Ghia Nut
Samba Member
Joined: December 23, 2003
Posts: 1565
Location: B'ham Alabama
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 Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:51 am Post subject: '59 Standard Satina Project (my first 5 lug) |
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So this is kind of a funny weird twist of events.
I have been looking for a beetle shell to swap my subaru ej22t engine into for about 3 weeks now. I originally wanted around a 67, but I really wanted to find a 69 to 70 with a sun roof. I was finally able to scrape together just enough to buy a shell for the swap. I have found several awesome cars at the right price but they all were bought out from under me. Some even resurfaced the next week at 3x the price and it was a fatty.
So I throw up wanted ads on craigslist and expected nothing but Nigerian scammers. Then this guy writes me about the 59. It still listed for sale here on the samba if you want to go look at it. He lets me know its for sale and I nicely explain to him that I have 1.5x to spend and thats it, he starts negotiating and wants to be at 2x so he doesn't loose money which I can understand. He asks if I have anything in trade, and I have a Walther P22 that I can throw in on top. He says its a done deal but we would have to wait for Friday due to my work schedule...
Keep in mind, I have only seen pictures like the one above...
Im also a bit nervous as I am expecting the email that said some one bought it out from under me.
Friday (yesterday) finally comes. I go to uhaul and just decide to rent it as in town... bad idea, but U Haul has a problem with their system for leasing tow dollys as a Beetle Bug, yes its listed as that. Apparently even a V8 4wd tundra is not recommended to tow a '59 Beetle Bug. So we rent it for a '95 Geo Metro Coupe.
Always, I repeat always check your trailer for stuff after they hook you up, allways. I was sitting in the car thinking this right before we left, its one of those things you know you should have done.
We FINALLY get there after eating with the gf's parents...
So I was a little upset and called the roadside assistance. Guy was nice but not super helpful, but we just agreed that it would be faster to trade the thing out. So we call home to get directions to one thats not closed down
from my mom, and I put the gf in charge as Im a little wound up and still getting over not smoking (quit almost 2 months ago cold turkey)
So the seller finally gets here and we see the car, he helps us fix the trailer, we get the BOS notarized and everything is honkey dorey. He drives it on the trailer and yes it has the split case tranny, the whine is SUPER distinctive. The Seller was a really cool guy, into Chevys and what not. Was selling his house due to divorce which was sad to hear, but his kids were pretty cool. Really great and friendly guy.
We then stop by a DQ so the GF can get some ice cream and I can sit down and stop shaking... I was a little jumpy.
We had just finished the BOS at the bank and not 20 min after signing the papers in front of the notary at the DQ, a guy strolls up and asks, "Hey is that your Beetle?" "Yes sir it is.", "Would you might be interested in selling it". I told him we had literally just signed the BOS before we came here. He was a nice guy and talked cars a bit. He told me he had a 67 with a front mounted V8, and a 72 that had a V8 in it. Im sitting here contemplating that I want to swap a subaru into a vw.
You can also see how we fixed the strap in the top, but we made it home safe.
We stopped by the gf grandmothers house to say hello. My spidey VW sense told me to check the engine... I felt it, just to make sure it wasnt in gear or turning. The Coil was BLAZIN hot, so I disconnected the batter just in case.
I just work to go see if the coil was still on... thank god it wasnt, total OH SHIT moment of the day.
We got lost, well rather, we went over train tracks way to fast and something didnt feel right on the trailer so we pulled over to check on a back country road, only to remember/rediscovered we couldnt back up...
It was here I started to actually get up and close with the car and see what I got myself into.
The Good:
Hood Crest was cool
1500 sp, not OG engine, but I like this engine a lot
Channels, at the rear at least
Little rust through on channels in the rear at least, front I dont know 
Still has reserve Valve
Extra Speedo with it
Decent Seats
4 New tires
Ice Pick Handles
All brakes new, front any way... going to have to investigate why pedal is a little weak but it does stop
Decent Head Liner
IT RUNS
IT STOPS
ITS NOT A FAT CHICK
IT DIDNT SMOKE and No nocking sounds
Has the OG splitcase trans, the whine is cool, never seen a car rolling forward and making the reverse gear sound.
Key works
Headlights work and turn signals work
The Meh:
The paint, it needs it, so its getting a Satina Job, it will be off or antique white, I was hoping it patina'd well but its been sanded
The engine, its oily in there, it runs, but needs a tune up bad
Needs seals
needs windshield and passenger rear window re installed? It poped out
Air Filter is not oil bath air cleaner
Shaved turn signals
This gap bothered me
There is some filler on this car. Im afraid of the magnet, but it is from 1959
First gear is an absolute BITCH to find. So is second. Its just "there"
Crap in carb, totally dealt with this before, makes it rather unpleasant to do the two step
this is how I feel when I drive
The Ugly
Crack in hood so I cant lock the hood prop and leave it open, /firstworldVWproblems
On drivers side wheel well... Do I really want to know????
The door hinges feel a little shakey, kinda have to lift up on the drivers side door
THOSE ALUMINUM RUNNING BOARDS... will be getting a fresh coat of BLACK spray paint.
CAL LOOK WINDOWS, I hate them
The drivers door window no longer rolls up
Key doesnt lock door
Rear lights and blinkers = no dice
This list will grow with time Im sure
I dont really know the direction of this project yet. It may be too much for me to handle. So Im going to go ahead and say Im 90% sure no suby swap for this car. This is because its not a fatty, its a decent car as is, I like 1500 sp engines. I dont know if Im going to slam it or not. I may try to sell this car one day to finish the subaru swap, I haven't given up on it, its just been put on hold for another car. I want IRS and disc brakes for a suby swap, and I also dont want to ruin the value that this car has or its history as a '59.
Am I happy with the purchase, yes  The experience was also really neat for the gf, she has been super supportive of it. She has also been pushing me to make sure I do what I want with the car. She loves VW shows but hasnt gotten the chance to go to a show with a car which is much different then just showing up to one. She rode home with me in it as we unloaded. I dont exactly know where this project is going but it will be fun.
Im going to tinker with it some more tonight and tomorrow so more updates and pictures later
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'59 typ1 rajay turbo
'72 Ghia rajay 1641 dual 36DRLAs, 1 3/8" SS merged header and fat boy
78" GL Vert with ej22t swap
This will likely change tomorrow to something else. |
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