Panel replacement

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olds72
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Panel replacement

Post by olds72 »

Has anyone replaced this panel before
Image

Because of this:
Image

Rust Sucks!!!! :twisted:
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Briano1234
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Post by Briano1234 »

Do you mean the cable tray?


I had to cut it out on my green rabbit and weld in a new piece.

But the difference is I just had to replace the top piece

Image


Image
Briano

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olds72
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Post by olds72 »

The Cable tray! I knew it had a name. That whats rusted on mine. Did you weld it in from the backside or in the tray itself. I cut the whole panel from the donor cabby because I didn't know what I needed. Do yo have any more pics of the process?
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Briano1234
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Post by Briano1234 »

No I don't have any more pics sorry....

I ground out all the metal that was rusted to a straight line. I cut a piece of flat stock 1 inch longer than I needed. I ground the flat stock 1/2 the thickness on both sides for 1/2 inch. so that I would have metal that would
lay to the proper thickness of the tray so that the rear cable would sit correctly. I then Welded the sides of the metal to the existing cable tray

I then tack welded the back of it at 2 places.

I then primed the metal.

I then took a piece of rubber hose and over wrapped saran wrap on it and forced it in the open slot.

I mixed up a crap load of JB-Weld and applied that to the back side of the cable tray to seal it. The rubber hose and saran wrap kept it from coming into the trough of the tray when the JB-Weld set I removed the hose and pulled out most of the saran wrap.....

I filed all edges to be smooth to prevent the top from being cut. Then I painted it.

I didn't have a cable tray handy, that would of been sweet. I didn't have a wire welder then either but I do now... :)

I had to pad all the parts with wet rags and stuff..... but it came out all right.

The way the top sits you cant see the welded part....

If I had the wire welder then I might not have needed the JB-Weld..
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
NyceKarr
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Location: S.W.Florida for now....

Re: Panel replacement

Post by NyceKarr »

sorry to bring back such an old post but....im bout to have a very similar issue myself.

what do you think about a snap top....no mechanics...just a vinyl snap top all the way around????
Image

the bad part about this is that panel is totally rusted out all the way around. now i haven't seen it with my own two eyes but, ...i pushed on it and im fairly confident that it felt all rusted out. so i figure, MAYBE, flattening it out with- bondo/fiberglass?- and installing a series of snaps as well as adding snaps to the front and vinyl. no pad...no head liner....no metal. i mean hay i live in fl. the top will be down most of the time any way.
am i crazy or is this possible?
Chucknyce

'88 Cabriolet
'05 Golf TDi
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Briano1234
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Re: Panel replacement

Post by Briano1234 »

Well, If it all rusted out then you could probably have to cut and weld in new metal from a donor car.

I am probably one of the few that have experience with a top that snaps in place.

As the proud owner/restorer of a 58 AH Bugeye, and a 67 Mg Midget, both had tops that snapped in place. The major issue with those was mmmmm water migration. That is as you were driving down the road rain could get in under the snaps. Sewing felt on the top between the snaps seemed to help, but it still leaked.

VW totally used snaps on the "THING" and I think it would be doable. But it wouldn't be "air or water" tight, and is easily broken in to (you don't need a knife.).
Briano

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You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
pazliberty
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Re: Panel replacement

Post by pazliberty »

how does the haynes repair manual compare to the bentley?? I'm a new cabby owner with virtually no car experience so i need the best help i can get!!!
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Briano1234
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Re: Panel replacement

Post by Briano1234 »

pazliberty wrote:how does the haynes repair manual compare to the bentley?? I'm a new cabby owner with virtually no car experience so i need the best help i can get!!!
Haynes is good and adequate, the wiring diagrams in the back are a cleaner copy that the Bentley.
I used a Haynes for 20 years to keep a Diesel Rabbit running.

However.... The Bentley is the Bible. Yes there are some typos in there, but most of the nitty gritty stuff that you need to do have how to's on the interweb to assist you.

I have made a couple and posted here, and Kammy's www.cabby-info.com as well as Ron's Neo+Bentley
http://reflectionsandshadows.com/a1-tech/ should have enough information to keep you busy.

Bentley is the Best. Haynes is good, Chiltons is CRAP. I have all 3.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
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