So I picked up the Beetle a couple of weeks ago as a fun project for my son and I to work on. I finally got the change of ownership etc done. I've also cleaned it up to the extent that my wife now understands what it is that I saw in it and that it isn't just a piece of junk in the driveway LOL
I have to say it attracts a heck of a lot of attention in an area without that many old cars (let alone those in regular use). My son and his friends absolutely love it and he has insisted on going to school in the beetle
In many ways it is the polar opposite of my other car and it puts you back in touch with the pure mechanical motoring experience.
She is running just fine for now. so I've just tidied her up a bit and started bringing back the trim that is salvageable. I am doing the 'usual' stuff I do when getting a new car - I am going to be doing most (if not all) the work on the car myself and with my son over time.
I don't think I will get away not painting her. I got a few panels to look quite good with some clay, cleaner and a bit of wax, but it is a lot of work and it isn't all-original paint. A few panels are down to metal (or close to it) such as edges of doors etc. That said, although there is some surface rust here and there but nothing serious for the most part except one spot. There is a bit of rust that is treated but which I feel I will need to have repaired on the inner skin of the body in the two corners below the rear window. Previous owner seems to have at least treated and sealed it so I could probably just cover it up with trim for the time being, but it will bother me so has to be done.
There are no leaks and I had a go at the car with a pressure washer for quite some time to test that out...One thing I have not found online is the trim with 'holes' going down the side of the rear window and a patch panel for that area mentioned above (there is pretty much a patch panel available for everything except that!)
There is quite a bit of slop in the shifter. I have inspected the coupling in the tunnel and it definitely needs a set of bushings. I will do this as my next little project with the shift rod bushing and metal short shifter kit. I am not sure about these trigger shifters and haven't yet learned enough but I think this should be a nice start.
The steering has a few cracks. I actually want to get an older style white/ivory steering wheel or perhaps an old porsche wheel if one comes up for a decent price.
Driver's seat cover is toast so I am on the lookout for a new seat in that colour... Because the others and the door pads are just fine (after I steam cleaned and treated them at least), I don't want to necessarily go through a whole reupholstery exercise.
I will definitely need new carpets as part of the project
There's an aftermarket radio in there but the trim plate looks very odd... and what is more odd is that it looks like the radio trim would cover the hole in the dash just fine... will get around to remedying this soon
I have bought a set of engine gaskets, rear main seal, gearbox gasket kit is on the way new inertia reel seat belts (the ones I have don't retract quickly on both sides - driver's side is worse). At this point, I am just assembling the necessary parts. this is a future project.
Wiring all works and is intact but i will be tidying up ALL the wiring with plastic sleeving and routing properly as well (especially the aftermarket radio wiring LOL. I will do a set of better speakers, swap the in-dash speaker for a tach (maybe) and fit proper speakers into the front kick panels.
I bought a Stirling roof rack off the forum yesterday and fitted it on (this in time will be sand blasted and powdercoated or chromed with slats added.
Anyway I hope to learn a lot from the resources here and hearing your thoughts.
