TheSamba.com :: View topic - Beetlebaum: The 1973 Super pulled from a Junkyard

Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:19 pm

OK, I figured it was about time that I post my car and his story.
So, this is my 1973 Super Beetle that I got from a junkyard in July of 2008. This is the first time I ever saw him outside of the junkyard.

He has no brakes (except for the emergency brake) and I had to refinish the bumper and reinstall it after I took it off because
the PO had somehow gotten the bumper collapsed against the body...and there was a lot of rust on it.

Naturally, one of the wheels was jammed, so the owner of the junkyard had to lift my car up and onto my trailer... :shock:

The last one looks photoshopped, but its not. Luckily, my car has no markings on it from that...

Notice the rear bumper and how it is collapsed.

That is my favorite picture of him...I got to finally drive him around the cul-de-sac. Let's hear it for a worn-out 35 year old suspension!
(I am NOT going as fast as that picture seems! It was only about 10 MPH)

He sat in the front yard for Christmas, serving as a decoration... :lol:

My most recent picture of him! Here is the back bumper, reinstalled and all prettied up. I got new brackets for it so it's back to stock specs. :D
What do you think?

Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:28 pm

AMAZING

i can't wait till its legal! :)

Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:36 pm

Did it come with a running engine? Did you just put gas in it and it fired up, or what?

Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:43 pm

66busman wrote: Did it come with a running engine? Did you just put gas in it and it fired up, or what?
It didn't run when I got it, but the man who owned the junkyard said that this one had run when he had first gotten it, so he felt best about this one. It needed a new coil and the timing was out 180 degrees, a fact that we took a very long time to realize! :oops: But then we got it running! We also got new spark plugs and spark plug wires. But otherwise, yes, it just basically fired up with no hesitation. :D

Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:58 pm

good job saving it from the crusher, my 1st ACVW was a 74 Super you will have a blast with it I'm sure!

Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:21 pm

Beetlebaum wrote: 66busman wrote: Did it come with a running engine? Did you just put gas in it and it fired up, or what?
It didn't run when I got it, but the man who owned the junkyard said that this one had run when he had first gotten it, so he felt best about this one. It needed a new coil and the timing was out 180 degrees, a fact that we took a very long time to realize! :oops: But then we got it running! We also got new spark plugs and spark plug wires. But otherwise, yes, it just basically fired up with no hesitation. :D

Nice, that's what I like to hear.

Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:22 pm

Did you you pay him before or after he put it on your trailer? :lol: Good luck, my 1st car was a 73 super.

Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:03 pm

67dub wrote:

Did you you pay him before or after he put it on your trailer? :lol: Good luck, my 1st car was a 73 super. lol i see what you mean..the super beetle front end is about to take a hit

Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:27 pm

getting it off the trailer would have been just fun

this guy found an interesting way of doing it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZzpXwHrwhM

best of luck with it
not enough supers get saved

Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:52 pm

Buggin_74 wrote: getting it off the trailer would have been just fun

this guy found an interesting way of doing it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZzpXwHrwhM

best of luck with it
not enough supers get saved
:lol: Thanks...it was interesting. We had to grab it by the back bumper and center it onto the trailer because it would have fallen off the ramps! :shock: But the wheel still didnt turn so we had to slide the car up the driveway.

Thanks to all of you who have shown interest in my car! :D

Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:46 am

Had to move my car out of the way so I got to drive him all over the back yard...it was fun! :lol:

Sat Apr 18, 2009 3:28 pm

I finally got the original radio working in my car!! :D \:D/
My car had been sitting in the junkyard for fifteen years, and it appears the PO removed the radio and installed a new one. When he sold it to the junkyard, he put the original one back in.

Sadly, the original speaker is shot...but I have new speakers to replace them with! I'm debating whether to get a new radio with FM, CDs, and a MP3 jack...or I might stay with this one (with only AM)! 8) Any suggestions?

Now to get the new speakers hooked up! 8)
:bug_green:

Sat Apr 18, 2009 4:42 pm

This whole thread is great. Awesome Uncle Jesse and flatbed pic

Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:00 am

This is a great thread, can't wait to see the progress! The Super seems to be the bastard stepchild in some circles, lots of haters in other forums but I have to wonder...what happens when someone realizes that because so many have been crushed and parted out that a 71 Super is as rare as a 57 Oval...then what?

I'm glad you are saving this one and I hope more people follow suit!

Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:39 am

Thank you. :D
I'll be honest, before I bought my Super, I had been on the Super-hating bandwagon. Now, of course, I've been converted! 8)
I'm glad I got a Super and I want another. This is actually my first car. I bought it myself and the decision to get a Super Beetle was my own. :D

I have a question about something on my dash though:

To the left of the steering wheel, there is a silver button. Do you know what that button does?

We keep joking that its nitrous or an ejection seat. :lol: :? :idea: :twisted: :lol:

I also have to replace my floorpans... :shock: I have the new floorpans but I have never done that.

Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:22 pm

That button was added by a previous owner, so you'll need to follow the wires and see what they connect to, to figure out what the heck it's for.

Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:29 pm

Looks like a momentary switch:probably for the horn they couldn't figure out, or an aftermarket windshield washer.

Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:42 pm

The Noof wrote: Looks like a momentary switch:probably for the horn they couldn't figure out, or an aftermarket windshield washer.
:idea: Oh yeah! There is a second horn under the right front fender! I'll take a look at that as soon as I can get back to working on the car. Thanks.
And thanks, 73sports...I will do that too.

Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:37 pm

Beetlebaum wrote: Thank you. :D
I'll be honest, before I bought my Super, I had been on the Super-hating bandwagon. Now, of course, I've been converted! 8)
I'm glad I got a Super and I want another. This is actually my first car. I bought it myself and the decision to get a Super Beetle was my own. :D

I have a question about something on my dash though:

To the left of the steering wheel, there is a silver button. Do you know what that button does?

We keep joking that its nitrous or an ejection seat. :lol: :? :idea: :twisted: :lol:

I also have to replace my floorpans... :shock: I have the new floorpans but I have never done that.

Great car and find. WOW in this picture it looks like you have a nice interior for a car that was in the yard for 15 years...have you washed and buffed out the outside. might turn out as nice as the inside...and paint those rims...all it will cost you is 2 cans of paint and some time...it will make a world of difference on how the whole car looks. :wink: Im not picking on your car at ALL but just thought id give you my 2 cents. when i dont have extra $$ to do big projects little ones like painting the rims or even something as liitle as steel wooling all the chrome to make it look new again or even just armor all anything black makes me happy...now have fun with her!

Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:46 pm

Your car looks almost exactly like a 73 Super I parted out earlier this spring. Good job.