San Diego 1964 Father-Daughter Resto Project

[Lee Hedges]

I'm working hard to get all four rims sanded & painted. Inbetween the work (while my fingers heal) I spent time investigating the tires. I've decided to buy new blackwall radial tires instead of using my T34 tires from Coker Tire. I read the reviews & advice on theSamba and made calls for the 165/80R15 tires from various local sources. WalMart isn't selling tires any longer. CostCo doesn't offer that size tire. My two local options were Discount Tire with the Nankang in-stock & Big O with the Nexen but has to order them. The out-the-door price per tire were $86 (Discount Tire) & $94 (Big O). So I decided to go with the Nankang tire.

Since we have one original-paint rim, I decided to have the new tire fitted to the rim and not restore it. This is will be the spare tire. Took a couple hours to get it installed (weights on the inside edge, not showing). It slid down into the spare tire area with a tight fit but the hood closes just fine. I'll buy a fan belt to put inside the hub cap clips to complete the look.

[Lee Hedges]

I got some bad news today ... Allison has decided that she does not want to drive Ellie and she's not interested in keeping the Beetle. It's a major blow to me as I've invested two years of my life restoring this car with her, all along believing that she wanted to drive an old Beetle as her first car. But now it's clear that she has changed her mind. When I asked her what made her come to this decision, she gave me three reasons:
1) She realizes how hard driving is and is terrified to drive a stickshift car
2) She is concerned about the reliability of the car. What if it breaks-down, or if it stalls in traffic & won't start?
3) She is concerned about the Beetle's safety if it's involved in an accident with modern cars. Her friends have told her their parents will not allow them to drive with her in the Beetle because it's too unsafe.

[rcroane]

I can imagine your disappointment, but I'm always one to look on the bright side. I have two kids in their 20's and I worry that they have no mechanical skills. These days, if kids need an oil change, they go to Jiffy Lube. If they get a flat tire or their car won't start, they call AAA.

You have given Allison a set of skills that will serve her well the rest of her life. Not to mention the bonding time that you have shared during the past two years. Don't give up hope....maybe it's just cold feet and peer pressure.
_________________
'65 Sunroof Bug

[rcooled]

[Corney13]

[sportin-wood]

[joeyk803c]

While the car may be unsafer compared to "newer" cars, it'll make Allison focus more on the road and less with her friends/cell phones/other distractions. Its amazing what peer pressure can do to change ones mind. I know my bug isn't the safest vehicle on the road, and I'm fine with that. I give myself more space. More time. I'm constantly monitoring traffic, and flow. Looking all around me. Anticipating other drivers moves on the road.

See, that's what these "new" cars are taking away from people. The true way to learn how to drive. Who needs to look over your shoulder when you have blind spot monitoring? Or who needs to worry about paying attention to whats in front of you when you have a car that can stop on its own?

I'm truly sorry to hear the news though. At least she learned some skills that most her age don't, and won't learn.

[stale air]

Wow, bummer for sure, but as the father of a 14 year old girl, I can totally relate. They change their minds about things daily.

I agree with what was said in the quote below, keep the car for yourself, taking it on weekend cruises, to enjoy. My daughter enjoys cruising with me to our weekly burger spot hang out, maybe your daughter will also.
Who knows, like what was said below, she may change her mind down the road.

[Lee Hedges]

I really appreciate all your comments & advice. This situation caught me unprepared. Allison did not share her issues, she shared them with her mom who told me. Allison knew I would be pissed & not understand. I have not spoken with Allison since I learned the bad news.

My collection already has four old VWs, and my Double Cab truck restoration was put on-hold to complete Allison's Beetle. I do not need (nor have space for) another old VW that I would not choose to drive over the T34s or Double Cab. It's costing us money for insurance, takes up a parking space, and is a constant reminder of this ugly situation.

Unfortunately, I still have a short list of work to be done to complete it. Rims need to be painted & tires installed. Electrical needs to be tested. Exhaust needs to be changed (too loud), and the right-front brake drum needs to be replaced. It's funny that my attitude working on this car has instantly changed, just to get it finished & sold.

As for waiting around for Allison to change her mind back ... no thanks. It's an important life lesson that your decisions have consequences. I'm moving onto my truck resto and leaving Allison to live with her decision.

[Karly]

I'm guessing no 3 is the issue too! No 1 is just nerves.. a bit of practice with a stick shift and she won't think about it at all. Very few of my friends know how to drive stick and it's really sad, it's such a skill to be able to drive the different cars. I thought I'd never get the hang of it when I started driving too and thought I'd made the wrong decision to get my bug as my first car. After having some professional driver lessons in a car with dual controls I became much more confidant and she may benefit from that too?

In terms of reliability I had more problems with a modern car! When they break down there's NOTHING you can do but put them on a trailer. She has some skills now and can probably fix many problems on the side of the road.

It's sad but at least you have had 2 years together building something beautiful! Maybe after driving a modern soulless car for a few years she will change her mind!
_________________
1960 Beetle ''Heidi" daily driver
1964 Karmann Ghia project

[txoval]

Definitely a bummer and I'm sorry to hear it.

Best advice I can give is to finish it to a point that where a buyer can drive away and use like a daily driver. That's the best way to get more money. Even slightly unfinished seems to keep buyers from paying top dollar

[craigman]

Please don't sell it yet. Give it time.
I am truly bummed to hear this..

[sump-plug]

I'm sorry to hear that too. I have really enjoyed following your thread. Seeing you work with your daughter over the years gave me hope that my daughter (7) would one day do something like that with me.
_________________
Common sense applied rigorously.

[SDBob]

What a bummer, but being another Dad with teens, I get it. Reason #3 had to be the deal killer.

If it's any consolation, there's a lot of us who've thoroughly enjoyed reading about the resto project. You probably have a lifetime of good memories working on it with her, and that's priceless. That's your profit in this deal, so no matter how much you've sent to WW, JBugs, or wherever, you'll always be in the black on this project.

Time to pass Ellie on to someone who'll appreciate her and use your time to finish up the single cab.

[Tim Donahoe]

My first learning experience with a car was in a bug. Back in those days, most cars were manuals--as automatics cost more--and back then, most people just didn't have the money for such luxuries. My first car was a 1969 Karmann Ghia that I bought in 1969. Driving a manual was ... just the way it was. So, it was okay.

When I was a kid, we had no air-conditioning in the house. We got along with fans, an open window, and worshiped a cool breeze coming through the upstairs bedroom window on a hot summer night. That was just the way it was. Today, however, we all have air-conditioned homes.

I read my grandfather's journal that he wrote between 1899 and 1900. It was mostly about chickens, farming, and the wonder of a new century and what he thought it would bring (boy was he wrong). And I noticed he never mentioned anything about a car. Then I read one entry where he mentioned that a neighbor had a hard time with his horse and sleigh that day. It seems the horse was having a problem getting the sleigh out of a rut in the road (winter, Wabash, Indiana--very cold and snowy).

Then I went "duh"--there were no cars back then. Not for most people, anyway. They were still using real horsepower.

That was then, and this is now.

Our ACVW's came from our time. In our "was". They enabled us to own a new car for little down, and little besides, costing us a little more than half the cost of a Mustang.

But that was then. That was our time. And it was--at that time--modern times. But today, an old bug--no matter how well restored--is a relic of that time. Perhaps, the same way as that horse-drawn sleigh was a relic of my grandfather's time. We might go to Tahoe in the winter and hire a horse-drawn sleigh to ride us through the woods for a half hour or so, but we'd be damned glad to get back to our warm, modern cars when the ride was over.

Expecting young people today to want the same things that brought us so many good memories in the past, is often expecting too much. This is their time, after all. Humanity never changes, but our tools do (so said Lillian Gish, if I remember correctly). And that includes cars.

Ellie is just a car. And Allison did right by her--and outstanding job, as all have seen from this thread. We're all very proud of her commitment to restoring the car. And you are too (maybe not today, but that will pass).

Allison has made a practical decision, based on today's standards. Not on the standards of my past, or yours, Lee. Selling the car will take nothing from her--Allison's--adventure, commitment, learning, work ethic. Don't let your sense of betrayal spoil all the good that came from this wonderful joint venture. It's more than a car, I know. But all the good it has created can be spoiled if you don't just let it go.

You're not selling Allison, after all.

Sell the car, remember all the good times it brought you and your daughter, and buy your girl a nice new/used Honda Civic (with an automatic). She'll make her own memories in that modern set of wheels, and have a good time.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[rcooled]

[69judson]

I have really enjoyed reading this whole post. The bonding experience and skills taught and learned by you daughter are what is truly worthwhile. At 14 she`s likely to feel preasure from her friends and their parents. I love old cars and I drive my daughter around in ours but we live in a different time and these cars are probably best left in the hands of experienced drivers. Hope you can keep the car until she gains more confidence with her driving skills.

[John Miller]

[61Ragster]

Tim just above has a really good read on this though.
And so do you (quoting from you above): It's an important life lesson that your decisions have consequences.
More later.
_________________
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate2-12938.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[Corney13]

In addition, on the plus side, I don't think you will have any issues selling Ellie. She has become pretty famous here on the 1958-1967 forum. There is a good chance Ellie's next owner has been following this thread. If I didn't have 2 bugs already (and my wife wouldn't murder me) I would be interested!