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Sunroof53
15 years ago
I agree, it was a real bargain with the restoration work .Sounds like it wasnt used much after its reconstruction .Good that its gone to a good home though .Although i am no hater of modified cars i really would hate to see rattletrap cal looked.
I do think they used an oval body or at least most of it ,even if some of the rear section was used to make it a split its mostly from a different car.The important thing to me is that there was no deceipt about what was done .Tony new it wasnt the same car, but to him it didnt matter .Its hard to let go of life long sentiment and i think that was the case for Tony.:beer:
JD
  • JD
  • pre67vw Junkie
15 years ago
I think that about hits the nail on the head. I imagine Tony just wanted to have what he had before the accident, or as near to it as he could get. Like anyone would I suppose. I doubt he was really all that concerned about originality, not to the same extent as some of the restorers are at least. Tony had a different agenda after all.
"John, you need to get a grip and STOP MOANING AT EVERYTHING. ThumbDown "
UserPostedImage
Standard split
15 years ago


Still cant believe Standard split is in denial about the body:roll:

Sunroof53 wrote:



Standard Split considers the body to have been a donor shell (oval window), with as much as possible of Rattletrap's built into it, not just a window swap:!:


I do think they used an oval body or at least most of it ,even if some of the rear section was used to make it a split its mostly from a different car.

Sunroof53 wrote:



Make your mind up Sunroof53 :wink:




Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
Sunroof53
15 years ago



Make your mind up Sunroof53 :wink:




Standard split wrote:



I was trying to be diplomatic .Clearly i failed.:Now, wheres that head banging smiley gone :wink:
54 Gertie
15 years ago



I was trying to be diplomatic .Clearly i failed.:Now, wheres that head banging smiley gone :wink:

Sunroof53 wrote:



Not quite the right sort of head banging is it? :lol:


UserPostedImage
William
Standard split
15 years ago

so it had to be largely donor body. So I guess it comes down to the definition of 'new shell'? It probably wasn't a case of swapping the new body in for the old with a rear window swap, probably more likely to have been a real frankenstein body.

pre67vw wrote:



I'm not alone :d


Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
Sunroof53
15 years ago
Think Pre67 said "its down to your interpretation of a new body"and weather its made up of 50 parts from different cars or just two, in my opinion its a new or reconstruted shell.
From the last article that was posted ,even if i ignore the text ,the most they could of used was the boot floor and the area leading up to the rear window and possibly up to the B post on the passenger side which would of course would explain the different door (i am taking your word that the catches are different ,i cant see myself in photo)That is the most positive i can be using the articles as a guide(some wishful thinking as well).Everything forward of that i personally think would have to have been replaced with either one other shell or bits from others .Thats also repairing the bits they are clearly cutting off in the photo and of course ignoring the quote that Baz Haselock made about the doner body carrying the main part of the shell.I just dont think they would have gone to all that trouble to save the boot floor when they had a doner shell.

You know it makes sense .just take deep breaths and let go.You didnt buy it did you?:?











Standard split
15 years ago

so it had to be largely donor body. So I guess it comes down to the definition of 'new shell'? It probably wasn't a case of swapping the new body in for the old with a rear window swap, probably more likely to have been a real frankenstein body.

pre67vw wrote:



"Mary Shelley's Frankenstein showing on a DVD near you – Tony Levy's Frankensplit on show at a museum in Sussex 😛

Back end of the body, apart from the right-hand (passenger side) rear quarter and all lower area (heater channels) from the original corpse.

Front end is all from another corpse. And so Rattletrap is back from the dead. Eat your heart out Herbie – Daddy's back" :twisted:

Interesting to know about the dash though :?


Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
GKL 7
15 years ago
This is doing my head in,
Just ban him Rob,just ban him:lol:
Standard split
15 years ago
Phew, just making sure a ban hasn't been made :!:

Don't anybody have nightmares about Frankensplit coming for you :lol:

Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
stu
  • stu
  • pre67vw Junkie
15 years ago
has anyone noticed that the new bodyshell now has chrome trim round the ashtray & a handle to open it... & the original rattletrap doesnt, that makes this shell 1954 on, so the rear window is defo a graft...
JD
  • JD
  • pre67vw Junkie
15 years ago

has anyone noticed that the new bodyshell now has chrome trim round the ashtray & a handle to open it... & the original rattletrap doesnt, that makes this shell 1954 on, so the rear window is defo a graft...

stu wrote:



I await the explanation for this with baited breath.:lol:
"John, you need to get a grip and STOP MOANING AT EVERYTHING. ThumbDown "
UserPostedImage
Standard split
15 years ago

has anyone noticed that the new bodyshell now has chrome trim round the ashtray & a handle to open it... & the original rattletrap doesnt, that makes this shell 1954 on, so the rear window is defo a graft...

stu wrote:



It is no surprise that Frankensplit, er Rattletrap has received the dash from the donor body judging by the state of damage and decay at the front of the original shell. However, I do not see how having the later dash then makes it a straight window swap :?

It can be clearly seen on the VW Motoring image reproduced here that the front has been cut away at the windscreen pillars, with the back being carefully lifted away for re-use.

The back of the original body was used as much as possible being built into the donor shell.

We know from earlier in this thread that the headliner grip along the top door openings was ground away, which is of course because the old and new roof halves were welded together from left to right 😎
 Cut-up.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.
Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
GKL 7
15 years ago
Maybe it was too heavy for them,so they cut it in two to enable it to be more easily removed:lol:
C'mon John it's all just hearsay until we find someone who was actually involved with the rebuild.(note: i said rebuild,'cos that ain't no restoration)
Sunroof53
15 years ago
I am really beginning to think you bought it .It would explain your denial.Dont worry i'd be pissed off as well if i had bought a Zwitter only to find it was a Hacked oval.:roll:

Everthing forward of the black spray above the rear rear window is doner.It was probably just the easiest way to make the oval shell into a split

UserPostedImage

UserPostedImage

Standard split
15 years ago
Mmm, but there's the headliner gripper missing along the door opening with shiny grind/repair marks:?

Why would this be so on a complete untouched shell. You're kidding yourself Sunroof53 :!:

I remain unconvinced on this window swap theory – and it is just a theory 😳
Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
pre67vw
15 years ago
This is going nowhere again... locked until further notice :?
Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW
Sunroof53
15 years ago
No retreat No surrender:!: The black spray is covering the join for the photo.As i said before the boot floor and drivers rear quarter up to the b post could be original .The pictures are backing up the text in the article.Have you read the whole article ?They are even joking about it being a different car .
Standard split
14 years ago
Well, for all you disbelievers who said Rattletrap is merely now an Oval-window with a Split-window welded in the back – he's not :twisted:

The poor, tired, over used, well abused and generally knackerd but still faithful Rattletrap really is a bit of a 'Frankensplit'. But don't worry you disbelievers, Frankensplit won't be coming after you – he's locked-up somewhere in London.

It's not so much Rattletrap the Beetle, more like Rattletrap the Beetles, at least four Beetles in there I'd say :twisted:

Maybe he should be named the 'Fab Four' or the John, Paul, George and Ringo Beetle:lol:

Rattletrap does certainly look 'Fab' – well at a bit of a distance.

One of the clearest welds is seen behind the dash (pictured) which is from yet another car, and it would seem and not part of the mythical Oval-shell that is claimed by the non-believers.

The best bit is that RATTLETRAP LIVES ON :!: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:

 RattletrapRepair.JPG You have insufficient rights to see the content.
Rattletrap – the Volkswagen Beetle that has covered an incredible mileage equivalent to over 35 times around the planet :omg:
Running nifty since 1950… the King of Volkswagens:beer: Why not make friends with this famous little VW – he's on facebook! :d
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378 
Sunroof53
14 years ago
Did you take any photos of the whole car ?it would be good to have a recent photo for this thread and give the whole thing some positive closure.Everthing that can be said has been ,its up to the individual on how they percieve a new shell.
One thing i think we all agree is that Rattletrap is quite a story and one that anyone who has had a life long passion for these cars can identify with.:beer:
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