TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat Dec 12, 2020 12:07 pm

Today, I received my first beetle. A 1967 Sedan that I’m considering naming Betty. She needs a lot of work. This will be my first total restore. I rebuilt an engine or two back in my teen years (a few decades ago), but I never touched body work.

I wanted to post some pictures here. Hopefully, she will make it back on the road without driving me bankrupt.

Body and pan match!

It has a ‘68 engine in it. Perhaps after I get her up and running, I’ll look for a ‘67. First, I need to get her back on the road!

Her interior isn’t in horrible shape. Wonder what surprises await me.

There she is! Already know she needs new floor pans, heater channels, spare tire tray, and luggage compartment. Thankfully, the firewall is in good shape!

Now, if you will excuse me, I’m heading out to the garage.

Sat Dec 12, 2020 12:28 pm

She’s crispy😳 might consider another candidate and use that one for parts.

Sat Dec 12, 2020 1:04 pm

anthracitedub wrote: She’s crispy😳 might consider another candidate and use that one for parts.

Crispy is a very good word! I am curious, though... why suggest she become a donor car? I realize she’s not an ideal first full restoration. Since I know how to weld (not well, but I know how) and have a TIG, I am thinking that with time and effort, she could be coaxed back onto the road.

Is my head too far into the clouds?

Sat Dec 12, 2020 1:10 pm

Cretodecristo wrote: anthracitedub wrote: She’s crispy😳 might consider another candidate and use that one for parts.

Crispy is a very good word! I am curious, though... why suggest she become a donor car? I realize she’s not an ideal first full restoration. Since I know how to weld (not well, but I know how) and have a TIG, I am thinking that with time and effort, she could be coaxed back onto the road.

Is my head too far into the clouds?

All it takes is time, talent, patience and money :)

Sat Dec 12, 2020 1:55 pm

That’s quite a project! Nothing $15 or 20k won’t fix. Looking forward to seeing the progress.

Sat Dec 12, 2020 2:20 pm

Matching body and pan, nice! Looks like a good project!

Sat Dec 12, 2020 2:44 pm

Surely better candidates available in Southern California?

Sat Dec 12, 2020 2:51 pm

baz76 wrote: Surely better candidates available in Southern California?

That's a long way from South Carolina :shock:

Sat Dec 12, 2020 2:57 pm

rcroane wrote: baz76 wrote: Surely better candidates available in Southern California?

That's a long way from South Carolina :shock:

$500 transport fee to save $5,000 in rust repair. Might want to think about it.

It would make a nice pipe buggy though.

Sat Dec 12, 2020 2:58 pm

Well, you mentioned total restoration. To me, I would select a better candidate. Just then sight of the rust on the drivers heater channel is a warning. It’s fixable but you’ll have a ton of hours and 2 tons of money wrapped up in it. Yes, it’s a complete and mostly original looking car, just not a good restoration candidate. Once you get into all the attention that this car is gonna need you’ll see the reality of it. I’d at least source a better body shell.

Sat Dec 12, 2020 3:08 pm

rcroane wrote: baz76 wrote: Surely better candidates available in Southern California?

That's a long way from South Carolina :shock:

:lol: should've gone to spec savers

However it's even further to Ireland yet it wouldn't stop me seeking a better car from California rather than dealing with that level of rust.

Sat Dec 12, 2020 3:17 pm

Looks pretty complete! With the Steering and Turnsignal switch and all pretty nice! Too bad someone took the original oil bath Air cleaner away. I had a 67 and it's definitely a very strong nice year to get with the fully evolved single port and trans too. Maybe find one someone has the body already done on but with no extra parts for it. Either way works, What did you have in mind for the engine?

Sat Dec 12, 2020 5:21 pm

Danwvw wrote: Looks pretty complete! With the Steering and Turnsignal switch and all pretty nice! Too bad someone took the original oil bath Air cleaner away. I had a 67 and it's definitely a very strong nice year to get with the fully evolved single port and trans too. Maybe find one someone has the body already done on but with no extra parts for it. Either way works, What did you have in mind for the engine?

It is complete. That is why I bought it. The guy who sold it to me added the oil bath air cleaner.

Today, I removed everything in the interior. At a minimum, she needs new floor pans, heater channels, luggage shelf, and spare tire well. The bottom of the passenger side door is rusted through. I saw the need for patches in one of the rear wheel wells and along the back apron. I guess that is the price of living in swampy South Carolina! Here are pics of what I found:

So, yeah... sizing up this project, it is going to be a challenge!

As for the engine, my plan is to take it out and get it running. Because I wanted to make her a daily driver, my original plan was to work on the motor, no matter what she looked like. Besides, I have a 15 year old son who needs to learn how a motor works and how to keep it running. I have already ordered an engine gasket kit. I was a bit disappointed that it was a ‘68 engine. It also has a 30 PICT-2 carb and an aftermarket distributor without a vacuum advance. I do not know if they make a good pair yet.

On a positive note: I found an ash tray that goes in the back seat door panel! The emergency brake works! And the clutch seems to engage. I was able to put it into gear so my sons would stop moving it around the garage. Hahaha!

I’m at the point where I am ready to start separating the body from the pan. Tomorrow, I planned on welding supports to the pillars. We have an unused bed frame that will serve nicely!

Sat Dec 12, 2020 5:58 pm

don't let everyone here that lives where there is no rust or has the money to buy and ship a car from across the country change your mind on fixing it, my 67 was way worse than yours when i got it and fixing it was half the fun of it. you can always do what i did and just fix the structural, mechanical, and electrical stuff and leave the rest for later.
here's what my looks like now

compared to what it looked like when i got it

they are all worth fixing.

Sat Dec 12, 2020 6:55 pm

I live in So Cal and all I can say is Betty, if that what she will be called is a beauty. If you can handle it, I say go for it! I also have 67 I call Pepe!

Sun Dec 13, 2020 5:00 am

That's an insane amount of rust. I appreciate you wanting to tackle it but man, that's going to take a crazy high amount of time. Money too but money may not be relevant here. Time is the main thing.

Best of luck 8)

Sun Dec 13, 2020 5:22 am

Great project find. All of them are worth fixing in my opinion. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. :)

Sun Dec 13, 2020 7:39 am

Nice project, looking forward to seeing the progress

Sun Dec 13, 2020 8:03 am

AutoMechanic wrote: Great project find. All of them are worth fixing in my opinion. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. :)

If this person had all the tools, a fully equipped shop and the experience it would still take hundreds of hours to repair. Never mentioned in these heroic efforts to save a car is any standards or approved methods which insures structural integrity. What they end up with is a collection of scab patches haphazardly welded together. Is it safe, is it as strong as original?

There is a standard to go by in auto body repair, it’s called ICAR, look it up. The only cars worth saving with heroic efforts such as this would be rare low production models or those with interesting provenance. So not counting the time if you value it at zero the parts alone would bust any budget. In the end you’ll have a patched together common late model VW and a story to tell. Take lots of pictures. You might get hard luck trophy at the shows. In reality you could buy several rust free cars for what it would take to save that one. Does it make any sense?

Here https://info.i-car.com/about-us

Sun Dec 13, 2020 8:21 am

What Zun says above........I guess Im going to say this, that car is a money pit, college fund /masters degree for your 15 year old. FIND ANOTHER CAR.