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Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:29 pm

I just bought a 1974 Convertible and I was wondering if there is any way to find out if it was originally a Sun Bug. The production date is 01/74. There are no Sun Bug emblems and the shifter knob has been replaced so that won't help. The car has its original gold paint with a black top. The dash has the special rosewood dash trimming and it has the padded sport steering wheel. Would a Volkswagen birth certificate tell me any thing? Is there any other way to find out about my new project?

Thanks,
Chris

Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:53 pm

Sun Bug info here: http://sebeetles.com/sun.htm

Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:01 pm

Chris74 wrote: Would a Volkswagen birth certificate tell me any thing? Is there any other way to find out about my new project?

Not sure, the birth certificates often are pretty minimal in their info. I think Sun Bugs had a special M-code so you might get lucky. What is your interior like? Sun Bug's had a special interior. Regardless, if you are doing a restoration and want to replicate a Sun Bug, have at it. There are guys who'll spend 50k on a Z-28 clone, no shame in building you vert the way you want it.

-jeffrey

Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:02 pm

Brown vinyl and corduroy upholstery?
If it's original paint is metalic gold, it's a SunBug.

Thu Aug 27, 2009 4:11 am

It looks like the car's original paint is metallic gold, but the color code sticker is missing. The interior is brown but the seat covers have been replaced. I will have to look at the seats and see if I can find any remnents of the brown corduroy upholstery.

Thu Aug 27, 2009 7:42 am

Chris74 wrote: It looks like the car's original paint is metallic gold, but the color code sticker is missing.
Too bad the sticker is missing. A birth certificate would tell its original color. If you're convinced the color is original, I'm convinced you have the genuine article there. The Special Editions site mentioned earlier will help if you intend to restore. Sun Bug convertibles are amongst my favorites.

Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:10 am

Brown carpet?

Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:49 am

One way to tell if its a real sunbug is if that VIN decal sticker in the doorjamb is black. A majority of them came with the black stickers instead of silver.
Atleast that is what is on mine..

Also not all of them had the emblems or shifter knob, as these were to be installed at the dealership. It is from my understanding that back then most opted out of having the sunbug decklid script and just kept the regular Volkswagen badge. (but I could be wrong).

Fri Aug 28, 2009 11:05 am

owning an original owner 133 sunbug (grandparents bought it new)
looking at the pictures on that page.
in the restored car
the carpet is the totally wrong color brown, and the wrong pattern.
it is way too red, the original capret was darker and more of a true brown (the official name was mocha)
the original carpet pattern was random not in neat little rows.
It was dark brown and matched the door panels (btw the new brown door panels everyone sells are too light of a brown compared to the originals)

the upholstery looks good but the other picture (different car) of the seats with the velour fat bicuit upholstery shouldnt be on there.

the L98C hellas gold met paint (thats what the original sticker in my trunk calls it) on the pic at the bottom is the true sunbug gold color, the restored car looks too brown/dull (like most repainted sunbugs that i have seen are) The original paint was bright and seems to be very hard to match correctly. most i see seem to be painted L99B? that gold color used in 1976

Chris74 it sounds like you have a sunbug. my car was also made in jan 74. i wonder how close our cars are apart? what is your vin ill compare it to mine?

Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:08 pm

I have a 74 sun bug convert. Didn't realize it until I discovered the writing on the back panel underneath all the padding. In fact it was Oasis that brought it to my attention. 8) The car was gold when I got it but there was green paint under that, so I didn't pay much attention at the time.

Also got a birth cert from the museum in germany. Notice "special model", cannot be identified. And in the very bottom left corner "upholstery cord brown".

Picked this up from the samba a few years back. Even more rare than the ones you see all time.

Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:37 am

I have a Sunbug Super that I am restoring. Have the shift knob, decklid emblem (had one made in metal) interior and all that is sunbug. Only thing left is paint and some body work.

Chris74: If I am understanding correctly through my research on sunbugs. All '74 convertibles are sunbugs and all '74 standards and supers with sunroofs are sunbugs. Only sunbugs had sunroofs and/or were convertibles in '74.

Again I could be wrong, but that is the way I understand it.

Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:53 am

I've seen 74 Standards that were SunBugs with no sunroof.

BTW.. that SunBug badge was not original, it was added by some dealers.

Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:01 am

Glenn wrote: I've seen 74 Standards that were SunBugs with no sunroof.

BTW.. that SunBug badge was not original, it was added by some dealers.

Were they original sunbugs or clones? I will have to do more research. Everything that I have read and seen suggests that all sunbugs had sunroofs.

Yes, the decklid emblem and shifter knob were dealer add ons. They were from VWoA, but a lot of dealers did not install those pieces.

Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:34 am

The car looks like it has the original brown carpet. It also had a center console with the rosewood inserts. Does anyone know if there is a part number on the console and what it is?

Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:47 am

Chris74 wrote: The car looks like it has the original brown carpet. It also had a center console with the rosewood inserts. Does anyone know if there is a part number on the console and what it is?

I have the console as well. I will have to look this evening at the part number. I will post once I look at it.

Tue Sep 01, 2009 9:06 am

kaseyart wrote: Glenn wrote: I've seen 74 Standards that were SunBugs with no sunroof.

BTW.. that SunBug badge was not original, it was added by some dealers.

Were they original sunbugs or clones? I will have to do more research. Everything that I have read and seen suggests that all sunbugs had sunroofs.

Yes, the decklid emblem and shifter knob were dealer add ons. They were from VWoA, but a lot of dealers did not install those pieces.
I have someone near me that bought a 74 Standard Sunbug new and it has no sunroof.

Tue Sep 01, 2009 9:13 am

Thanks Kaseyart, I appreciate you looking. If you could possibly post a few pictures of the console I would appreciate it.

Chris

Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:24 am

Chris74 wrote: Thanks Kaseyart, I appreciate you looking. If you could possibly post a few pictures of the console I would appreciate it.

Chris

No problem, I will that as soon as I get home. Let me know if there is any other pics you need.

Glenn: That's interesting. I'll have to look a little deeper into the sunbug info.

Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:41 am

As far as I am aware, all 1974 Sunbugs either were 'verts or had a sunroof.

Thus the term "sunbug".

Dealer ad here http://sebeetles.com/sun.htm

From http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/a/saarij/sunbug/

1) Offered in 1974, as a "Special Edition" Beetle
2) Available as a Standard Beetle, Super Beetle, and Convertible; the non-Convertible models have sunroofs
3) Special Metallic Gold paint
4) VW's pressed steel "sport" wheels
5) Brown carpet and interior trim
6) Black seat upholstery with yellow inserts, or brown vinyl with brown inserts
7) Special Sun Bug shift knob
8) Special steering wheel
9) Wood grain paneling on the dashboard
10) Some Sun Bugs have a special emblem on the engine lid, which did not come from the factory, but was supposed to be put on by the dealerships

Tue Sep 01, 2009 11:03 am

Randy in Maine wrote: As far as I am aware, all 1974 Sunbugs either were 'verts or had a sunroof.

Thus the term "sunbug".

That was my understanding as well.