Aircooled VW South Africa

'60 model year (push button door handles, recessed steering wheel and horn ring). The colour could be india red (L451) one year only option. Also the last year for 36hp 1192cc motor and split tranny.

Enjoy!

Wanda wrote:

jolas wrote:Coral Red or Sealing Wax Red ?

More like a rusty brown. On the metal disc on the car at paint code, there is a N, whatever that means. On her roof and fender the paint is rusted away. Will want to treat it at first as I don't have money to restore her now. Was a total impulse buy. Saw the car and asked the owner if he wanted to sell. Did not think his answer would be "Yes"!

Try polish/buff the paint work, even the areas without paint, rather than rush into repraying it - you might be pleasantly surprised with the results

Today I received the cars papers, and on it is the date of first registration 1960-01-01. So seems like she is a 1960 model. (just thought the last year the beetles came out with semaphores was in 1958).

Wanda, here is some homework: Look at the date on the Semaphore,
SWFs are date-coded on the side of the base, near the top, with a two-letter code (month, then year) stamped into the metal:
Month: A-M, January - December (I is not used)
Year: F-1954, G-1955, H-1956, J-1957, K-1958, L-1959, M-1960

SHO date codes are stamped on the back, on both sides of the locking tab with two sets of numbers; year (last one or two digits) followed by month (also last one or two digits). SHO produced replacement semaphores at least through 1968.

Chassis nr check:
Year Chassis 1960
Jan 2 862 052
Feb 2 922 174
Mar 2 988 365
Apr 3 048 367
May 3 115 196
Jun 3 178 360
Jul 3 204 566
Aug 3 267 185
Sep 3 355 847
Oct 3 405 533
Nov 3 478 068
Dec 3 551 044

Didi the chassis nr starts with 2 6... .. Sure I will get her tomorrow, then I will be able to look at the semaphores closely.

Polish - There is an amazing Car place in Edenvale - polished my 62 back to 2013 brightness for R 500 buscks including interior and exterior wash - best 500 bucks I have spent

62vwbeetle wrote:Polish - There is an amazing Car place in Edenvale - polished my 62 back to 2013 brightness for R 500 buscks including interior and exterior wash - best 500 bucks I have spent

What do I do with all the rust places that it doesn't deteriorate more?

Wanda wrote: What do I do with all the rust places that it doesn't deteriorate more?

Have it polished, then get a tin of clear coat spray can and spray the effected areas, this will stop the rust, and keep the car original

Herman

Thank you guys for all your input. According to the chassis nr on http://www.thesamba.com she is an October 1959 model.

That makes her a 1960 Model (Made after Aug 1959)

Not a problem, as she is still within the "Collectors " time frame of "pre 60's"

Thats one hell of a car there, look after it, and keep it original as much as possible.

Not every day we get picked to be the caretaker of a part of history.

Herman

Hey,

Herman is right..........not all young people appreciate the old cars from back in the day.....girls even less so. You are of the special few it seems. My wife finally fell in love with my 63 LHD ragtop and we are busy restoring it.....at great cost too me...LOL!!! She got the "bug" after 18 years of marriage.

Welcome to the family and please look after her real well.........she a keeper. Keep het standard and if she is still 6v keep it that way.....they are just worth so much more that way.I think Herman will tell you how intersting an early beetle is to drive. Cannot beat them for sure.

Regards,

Pierre

Yip clear oat or find a really good painter to do the little touch ups. Like I mentioned good polish with good quality polishing materials and she will be new again

Baie mooi beetle daardie, geluk

Thank you to everyone for their advise and well wishes on my Beetle. I now accept that she is a 1960 model. The first entry in her logbook was made on 21.03.1960. 5 gallons of petrol and the price was R2.02. I gave her a good polish, and will make a plan in the near future to sort the rust out.

Very cool Beetle

Don't change any thing. Remember rust is not a crime