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Fri Dec 26, 2014 10:24 am

Recently purchased a 1969 Type 3 Fasty. It's my first Type 3. As you may be able to tell by my screen name, I've had nothing but Type 1's until now.

It looks like it was refurbished/lowered/heavily-altered over 10 or 15 years ago and I've already begun the process of 'de-sharking'. It'll need some rust hole patches and a repaint but my goal at the moment (and I suspect this will change into a full-blown rebuild/restore), is to spend as little as possible and make this one stop, go and carry my wife and 3 kids to the beach. ($2500 spent on parts already :/)

-a couple of months into it and I've:

replaced the passenger-rear floor paninstalled new rear brakesfabbed/installed the Porsche sport motor mounts. -super proud of this one! Thanks, Samba forum!!installed new ISP dashboard. -nice and supple piece but seems short. could be 1-2 inches deeper to better mate with hold downs at windshieldinstalled new torsion/spring plate bushings. -a real b***h.

Some of the things I have yet to do (and could use some forum assistance with):

I have to reinstall the front blinker 'bullets' as a PO removed and welded over the mount holes. Does anyone have any measurements/photos as to exactly where to locate them below the headlights?The front air dam below the bumper has two large oval holes in it. They appear as though they pass through to the front beam/shock area but there's no tube or anything. What are they?A PO also removed the windshield washer SYSTEM - nozzle to reservoir. I'll be fabbing something in its place but I could use an exact location/photo of the squirt nozzle and perhaps a hole diameter to drill.

I'll try to post more pics as I go. Thanks for any and all responses!

Fri Dec 26, 2014 10:37 am

I'm measuring 4.125" from the bottom of the chrome headlight ring to the center of the bullet turn signals on my '69. It you pull the front wheels off you should be able to see the welding done on the inside?

Fri Dec 26, 2014 11:28 am

Thanks, Mike. (I used to know a Mike Fisher in CO)

I CAN see what appears to be a square of replacement metal on the inside of the fender. It's not like weld-filled holes though and easy to re-drill. That square is just a bit big to know where to put holes.

I can eye-ball it and no one would ever know but if I take your 4.125" and compare the two, I should be spot on.

Fri Dec 26, 2014 2:18 pm

The two large oval holes are for a bumper reinforcement piece. Most people don't use them. Kind of ugly. It is a big U shaped tube that sits behind the bumper so if you get hit it reduces damage to the front clip. There are plastic tubes that keep water out from that area.

Sat Dec 27, 2014 9:37 am

Thanks, 68vwfasty! I feel better about just welding those over, then. Got any help on locating the windshield squirt nozzle? -hole diameter? I'm going to try to repurpose a vw reservoir that I have even though I sure do like the electric windshield squirters. -back to my earlier comment about minimizing my expenses.

Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:16 am

68vwfasty wrote: The two large oval holes are for a bumper reinforcement piece. Most people don't use them. Kind of ugly. It is a big U shaped tube that sits behind the bumper so if you get hit it reduces damage to the front clip. There are plastic tubes that keep water out from that area.

Normally there is a metal plate on top of the reinforcement tube that hides all of that stuff anyway. In my opinion it's not that bad looking at all if you consider the added safety but I'm experiencing issues with adding the ISP foglight bar where you have to cut into the top metal plate in order to fit it on properly which kind of sucks.

Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:36 am

I have/use the reinforcing bar on my '69 & it doesn't really detract/show behind the chrome bumper. I have 2-3 extra reinforcing bars/sleeves here to sell/ship.

Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:47 am

The center of the hole for washer nozzle is 1/2" from the edge closest to the hood. And centered of course. The hole is oval and if I remember has notches where the nozzle tabs go. I would get a nozzle and use it as a template.

Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:58 am

As far as the holes for the reinforcing bar. I left mine in and have the plastic sleeves in to help keep water from spare tire area. You can get the tubes from Boo-Koo-Z, make sure you specify the year since they changed in 70. And looks like Mike has the bar if you want to add a safety factor.

Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:40 pm

beetlejc wrote: Thanks, Mike. (I used to know a Mike Fisher in CO)

I CAN see what appears to be a square of replacement metal on the inside of the fender. It's not like weld-filled holes though and easy to re-drill. That square is just a bit big to know where to put holes.

I can eye-ball it and no one would ever know but if I take your 4.125" and compare the two, I should be spot on.

The plates you're seeing are to fill in the spots from the "wrap around" style front turn signals used on 67 and earlier cars. That's also why your fuel door was filled in. :wink: One of the PO's replaced the front fenders with earlier fenders.
Use Mikes numbers, and drill 2 small holes for sheetmetal screws, and a 3rd larger hole in between them to run the wires for the lights. :D

Nice little project you have there. Have fun with it. 8)

Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:13 pm

Bobnotch...good eye on the fuel filler door. I guessed as much as well...probably just that one side though. It seems just slightly longer than it should be and I can see the bad fitment right at that cross panel below the hood. -extends perhaps 1/4" beyond. I'd like to minimize that before paint but not quite sure how just yet.
Mike...good to know what these holes are and where I can gets parts.

Here's a real bummer that I recently discovered: it came with a recent set of adjustable Koni's that I won't be able to use. (For a lowered car). My last beetle rebuild I used oil-filled up front and gas-charged in the rear. I'm going to try KYB gas-charged all around on this one.

More pics on the way. I'm geared up to replace the front beam shortly. (Normal to just slightly lowered ride height).

Sat Dec 27, 2014 9:12 pm

beetlejc wrote:
Here's a real bummer that I recently discovered: it came with a recent set of adjustable Koni's that I won't be able to use. (For a lowered car). My last beetle rebuild I used oil-filled up front and gas-charged in the rear. I'm going to try KYB gas-charged all around on this one.

More pics on the way. I'm geared up to replace the front beam shortly. (Normal to just slightly lowered ride height).

Forget about going with gas charged shocks all around, as they'll kill the rie (beat you to death). Go with oil filled link pins up front. Stock length is ok until you drop the front more than 2 splines, then goin with short link pins is the way to go.
Just a heads up on that.

Mon Dec 29, 2014 9:57 am

beetlejc wrote:
Here's a real bummer that I recently discovered: it came with a recent set of adjustable Koni's that I won't be able to use. (For a lowered car).

More pics on the way. I'm geared up to replace the front beam shortly. (Normal to just slightly lowered ride height).
OK, I'm slightly confused:

The first statement indicates that you can't use the lowered Koni shocks.
The you say "geared up to replace the front beam shortly. (Normal to just slightly lowered ride height)

The car looks lowered in the picture. Do you NOT want it so low? Is there a non-T3 beam there now? T3 has an adjustable beam. You can raise/lower the car about 4+ inches (total range) by adjusting splines (see Bob's comment). I've only heard of swapping the beam when you want to go WAY low.
Do some more research; it sounds/looks like you're trying to re-lighten a car someone has taken to the dark side.

Mon Dec 29, 2014 9:58 am

By the way; Nice score! Not a bad starting point, whatever you decide to do.

Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:13 am

Beautiful little fasty. Keep us posted!

Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:27 pm

Sorry for the confusion, aircooled head. What you see in the pictures is how I bought it. Super low. I drive my cars kinda hard and like not worrying about bumps or driveways or random Kleenex on the road. :wink:

A PO has cut off the front beam bump stops and rust has developed in that cavity so I bought another front beam to swap in its place at a more sane ride height. I'll be disassembling the parts off the old one.

The Koni's don't seem to allow for full droop in the front or rear...in fact, bottoming out in the shocks themselves. Ouch. Unfortunately, I have already received my gas shocks so, there's that. :roll: At least I'll know what people mean when they say the gas-charged shocks ride rough.

I expect to start in a day or two and will take some good pics if possible.

Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:02 pm

beetlejc wrote: Sorry for the confusion, aircooled head. What you see in the pictures is how I bought it. Super low.

OK, now I got it. :oops:
I'd call that "Regular Low" but I know what you mean. I once had my Square so low, the muffler would scrape on shadows. :shock: That was "Stupid Low". :lol:

Tue Dec 30, 2014 6:09 pm

beetlejc wrote:
A PO has cut off the front beam bump stops and rust has developed in that cavity so I bought another front beam to swap in its place at a more sane ride height. I'll be disassembling the parts off the old one.

The Koni's don't seem to allow for full droop in the front or rear...in fact, bottoming out in the shocks themselves. Ouch. Unfortunately, I have already received my gas shocks so, there's that. :roll: At least I'll know what people mean when they say the gas-charged shocks ride rough.

I expect to start in a day or two and will take some good pics if possible.

Well, if the new replacement beam still has it's shocks on it, then you might want to re-use them. If they're already removed, then I'd still see about ordering up some oil shocks for the front. It really does make a difference on these cars.

Tue Dec 30, 2014 7:00 pm

Houston, we have a problem.

I'd like some council on an issue I hadn't expected during the beam replacement.

Here's the primary reason why I'm replacing it in the first place:

Rust in the old bump stop location.

I found some wonky limiting straps in here:

I got the new beam prepped and ready:

I got the tank and spare tire tub out: (two fuel lines?)

...and from underneath I found this:

That's the street side of the beam mounting brackets. This is the good side, btw. Mangled. I'd be curious to get your advice on THAT mess.

I'm not seeing a lot of options besides a 5lb sledge. As it stands, I MIGHT be able to work the bolts out but I'm not too sure about what will be left to reassemble.

Tue Dec 30, 2014 9:22 pm

Welcome to the community. You have a nice looking Fasty there. Ouch! That sucks man. Looks like some framehead damage that went ground down a bit. I recall when removing my front beam the bolts are tacked onto the outer bracket but mine had busted welds and I suspect you may have them as well. You may also experience a bent bolt in your efforts to remove it or some binding while at it. I had that and ended up using a cutting wheel to free the beam and acquiring new replacement outer bracket. I just cut between the bolt and bracket. I’m not sure how much of the lower framehead arm is left on there but you’ll have to straighten it out to see what you have to work with. By the looks of the bolt, nut, and the washer on the bolt head side, that got beat down.
I haven’t seen any pics or read of any thread where someone removed a piece of the framehead and welded a replacement piece on. Not sure how structurally sound that may be. I had rot in areas where I felt the replacement of the whole framehead was my option. It’s a lot of work and from what I see, I don’t think you need that. Maybe that lower piece could be cut and a new piece welded in.
I’m sure older members with a lot more experience will chime and give you more options. Again, welcome to the community and look forward to reading up on your progress.