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Wed Nov 05, 2014 6:47 pm

Searching the Samba classifieds, I found a 1958 Euro spec Beetle.

Wishes turned to dreams, dreams turned into a phone call and a trip to look at it.
Semaphores!

36 HP

Wed Nov 05, 2014 7:30 pm

First look: The pictures the owner posted were good. But I wanted a closer look.

Wed Nov 05, 2014 7:34 pm

A second look soon followed. I also took down all the numbers; They all match.

Wed Nov 05, 2014 9:51 pm

Well, I got a wild hair and decided to write VW corporate "Historical Division". I wanted to know if they had records of sales figures for 1958. My question is this: approximately how many of the 432,619 type 1's produced in 1958 were produced European spec?

I sent my email Sunday morning and had an answer around 3 am Monday morning.

Dear Mr. XXXXXX,

thank you for your request.
We can give you following information.

VIN: 1952586

Model: 113, Sedan

Production: 21.05.1958

Delivery: 23.05.1958

Delivery to: Morocco

There was not a counting to models and market.
In 1958 451.526 Beetle were produced.

Kind regards,
Corporate History Department
Volkswagen Group Communications
i.A. i.A.
Ria Oswald Emma Dylla

03.11.14
e-Mail: [email protected]
www.volkswagenag.com
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
Registered Seat: Wolfsburg
Registration Court: Amtsgericht Braunschweig
Commercial Register No.: 100484
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Ferdinand K. Piëch
Board of Management: Martin Winterkorn (chairman), Francisco J. Garcia Sanz, Jochem Heizmann, Christian
Klingler, Michael Macht, Horst Neumann, Leif Östling, Hans Dieter Pötsch, Rupert Stadler

Important Notice: The above information is automatically added to this e-mail. This addition does not
constitute a representation that the content of this e-mail is legally relevant and/or is intended to be legally
binding upon Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft.

Wed Nov 05, 2014 9:59 pm

Morocco...Morocco? Okay, thats cool. It explains why this car is as rust free as it is. According to the seller, the car was purchased in Germany, brought to the U.S. at some point afterwards and then given to a family member in 1992. They painted it purple in 2004-ish and drove it until he started restoring the car. Okay, good. But then he passed away and his wife sold it to this guy who owns it now.

Well, I've never owned a Euro beetle before. So the deal was struck and I brought her home today.

Wed Nov 05, 2014 10:10 pm

I have determined, this is the original color: Capri

this is based on the inside of the dash

Thu Nov 06, 2014 6:50 am

Nice bug and I really like the original color of the car. Yours would look terrific restored back to bone stock with that color. I love the semaphores too.

Your addiction is growing it appears. :)

Thu Nov 06, 2014 11:12 am

Thanks Bill! I'm thinking it's going to look nice too.

As for my addiction... From 1984-1998:
1. 1966 Beetle
2. 1962 Beetle
3.1966 Kombi
4. 1974 412
5. 1962 Bus
6. 1965 Beetle
7. 1974 Westphalia

Then I got out of it...I thought.
2014:
8. 1970 Beetle (inherited)
9. This 1958 De Luxe

I think you're right, I've fallen off the wagon. Seriously though, my wife calls these "winter therapy". She's watched me in the last 12 years build 2 Jeep Wranglers, one for my son and one for me (which I still have) a Jeep Cherokee now sold, for one daughter, a '74 Datsun 280Z now sold, and a Pontiac Fiero, now sold, I intend for this '58 to be my swan song so to speak. She already knows the '70 and the '58 are keepers. I'm going to retire in 6 years and after that I'll be able to spend a lesser amount just maintaining these two toys.

The '70 is about done for now. Mainly because the restoration we did 4 years ago plus some rust repairs I'm about to do have put it close to its actual value. I will have it repainted eventually, but it's a daily driver for me now. It needs floor pans, which are now leaning against the shop wall, a Napoleon hat, front cross panel and frame head lower plate (frame head is good). She's a keeper for sentimental value). I'll do a body off pan restoration probably when the '58 pan is done and it's shell is off in paint.
But my heart belongs to 6 volt VeeWees. Perhaps there is a VAA (Volkswagen Addicted Anonymous) out there or I could start one. :D

Thu Nov 06, 2014 11:53 am

Working 12 hour shifts right now, so I didn't have a lot of time today but...

I broke out the Blue Max polish and Nev-R-Dull.

German chrome is the best! Not bad for 56 year old chrome!

Thu Nov 06, 2014 1:34 pm

A little cleaning today, and what a load of crap I pulled out! But now it's time to get ready for another 12 hour bender!

Peace!

Fri Nov 07, 2014 9:39 am

First step this weekend, in between 12 hour shifts, will be to get some gas to the fuel pump and start the car. I want to let it run on its own for a few minutes and give it a listen. After that, I'll pull the motor and check end play. Assuming that's good. I'll order the following:
4 Ignition Wire Set
5 Spark Plugs (Airhead).
6 Distributor Cap
7 Coil
8 Rotor
9 Points
10 Condenser
11 28 PCI Rebuild kit
12 Fuel Pump Rebuild Kit
13 Gasket set, 36 HP motor
14 Oil Sump Gasket set
15 Muffler
16 Pea Shooters
17 Muffler Install kit
18 Pea Shooter Install kit
Remove the tin, clean everything and then restore the tin. I have heard it run, but only by pouring a little gas down the carb. She ran for about 15 seconds~

Fri Nov 07, 2014 9:59 am

Well, here's what I'm looking at so far.

Everything is there, including the conduit for the spark plug wires.
I have the rear breastplate removed and it has the wrong muffler on it.
28 PCI carburetor

Belts loose, but wiring looks okay. Vacuum line is connected

One lightly used original distributor

And the heater boxes look great!

Fri Nov 07, 2014 11:05 am

About a half gallon of gas after vacuuming out the gas tank. Filled up the float bowl. Hooked up the battery and....
http://youtu.be/AMBWRjqilaQ

Sat Nov 08, 2014 8:59 pm

Saturday- November 18th:
Got off of work and decided to do a compression test before the motor comes out tomorrow. The results are as follows-
Compression test-
1. 105 psi
2. 105 psi
3. 0 psi. Exhaust valve stuck open. Will move but doesn't close
4. 115 psi

BLAST! I can see the exhaust valve sitting about 3/16" lower than the other three valves on that cylinder head. It is most definetely stuck open. The other three cylinders have pretty decent compression. But that's why we call this Mission Impossible and not Mission Difficult.

So, the motor will come out tomorrow. Check end play, disassemble to the heads and see if I can't figure this out.

Stay tuned-

Sun Nov 09, 2014 3:33 pm

Engine is out. Good Lord, what a chore when alone.

Here you can see the jagged hole in the rear firewall I'll be fixing. Previous owner (not the guy I bought it from) tried to remove the fan nut...the fan nut!

Now it's tucked away on the stand. That too was a chore, but I elisted the help of my daughter to lift the motor and my wife to steady the stand.

Sun Nov 09, 2014 3:38 pm

End play checked out at .005". That'll work! The case does not need to be split!

The pressure plate is toast. They needed a new disc about 10,000 miles ago. The rivets in the disc have cut a groove in the pressure plate. Flywheel looks okay though

Mon Nov 10, 2014 7:26 am

Keep it coming!

Don

Mon Nov 10, 2014 7:42 am

Working on it. Today I'm feeling the pain. I am almost as old as this car, LOL. SERIOUSLY! But today I've got to run a few errands and pick up some tooling. I've got some metal work ahead of me, but could be worse. But this project is on the front burner now

Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:12 am

Here are some teaser pics though:

This motor appears to be unmolested

Mon Nov 10, 2014 9:01 am

Looks like a nice start for a project car! I would strip that engine down and clean it up, will help you locate any oil leaks down the road. Might want to go ahead and change out all the gaskets for pushrod tubes and oil cooler while you have it down that far.
The wiring works harness we used on my Dads was nice, didn't have any trouble at all hooking it up. If you look at our build we also wired it to flash along with tail lights flashing as well. It has helped out with driving around, most people have no idea what the thing sticking out the side means. When it flashes on the other hand they seem to understand lol.