1960 Ragtop Resurrection from Baja

[Navydave73]

Hello. The information available on this website is incredible. I remember being on here back in the day when it was known as VW Planet. Being out of the VW scene for almost 12 years now, it is a shock to see how many new companies have started up and how many of the old ones are no more.

I wanted to teach my kids how to weld, paint, and upholster cars. We looked into getting a General Lee, 1969 Charger, but im not a millionaire. Man those things have gotten expensive. So, I went back to my old friend the VW and started to look for a project.

Behold, what is that behind the tree on that guy's property? I scored this 1960 Ragtop Bug that was converted to Baja 30 years ago. We got it for dirt cheap and towed it home. I spent most of my time in the VW hobby restoring Split Window Buses and didn't know too much about early Bugs. What a surprise when i found out how many 1-year-only parts are on the '60!

I bought a 3 finger apron from a guy in San Francisco through this forum, only to find out that early 60's have a 4 finger and late 60's have a 3 finger. Ok, good so far. Doh! Early 61's also have a 3 finger apron, but have a completely different under-hood configuration with a different gas tank and brake reservoir area. My 60 looks like an Oval under the hood and a 61 looks just like everything later up until 67.

Pictures coming in a few

[Navydave73]

What is that under the tree?

why, its a 1960 Ragtop

[Navydave73]

Gotta Wash it off before it gets home or Momma will not be happy

There are 45 living things in this photo. My two boys and 43 Black Widows!

Let the tear down begin

[Navydave73]

one complete Bug Eye kit and an extra front piece

[Navydave73]

We pulled the body off and took pictures of everything we could as we disassembled in the driveway. My boy said, "I can't believe we just took apart a car in our driveway". yeah, neither can your mom!

[Navydave73]

Looks like the Original Engine. Very complete with all the little bellows pieces that I have never seen intact.

Some Bad news. Someone replaced the transmission with a non-split case. After looking it up on this site and some other Google Searches, it seems that this was a common Baja conversion. The 60-only front transmission mount will not fit other transmissions. so, the Baja crowd would take a swing axle synchro tranny and replace the nose cone with a Bus nose cone and hockey stick. This raises the engine and drive train up about 2 inches and wont fit if you have the apron and decklid, from what I understand. time to search for a transmission.

This is the 3 finger apron for a 60 that I needed

This is what I bought

I need to make that work with my configuration. probably will cut just below the inset for the brake reservoir

[Navydave73]

a close up of a '59 so I can try to match the sheet metal

another 60 from this site

Nice NOS piece. found it on this site in classifieds. not gonna buy it, but a good picture nonetheless

Great info in the Bentley Manual

[Navydave73]

welded in an angle iron brace across the driver door before sending out to blast. didn't trust the rotten heater channel. It would be a shame to get back a taco from the blaster

Playing around with the fenders I just bought

[Navydave73]

Back from the Soda Blaster. I read that you have to neutralize the soda coating when you get it back or paint wont stick. I spoke to my guy and he uses a product called HoldTight 102 afterwards to remove the coating and hold for a couple of days until I can get primer on there.

I bought this decklid, looked really good when I sent it off. now, it looks NOS!

[Navydave73]

Painting in the driveway with MetalLock by SEM. supposed to be the best epoxy primer to put down over bare metal. I thought you were supposed to use etching primer but everyone is telling me that is only the case if you had a cherry body ready for paint. I think we can all see that this is far from cherry, extensive welding will be required before we are ready for final primer and paint.

[67ctbug]

[Erik G]

Awesome way to get your kids involved dude. Kudos
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[Navydave73]

1960-61 only horn circuits......read all about them from the 60-61 sticky on this website. I have all the parts except the horn pins.

Miraculously, I found one in a junk steering wheel. before that, I was trying to get a machine shop to make them for me and another forum member sent me this extremely detailed photo of the pins.

Divine intervention is a good thing! My bug was manufactured in June of 1960, just a couple of months before the model year switch to 61. I found a split case trans and motor in the classifieds on this site from a electric vehicle conversion. They wanted to sell them as a numbers matching set but I didn't need the motor. I put off calling for a couple of weeks thinking it was no use. I called the guy late last week and they had already sold the motor separate. I scored the transmission!!!! what are the odds! This transmission was manufactured in June of 1960. God must be a VW fan.

Getting back into this hobby has already led me to several people that are very helpful and supportive. most think it is great that we are converting a Baja back to its stock configuration.

I requested the VW Historical Documents to verify the factory information, it does take a while according to this forum. I had to cut and paste to Google Translate when I was paying for the service.

off to Pomona Swap Meet this weekend. I need 2 1960 dated rims and a front 4-tab hood. would consider converting a 61 to a 4-tab if the price is right.

[[email protected]]

Using a Bus nosecone to raise the front/lower the rear is the correct way to install a non-split case trans in a split case trans chassis. Using a Beetle nosecone, and fabbing a mount to get the hockey stick to locate in the factory hole in the chassis is what raises the rear of the engine into the apron. If you want to have a nice driver, look into getting a late swing axle rebuilt with a 4.12 r&p. It's fine that you have found a nice date matching split case trans, but it will be twice as expensive to get it rebuilt as a later synchronized trans., and it won't quite shift as nice. If it works as is, consider yourself extremely lucky.

[Navydave73]

[67ctbug]

You could throw it in the classifieds for sale or trade for the correct one. I'm sure someone will want it. If its already sandblasted that might make it easier to sell.
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[[email protected]]

If its a clean og fender, I would be more inclined to transfer/mirror the location of the correct fender, and weld up the incorrect hole.

[Navydave73]

Yes. I agree. I will be transferring the holes and welding up the other spot.

[Teeroy]

Curves and bulges at headlight and running board are wrong too, not just blinker hole. Also doesn't y0 still have metal wire tube on headlight bucket, or did that end in 59
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[Navydave73]

No metal tube, first year of rubber boot. Looking at the 60-61 only sticky, there is a fender thread that shows year differences. Isn't blinker placement the only difference between 60-63 and 64-67?