The Viking Project - restoration of a 1965 VW beetle

[nmshaikh]

The car was wet sanded down to bare metal before applying the primer so it won't rust again. Minimal quantities of filler was applied to take care of minor blemishes and areas that could not be panel beaten straight. There are very few areas that required filler as a lot of pain was taken by Arshad to straighten the body before it was accepted by Irfan.

[Basharatu]

@nmshaikh
Like all of your projects, this one is also coming out really good!

[nmshaikh]

One last wet sanding before the car receives a coat of covering paint.

[nmshaikh]

After this stage the fenders are also removed so there are no areas the paint cannot reach. The doors, hood and the decklid are already off and getting the full treatment laid out flat on old tyres.

[nmshaikh]

The colour coat is being applied . After this stage any blemishes that may have escaped the painters eye become more visible so small touch up filler can be applied and just the area wet sanded before the final coat of paint is applied in the paint booth.

[nmshaikh]

The final coat has been applied and the parts can be fitted back on as soon as the wet sanding with 1500 and then 2000 grit sandpaper and the first round of polishing is done....Meanwhile I am quite pleased with the results..

[msabbasi]

The final coat has been applied and the parts can be fitted back on as soon as the wet sanding with 1500 and then 2000 grit sandpaper and the first round of polishing is done....Meanwhile I am quite pleased with the results..

Things are beginning to take shape. Congrats... Laying down the paint is always a huge milestone in any project.

[nmshaikh]

Things are beginning to take shape. Congrats... Laying down the paint is always a huge milestone in any project.

The real hard part starts now...there are hundreds of details that need to be looked at. The target for myself is that the car wins a prize in the first show it is entered. In the US where you see some quality restoration projects, I cannot afford to cut corners

[msabbasi]

The real hard part starts now...there are hundreds of details that need to be looked at. The target for myself is that the car wins a prize in the first show it is entered. In the US where you see some quality restoration projects, I cannot afford to cut corners

Indeed winning a show is a tall order. It is doable. My grandfather's 1924 RR Siver Ghost, restored in Pakistan, won first place in the first international show it was entered in. Not only that, the third prize went to another Pakistani restored car as well, a 1929 Hupmobile. Both cars are presently owned by a VCCCP member. Both cars were up against cars from US, UK, Europe, Far East. So it is possible. Just needs a huge amount of attention to detail and as you said not cutting corners.

Best of luck. If this car wins it will be yet another feather in the cap of Pakitani restores.

[nmshaikh]

Indeed winning a show is a tall order. It is doable. My grandfather's 1924 RR Siver Ghost, restored in Pakistan, won first place in the first international show it was entered in. Not only that, the third prize went to another Pakistani restored car as well, a 1929 Hupmobile. Both cars are presently owned by a VCCCP member. Both cars were up against cars from US, UK, Europe, Far East. So it is possible. Just needs a huge amount of attention to detail and as you said not cutting corners.

Best of luck. If this car wins it will be yet another feather in the cap of Pakitani restores.

Well my 1960 has won some trophies and was the best of show two years running in NYC, NY.(among several others..Windsor, Chicago, Rochester, Niagara Falls, ....) While it too was restored to specs, I have to admit its real charm was the truck art

This kind of restoration requires time and I am quite happy that the owner of the car is very 'chill' about how long it takes. It has already been almost two years and it might take another 6-8 months from here on.

[msabbasi]

Well my 1960 has won some trophies and was the best of show two years running in NYC, NY.(among several others..Windsor, Chicago, Rochester, Niagara Falls, ....) While it too was restored to specs, I have to admit its real charm was the truck art

This kind of restoration requires time and I am quite happy that the owner of the car is very 'chill' about how long it takes. It has already been almost two years and it might take another 6-8 months from here on.

Billo is in a class all by herself. Cannot be compared to lesser cars (mortals). I may not be wrong in saying that she may have set a fashion trend of truck art on cars:D

[nmshaikh]

Painting the car is easy...everyone and their grandmother can do it if they had an air compressor and a spray gun. Its the details and the finer points that make the difference. Irfan takes care of areas that are normally out of sight and even impossible to see without the removal of other parts. I have to mention Arshad here as well because he has an eye for detail ( at least for VW's) that no other panel beater in Pakistan can match.. Take a look at the notches in the sill plate for example. These panels are hidden out of sight behind the running boards. However when Arshad builds a panel by hand to replace one that is rusted he copies it down to the finest detail.

Similarly Irfan ensures that even the areas that are going to be covered by window seals are attended to and turn up looking like the body shell just rolled out of the factory paint booth.

[Xulfiqar]

That looks like honest hard work

[nmshaikh]

The car was towed to the electricians who has a new wiring loom ready and waiting. The original fuse box has been cleaned and retained. The speedometer has some water damage so the search would now begin for a correct, date stamped unit on The Samba.

If all goes per plan the car should be done by this evening and will be moved to storage. The headliner is the next main item on the worksheet after which the glass with new seals and trim can be fitted.

[margallar]

Can you please tell me the place for cadmium plating

[nmshaikh]

Can you please tell me the place for cadmium plating

There is one business that I know of but it is located in Pindi. Would be be interested in finding out about it? I am sure there would be one (or more) closer to your home.

[margallar]

i know of chrome plating shops but i am not sure whether they do cadmium plating

[nmshaikh]

i know of chrome plating shops but i am not sure whether they do cadmium plating

You may have to ask around..the shops that do chrome plating may know the location of the other. The process is somewhat the same.

[margallar]

do the call it cadmium plating or is there any local name for the process?

[nmshaikh]

do the call it cadmium plating or is there any local name for the process?

It is called cadmium plating.