1957 VW Oval Window Restoration
This car was purchased at J.A.C Auto's Vintage
Volkswagen Weekend. It was already my 3rd collector
car and I was only 21!
This was a South Dakota car, which meant it had far less rust
than a classic from Minnesota (due to South Dakota's use of
wood chips and sand vs. MN's use of SALT to assist in winter driving).
My Uncle (owner of JAC Auto) is quite the Vintage Enthusiast.
He got me into vintage volkswagens, and he has had 3 1952
zwitter split window beetles since the 1980s..as well as several
Oval Window Beetles. When I first saw this Oval I could hardly believe it
was for sale! What a dream come true. It was on a junk 1974 Chassis
and needed a lot of welding (for someone who had never welded
before), but the area under the rear seat served as an inconspicuous
area to learn the trade. As luck would have it, a 1956 oval window
parts car showed up for sale at the same show! My Uncle bought
that car and graciously let me take anything I needed from it
for one, low price. As a result, I immediately got an original
3 tab hood, a complete interior and two correct oval window fenders
to add to my new project! Here are some photos explaining the work
I've done over the years:
Very First Pictures. I took these shots after
my Uncle and I pushed my new Oval out of the show area.
Those are Pine Cones thanks to Mr. Squirrel!!
We're already at 1998 now! I've become quite a professional,
and good thing because in order to weld in the new bumper mounts
(sheet metal), the rear apron needs to come off and be put back
on to match up perfectly with the rear lid, both fenders and the
bumper. After lots of clamping and fitting I was able to attain a perfect match.
First Car Show--1998!! I even took home a trophy! This photo
shows correct rear fenders and a new driver's door.
More Photos and More progress on
VW Oval Window Restoration page two
Check back often for 1957 Oval Window Sunroof Restoration
Progress
