Project Sophie -- My Wife's 67 Bug

[pocket5s]

As a new member, I'll start off with our project my wife has named Sophie. The backstory on this poor car starts with her late father. Her dad used to run a salvage/mechanic shop in west Tulsa for many years, mostly working on foreign cars and had a love of the beetle, and the 67 was his favorite. This particular car was a customer's car at the time, that my wife really loved.

I forget the details on the acquisition, but she liked the car enough that her dad bought it for her and fixed it up for her first car. She drove it for a couple years until her step dad got her a little truck, and this car got parked and it sat. and sat...

Fast forward many years and after I came in to the picture. I always heard stories of this thing. From her and her friends crazy adventures to her brother 'borrowing' it in the mornings while she slept so he could go get a soda, when he was 14...

For several years we talked about fixing it up. I constantly debated with a few people about the probability of actually fixing this car. Her brother (whom inherited the shop after their dad passed away) kept telling her it wasn't salvageable. Get another car and take some of the parts off, like the steering wheel, and call it a day, that kind of thing. She almost gave in a few times but I was insistent it could be saved.

We got close to bringing it home a couple years ago, going so far as to stock up on catalogs, making parts lists and such. I did some research on various things here and there, but it didn't make it home.

So fast forward to today. I grew up in a muscle car family, so car stuff is kind of in my blood. My most recent project is pretty much wrapped up now, so I started thinking about the bug again after yet another conversation came up surrounding it just a couple weeks ago with yet again another push to get a different car. I wasn't having any of it.

Well, the wife is on a trip with a girl friend and I decided to make it happen. If it was here at the house, it would get worked on, no matter how little or how much. So a good friend of the family, who worked for my late father in law for many years, got the body off, and trailered the chassis to the house last night. It looks like hell, but nothing I don't think I can tackle given time and research.

Obviously the pans are toast, but the rest of it is solid and those can be replaced, and I have a welder

Here are the pics I took last night after rolling it in.

The outer body is in surprisingly good condition given it has been sitting outside for as long as it has. I had him leave it at the shop for the time being as I just don't yet have room for it (the garage is filled my crap from my recent project). The wife has pics of it sitting with grass and stuff growing through it I'll get those posted when she gets back as she has them some where.

According to the vin (thanks to the vin tables on this site), it was built in August of 66. I doubt the motor is original, but I won't know until I pull it off, clean and check the numbers on it.

The goal for the build is a revitalization. I kind of hate to use the word 'restoration' as that has a certain connotation to me. It will be stock-ish when done, but not necessarily factory correct. So no big mods, no hot rodding it, bagging it or anything like that. She basically has always wanted it like she had it originally. I'll most likely make some upgrades like maybe disc brakes, perhaps a tad stronger engine and that kind of thing.

It'll be a fair weather car for the most part, and maybe go to some shows here and there.

[Digger89L]

WOW! ........and .....WOW !!! I thought my 66 was a 'project' ...to put it mildly. But, you've got WAY more work ahead of you than I do! Good luck ...and keep us posted with updates on your progress!!
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"If you can't fix it with pop rivets, crazy glue and duct tape, or hold it together with zip ties, velcro or magnets, it REALLY is broken."

[67rustavenger]

Thanks for the great story. Sophie looks like a great project. You do have your work cut out for ya but, It's doable. Does your wife know that you are having an affair with another blood sucking female? There will be many $$$ involved with this project, but in the end the satisfaction of a job well done will be worth the journey. The bonus will be a happy wife and more smiles per mile than you can ever imagine.
I just seem a little creeped out looking at Sophie with her clothes off Maybe you can post a couple of pics with the body on before the stripper pictures. LOL.
Have fun with the build and take your time. These simple little cars can get a bit frustrating from time to time.
Welcome to the samba. ask questions when you are stuck and have ran out of search queries. We are more than willing to lend a hand.
Make sure to wear your heart on your sleeve here as some can be a bit abrasive, including myself.
Have a great weekend.
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!

[pocket5s]

Thanks guys

I'm no stranger to, uh, rough forums so I can handle it.

The project I just wrapped up is Veronica, a 2012 charger built for sound quality audio competition. The wife named that one too lol.

Thankfully my brother-in-law does know beetles fairly well having worked on them most of his life, as well as our friend that brought this one home, so that will be a big help.

Having said that, I plan on documenting as much as I can and only start to remove things when I'm ready to work on it (such as the engine/trans) so I don't have parts spread all over the garage and forget where they all go. Also, if I can find a forum thread, pictures and/or a video of how to do something then I'm more comfortable tackling it.

My first order of business is going to be the floor pans. Seeing those big holes over the years always made her a bit depressed, so I think once those are there and it looks more or less whole, it will lift her spirits a bit and it won't look like such a long shot project. She can have a bit of a hard time seeing the potential where I'm more "blah, that can be replaced!".

[flyboy161]

Looks like this is gonna be a fun project for me to watch! Love it when a car has a great back history
_________________
My father's 1970 Beetle-
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=603879

The 1964...Diamond in the rough
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=612776

My 1958 Morocco Bug-
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=611483

[67rustavenger]

Subscribed!
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!

[FullFender]

^^^^^ x2, this is going to be a great project. Like rustavenger said if you have any questions feel free to ask good on you for not letting it get sent to the crusher

[samstheman]

Lots of work to come cool.

[wcfvw69]

Honestly? That chassis doesn't look to bad at all. If the top hat isn't rotted out at the body mount areas on the outer ends or the frame head isn't rusted through, you dodged a bullet. Simply replacing the pans on either side is a fun project.

Curious, how many decades has this 67 been sitting? It's still rocking white wall bias ply tires!
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Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.

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[pocket5s]

[Born Again]

I've seen much bigger projects than that. It's important to go a bit at a time. Do something almost every day larger projects can be overwhelming. Patience is important also. Lastly don't forget about quality time with your wife and kids if you have any?

[pocket5s]

The kids are grown and out of the house. I do plan on putting the wife to work here and there though

[pocket5s]

The wife was elated when she came home yesterday
I told her I already had pans on order, and what my plans were. she was worried about the engine, but after reassuring her short of having cracked heads or a block, it can all be rebuilt, exchanged, etc.

Speaking of which, I did get the engine code off the block. It appears to be one of the over counter replacement blocks (code AK). Doesn't bother me either way, but at least I know, as does she now, that if for some reason it had to be replaced, there was no extra value in it being possibly original to the car.

here are some pics taken a few years ago.

[WooleyNelson]

With that rear window broken out, you may have a bit of rust in the rear luggage area. might want to check it over. It does look like you might be able to get original replacement sheet metal, if all those other bugs are still sitting in that field/yard.

Good luck with the project, I'll keep watching...

[pocket5s]

There is definitely rust back there.

Sadly all those other bugs are long gone...

My brother in law posted this pic on facebook. That's my nephew with the body behind him. The caption read "It will take uncle Robert this many years to fix"