This page was last up-dated 07 March 2006
The SMS Cabriolet conversion on this car was beginning to show it's age, the new owners of the car wanted a totally new look and the red hood had to go, as SMS Conversions could not be contacted (we were told they're no longer trading) it was decided that the way to go was with a Paris kit.
A new cream coloured hood kit was ordered, and once it had arrived we could begin cutting the appropriate bodywork away.
The first task was to take the interior out and remove the door cards and trims, so they don't get damaged. While the interior was out new seat covers and carpets were made. Also the paisley headlining was removed as no-one liked it ( I wonder why ?)
We found that the lower hinge panels on the car had corroded making the doors drop excessively, we carefully cut away the metal in front of the door hinge mounting panels and repaired the bodywork so that the doors opened without dropping, then welded in new metal to make the repair look as good as new. Now the doors opened and shut correctly we could cut the frame off level with the rear bodywork.
The top seat-belt mounting was cut away when the roof-bar was removed, so had to be welded in lower down the 'B' post, then the bodywork was capped where we had cut off the roof-bar and door frames.
All the old press stud fixings were removed, the holes filled with a special glue (welding would burn the paintwork too much) and filled smooth with body-filler, after sanding the filler the areas were primed using Standox 2K primers.
Once all the bodywork was complete we could try the hood in place, drill new holes for the press studs and fit the rear windows and hood frames. The press studs were then removed in preparation for priming and painting.
As the photo's above show, the areas to be painted were roughly masked up then primed, this was then sanded down to a smooth surface, then re-masked and painted in the low bake oven.
Once painted the Beetle could then be re-built, in the case of this car that meant the doors and window winder mechanisms, new speakers in the door cards, trimming the area around the rear windows, fitting the new carpets and the hood.
Mechanical repairs were required for the annual MOT, this included the steering idler bushing and replacing petrol pipe and clamps.
For extra security a gear stick lock and a micro-wave alarm system has been fitted.
One of the last tasks to complete the 'make-over' was the painting and fitting of the GT wheels in beige to complement the hood.
