The Black Rose - '68 Beetle 'Refresh'

[kryslaurelle]

Hey guys, just joined the forum, but I've been lurking on and off for a few years. I'm getting ready to do a 'refresh' - I don't really have the time or $$ for a total rebuild right now, but it needs some new paint and bodywork done.

A little backstory:
I was just about to turn sixteen and we were looking for a car for me to drive. One night my dad was driving me to swim practice, and I noticed the beetle down the street had a for sale sign on it. My dad called about it, and long story short we brought it home for $800. Here's how it looked when we bought it:

After two months of blood, sweat and tears (and learning to drive stick) it looked like this:

That was ten years ago, and since then I've made some changes. But now it's time for a new paint job, which also means a new headliner (current one is ripped in multiple places...), new windshield, new window seals, new door panels, new running boards... The list goes on. I'll update this thread as I get her put back together! Might have some questions along the way...

As she is today:

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The Black Rose - 1968 Standard Beetle

[Goldbug3318]

Welcome & that's a great car you have there!!

I myself have been doing some "refreshing" on my car as of late. Here is a link to my current work on my floorboards:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=656949

I've had my current super beetle for almost a year now. The previous owner drove the car quite a bit, but did not do a lot that way of maintenance so I've been busy on weekends. I'm hoping the work on the floors & other work keep the little guy running for another 10 years or so until I'm ready for a full ground up! I will try & help with any questions or items I've done on my car. Definitely not the best on here, but I've learned a lot over the years; this is my 5th beetle.

Mike
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1971 Super Beetle 1302S
1641 DP, lowered, 914's, etc...

1990 Ford Mustang Coupe
2008 Ford Mustang Coupe
2003 Chevy Corvette

[kryslaurelle]

Hey Mike - very cool, wanna come do my pans when you're done? Lol.


Update:

Over the weekend my dad and I removed the dash pad to reveal the metal dash underneath. The old pad was cracked and ripped in places, and I was planning on replacing it. However, after cruising forums I found out there's an awesome dash underneath! When it goes in for paint, I'll have them fill some holes and paint it to match the rest of the car.

I also bought some Empi billet knobs for the lights and windshield wipers which I really like. (You can see the one on the light knob in the picture below.) It doesn't work on the wiper knob though - I'll have to figure something out for that.

Also tore the headliner out today. I wish it was as easy to install as it was to rip out. I got two quotes for installation - one at $750 and one at $500. Sounds like I will be doing it myself!
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The Black Rose - 1968 Standard Beetle

[Lingwendil]

Nice car. I love the early dash hiding under the pad, trim all the dash vents to fit and run it! Those knobs are sweet too.

A cool trick is to hunt down an early set of dash grills, ash tray, and glove box door with the chrome strip. Looks nice and the grills fit better than the late model ones if you aren't running a dash pad.
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73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!

Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884

Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087!

[nice-diver]

I did my own headliner

bows are different, did you mark which was which. Windows come out, I started in front and wished I used more jute padding on window posts
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many 68's and 70's bugs...i want a 68-71 bus

People are more violently opposed to fur than leather, because it's easier to harrass rich women than motorcycle gangs!

[Tim Donahoe]

Th car is looking good.

Be careful with Empi accessories, however. They have a way of not fitting, or providing the same quality as OEM.

Also, installing a headliner--and have it look nice and taut--is a hit-and-miss endeavor. If you actually found someone who can deliver professional results here in Calofornia for five hundred, you might want to save your bucks and have them do this. I have seen far too many diy headliner jobs on this forum that were not quite as nice as you'd like.

Keep posting your progress. And good luck.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[kryslaurelle]

[kryslaurelle]

Car went in for paint/body last Saturday. He said it should be ready in two weeks. Can't wait to see it!

Also, found a bit more rust than I expected. The rear window seal failed at some point, which caused the luggage tray to start rusting. The PO obviously noticed this, because he put a thin sheet of metal right over the rusting tray. When I took it off, I found this:

I may have located a replacement tray locally, and one of my coworkers can weld it in for me. Fingers crossed.
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The Black Rose - 1968 Standard Beetle

[Rome]

Excellent transformation so far!

How did you get yourself a seemingly genuine Wolfsburg lic plate with the "68H" (H being historic) to match your car?

Did you figure out your aluminum knob for the wiper switch? What happens- you can tighten the knob down all the way so that the switch does not rotate? If so- easy solution. Find a nail that is nearly the same diameter as the wiper switch shaft. Cut/saw the nail so you have an approx. 3/16" length. Put that into the knob, then screw the knob onto the switch. The nail acts as an internal spacer.

[kryslaurelle]

[kryslaurelle]

Seems like it's been forever, but paint and body are finally done! Unfortunately they found some shoddy bodywork under the paint, but they were able to straighten it out.

The finish came out exactly how I wanted, and I couldn't be happier! The guy who painted it isn't a fan of flat black - he would have much rather put flames on it. He also painted my speaker grilles flat red, which I forgot to take a picture of. The bug went straight from the paint shop to the upholstery shop for a headliner, and I should have it back by the end of the week. Definitely can't wait for it to be back in the garage so I can start putting it back together.

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The Black Rose - 1968 Standard Beetle

[VERTED71]

Looks great! I didn't like it before but the flat black look is growing on me. Because we cant match the plum/purple pearl paint I have now, decided to paint the hood and deck lid flat black after getting the items repaired.

Will post the pics once I get it all back together. Hoping it comes out as well as yours did!

Aloha'z
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Aloha'z and have a great day!

71 Super Beetle Vert
15x4.5 Front
15x6.5 Rear
155/60R15 74T tires FRONT
205/65/15 tires REAR
1600 Dual Port
Progessive Carb
Electronic Ignition
Tri Mil "hotdog" exhaust

[Goldbug3318]

Looking great!!!

Mike
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1971 Super Beetle 1302S
1641 DP, lowered, 914's, etc...

1990 Ford Mustang Coupe
2008 Ford Mustang Coupe
2003 Chevy Corvette

[kryslaurelle]

Thanks guys! Well she's back and up and running! Went to Pismo donuts on Saturday for the 'debut.'

Now we're working on making new door panels. I cut new cards using the old ones as templates. I have a couple questions about the door panels:

Has anyone gone without armrests? The old ones are kinda ratty, and honestly I think the panels would look better without them. But I always use them to close my doors from the inside...

Also, does anyone have a picture of where the clips on the rear panel pop into the body? Stupid question, but I didn't take the rear ones out - the upholstery shop did.
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The Black Rose - 1968 Standard Beetle

[VW_Buggsy]

Nice bug!

[Tim Donahoe]

Get an OEM pair of arm rests from the Samba Classifieds.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[USMCbug]

Looks awesome!
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72 Super Beetle
73 Standard Beetle
79 Baywindow Bus
65 Split Window Bus
79 Baywindow Bus
71 Super Beetle (current)

"When war does come, my advice is to draw the sword and throw away the
scabbard."
- General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson

[kryslaurelle]

[jhicken]

I kinda like the look without the hubcaps and trim rings and the gangster whitewalls. It's a tip-of-the hat to the old school hot rod look. Are you going to pinstripe it again? Also, shoot a pic of the interior/dash. I'd like to see how it came out.

-jeffrey
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Der Kleiner Kampfwagens

[kryslaurelle]