TheSamba.com :: View topic - Turning a '68 US spec square into an N model

Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:06 pm

'68 brochure with the "1500 squareback" (from the archives)

and "1500 sedan"

Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:28 pm

Standards had rubber floor matting.

Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:37 pm

That's what my square needs... rubber mats! might keep the car less drafty, and would look better than my crappy carpets!

Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:30 pm

99.9% of the vw community wouldn't know the difference if they were looking at anything rare or odd that is type 3 anyhow... build it how you like it...

Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:07 am

sprintstar.com wrote: 99.9% of the vw community wouldn't know the difference if they were looking at anything rare or odd that is type 3 anyhow... build it how you like it...

He's not asking the VW community. He's asking the Type 3 community. I commend the man for wanting to get it right. :)

Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:22 am

should I rephrase... :lol:

Sat Feb 04, 2012 12:36 am

sprintstar.com wrote: should I rephrase... :lol:

Rephrase what? You callin' us retards? :D

Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:02 am

I don't see how it's going to end up looking like a "Model A"

Sat Feb 04, 2012 1:44 pm

Woreign wrote: I don't see how it's going to end up looking like a "Model A"

Haha, good one.

Sat Feb 04, 2012 1:50 pm

Tram wrote: sprintstar.com wrote: 99.9% of the vw community wouldn't know the difference if they were looking at anything rare or odd that is type 3 anyhow... build it how you like it...

He's not asking the VW community. He's asking the Type 3 community. I commend the man for wanting to get it right. :)

No shenanigans here, please. Contrary to popular belief, I'd like my car to be as correct as possibly minus the ride height, wheels and tires. I honestly just want a stripped down, no frills squareback. But, at the same time I don't want my car to be considered "cal-look" in any sense of the term.

Sat Feb 04, 2012 1:58 pm

This is what I'm after. The owner of this car says that it's a '68 n model, so is he incorrect?

Sat Feb 04, 2012 2:40 pm

I take back my "don't paint the vent window frames" comment.

Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:16 pm

turbomicrowaves wrote:

This is what I'm after. The owner of this car says that it's a '68 n model, so is he incorrect?

Incorrect about the "N" part, but it could be an "A". Does he have more pics?

Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:51 pm

That car looks like it's in Italy. Italy had a law that required clear indicators up front and amber indicators on the side. Maybe the 1600A had bumper guards in some markets and no bumper guards in others? If so, you should build the Italian version. :D

I like where you're going with this project. In a way it's too bad the 1600As are less different from higher-grade 1600s than the 1500Ns were from 1500Ss -- fabricating the prop rods would have been an interesting challenge.

FYI, after checking the parts book I think a 1968 1600A would have had door locks on both sides. Only one handle part number is listed for 1968 on.

Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:55 pm

Also, it's true that the 1966-and-later A was sometimes called the 1500 or 1500A but despite the nomenclature and the single carb they were all 1600 cc. Go figure.

Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:58 pm

And remember, low backs were for everyone else, with high backs as an option, versus high backs only for North America (USA and Canada).
I do like the "shaved" bumper look myself, as seen on my 65 Notch. :wink:

Sat Feb 04, 2012 5:06 pm

You've gotta do low back seats. Totally worth the potential whiplash.

Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:19 pm

Bobnotch wrote: turbomicrowaves wrote:

This is what I'm after. The owner of this car says that it's a '68 n model, so is he incorrect?

Incorrect about the "N" part, but it could be an "A". Does he have more pics?

Yes, he has more pictures in his gallery.

Sat Feb 04, 2012 8:31 pm

turbomicrowaves wrote:

Yes, he has more pictures in his gallery.
I just looked all through riccardo's gallery and found the following.

Sat Feb 04, 2012 8:41 pm

I have a question or two. The color. The car's original color is Diamond Blue. My question is, would that have been a color used on an "A" model? Or would all of the colors offered for the type 3's in that year have been available in all trim options?

The reason I ask is because I've never seen an "N" or "A" model in that color. Seems that if VW was offering less options on the "A" model that they would offer less color options as well. Just curious to see how deep this rabbit hole goes.