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Evilgtiguy Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2012 Posts: 241 Location: Perth, Ontario
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2014 6:23 pm Post subject: My 1966 Fastback build up |
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This is a tad long so I'll apologize in advance.
I've been a long time lurker like many, simply reading threads in this forum as well as T1 and Ghia to see what people were doing to bring these amazing cars back. It was very interesting to see people do different things from rat rods to Cal-look, and Baja to stock restorations.
I have always been a VW enthusiast and I've owned a MK1 GTI, GLI, Jetta, MK4 GTI VR6 and even a B5 A4 1.8t along with a 450hp Nissan 240sx (S13) and I wrenched on all of them myself and extensively from engine building to bolt ons. I've always been intrigued with air-cooled VWs but I went for what was trendy. Now that I'm a little older and wiser I'm ready to dive into the air-cooled world.
I'm a parts specialist at a VW dealership and we have a couple of air-cooled cars on display (181, T2, 74 Ghia, and the CEO's Super Beetle cab with 250 km on it) all in mint shape so I drooled over them daily. One Saturday I had some down time and found a 66 Fastback on here that was garaged since 1977 a -one owner car. I emailed the seller and made arrangements to see the car and eventually buy it. The price was ridiculous and I knew that if I passed up on this opportunity I'd never come across one like this again. I negotiated with my reluctant wife and boom I had the green light.
The car needed some TLC but was unmolested and surprisingly intact! Someone had attempted a repair to the right fender and the headlight bucket on the left is rotted along with a section on the A-pillar and left cowl area. The engine turns by hand but stops at a point apparently so I'm guessing dropped valve, distributor issue possibly. A tear down is in order of at least the heads maybe more.
The plan is to get it towed to my dealership where I can clean it up a bit and do a proper evaluation, possibly drop the engine see if there's something obvious and then put the car in heated storage for a bit until we move to a bigger house.
Anyhow I will be updating this thread as I go and pick everyone's brain from time to time. I plan on restoring the car back to stock form. I'm not going to make this a concourse winner but I am going to do right by the car. Stay tuned!
Last edited by Evilgtiguy on Fri May 02, 2014 9:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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MonT3 Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2012 Posts: 1988 Location: South Dakota
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Donnie strickland Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009 Posts: 2403 Location: Moody, AL
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2014 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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Neat! I saw that in the classifieds -- seemed like a good price, but of course I couldn't see it in person. Enjoy! _________________ 71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
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Evilgtiguy Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2012 Posts: 241 Location: Perth, Ontario
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2014 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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MonT3 wrote: |
Great looking starting point. Take your time and look it over well. But most of all, enjoy it! |
Thanks! I plan on taking my time with this project as I want to do it the right way. My 240sx wasn't my daily driver and it took me about 6 years to do. I bought this car knowing that you really aren't ever "done" working on classic cars but that's the fun of owning one. Couple that with the fact that my current house doesn't have a garage but we're growing out of this one so the next one will have hopefully a 2-car garage probably next year. |
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Mike Fisher Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 17963 Location: Eugene, OR
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:25 am Post subject: |
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It looks like you have the chrome loop on the tunnel for '67 retractable lap belts like I have in my '69 square? Buy some if you can find them as they are nice!
_________________ https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
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W1K1 Samba Member
Joined: March 04, 2004 Posts: 4897 Location: Southern AB
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:37 am Post subject: |
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nice start, how bad is the rust?
Not too many eastern canada cars survived the salt in one piece.
the stop on the rotation could be rust or carbon that has fallen into the cylinder too. BTDT _________________ http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/jim_martin_engine_build.php
1973 super
1965 squareback 1500E
1971 bay window westy- subi swap |
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scranscran Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2013 Posts: 152 Location: Texas
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 8:53 am Post subject: |
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I am soooo jealous of that uncracked original dash pad! Lucky!! |
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Evilgtiguy Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2012 Posts: 241 Location: Perth, Ontario
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:56 am Post subject: |
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There are two holes - one in the lower part of the A-pillar and one at the left cowl. The A-pillar hole is about 1/2 inch by 2 and the hole on the cowl is around 2-inches. The floors are solid what I was told. I was really surprised on the condition of the interior especially the dash pad.
For the most part the seating surfaces will probably come up with some cleaning and all the window seals are in good shape without cracking. All the chrome trim is in good condition but I'm missing a Z trim on the passenger armrest. I haven't taken possession of the car yet but I'm sure that I'll be making a list of items.
I do have a set of rust free fenders on hold and being that I work at a dealership I ordered some seals for the engine that haven't been discontinued yet. A nice perk of my job |
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Yeti69 Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2010 Posts: 114 Location: Germany
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Evilgtiguy Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2012 Posts: 241 Location: Perth, Ontario
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Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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Well the day is near. I'm picking the car up tomorrow afternoon! I'm looking forward to bringing the car home and giving a cleaning and once over. I'll probably be putting it up on the hoist next week so that I can take a look at the engine and everything else. Pics to follow! |
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Clatter Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2003 Posts: 7527 Location: Santa Cruz
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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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First year.
Sunroof.
Un-Molested by idiots.
That car was a smoking deal.
It will likely never happen again where there is another unmolested first year sunroof fasty for sale on here.
No like that one.
Treasure that thing.
You are it's curator.
And, of course, show us the pics!
Was drooling for a long time on that one,
Can't wait to see what it actually was like! _________________ Bus Motor Build
What’s That Noise?!? |
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Evilgtiguy Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2012 Posts: 241 Location: Perth, Ontario
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:42 am Post subject: |
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I was supposed to pick it up on Sunday but the U-Drag dealer (U-Haul) screwed up my reservation so I'm picking it up tomorrow after work and bringing it back to my dealership. I'll have some pictures when I get it unloaded but I'll have some better pictures when I can bring it inside and get a good look at it.
I'm really looking forward to doing right by this car. When I saw the car posted I knew I had to jump on it as I knew I'd never have a chance like this again. I'll never sell it. |
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Evilgtiguy Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2012 Posts: 241 Location: Perth, Ontario
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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I finally picked the car up last night. Quite the experience having only two guys load and unload a non-running car but it was fun. My friend snapped a few pictures.
I'll have some more after work. I was surprised to find that it has a gas heater under the hood plus a spare!
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Kick Kombi Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2008 Posts: 184 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia
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Evilgtiguy Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2012 Posts: 241 Location: Perth, Ontario
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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Kick Kombi wrote: |
What an awesome find. Loving that you are keeping it stock in your resto as it looks sweet. Looking forward to following your updates in this thread.
Good luck. |
I'm looking forward to getting to work on it! The car isn't perfect and needs a lot of work but I'm going to do right by the car. At this point I'm not even sure I'll change the wheels but I'm a along way away from that part.
I snapped some shots after work tonight of some features and areas of concern that I can see.
Some service documents from 1975, two years before it was parked
6-volt AM radio
Single port engine complete with mouse droppings and seed casings
Some mold on the insulation that needs to go!
You can't see it here but there is a crack in the dash pad (not the end of the world)
This will take some work
I would like to save this bumper as this is the only ding in it
Not sure what was here but I doubt it was from VW
Typical rust repair here
This is a little scarier
Typical
Bumper mount is gone
Bondo
Front bumper is toast I think
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Bobnotch Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2003 Posts: 22358 Location: Kimball, Mi
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Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:28 am Post subject: |
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That's some nasty rust. The rust up on the roof, is from water sitting in the sunroof drain tray. I had that with my 65 Notch too. You'll probably have to remove the headliner, to find out IF the tray is rusty too (mine was).
For the cowl section, I'd contact Joel (Boo-Koo-Z), and see IF he can cut you a section to replace yours with, as it'll be easier than patching what you have. The rest of the rust, looks like standard "salt belt" rust. _________________ Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
Tram wrote: |
"Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
Tram wrote: |
People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed". |
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Clatter Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2003 Posts: 7527 Location: Santa Cruz
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Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:28 am Post subject: |
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Wow.
That's a little sweetheart right there!
Warms my heart to see her saved.
Almost every fastback got "Restroyed" (Love Tram's new word..)
Probably because they were the sporting model, vs. the other two utility models?
Is this the OG engine?
Have never seen a non-"S" fastback before...
It has the "S" trim,but not the dual carbs??
Check here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/serialnumberst3.php
Also looks like it's L650 Grenada Red with a Platinum interior?
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/paintcodest3.php
How shot are the door panels?
Those will have to be restored/preserved, as correct '66 panels are NLA.
You might even save the interior insulation pads, or at least use them as patterns if you can ever find the correct material.
That dash pad is about as nice as you will ever find.
A vinyl guy can get it back to perfect.
As you take it apart, assume that _nothing_ can be found as a replacement.
This ain't a beetle or Golf.
Very few of the body/trim/fittings are available new.
Throw nothing away until you have a replacement in-hand... _________________ Bus Motor Build
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Clatter Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2003 Posts: 7527 Location: Santa Cruz
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Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:36 am Post subject: |
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I think i have a cowl section for you.
Will have to go and double-check that mine is still intact...
Man, you have a LOT of work ahead of you.
The originality of that car makes it worth it.
Plus, first year sunroof with pop-outs - Holy Grail right there.
The fastback is by far the best of all the type 3s, and that one is IT, spec-wise, brother...
Dag, I wish i had that gas heater!
You will be buying a LOT of patch pieces and sections for that thing, for sure.
Don't skimp on the pictures and prose; I for one will be reading evey word at least twice! _________________ Bus Motor Build
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Bobnotch Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2003 Posts: 22358 Location: Kimball, Mi
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Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:40 am Post subject: |
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Clatter wrote: |
Warms my heart to see her saved.
Almost every fastback got "Restroyed" (Love Tram's new word..)
Probably because they were the sporting model, vs. the other two utility models?
Is this the OG engine?
Have never seen a non-"S" fastback before...
It has the "S" trim,but not the dual carbs??
Check here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/serialnumberst3.php
As you take it apart, assume that _nothing_ can be found as a replacement.
This ain't a beetle or Golf.
Very few of the body/trim/fittings are available new.
Throw nothing away until you have a replacement in-hand... |
Yeah, the single carb engine and bolt on gen cover were thowing me, as I'd never seen that combo in a 66.
I agree, treat it as nothing is available, and DON'T throw anything away, until the replacement part is installed and works correctly. _________________ Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120
Tram wrote: |
"Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
Tram wrote: |
People keep confusing "restored" and "restroyed". |
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Clatter Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2003 Posts: 7527 Location: Santa Cruz
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Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:49 am Post subject: |
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Bobnotch wrote: |
DON'T throw anything away, until the replacement part is installed and works correctly. |
Oh, yeah, that's right.... just having a part in-hand _Doesn't_ mean that it works!
This right here would come in handy; too bad it'sdo far away.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1472456
Maybe, working for a dealer, you could finagle shipping to you somehow, cheap enough that it would be worth it.
All of the patch pieces you are going to need, a shell like that might be cheaper(!)
I sure hope you can go the distance with this one.
It's going to take some cojones for sure. _________________ Bus Motor Build
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