Astra VW GT 2+2 - Starting Restoration, Have Questions

[redfarmer84]

Ended up going over this this evening (5 pm) and looking at everything. He has ALOT of stuff and although he didn't have all the receipts for everything it is clear he has done a bunch of work and spent a bunch of money and time on this build. He was a really nice guy and showed me everything he has and what he's done. I'll have to wait till tomorrow to get some pictures as it was dark tonight, but I left him a deposit and will pick it all up in the morning.

He didn't have a title for it, and actually come to think of it, I don't think anything got a title in 1970. He said he never had one and he went upstairs and brought down the license plate and tag receipt for it from the DMV. I got to keep the tag receipt. We have bought a few cars from the local US Marshall/Bankruptcy Auction in the past 10 years where the titles have to go through a process, and one the title was "lost". Never have we had to have one notarized. Even the 2003 BMW 745 we bought was in a bankruptcy case and we had to wait til the lawyer got everything straight. It was worth the 4 month wait though being a $5,900 investment!!! Also, from owning cars in the past my grandparents said that a bill of sale should be the only thing with that car.

[jspbtown]

The last I knew Alabama was a state that did not require a title.

I would HIGHLY suggest you check online with the DMV that this is still the case.

[redfarmer84]

[A6ULdv8]

[redfarmer84]

Just to update you guys on the project.....

I haven't touched the 1970 beetle project I've bought yet, but have been doing some work on the car this past weekend to try and get the body ready to take off. I got the steering wheel, shaft, and column removed from the car; as well as the speedo cable and other wiring up front unhooked. I've broken the adhesive bond just behind the front tires and I think she is just about ready to lift off the pan. I do have to get the heater channel bolts loose, and the windsheild removed first though. I think I will take ya'lls advice and leave the old heater channels on for now for rigidity....might even weld some tubing in an x-pattern so it stays put. Once the new pan is ready, I can carefully remove the old channels and just "bond" it to the new heater channels that will be on the new pan.

[redfarmer84]

Anyways......seeing as I wanted to know the status of the engine; I decided to go ahead (while all the wiring was hooked up) and try and start it to see what she sounded like. Now, keep in mind this car has been sitting for AT LEAST 26 years without being started in the Previous Owners Back Yard. I did post the outcome in another section of the forum where I had asked an engine question, so some of you might have seen this already. If you remember, the engine looks like a weathered disaster....wasp nests, cobwebs, dirt, dust, Rust, rotten belts/hoses, etc. buuuttt.....I GOT HER RUNNING!


I was informed it is 6 volt, but after about 4 hours of working on it off/on, It is still working ok with the new 12 volt coil and battery I am using (lights haven't burnt yet). After a quick sanding of the points and checking their gap, and a little bit of hose replacement (I think it has the original braided type hose b/c it is ROTTEN), we got her running!!!!! With the exception of the fuel pump not working 100%, It runs really well with no weird noises, rattles, knocks, or smoke! We just ran a fuel hose directly to the carb with a small funnel to slowly feed it fuel. She sounds good and strong considering and the 2 times I started her after the video she started on her own really quick and sat there and idled!

Really, really happy and excited for this outcome. Let me know what you guys think, as I would appreciate your feedback in case there is something I missed or I should be aware of.


VIDEO HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRjSx_xC5Sw&list=UUjDOvqCuNtXk-2hxiMPruvg&feature=c4-overview

[Markoldguy]

I bought the same car 17 years ago. I have all of the original paperwork, instructions, and guides. I never got around to working on it. Don't know what it is worth or if I have the energy to tackle a restoration on it. I would like to find out how many were made too.

[oldthingguy]

Look what we picked up yesterday, what have we done. haha Now to find a good donor pan.

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73 914 2.0 - sold
63 single cab
73, 73 and 74 Thing - gone
64 notch - gone
60 23 window - gone
57 oval - gone
plus a few others I should have kept

[jspbtown]

Nice project.

That is going to be more work than you can ever imagine.

[BILLMCKINNEY]

I have a just a body and need a build pac. What do you have?
HELP.
I'll post pictures tomorrow.

[Wolfgangdieter]

Love to see it after all that gold paint is pressure washed off! I bet it would just fly away under a little pressure.
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CMC '57 Porsche Speedster Replica and Dolphin boat tailed full pan VW MOD-T Street Buggy

[BIGMIKEY]

I was really looking forward to seeing how this kit utilized the stock heater channels. What a letdown when redfarmer84 vanished. Maybe one of the latest contributors will step up.

redfarmer84 if you are out there at least check in even if you have no progress to report.

Mike T
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BIGMIKEY

Deserter Series 1 project.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=787047&highlight=

1973 Beetle Driver, Marina Blue.

[Wolfgangdieter]

Several makers (CMC/FF/VS/JPS) of Porsche 356 Speedster kits incorporate heater ducting in there 2x4" steel sub-frame. The problem is the little better than luke warm engine heat is quickly dissipated before it gets to the front of the car (much is absorbed by the steel frame which has no insulation. Several home builders have welded a piece of exhaust tubing into the VW center tunnel (after drilling a hole) and used that to transfer the heat up front. It works quite well.
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CMC '57 Porsche Speedster Replica and Dolphin boat tailed full pan VW MOD-T Street Buggy