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Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:08 pm

After much thought and consideration, I have decided to abandon my attempts at restoring this engine and search for another more complete engine. I hate to give up on this but I have received much advise from friends in the hobby as well as here on the Samba and it seems that it is in the best interest of my wallet and time to do so. :cry:

Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:18 pm

Don't get too down...save it for parts. You never know when you're going to need a stud, bolt...ect.

Scott

Mon Oct 10, 2011 9:52 am

kdfwagon wrote: After much thought and consideration, I have decided to abandon my attempts at restoring this engine and search for another more complete engine. I hate to give up on this but I have received much advise from friends in the hobby as well as here on the Samba and it seems that it is in the best interest of my wallet and time to do so. :cry:

My post wasn't intended to pull the wind out of your sails but I have been down that road before and you could easily spend 2-3 times trying to restore an engine that is just too far gone.

Personally, I think you made the right choice to source an engine that is further along.

Mon Oct 10, 2011 10:00 am

kdfwagon wrote: After much thought and consideration, I have decided to abandon my attempts at restoring this engine and search for another more complete engine. I hate to give up on this but I have received much advise from friends in the hobby as well as here on the Samba and it seems that it is in the best interest of my wallet and time to do so. :cry:

Good decision. Another poster said "save it for parts" and he was right on the money. Tuck it away into a corner.

I too had to give up on my first engine. When I bought my car it had no engine so I hopped on what I thought was a "deal" and it ended up being a pile, but with some good useable parts along the way.
It cost me about $2200 to build my 36hp myself by buying all the parts individually on classified ads and swap areas. This price included professionally rebuilt heads, and rimco doing a thrust cut. Pretty sure you can pick up a decent turnkey for less so take that for what its worth :).

Mon Oct 10, 2011 3:30 pm

Thanks Schwing, but a turn key is not for me. I love the challenge of a good build. I will find the right engine. It just takes time I guess. I was trying to hard I guess. I am going to ease up a bit and just take my time.

Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:51 pm

I've noticed a real trend on Samba with guys doing 54-55's...patience. I let all my friends know I'm looking for 55' stuff, and every once in a while I get a call from him or an email on something he's found. So far I've stock-piled 2 complete 58' engines, and finally the 55' long block over 3 years. A thread like this helps too...cause I'm sure most guys (myself included) will keep an eye out for a case for you!!

Scott

Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:45 pm

motofly196 wrote: I've noticed a real trend on Samba with guys doing 54-55's...patience. I let all my friends know I'm looking for 55' stuff, and every once in a while I get a call from him or an email on something he's found. So far I've stock-piled 2 complete 58' engines, and finally the 55' long block over 3 years. A thread like this helps too...cause I'm sure most guys (myself included) will keep an eye out for a case for you!!

Scott

Thank you Scott. Keep an eye out for a Feb. 55 case. :wink:

Mon Oct 10, 2011 9:13 pm

That makes 2 of us looking for Feb 55'! :shock: I just bought a June 55', which I felt was close enough...that I'd like to put all the early stuff on. And on one of the 58' engines, I'd like to build up a Wolfsburg Okrassa clone someday.
There was a 55' case at the Seattle Vintage meet, but I just couldn't do it at $250. They are out there...I'm determined to find one someday! Possibly 2!
Scott

Mon Oct 10, 2011 9:17 pm

There was a Feb. 55 long block here on the Samba for 375.00 in New York city. I contacted him but he had already sold it.... :x

Mon Oct 10, 2011 10:01 pm

Drew has a July 55 case advertised here for $100

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=943492

Wed Oct 12, 2011 12:34 pm

There ya go!

Tue Mar 06, 2012 6:40 am

I know it has been a long time since I posted. Got the birth certificate in early December and now waiting the winter out. I have been collecting parts though. Still no luck with a Feb. 1955 engine though. Will keep looking though... :roll:

Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:04 am

I also have a Feb. '55 black/red that's out of Idaho where I live. I'll look up the VIN when I get home to see how close they are.

Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:22 pm

Just checked my VIN and it's 1-0810776. Pretty cool.

Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:46 pm

Cool man, I am only 208 away from you.... :lol:

Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:58 pm

They say the minute you stop looking, you then seem to find what you were looking for. Well tonight I hit the jackpot. Was cruising The Samba this morring and low and behold the perfect case just jumped out at me. Contacted the seller Mr. Lou Gaz via e-mail and shortly there after we started chatting about the case he had for sale. He let me know I could see it this evening since my semi truck and myself where coming through near where he lives. What a nice fellow. I parked behind a K-mart near his home and he picked me up and took me to see the case in his garage. What a wonderful collection of cars he has. Three Oval windows a large window and a bus. Plus a nice Mercedes. The deal was struck and he took the case and myself back to my semi truck. Thank you Mr. Gaz. Very nice transaction. I will be letting everyone know what my future plans are very soon. Got some BIG changes coming.

Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:55 am

Good for you that you found a case. I saw that ad & the case looked very nice & a more than reasonable price to boot! Good luck with the build.

Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:57 am

L378 wrote: Good for you that you found a case. I saw that ad & the case looked very nice & a more than reasonable price to boot! Good luck with the build.

Thanks "L378". It was a very good find. The fellow that sold it to me was really cool to. The price was FANTASTIC. :lol:

Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:02 pm

glad to do it. I enjoy seeing people happy about finding something they need to finish their car. It's not all about price.

Sun Aug 26, 2012 3:19 pm

3foldfolly wrote: kdfwagon wrote: Trying to figure this one out. It is a clean tear in the door skin.

That crack in the door skin is common.

its caused by pulling on the vent wing frame to close the door...