you're likely to find. That should save you bothering with a locktab washer.
Dave.

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 16th February 2016 - 7:55am

I was concerned the nylon would react with the petrol and go gummy. So I ordered a bag of normal stainless nuts and planned to double nut it. Very much the same price though!
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by Editor » 16th February 2016 - 11:24pm

Yes, it's better to be safe than sorry - don't want the nut dropping off into the tank, followed by the aluminium casing!
Dave.

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 30th March 2016 - 6:32pm

Ended up making my own tab washer! It the easiest option :D

Small up date, I had my spare tank powder coated, will they blasted and it revealed a zillion holes. So i got it tig welded up then back to the blasters

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by Tight yorkie mick » 30th March 2016 - 7:12pm

That looks nice

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 18th July 2016 - 8:34pm

Sat reading practical classics this weekend and I had a flash of inspiration and decided I should make the move and begin to end this project. I hope to carry out a nice balance of doing bits as i please along with enjoying life. Ive always fallen foul of spending every night in the garage until the projects done. And that grows tiresome rapidly. It means its going to take a while. But ill be much happier! first job was my to/do shopping list. Its long and expensive. Ill publish that this evening. I need both door seals, theyre the real kicker at £300

Next was my two main concerns, screen corners and air box.

I cut the screen seal back so I could look with out removing it completely, based on how cracked and split the seal was, I was quite surprised. The NS was sold and only surface rust. The OS was a bit worse, but hardly a major repair needed.

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A light wire brush and hoover. Ill leave this open for a few days to dry out then rust bust it. That will keep it where it is right now. Not wanting to remove the screen until ive got a new seal. And all other welding done. My biggest argument was the airbox, or lack thereof. As seen in the previous photos. It aint a pretty sight. Ill now be needing some advice please.

First point of argument, looking very sorry for its self.

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And worse still.

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So I got surgical with the die grinder and remove this, as ill target saving the airbox guard.

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It was only after that I realised this huge panel is spot-welded along the bottom edge, but I can anyone tell me if it is along the top? I cant see and sign and it just looks bonded to me. If that’s the case I will remove the whole panel and do the job right. Please help!

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by Editor » 19th July 2016 - 2:12am

I think it's just held by the spot welds. There is a thread on the forum somewhere from someone who removed it to repair it properly. It's easy to see where the spot welds are - they're all pulling due to rust between the tray and airbox bulge.
Dave.

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 19th July 2016 - 7:48am

ah thats a bugger, the bottom edge has the dimples of a spot weld, but along the top and most of the side I can see any dimples. Ive had a search and couldn't find and threads or it being removed. Ill have to go through the projects tonight :D
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 20th July 2016 - 8:15am

After a few minutes of searching I grew bored. The missus was out for the evening, it was glorious 25c+ heat, the car was sat in the carport so I thought sod it, I’ll have a crack. I stripped the rest of the seats and carpeting. Got my head right up there and had a good feel/look around and I couldn't find any spot welds. As the air box panel mounts to the scuttle I didn't think there would be otherwise it would ruin the body work.

Working on my assumption I went back under the bonnet and drill out and spotwelds I could see, from this I could wiggle the panel a little. So I figured it wanted to come out. Then back under the bonnet with a Stanley blade and a couple of small pry bars, I cut away at the sealing foam. slid my smallest bar in and wiggled till the next size up fitted. Hoping that I wasn’t just lucky and found a gap between two welds, I drew downwards, I then heard the wonderful sound of foam tearing. A gap large enough to get my hand in. With that I was able to pull without fear of damage to the scuttle. And away she came.

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As you can see, serious repairs are required, so I’m glad I’ve got this out rather than half-heartedly trying to do this upside down.

Next bit of pottering was to drill the lip out.
As its quite rotten I have to be very careful and this took over an hour

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Im going to give it a gentle sand blast and see what’s left, its looks like a tricky thing to make!
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Chino
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by Chino » 20th July 2016 - 8:39am

Good luck Broady, as a person going through the same task at the moment it's really not nice having to hack your motor up :(

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by purplepeter » 20th July 2016 - 8:55am

2 thoughts that spring to mind Broady...
Might be worth getting in touch with "Tight Yorkie Mick" as He obviously has amazing fab skills & a shrinker/stretcher
Danny posted some pics a couple of days ago with pics of some Donor bodies in Brierly hill, west mids... perhaps one of them might have a usable section?

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 20th July 2016 - 10:06pm

Cheers chino, im far to used to cutting this girl up. I must catch up on the reader rides section and see how your getting on!

Your right my purple. I know mick reasonably well, been helping him where I can with his fasty. he has said "im glad mine doesnt have and airbox" So from that i gather he would like to avoid it if he can haha.

But I do like your second idea, were they pasted on here or on bookface? Ill get in touch with him. Cheers for the tip off
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by purplepeter » 20th July 2016 - 10:31pm

They were on the book of faces, But ask Danny & He'll put You directly in touch. Unfortunately, I very much doubt if Danny knows one end of a grinder from the other, & certainly couldn't be trusted with one on His own.

If Mick were to knock something up, I'm sure a few of us would be interested to have the panel in stock/future insurance

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by Editor » 20th July 2016 - 11:13pm

I was so impressed with Mick's repair sections, I bought the company-- no, sorry, I mean I bought a shrinker/stretcher set. Luckily I had 12kg spare luggage allowance on my suitcase so I got the pair in Harbor Freight in Phoenix - worked out around £80 or so. When I've learnt how to use it, I'll give it a whirl. I see Frost Auto sell the combined one holder and the two types of jaws for £135 - sounds a bit of a nuisance to have to swap round the jaws each time you change from shrinking to stretching.
An alternative solution might be a fibreglass tray - mine is already a mixture of steel and P40! It would mean no rust to worry about, but a fair bit of work to make a mould, even if the shape isn't that complex.
Dave.

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 20th July 2016 - 11:17pm

After speaking to one of the fabricators in the hangar today. His first suggestions was a/c grade fibreglass. It was very tempting! Moler who occasionally comes on here has two of the shrink/stretches from frosts to avoid the jaw swapping. There is also one at work, so one evening when its raining I might stay late and have a play. This a lot of spare luggage, I might have to do something like that. I need loads of seals and junk bringing over!

Ill suggest removing it myself then haha, he sold me some carpets last summer, hopefully he wont remember me :D

Im pretty determined to make something out of steel to repairs this. I will probably get a nice block of wood and for a die to help form the two ends. I have time on my hands with this one so ill spend the time to get it right.
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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by Tight yorkie mick » 22nd July 2016 - 8:57am

Hi folks , thanks for the kind words. After looking at this and seeing how they are an issue on most cars , I think, making a fibreglass rivet in part would be a good idea. As then it could always be put back to og,
For a steel one I'd make it in sections using a shot bag to mallet form the ends , time consuming but do able.
The shrinker/stretcher set has been the absolute best purchase I ever made 8)

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Re: 1971 VW Type 3 Fastback

Post by broady_6 » 22nd July 2016 - 10:39pm

I still like the steel idea. I've no idea why as its never seen and hard to get at to reseal. Ive also thought about a complete redesign. As im not sure why VW did things they way they did. Seems to me the air box "collector" could have been made bigger to seal against the vents in the scuttle to eliminate the need for a second panel and drain. Which ever way I go, if its lasts me over 40 years ill be well aged by then.

I stuck this in a bucket of electric water and this is what we ended up with.

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A very hectic weekend of flying and racing awaits so this ole girl will be rested for a few days
Last edited by broady_6 on 1st July 2017 - 11:09am, edited 2 times in total.
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