TheSamba.com :: View topic - VW Beetle question

Wed May 11, 2011 7:21 pm

ok let me start by saying im new to the whole forum game.

im 17 years old and recently ive been wanting a bug real bad and i kinda grew up around VW's so id like to own a bug. but the bug i like is from '67 and down but those are kinda hard to find here i only see '68 and up for sale

so my question is can you get a '68+ body and do a conversion to make it look like a '67 and below??? or should i just wait for what im really looking for?

Wed May 11, 2011 7:58 pm

Let me try this;

Yes you can get a '68 and up Beetle to look like a 67 and older Bug.

A major change happened in 1965 when the windows and windshield were enlarged in the Bug, so effectively, 1966 and 1967 had the larger-window versions , same as the '68 and later ones.

Those "overrider" bumpers that you'd see up through 1967, were changed in 1968. You CAN however get special aftermarket bumper brackets which will allow you to fit the '67 and earlier bumpers onto 68 and later Bugs. That will go a long way in making your "Fat Chick" Beetle look like one of the older "Vintage" Bugs.

The fenders can also be interchanged, along with the corresponding taillight housings and front turn signal lights, which will help disguise them as older vehicles.

And dont forget the wheels. They changed from 5-lugnut wheels to 4-lugnuts in 1967, so that is a giveaway for all the VW sleuths who are analyzing and judging your VW Bug, even as we speak....

Thu May 12, 2011 7:45 am

Thanks jzjames that was some good info, i actually found a 65 bug for sale here but it has a 1300cc motor, id like the 1600cc since alot of ppl in my family are familiar with the 1600cc

you guys have any info on the 1600cc swap?

Thu May 12, 2011 4:08 pm

umm you guys really know a 67 ?..not only just the forward and rear glass but.....

...the front of a 67 is completely different than a 68...look it up and look closely,5 lug wheels vs 4,dash pad vs none,seat tracks,windows the list goes on...oh yeah don't forget the doors as well since the 68 has the trigger handles and the 67 has the push round handles,

the rear apron is different as well as the the front and bumper brackets..oh yeah remember the front fenders have horn grills but ringed headlights....lets move on to the rear bumper to allow for the 67 rear lid to clear it..lower in their overriders..the list goes on...

67 is a one year only for as reason....it's easier to make a newer look like 66 an down..

there is a huge differnece, here's a '75 i did to look like '66, but with out the doors and front glass section..i did a '59 rag graft and even a dash clip:

1968:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/pix/3389804.jpg
1967:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/pix/3752157.jpg

take note opf the front apron areas..this is not an easy change for the novice...it all depends on how far you wanna take it.

Thu May 12, 2011 5:14 pm

thanks for all that info schell 59, wow theres alot to it i thought it woulda been easier, i need more info like this i wanna learn more about the vdub game

Fri May 13, 2011 1:24 am

schell '59 wrote: not only just the forward and rear glass

Might wanna do a refresher course there.
Once the big windows started in 65 (68 here in Oz) the windscreen was exactly the same right through till the end with flat screen bugs.
The only exception being cabs and curved screen supers

And the rear glass was unchanged from 65 till big window started in 72.
Also the seat runners were the same till 71.

It's not hard to make a late look like an early.
I had a 70 bug with filled in fuel filler door and early tank, 62 fenders all round, early aprons front and back and early decklid and hood and Porsche fuchs.

there were no padded dashes or highback seats here till the mid 70s so it passed for early.

Just depends how far you wanna go with it.
Most people are happy with just a fender and bumper swap.

Fri May 13, 2011 6:40 am

australia cars and us are different in many ways...sure glass is the same,seat racks as well but the dash is padded here in US and the bumper brackets are 2X larger and bolt from the out side on a 68 front and on the inside of a 67..hence why not only are you chnging the apron .but the bumper bracket mounting pois ae well.

as far as the rear,the bumper brackets are different completely too,gotta get cut off and rewleded to the older config. for the over rider bumpers to fit through thefender holes CORRECTLY. horn grills need to be cut into the front fenders,and the rear apron is different as a 67 is aone year only deck and apron here in the US.

look at the links in my last post...

I don't need a refresher course bro'....this isn't my frist rodeo....he asked for a conversion...there is a right way and a cheap way.

Fri May 13, 2011 3:43 pm

I was only shit stirring about the refresher course :lol:
In your original post you did make it sound like the front and rear windscreen were smaller than 68 bugs.
All depends how fussy you want to be, most average owners aren't looking to go to a show and fool the judges into thinking they belong in the pre67 class, but then nothing sticks out more than a late bug with nothing more than early fenders and everything else left late.

Fri May 13, 2011 4:05 pm

^^exactly!!

yeah no worries bout the 'fresher course! 8)....

....your totally right bout the glass and honestly you'd never know when the cars are done right...the biggest thing for sure is the dash and front fenders..since a 67 has no bumper holes,but yet it has horn grills,upper signals and headlight rings with vertical heads...nasty in my opinion...66 is better with the sealed assemblies...the dash change over is alot of work too since the padded dash looks like a$$ compared to a smoothed out pre-67...

personally i would make it look like a 66 and earlier as they have plantiful aprons and lids for the rear...the door on a 67 are different in the handle area as well and i left them on the first one i did but didn't on the rest...

the silver one pictured is a 72,we did everything that a 66 has except for the doors...wanted to go back and put a set on and blend out the front and rear quarters buit they didn't want that much work.

Fri May 13, 2011 4:15 pm

i think im gonna look for a '66 and below but doing thee conversion can still be done and id only focus on exterior if i do the conversion.

right now theres a '65 im intrested in and i found a '61 with a 914 motor, i think its a 2 liter motor but idk on that one, id like to have the 1600cc

Fri May 13, 2011 4:19 pm

yeah if you want old..buy old.

Fri May 13, 2011 4:23 pm

Part of the charm of early bugs is the slopey laid back headlights.
supposedly more aerodynamic too.

The later bear claw latch doors I would make an exception for, much safer than the early style.

Fri May 13, 2011 5:15 pm

hell yeah..when i wadded up my 66 i was amazed that the doors stayed stut after slamming a guardlrail at 60 mph.

Fri May 13, 2011 6:31 pm

i love the look on the older bugs especially with the overrider bumpers, i get pumped when i see them.

my first car will soon be a bug! 8)

Fri May 13, 2011 6:55 pm

,,,good luck with yer find and keep your eyes peeled for a nice,safe driver!!!

Sat May 14, 2011 4:04 pm

..so too end all confusion here's an add for a 69..difference?..irs rear pretty much about it.

this guys mark has done most of the hard stuff...
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1129392