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Das Auto Gasser build . Slant Six VW bug

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Dolmetsch:
Hard day at the office! I got all the welding done and first ruff coat of kitty hair on the worst parts on the body. Ran out of kitty hair, body fill and sheet metal all on the same day.
don

Dolmetsch:
I have done so much filling and sanding I am tired of it. Still have made a lot of progress.
Don

Dolmetsch:
Front part of body is done as far as body work main body work goes. Fenders are rehung for the big job of reviving them. They are now all one piece and have all their bolt holes and flanges but they are tuff. Tomorrow I have to help Mike S fire the Chassis Research style Hemi rail. It has been three years of long hard work so he is getting anxious to hear it roar. I just looked in to see how he was coming. He was bolting the last heqder on when I was there. (Straight zoomies) and has the fuel. Most of the coolant in . Oil in engine and trqns  Has done some oil pump priming and has it at TDC. I hope it goes like clockwork for him.
We shall see.
Don

Dolmetsch:
First I made cardboard dams to bolt between the fender and body so I could work right up to it and then remove the fender for final detail. First coat was long fiber filled body filler to give the repair strength and depth. I sanded and redid again. Then sanded and switched to straight filler. I forget who but someone taught me that many years ago. Body work was something I did very little of and hated. Now I find it relaxing and interesting. I have had some tips from friends who are pros. I am surprised I could fix these fenders but can see now they will be strong and look good. Still have a long way to go but now I can see the progress. The fellow and his wife who gave me the body were here Thursday. They were a bit surprised. She took lots of pictures.
Don

Dolmetsch:
While all this body work may seem unimportant I will share a bit. I was watching a restoration show. A price was quoted of $115,000.00 to redo an old Lincoln. At first I thought it was nuts but then when they explained the hours of shop labour at $80.00 per hour I understood. I ran my own shops for years and when I retired was getting $47.00 with no complaints. That was 1997 so $80.00 today is not unreasonable. So I sat down and figured out the hours I had in this car so far. Came out as of Friday evening at 165 hours and $566.00 parts and materials so far.  165X80= $13200+$566=$13766.00. Yikes!!!!!!! Bottom line is if I didn't do it myself it would be impossible for me. All of the sudden I am sanding and welding with a new vigor!!!! Yes I know my car even when finished will never be worth that to sell.  Still it was a learning experience for me. I hadn't thought of it quite like that before. Even when I was doing specialty engines I think the most expensive I ever did which is running around Europe at Nurnburg and Lemans was under $7000.00. I probably should have added an extra zero!
Don

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