This is where I leave off until I call in the pros

Need to figure out how to get it in gear so those bolts won't turn so I can get them off

Nose cone and "hockey stick" removed

Let the tear-down begin!

Get a hold of the right pliers and I can get those torsion arms off. Then full transmission tear-down begins.

Rear torsion arms have been blasted and painted.

Finally got the old rusty rear drums off


And this was how we had to do it...
Those nuts weren't giving up without a fight

Before and after of the wheels (extra one there belongs to my dad) All pearly white and primered

Before and after photos of some of the little interior stuff - emergency brake, shifter, and ragtop assembly

Four wheels blasted and treated for rust (one more left).
New paint job comes next week.

Old tires have been removed
More sandblasting to be done

Left and right tie rod assemblies?... CHECK!

Steering damper?... CHECK!

Sway bar?... CHECK!

All out of new parts :( Have to wait and see what Santa brings - Hope it's a pricey new disc brake conversion kit so I can get two front tires on the ground soon!

Spindles?... CHECK!
Coil-over shocks?... CHECK!

Control arms?... CHECK!

If you think this was an easy task... as long as you don't try to get them through there all together. Go one leaf at a time - it's more tedious, but less frustrating.

Torsion arm leaves finally coaxed through the tubes

Items that will be used today to give this puppy some arms

Steering gear box?... CHECK!

And back in place again

Packed with fresh, clean grease - Ready for full assembly

Well, I can put one gear back together again - Bring on the four gear tranny!

After much blood, sweat and tears - I finally gave in and took these bad-boy-control-arms to a machine shop to press out the old ball-joints and press in the new. Yes - there are just some things even I can't do myself. Now I have all new ball-joints and tie-rod ends - Let's start the frontend assembling already! (Now if I can just get the missing box of parts UPS lost for me! I'm still crying over that one)

Scored Big time at the VW festival at LMRA


Got me a ragtop roof out of a '59 - JACKPOT!!

Is it me or is it just a crazy bit off that this one section cost a little over twice what I paid for the whole car?

Waiting on parts to arrive - And soon this pic will become a reality, but with disc brakes instead of drums

Seems pretty straight-forward, right?
waiting for my replacement sealing washers before I jump in

The steering gear box in pieces
practice before tearing into the transmission

Major milestone moment - The first piece to go back on!

Yes! Finally I reset the ratchet to turn the bolts the other way around from here on out

These torsion bar tunnels were a pain in the a$$ to clean out - packed with 40+ year old thick, sticky, smelly grease

That's about as clean as I'm going to be able to get them

Fresh paint

And after

Before the sandblasting begins

One of my torsion bar leaves was broke right in half!

All the little stuff is bundled and ready - Just waiting for a good sandblasting day - It won't stop raining!!

Getting the frontend assembly ready for sandblast and rust preventive paint before going back on the frame


Scraping off all the gunk