It's finally home!

79SuperVert · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 6:46 am Post subject: It's finally home!

After two months of thinking, searching and negotiating I flew down to North Carolina to pick up this:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=76800

I came equipped with cashier's checks, an old Compaq Portable II computer, an old Nikon F camera body and an old Yamaha classical guitar as part of the deal. It was interesting explaining to the kind TSA folks at the Philly airport why I was carrying all this stuff plus a couple of license plates onto the plane, but no luggage or clothing. At Charlotte I rented a car with a navigation system built in. A polite but firm electronic female voice told me when to turn. Got me there perfectly.

I stayed over that night with the previous owners, and drove the beetle back 600 miles over interstates to Cape May, NJ the next day. Southern home cooking is mighty fine. But 600 miles in a beetle in one day over interstates is pure hell. Around Washington DC the rain started and the wipers quit. As I waited in a parking lot for the rain to stop I looked in the engine compartment and started tallying up all the little things that had to be done. Definitely more than I had anticipated.

I finally arrived in Cape May 13 hours later. Three days after that I drove it home the remaining hundred miles or so to Elizabeth, NJ but not before the accelerator cable broke. From my tool kit I took some mechanic's wire and tied up the accelerator lever on the carb so that I could cruise at 55, which was fine until I got to the toll booths, but I managed with the brakes and by shutting off the engine to stay within the law. Off the highway I rewired it for 30mph and made it home.

Now I'm preparing my Wolfsburg West and CIP shopping list. And I'm immensely relieved that it's all over. Except for selling my 79 vert. Guess I'm going to have to drop the price some more.

Thanks to all who helped me with this purchase. It's been one heck of a last couple of months.

javabug · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 7:05 am Post subject:

Congratulations on your new family member. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of it as you did your 79.

I love stories about traveling to buy a VW. Reminds me of last year when I towed my 67 home from S. Carolina with a diesel Rabbit pickup.
_________________
Mike

nik · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 7:55 am Post subject:

That's awesome. I too traveled a long distance to get my Notch. Nothing quite like the smile on your face after picking it up and on the way home. Have fun.
nik
_________________
It ain't easy being cheesy
Analyze this, Biotch!
WTD: Early "Wrap Around" dash pad

56_in_714 · Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2004 11:25 am Post subject:

Congrats, i was actually gonna PM you to see if you finally got it. Looking good Joe!

6d7vdub · Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 10:25 pm Post subject:

Congrats....looks like a new member name will be in order!!!
_________________
Bill

Sadie's Site

http://positivepause.com

Skim · Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 12:46 am Post subject:

Man thats awesome! Driving that vert all the way back home must have gotten tons of looks! Very Happy

_________________
GFK
Samba since before the towers collapsed. Still here.
1953 Kabriolet
1954 Sunroof
1959 Lowlight Ghia vert
1960 Lt Grey Double Cab SMZ LEGIT
1963 Deluxe Turkis Walk Thru 15 Window OG Paint

angela · Southern Dumbell Joined: January 11, 2003 Posts: 110

congrats! i knew you were an in the closet snob! j/k i dont like supers, or overly defensive super owners, but you were always a cool one. i just saw the ad in the classifieds. almost made me kinda sad. i know you'll miss your super, but hopefully you'll be even happier w/ the new one!

79SuperVert · Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 6:03 am Post subject:

Thanks all. Even though I've "come out of the closet" I'm going to keep my samba name because supers got me started and supers need love too.

My super may be gone by Sunday. A fellow New Jerseyan is helping his "princess" daughter (that's his pet name for her) buy it. She has a Jetta but would like a Beetle convertible too. He used to own a beetle almost 20 years ago and he plans to be her mechanic.

obus · Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 7:28 am Post subject:

good luck!!! i dig old verts and if i was to ever get back into beetles again, i want one around the same vintage as yours. you gonna have the "new" one at the bound brook gathering this year? also there may be a show in lavalette, nj(i.e. the shore) the day after bound brook. i don't want to spill the beans yet but look for more info to follow...
_________________
July 1959 Mango Standard Bus aka Obus L346 L347 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=256592&highlight=
June 1973 Pumpkin Orange Thing aka Othing L30H
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=711775&highlight=
1960 Paprika Red Karmann Ghia Convertible aka Schatze L452 built 5/20/60
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=
66 21 window bus built 8/31/65 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=777273

79SuperVert · Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 9:54 am Post subject:

Unfortunately I think I'll miss both Bound Brook and Lavollette this year as I am planning a week-long bike ride beginning the following weekend and I won't have time to get the 65 ready (broken accelerator cable, engine tin in need of repair, no seat belts, windshield wiper not working). But August and September will be devoted to those things so that maybe by Bear Mountain time it will be ready. Both those shows were fun last year.

vdub_nut · Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 3:43 pm Post subject:

aww thats great, congrats on ur latest addition! cool ride! Cool

Skim · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 12:51 am Post subject:

79SuperVert · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 2:40 pm Post subject:

Funny how just by chance I came across this thread. Time for closure.

The more I poked around, the more things I found wrong with it. A bent brake backing plate and bent axle, pistons with caked on carbon on the tops, an oil screen caked solid with residue, and rotten reinforcement rails with angle iron welded to them.

The last straw came just over two years after I bought it, when the engine seized while I was driving. It was a bad purchase from the start and my wife had warned me against it. She was right, but I was blinded by the prospect of an older Beetle.

After the engine seized I sold it for half what I paid for it and someone came up from Florida to buy it and trailer it back the same night.

On the bright side, all the things that were wrong with it taught me a lot about Beetles, so now I know, for instance, never to pull on the axle when I am replacing wheel bearings unless I want to remove everything to push a fulcrum plate back into position!
_________________
Central Jersey VW Society

Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt.

wbrown45 · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 10:02 pm Post subject:

Just think how much you would have lost in value with virtually any other car in almost 9 years Wink

It is good to have you as a resource on this site. I appreciate your perspective, and POV.
_________________
OK Thang

79SuperVert · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 6:11 am Post subject:

Thanks very much.
_________________
Central Jersey VW Society

Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt.


Hello! Log in or Register \| Help \| Donate \| Buy Shirts	See all banner ads \| Advertise on TheSamba.com

	Forum Index -> Stories	All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page 1 of 1