[T3] Chassis restoration: a horror story

[bobsnotch at aol.com]

If you knew then what you know now, you'd rebuild the 68 pans and install them into your 65?

Yeah, the 71 Notch was a ton of work. But it also prepped me for doing the 64 T-34 Ghia that followed a couple of years later.
I learned a lot from doing both. Enough that I'll never do another T-34 again. Just too many 1 off parts, and year specific parts.
Not to mention T-34 only stuff. I mean it might have a VW, but it used parts from the type 3 bin, as well as the type 14 bin (std Ghia) 
and even the Porsche bin. It all just depended on what part of the car you were working on.

The 71 Notch was much easier, as it used T-3 parts, and those are easier to get... even in the mid west (just had to ship it in). Plus 
with a little rework, and you can use parts from other type 3s or years (sheet metal). But a good chunk of it is all 71, so most of it 
interchanged as a lot of Squareback parts went into it.

I do appreciate all the trouble you went thru using and documenting the Gerson (Klassic Fab) pans. I've talked with several people 
who are/were looking at using them, but didn't know of all the "pit falls" of them. I've seen photos of others who used them, and 
made the job look easy, when it's not. Like your comment, that you "just cut the old ones out, and weld the new ones in and then 
send it to powder coat". I know there's more to it than that. Like in your case having to move the perimeter holes to get them to bolt 
up to the body, as I've heard that from several people. I didn't know they were shallower in the rear though (jack plate mounting points).
I've even thought if your outer edge is still good, would cutting out the rusty metal inside them and adding the Gerson pan inside, be 
worth the extra work to make them fit better/look better? But then you mentioned they seem a little thinner too. So I don't know if it's 
worth the extra work.
Bob


-----Original Message-----
From: Soren Jacobsen <snj at blef.org>
To: type3 <type3 at vwtype3.org>
Sent: Sun, Nov 4, 2018 12:02 am
Subject: Re: [T3] Chassis restoration: a horror story

> On Nov 1, 2018, at 12:40 PM, Bobsnotch at aol.com wrote:
> 
> Soren, I do have to ask why you just didn't use the 68 floor pan halves?
> Is it because you found a bunch of pin holes in them?

Yeah, the 68 pans were fine for use as a preexisting chassis, but not donor-worthy.  You could stand on them, but they were rotting away at a few places, and full of dents.  Someone must've done some off roading with that car, because it had some _huge_ dents.  The whole front half on the passenger side was smashed up.  And besides, at the time I thought the Klassic Fab pans were going to be a breeze ;)

> You project reminds me of when I was doing my 71 Notch (Krunchy). On that car I 
> had to do floor pan halves, along with replacing the frame head.

I'm blown away by how much work you put into that car!  My hat goes off to you, sir.  I wish I had your skills and dedication.  At this point I wouldn't dare touch any kind of metalwork that has to be seen in the daylight!

Soren
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