1957 Oval Ragtop - the sympathy purchase

[nmshaikh]

AOA Bro,

I just saw your thread and i must say you did amazing job, the best restoration i have ever seen. Can you please share the cost of paint job? and Location too.
I wanted to paint my car from the same painter.
Please suggest in term of work and cost.

Best Regards

Irfan is the painter and he is located in the I&T center G-7 Islamabad. I can give you detailed directions but in general terms he is near zero point, behind Wafaqi Mohtasib secretariat. He is a bit pricy but in the end the finished product says it all.

[msabbasi]

The needle that appears white is actually a fluorescent red. Years of exposure to the sunlight and the exposed part is faded white. The shaft that is turned to tune the radio is bent. I am almost 100% sure that it would break if I tried to straighten it. Can anyone suggest how it can be straightened safely?

maybe you have come across this forum. There is a little to be gained with reference to the radio repair: TheSamba.com :: View topic - Oval Era Motorola Radios

[syncview]

It is the brass shaft that is bent (see picture) not the needle. I doubt if your suggested remedy would work on brass.

heat the brass shaft till it starts to blacken.. as soon as it blackens quench in water.. this process will anneal it

straighten the bent part carefully using a stiff card or something in the cut as leverage / reference
attach some rubber to your pliers jaw so you don't scratch or damage

once done clean it up and let it rest for a few min
find a hole / make a dye in which the shaft goes in flush..set it as level as possible and tap it's fat back with a mallet lightly.. idea is to compress it so that it hardens. do the same with the key side making sure you don't bend it (of course)..

I've done this once on an old clarion radio and was a successful endurance. many thanks to the information available over the internet

[msabbasi]

If it is desired to machine a new spindle rather than trying to straighten it, I can put you in touch with a precision machinist who does speedometer gears located in Gawal Mandi The guy is talented.

[syncview]

yup those guys are good

[madhouse12]

you can use a butane blow torch thats used for cooking purpose to heat a specific area. gas welder torches are a big risk...

[nmshaikh]

maybe you have come across this forum. There is a little to be gained with reference to the radio repair: TheSamba.com :: View topic - Oval Era Motorola Radios

I have gone thru the thread and it is a wealth of information. I am glad I am not too off the mark even with our limitations. I may take you up on the idea of going to the machinist. First I will do what @syncview has suggested. I will carve an indentation in a block of wood and try to hammer it straight after following the steps suggested.

[nmshaikh]

heat the brass shaft till it starts to blacken.. as soon as it blackens quench in water.. this process will anneal it

straighten the bent part carefully using a stiff card or something in the cut as leverage / reference
attach some rubber to your pliers jaw so you don't scratch or damage

once done clean it up and let it rest for a few min
find a hole / make a dye in which the shaft goes in flush..set it as level as possible and tap it's fat back with a mallet lightly.. idea is to compress it so that it hardens. do the same with the key side making sure you don't bend it (of course)..

I've done this once on an old clarion radio and was a successful endurance. many thanks to the information available over the internet

I will try this and then carve an indentation in a block of wood and use another piece of wood to hammer it lightly and straighten. I will share the results here.

[syncview]

you can use a butane blow torch thats used for cooking purpose to heat a specific area. gas welder torches are a big risk...

yep those things are nice
any idea where to get a heavy duty one?

[madhouse12]

yep those things are nice
any idea where to get a heavy duty one?

i got mine from a website in china that delivers free of cost to Pakistan.
Found 82 blow torch at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

you can also get it from Al-Fateh or any decent crockery/utensils shop.

[syncview]

i got mine from a website in china that delivers free of cost to Pakistan.
Found 82 blow torch at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

you can also get it from Al-Fateh or any decent crockery/utensils shop.

which one of these you got? [emoji14]

[madhouse12]

$9.90 Large Butane Iron-melting Handheld Torch at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

iron melting one of course!!

[syncview]

thanks mate

[nmshaikh]

STOP PRESS!!! The eagle has finally landed! The car was brought to my house on a flat bed last evening. I plan to do the fitting of parts at home and only take her to the workshop when its time to fit the engine.

[nmshaikh]

It was getting dark so the pictures were taken with a camera flash operating. You may not get an idea of the real colour and finish

[nmshaikh]

Home at last! She would be in good company surrounded by my 67 Sally, 60 Billo, 74 GT Shahzadi, 72 Westfakia and a 2005 Passat

[kfateh]

you bought it for how much?

your thread brought back memories of my father's car, 1963 beetle.
we used to go on that car for picnic all around AJK, for shopping to Rawalpindi and even on visits to Karachi.
that car was really great.

[msabbasi]

Would suggest to put a cover on it. They are predicting rain off and on. The last thing you want is water inside the car through that big hole in the roof:)

[nmshaikh]

you bought it for how much?

your thread brought back memories of my father's car, 1963 beetle.
we used to go on that car for picnic all around AJK, for shopping to Rawalpindi and even on visits to Karachi.
that car was really great.

I bought it for GB Pounds 2000 back in 2005-6 when the GBP was equal to about 100 Pak rupees. So about 2 lakh.

Good to know that you were have fond memories of a VW in the family. If you have pictures of your car that you would like to share (and or a story) please do post them on www.facebook.com/vwcop

[nmshaikh]

Would suggest to put a cover on it. They are predicting rain off and on. The last thing you want is water inside the car through that big hole in the roof:)

I would after cleaning it first. There is some dust and I wouldn't want the new cover I have purchased for her to get the dust on the inside. I am working on patching up the hole on priority.