Seeing double-1966 Java Green

[diablosandwich]

I have been looking for a project bug for a while and found the perfect candidate this week. It is a 1966 Java Green. It was in a barn in Montana since the mid 80's. Car has been stripped, it has no wiring, engine, lights etc. It has been well used but the pans and heater channels are nice and solid. I paid for it Monday afternoon and called shipping company. It was picked up Tuesday and arrived here Thursday afternoon!

I have had my other 66 Java for 20 years, the "new" one is about six weeks older than the other. I have ordered a load of parts to get started on it, and have been collecting (hoarding) 1966 parts for a long time. My plans for this one are new wiring harness, new brakes, swap out the transaxle that is in it currently (it is from a 63 and bad, was put in car to move it) and build a NOS 1300 engine that I have collected all the bits for. I may put the new engine in other bug and put the 1300 I built a few years ago in this one. I doubt it will move under it's own power in 2021 but, you never know.

This is my other bug-built December 65, the new one is October 65.

I bought this engine for $15. It had been outside and rings had rusted to cylinders. When I tore it down, Crank and case were still STD. I put a new cam lifters P&C and new valves with springs. It runs like a top for about $350.

I will get some more pictures of my new ride up later.

Casey
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1966 Java Greens

[Rome]

Looks like a very solid base for a revival project. Now that you've had it a few days and inspected it closely, is the body and pan truly as rust-free as first described in the selling ad? With just a mechanical refurbishment, you should make quick progress to get it on the road again: maybe by this summer already? Looking forward to updates with photos.

[diablosandwich]

Body and pan are solid. I found a little rust on inside of rear bumper mounts and in the front drivers wheel well. The fevers have been beaten up from rough roads I’d imagine. Paint is off both rear fenders and the lower portion of all fenders are beat up from gravel.

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1966 Java Greens

[Rome]

Your up-dented floor rear sections (no rust-through in battery tray! ) can be worked down by standing in that area with both feet, placing a 3 or 4' long 2x4 on end onto the surface, and hitting the board straight down with a BFH.

The upturned edges of the pan can be worked down a small section at a time with a large vise-grip wrench.

If the rear fenders are OG, it'd be worth the effort to save them with welding up the cracks, hammer/dolly to work out dents, sandblast, epoxy prime, high grade body filler, then touch-up spray paint. Some better FLAPS or body supply stores should be able to mix a couple of spray cans with Java Green. If you polish the existing factory paint to get some gloss back, the touched-up areas should make the car look presentable from 20' away. I know that is long down the road for you, but an inexpensive alternative while you save your $ for a full repaint.

Door panels look good; the wrinkles down near the bottom can probably be pulled tight in warm weather and reglued to the backing.

[fly2kads]

Nice find! I noticed the big, rectangular hole under the dash on the passenger side. Would that have been for a heater?

[diablosandwich]

Thanks for the tips, Rome. I will definitely fix the door panels in the summer and will try to thump down the floorpan with a BFH. I may wait until warmer weather for that so I don't crack the tarboards.
@fly2kads yes that was from a gas heater. I will get some scrap steel and seam sealer and do a patch on that.
This weekend , I cleaned out all the old interior, scraped and vacuumed all the mess up. Removed the remaining running board and worked on getting the 8 6mm running board bolts out of heater channel. Three broke, so it took a little time to drill and extract. I was able to get all out. I think I will buy new boards from WW, put them on my other bug and put the 10 year old WW boards on this car so they won't be too new and shiny. I pulled the original transaxle out of storage that was from my original bug.

Got the trans on my stand and spent a couple hours yesterday taking apart and cleaning with different brushes and solvent. Got most of the crud off and waiting for a gasket kit to seal it up. I don't get to use my bearing puller much and it is a treat to use. Pulled bearing out with ease.

Going to go pick up some Hondabond to seal up the trans and hope to swap them out next week so I can get started on brakes.
Casey
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1966 Java Greens

[diablosandwich]

I also bought an original set of Balearic Beige seats, original for 66 Java Green only, this weekend. A guy from Northern Wisconsin posted them for sale in a Facebook group last month. I am in Central Illinois, and was going to pick them up this weekend but there was some snow and I did not want to drive. My sister is only 200 miles from him in North Central Iowa, so she and her husband are going to pick them up for me this weekend. They will match the car perfectly!

Casey
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1966 Java Greens

[red64chevelle]

They both look awesome! My 66 Java Green was made about the same time in August 1965.
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1966 Beetle, European delivery
1975 Type 181
2012 Golf R

[diablosandwich]

I’ve been slowly working on the bug through the week. I took all four backing plates , axle tubes with retainers and rear bearing caps to the machine shop for a dunk in the hot tank. Going to clean and paint everything this week.
Worked on front end today. Drums were stuck on but popped off with a puller. Pressed out ball joints and pressed new in

Everything was going good until I started to replace tierod ends. I had ordered a set on eBay that was a Chinese set. I wasn’t feeling great about using Chinese parts but hoped for the best. The right tierod was bent and the outer tierod end was 12 inches long, not like the new one I had. When I tightened the left outer, it stripped. I threw in the towel and ordered all new from Wolfsburg West.
The front stabilizer bar is bent up so grabbed one of those as well. Hope to swap out the steering box for a rebuilt one this weekend.

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1966 Java Greens

[Smurf]

Is there a tool you don’t own? Lol looks like a great start! Good luck with it
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1962 Beetle
1977 Westfalia (Subaru Conversion)

"Traveling in a fried-out Kombi
On a hippie trail head full of zombie"
-Men at Work

[diablosandwich]

Thanks Smurf. It it nice to have the right tool for the job. I have kept my eyes open on this site and eBay over the years for VW tools. I have also been lucky enough to buy out a couple older VW mechanics. Those guys had the best stuff!
Casey
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1966 Java Greens

[diablosandwich]

I made some progress this week. I got the axle tubes and backing plates back, primed and painted. I was able to get the trans back together and sealed up. I put on a new clutch lever spring. What a PITA! It was not the quick job I thought it would be.

Used my dealer rear axle seal install tool. It puts the seal in nice and square.

I received my WW order yesterday with new tie rods and ends, installed a rebuilt steering box that I bought on eBay a few years back, a new sway bar and a steering coupling. The original sway bar must have been thumped hard!

Front end is all done hope to get the brakes on rear and get the trans in this weekend.

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1966 Java Greens

[Rome]

You describe that your transmission is ready for installation. Are you considering painting it matt black like it was from the factory? This was apparently a factory detail on '65 Type 1, and per yours, also on '66. If so, I'd suggest keeping the current black areas in place instead of removing them. The existing paint has remained on all these years, proving its durability. Wipe down the exposed aluminum surfaces with a paint prep such as Prep-Sol, bring the trans up to room temperature, then use at least a good spray paint such as Rust-O-Leum or Dupli-Color with 2 thin coats. IMO you won't need a high-heat version since the trans never gets as warm as the engine. Then you'll end up with a uniform appearance.

[diablosandwich]

Well, I have not done a very good job keeping up on this thread. I have not had a lot of time to work in garage with kids getting back to sports and life returning to normal. Since January, I have installed my transaxle, new brakes all around, found a rear bumper from a 59 and installed it, installed new wiring harness, new fuel tank, stripped the wheels and rattle can painted them, new tires, new tarboard in engine compartment, rebuilt 2 speed wiper assembly. I have a new headliner here and an appointment to have it installed in November.
I rolled her out to the drive this Summer and cleaned it for the first time in 35 years. A magic eraser took the dead paint off, you can see the door in the first picture. I applied some Flood on a fender for a test and it gave it a nice shine. Hopefully I can start to build my 1300 engine before it gets too cold. Some pics of my progress....

Casey
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1966 Java Greens

[sportin-wood]

Looks like a great project! Just curious with regards to the 2-speed wiper. Did you have to modify the wiper switch at all? It appears that you have an original 6v wiper switch, and the later 2-speed 12v switches are bulkier, uglier looking with back rubber/plastic knobs...
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Paused 66 project bug
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"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[matthew henricks]

Nice find!
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1964 Original Owner build Thread. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=702135&highlight=

Ambulance Fan's. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=627707&highlight=

Parts i am looking for:
64 bug nice used front/rear Black LHD floor mat.

[Big Bill]

Looking great, a 66 was my first VW many years ago I learned to love the VW brand with that car. When I got my latest VW I was actually looking for a 66, ended with a 67 which I swore I would never own...but it is Java Green . I am kind of following the same route your going with yours, replacing/repairing things that are not working or have been not correctly repaired but trying to keep it on the road as a part time Daily Driver. Thanks for posting your build post.

[diablosandwich]

[diablosandwich]

I have been collecting NOS parts for a 1300 engine for ten years or more. My original plan was to build this engine for my original bug but I found an engine from a 66 that I rebuilt a few years ago and have been running that. Now that I have a new bug this is the time to build it. Hopefully I can get it assembled before the cold and in the car.
I picked up a new Brazilian AS41 case 7-8 years ago, back when they were $550.

A NOS STD German VW 1600 crankshaft with main bearings

I had 180mm flywheel resurfaced. It uses the O-ring

A NOS set of 1300 heads, 113 101 373B, they were in cosmoline, like the crankshaft when I bought them, my local machinist cleaned and assembled them.

NOS set of Kolbenschmidt 77mm 1300 pistons. These have the VW logo ground off the cylinders and pistons for resale. Original German

NOS dished cam

Pushrods

Rebuilt rocker arms

NOS muffler and clamp set

I had my machinist rebuild a set of 1600 rods with German rod bearings

Clutch disc, pressure plate and throwout bearing

I am going to use a doghouse shroud and offset oil cooler

German Mahle lifters

A rebuilt 205 K with a nos vacuum canister installed

Distributor drive and crank gear

Rebuilt square top pump

I will be using a 67 intake, which has a bigger diameter than a 66, with a 30 PICT 1 from a 66 Ghia that has a power circuit, rebuilt by Volkzbitz.

And some other odds and ends.

Looking forward to getting this 1300 assembled and in the car!
Casey
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1966 Java Greens

[Big Bill]

That is quite the NOS parts stash. Pretty cool seeing all of the parts you have for the rebuild.