[T3] Body Man (was "Need a great body man in western LA/Ventura County")

[Jim Adney]

On 5 Jan 2011 at 16:25, Phil Hof wrote:

> Damage is seemingly limited to tailpipe, outer fender, slightly bent bumper
> or bracket, and the bottom of the inner fender.  The labor will be to remove
> it all and make it like new so the seals will hold... my biggest fear is
> that if the seals don't fit perfectly, it will leak an rust between the
> panels.  This car only has the slightest of surface rust anywhere, and I
> want to keep it that way!

That's a beautiful car, Phil, and it looks like this was a LOT better 
than it could have been. It looks like you need to remove the bumper, 
fender and bumper bracket. Crumpled stuff out of sight should be 
straightened and the rust proofed inside and out to prevent rust 
where the paint has cracked off. The "seals" are pretty much only to 
limit the amount of dirt that gets in. Water gets everywhere if you 
drive in the rain.

Make sure they paint/protect the parts that don't show, just as well 
as the parts that do. They don't have to be beautiful, but they 
should be protected.

Someone with a hydraulic press, some wood blocks, and a little time 
should be able to make the bumper perfect again.

I'd say your biggest potential problem will be putting the bead strip 
back in after the fender is fixed. That strip has shrunk over time 
and once released from the car, it's going to be hard to get it to go 
back. AND, it will be brittle, so handle with care, or it will turn 
into several pieces. The odds of finding a correct replacement are 
zilch.

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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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