Aussie 66 Rebuild

[aussierust66]

G'day, I'm rebuilding a beetle which I bought completely stripped and waiting for some love. Im going for a rat style with nice chrome, something which down here in tassie you don't see much.

I've been trying to find out what year the beetle is, I originally thought it was a 66 going off the chassis number and the charts here on the samba and other vw sites, but when ordering window rubbers I kept getting supplied ones which were too big. My vw guru had a look at the chassis number and told me its actually a 62!? So now I'm all confused! The chassis number is 196273739..

My plans for Rusty are to be low and slow, I have a 5.5" narrowed beam with adjusters, 2.5" drop spindles, 145/65s for the front, adjustable spring plates down 1 click at their highest setting, 15x8s with 195/50s and I'm hoping to go 15x5.5 or 6s in the front.. Eventually.

The engine fitted was a twin port 1600, but it had to go into my wife's super bug for a while as the 1760 went pop and we needed to keep it on the road so I'll eventually get it freshly rebuilt and shiny so match the chrome!

The steelies on it at the moment will be repainted soon, and I'm hoping to get the windows in in the next few weeks.

I'll upload pictures when I can, so I can make this into a build thread too.

Cheers matt

[VOLKSWAGNUT]

"By the numbers" its a 66... but that doesn't mean its a 66 body..

We can easily decipher what year body it is once you post pictures..


Special note here for Australian CKD Beetles :
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/bugchassisdating.php#notes_australian


"Beginning for 1965 model year, a "9" as the second digit prefix Beetle chassis/body number indicates an Australian built. The first digit indicates model, the third digit indicates year model. The chassis/body numbering after the third digit, were supplied from Germany. Only the second prefix changed to "9" to denote an Australian built car. Engine numbers in Australian built Beetles used the same case numbering as German built cars. The engines were not built in Australia, but imported from Germany.
Example:
Chassis # 197 488 655 would be:
1 = Type 1
9 = Australia built
7 = 1967
488 655 = Vehicle # 488 655 off the 1967 production line"

Build threads are placed in Reader Rides.. maybe ask to have it moved once its headed in that direction.




.
_________________
aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
Rebuilt to drive not decorate
WANTED: Local Eatin' Joints, Triple D for TheSamba contributions here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=570510
Search "VOLKSWAGNUT" on YouTube since you cant watch a "certain" BELT change video round here
Usually and often edited

[aussierust66]

Hi, yeah that's what I thought too, here is some shots of when I first got it, I'm uploading more as I go, just a bit slow using my phone..

[aussierust66]

Here is the number on the chassis

This is the body plate, same numbers

[61SNRF]

Nice project Matt! Should be fun driving it around tassie...love how you guys simplify and shorten names

From what I've read Oz built Beetles from ~'58 to ~68 all retained the small German/US '58-'64 windows and also had link pin front ends up to the end of production. Given that and your pictures, you will want to order window and door seals for a German/US '58 to '64, and front end parts for a ->'65 link pin beam.

Keep in mind when you modify it in the World Wide scheme of things, Beetles like yours were of relativity low production, and only made for ten years, so it's something of true rarity given the 20+ million Beetles made

Very cool and unique body tag too, so for sure I would say retain that to pay honor and celebrate the cars heritage.

Cheers
_________________
-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[KombiMadness]

For specific and detailed information on Aussie Beetles & Kombis, both Australian built at the factory in Clayton, Victoria and CKD, you need to look here - click on the link, put your cursor over 'VW Reference' and start reading.....

http://www.clubvw.org.au/


There are many differences between Aussie Vee Dubs and elsewhere.
_________________
My brother & I on the roof of Dad's Splitty circa 1967 - I'm the half pint with the skinny legs!

[aussierust66]

Thanks guys for the info and links! Got some reading to do!

The old man I bought it from also chucked in a 62 beetle which isn't in the best condition, extra seats, wheels, engines and gearboxes in various states of assembly.. So parts galore, but it's a fun challenge trying to work out how someone else dismantled the car and where things have gone or weren't there in the first place!

I'm stoked it has the radio blank and it's reasonably straight, only a small amount of rust in the left hand inner guard, (asside from the rust paint), original bumpers, and dated April 1965 stamped indicator chrome covers

[VOLKSWAGNUT]

[aussierust66]

[aussierust66]

This is the paint I've used as the previous owner had half sand blasted it before I bought it

This is the donor bug that came with it

My son loves the cars movie so I thought seeing as it's rusty and has shiny chrome bumpers 'rusteze' was a perfect fit

[61SNRF]

Noyce mate!

Keep the patinized steel aka rust look going with the body, but "resto-fy" all the other bits with new rubber, a good interior, decent shinny chrome and a new driveline to make it fully functional and easier to maintain.

That's how I've choosen to keep my OG paint US '66 going, so you can bet I'll like it
_________________
-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[aussierust66]

Just picked up my 15x8 sunraysier wheels for the rear, just have to get the standard centres machined out of my stock smoothies and into the sunnies

Working at a tyre shop is handy for mixing and matching up tyres to suit, I've just fitted up some 195 50's based on the amazing rides of Pork, Jiri and others on the suspension wheels and tyres thread, but I'm worried about the over revving people have mentioned, and the three clicks down mite be too low for the roads near my place.. Hoping that 2 clicks with adjustable spring plates can sort something out. I've also seen 195 60's and I have 195 65s on my wife's 71 super running 15x6s..

Anyone know if any larger diameter tyres will tuck? it's a pain not having the motor built yet, otherwise I'd be trying all sorts of combo's.

I'll post up some more pics as I get them, finding time between toddlers, work and house renovations is the key

[aussierust66]

Finally got around to painting the stock wheels, the green was getting annoying

I also got the engine out of the donor bug, I believe it's a 1200, going off the case number, although it has the later style fresh air exhaust system..

Also had a hiccup with my 15x8s, apparently the sunraysier wheels I bought have a smaller centre where the face of the wheel welds to than the the standard smoothies so I've decided on 7s as they have the correct size, should still tuck nicely tho!

[aussierust66]

So after being flat chat with work and family stuff I got a chance to do a little more..

Managed to get all the glass in with new seals, my 15x7s were finally finished (stock 3.5" back spacing with standard smoothie centres welded into some new sunrasiers) painted them gloss ivory, managed to source some Street signs from a company which replace the ones with bullet holes and bottle damage with new ones.. So after explaining to the bloke what I wanted them for he was more than happy to part with 2 signs for a tenner

So here's where she's at currently, still without engine fitted..

Just fitting up the smoothies

Hoping to get the engine in this week to get a better idea of ride hight for the registration inspection before putting the narrowed beam and dropping it

[aussierust66]

Got the engine in, and Swan neck mirrors on just wiring to go before rego and driving!!

Will get it registered and then lower!

[aussierust66]

So I scored another standard beam, and decided to cut and turn to see how it would sit..

Pretty happy with the results, just tucks tyre in the front and only just touches the guard lip on full lock..

Ended up turning around 1/2 an inch in the end, apparently the original beam fitted to the beetle was previously cut and turned up as the previous owner was intending to make a Baja bug so it seems that I was trying to lower a lifted bug.. No wonder it was taking so long!