First pan off resto of my 1968 Beetle

jared6881

Ok so I have all these pics of my 1968 Beetle and the process of me restoring it. So I decided to start a thread to show everyone the progress up to date and will continue it until it is complete.

To give you a little detail on the car, I bought it from a buddy who lives in Colorado and it had been sitting in a barn, yes I said barn for the past 25 years or so. Needless to say I got a good deal on it simply because the engine and tranny (autostick) were shot. I am going to put a 4 speed in the car hopefully this year. I bought it some for my wife and some for myself as therapy since having PTSD after returning from Afghanistan. I am excited to see the finished product and I know this will not be the last resto I do. Check back soon and I will begin posting the photos, but for now I will talk to you all later.

Jared

75smith · Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:44 pm Post subject:

sounds like a good buy, look forward to pictures

tranny swap should be easy, being a 68 it might still have the clutch cable tube, 69/70 they stopped putting the tube in the autostick cars
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My 1975 Beetle Build Updated 8-21-12

My engine build

jared6881 · Last edited by jared6881 on Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:33 am; edited 1 time in total

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

The car arrives from Colorado on a car hauler and you would think the guys loading it would know what they were doing....not a chance. As they roll it down the ramps, the rear tires slip off and yippie we got a stuck car. We eventually get it un-stuck and roll it into the garage. Note the flannel shirts and jackets as seat covers...AWESOME!

Overall the car is in rough shape, all the more challenge.

jared6881 · Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:27 am Post subject: More pics of when it arrived

The good news is the heater channel's and pan are not rusted through. The car overall has surface rust and most of the fenders and running boards had to be scraped.

jared6881 · Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:32 am Post subject: Time to remove parts

I started by removing the bad fenders and running boards.

As you can see there is a lot of dirt and many parts are beyond repair.

jlex · Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 6:47 pm Post subject:

I've seen lots worse posted on this forum. Looks pretty solid. You'll have lots of fun with it.
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jlex.
'70 std. "Elsie"
'88 Carrera

zimmyjim · Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 7:38 pm Post subject:

have u considered the "patina" paint job look? Smile

looks like u got a good candidate for a rebuild...
good luck..

jared6881 · Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:23 pm Post subject:

I removed the body from the pan and left the body raised for a couple of months, then lowered the body and put it on some rolling casters.

jared6881 · Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:26 pm Post subject:

Once I got the front and rear suspension off, I started cleaning the pan and frame to get it ready for powder coat, along with the wheels.

jared6881 · Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:35 pm Post subject:

The wheels came back first and look great, the pan and frame was not far behind.

The rear end starts to come together.

jared6881 · Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:41 pm Post subject:

I then contacted Franklin's VW Werks and ordered a 4" narrowed beam with upgraded front disc brakes. I could not be happier with the turnout. I would buy from Franklin's again. The beam was shipped straight to my front door on a small pallet.

jared6881 · Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:47 pm Post subject:

The last item I got back recently was my speedo which I had rebuilt by "Orange Empire Speedometer." It came back looking AWESOME!

I am now running out of room in the garage and now going to build a body dolly. I will post those pics when it is done. I am now saving up for the engine and tranny along with tires which will be next.

Cmontoya9 · Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:54 am Post subject:

Dude, sweet! You are definitely doing it right. I too am in the process of a body off rebuild of a 68 that was originally an auto stick. You should check to see if you have the clutch cable tube right away, mine did not have one. From what I found with the research I did, 100% of 68 auto-stick bugs did not have the clutch cable tube, 50% did not have them from 69-70, from 71 on they pretty much all did have them. I got lucky and was able to pull the tube from my 72 before I scrapped it. I really wish I could have afforded to have my pan powder coated! I'm so jealous! Laughing

Good work man, keep it up. I will definitely be keeping up with your build. BTW, thank you very much for your service sir, you are a true hero.
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My First Bug Build:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6369627&highlight=#6369627

jared6881 · Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:42 am Post subject:

Thanks for all the compliments. I forgot to mention that earlier about the clutch tube. Mine did not have one and before it was powder coated, I installed one and then patched up the holes. Now the powder coat covers pretty much where it was cut into. I just ordered the rear drum brakes and once they arrive I will get them back on.

jared6881 · Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 11:26 am Post subject:

Ok so I started building the body cart and finished it, now the fun part...trying to get that sucker on top of it. We will see how that goes.

Yarkle · Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 4:33 pm Post subject:

i knwo this is a shot in the dark, but did that used to belong to Kevin Black from Colorado?

jared6881 · Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 4:46 pm Post subject:

No it was someone else.

Yarkle · Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:00 pm Post subject:

figured as much, but I saw 68 black bug from colorado, and it looked like it has a military base sticker on the bumper, and ya never know! I was stationed with a guy who had a 68 that his dad had bought new, and was from Denver. He was going store it before he PCS'd to Panama about 20+ years ago, so I thought it could have been the same one

jared6881 · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:46 am Post subject: Body is mobile now

With a lot of energy and some minor injuries me and my wife were able to get the body up on the dolly and it is now mobile.

fred69vert · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 11:20 am Post subject:

A tip for when you're ready to lift the body from the dolly......what I did.

Put the bumpers back on and lift using two come-a-longs and nylon lifting straps, from the overhead of your garage. That's the method I used for pulling the body of my 69 'vert single handed.

By the time I put the body back on the pan I had upgraded to a pair of electric hoists.
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I'm not losing my hair, it's just retired and relocating further south.

1969 VW convertible, "Heidi"


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