Winging it!

Although things are definitely improving in the aftermarket department when it comes to Beetle wing quality, with great offerings from BBT and KlassicFab now available, there’s still a lot to be said for a decent set of original German wings when restoring a car. Whereas once upon a time, most people would throw rusty wings away and fit a set of pattern replacements, the fact is that the quality was always terrible when it came to fit, finish and actual shape. Moreover, even the height, size and location of the horn grille and indicator holes would usually be way off, too. That’s why it’s worth repairing the originals. This time we’ll show you how to whip a pair of early front wings back into shape and next month we’ll be covering repainting and refitting.

01 Remove wing accessories

 Before removing the wing from the car, you’ll need to remove the wing accessories; lights, horn grille and running board attachments. If you have a late model car, then you’ll need to remove the front bumper too. When removing the headlamps, undo the main headlamp screw at the bottom centre. It’s likely that the