cars stance

[Rome]

If you are going to remove the wheels to perform any of the above suggestions, you may want to consider the original wheel paint scheme for '62. Your color appears to be L390 Gulf Blue. VW utilized a 2-tone wheel scheme, with the inner portion that is under/adjacent to the hubcap being either a matching color to the body, or similar. Other center colors a year or two later were semi-gloss black, or anthracite/slate grey. The outer portion of the wheel is usually an ivory or very light grey. Here's a summary of the component colors-
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/colors/62l390.htm

Photo of an original paint wheel in the factory colors (Long-roofs gallery)-

Is your spare tire still 2-toned? Your '62 has Porsche 356-style wheels, which are 4.5" wide and have the "D"-shaped cooling slots. I think they would look very good if you just paint the centers a slightly darker blue than the body color using spray cans. Or, there are some vendors that sell factory-matching colors; this one has Gulf Blue. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2361487

With the wheel off the car and the center portion cleaned/degreased and lightly scuffed for paint adhesion, you can make a simple mask by taping several thin plastic "For Sale" signs together and inserting them into the channel where the inner portion of the wheel meet the outer portion. 2 light coats, then let dry completely.

I also think rcooled's red '63 has perfect stance.

[Mervo]

On my early 911's and early 356's there have always been discussions about 'stance'. It is not difficult to establish what they came from the factories with and that stance re-established. However, mostly the factory stance is different from what owners like to look at today and we see lowered, slammed, dropped and often rough riding, proudly 'outlaw' cars. That 'stance' is what people want in their car, regardless of what the original designers thought to engineer for comfort and handling back in the day.

It's a choice - in the eye of the beholder, and the next buyer.
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1962 Porsche 356
1968 Porsche 911 (sold)
1988 Porsche 911
2004 Porsche Turbo
1960 VW beetle (Australian)

[loftbed]

[loftbed]

Just an update, I lubed all the zerks on the front as suggested, it didn't take a whole lot. replaced the existing shocks with oil filled also as suggested and it now sits the way i want, about a 1/2" lower in front as measured at the chrome trim on the running board front and rear extremities. Once it stops raining, I'll get a before/after photo.
Thank you to all for your suggestions.
Rod
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1928 Buick Sport Roadster
1957 Ford Thunderbird
1960 Cushman Truckster
1962 VW Beetle standard sedan
1965 "Factory Five Racing" Shelby Cobra
http://www.customfurniture.net/

[johnr156]

Which oil filled shocks did you go with?

[wdfifteen]

My '65 came lowered by some idiot who accomplished the travesty by removing the narrow bars in both the torsion bar packs. It probably would have been a little lower if the gas tank wasn't resting on the tie rod.
I installed some torsion bars from a '65 Porsche that I once owned and thought front rode too high. I thought it was the Porsche bars, even though they looked the same, but in retrospect, it was the correct factory height. It was too high for my liking so I put genuine VW bars in it, which it didn't change the ride height at all.
So went high tech and put two 50 lb bags of sand in the spare tire compartment. The ride height is to my liking now and the car rides smoother. It's not the solution for everyone, but it works for me.

The car when I bought it.

The car now. The reveal between the top of the tire and the fender lip is about equal front and rear.

[loftbed]