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Tue May 06, 2008 3:10 pm

Hello all. I've been haunting around for about a year or so, hoping to find the "right" dub to call my own. Lo and behold, we found it in our hometown and it's sitting in the front driveway; 1963 Bug that was a daily driver until a couple of years ago.

Pretty much, it's original, aside from the new ignition that the person drilled into the dash near the ashtray because the original key is missing. The radio is missing and the inner glove box is too, but it is in remarkable condition.

My question for this post is this: during investigated on the Technical section for the chassis number, it is showing my number: 5745068, is under 1960. Is that correct?

Tue May 06, 2008 3:28 pm

You mis-read, while it does not show your exact chassis number, and jul-Dec is blank in the 1963 section, it was most likely made in Jul or Aug 1963. You may have been reading the type 2 tech data Congrats on the find though, looks great

Tue May 06, 2008 3:54 pm

Thanks for the info. I'm so excited about finally having it that I'm not sure where to start first!

Here's my next question: I found this little part floating in the back, behind the back seat. It's about 4 inches long and concave. I have no idea.

And the last question for today is about this emblem: Anyone know anything about it?

Tue May 06, 2008 4:26 pm

JinxedSydney wrote: Thanks for the info. I'm so excited about finally having it that I'm not sure where to start first!

Here's my next question: I found this little part floating in the back, behind the back seat. It's about 4 inches long and concave. I have no idea.

That's the door that slides open and closed on the front heater louver down by your feet in the front seat footwell area. There's one on either side of the car.

Tue May 06, 2008 4:27 pm

JinxedSydney wrote: Thanks for the info. I'm so excited about finally having it that I'm not sure where to start first!

Here's my next question: I found this little part floating in the back, behind the back seat. It's about 4 inches long and concave. I have no idea.

And the last question for today is about this emblem: Anyone know anything about it?

The First image is a vent blocker that goes either on the right or leftside by your feet in the front. The emblem, i dont know.

Tue May 06, 2008 4:57 pm

Ludwigsburg is a little town in Germany. Gruel & Reiner is probably an old dealership(though Google returned nothing). Your car might be a German immigrant...

Tue May 06, 2008 4:59 pm

Sid Vicious wrote: Your car might be a German immigrant...

werent they all :shock:

Tue May 06, 2008 5:01 pm

johnanddes wrote: Sid Vicious wrote: Your car might be a German immigrant...

werent they all :shock:

Well- yeah- But I meant it may have been sold in Germany originally then floated this way later in life.

Tue May 06, 2008 5:10 pm

Sid Vicious wrote: johnanddes wrote: Sid Vicious wrote: Your car might be a German immigrant...

werent they all :shock:

Well- yeah- But I meant it may have been sold in Germany originally then floated this way later in life.

just having some fun, i knew that is what you meant :lol:

Tue May 06, 2008 5:10 pm

Thank you all! Story from the PO is that it was originally sold in Germany. I'm sure I'll be posting more questions as needed. And now for cleaning the garage out for "Gertie 's" spot. BTW, this is NOT my husband's project; I'm the grease monkey around here!

Tue May 06, 2008 5:13 pm

Interesting………

My 63 has a Vin # of 5559673 indicating it was made May 1963.
That’s only 185,395 prior to yours.
What part of the country are you in?
Gus

Tue May 06, 2008 5:15 pm

JinxedSydney wrote: Thank you all! Story from the PO is that it was originally sold in Germany. I'm sure I'll be posting more questions as needed. And now for cleaning the garage out for "Gertie 's" spot. BTW, this is NOT my husband's project; I'm the grease monkey around here!

=D>

PSST! Hey, gotta sister 8-[ ?

:P

Tue May 06, 2008 6:04 pm

67 Florida Deluxe wrote:

PSST! Hey, gotta sister 8-[ ?

:P

Yes, but she races off road motorcycles!

I'm in Northern CA.

Tue May 06, 2008 8:08 pm

JinxedSydney wrote: 67 Florida Deluxe wrote:

PSST! Hey, gotta sister 8-[ ?

:P

Yes, but she races off road motorcycles!

I'm in Northern CA.

... and out come the wolves. :shock: :lol:

My wife is a great grease monkey herself. Some guys have all the luck. :D

Wed May 07, 2008 9:52 pm

Next question: While gutting the inside, on the rear driver's side I noticed a wire that was obviously cut and sitting in the area behind the rear panel. Any idea what it is? I haven't pulled off the fenders yet (give me a couple of days).

Second; thanks to everyone for such great posts. I've found so many answers throughout the day. I removed the rear side windows and carefully pried out the vinyl surround. Is it worth it to clean it and reuse it, or better off to buy new. I'm not a purist, but I'd like to reuse old unless it's just pointless.

Do you all sand down and primer everything before reassembling, like behind the door panels?

Wed May 07, 2008 11:13 pm

JinxedSydney wrote: I removed the rear side windows and carefully pried out the vinyl surround. Is it worth it to clean it and reuse it, or better off to buy new. I'm not a purist, but I'd like to reuse old unless it's just pointless.

If your talking about the "trim" that fits in the window rubber, I believe you can re-use it, if the rubber is old your better off replacing with all new rubber! If Gertie has all her OG parts I would recommend restoring versus replacing always! Gertie is a rare find being that she was never meant for export, and has her old vintage German dealer script...sweet :D I am a purist when it comes to finding cars that have never been molested or altered, and are hard to find like Gertie! Welcome to Samba and have fun :D

Terry
Fahrer Fand
1958 :vw:

Thu May 08, 2008 6:39 am

Agave wrote:
If your talking about the "trim" that fits in the window rubber, I believe you can re-use it, if the rubber is old your better off replacing with all new rubber! If Gertie has all her OG parts I would recommend restoring versus replacing always! Gertie is a rare find being that she was never meant for export, and has her old vintage German dealer script...sweet :D I am a purist when it comes to finding cars that have never been molested or altered, and are hard to find like Gertie! Welcome to Samba and have fun :D

Terry
Fahrer Fand
1958 :vw:
Thanks Terry. I'll try and clean it up with soap and water, but it is very dirty. :?

Thu May 08, 2008 6:41 am

The wires….. :-k maybe speaker wires.

Thu May 08, 2008 7:16 am

The best thing you can do is look in your wiring diagram and see if that wire matches whats on the diagram. Check and make sure everything on the car works,(i.e. lights,brake lights, turnsignals) because if it does not, that wire could possibly fix that. When I bought my 64, i found the P.O. had wired an old alarm and tons of speaker wire and other wiring :shock: (and I am still finding more!) i got the diagram, traced the wires and separated and removed ones not put there by VW

Thu May 08, 2008 7:39 am

I've tried tracing it via the wiring diagram that is in the Technical section and I'm so confused reading it! Maybe I'll learn more as I pull off the fenders and such.

Here's a pic of the back seat area all torn out this morning. I know that the middle two plugs are the middle seat belt anchors. Where are the anchors on the outside to attach the straps? My screwdriver is near a bolt into the pan, could that be it?