Chinaclipper Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2019 Posts: 626 Location: Somewhere in the great Midwest
|
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 6:53 pm Post subject: I just found my 1965 Beetle! |
|
|
Well, I found the pictures of it.
It was 1988, I needed a project, but I didn't have a garage.
My brother generously offered to loan his garage, at $25/month, where I could work on the project.
First, I had to find one.
I was fairly fluent in VW Bug, as it were, so I located a likely candidate pretty soon. It was a California bug, so that meant there really wasn't any rust at all.
But, it was a 23 year old car! And, it looked it! I WISH I would have had the smarts to photograph it BEFORE I started the restoration.
Anyway, fist thing first, get it home and start the cleaning. Now, anyone can tell you a 23 year old beetle is gonna have TONS of, well, just CRAP in the car-in the back, under the carpets, on the pans, just YUCK! I think I must have taken out 30 pounds or more of that stuff.
Anyway, Restoration started.
Understand, I had NO welder, (or welding skills either) but didn't need it! Yeah, it was in that kind of condition. I took out the seats, fixed and straightened 'em out, and recovered them.
I think I bought one fender at the local VW junkyard (remember those? Not too many of them left amigos), and I think the rear bumper.
Carpets removed and replace with nice ones, headliner bought and put in (after painting) headlights replaced, engine ran like a top so nothing needed there.
Lots and LOTS of sanding and primer-ing. I had it painted for $400, did some more little things, and there she was.
Original 1988 cost to buy $450
Wife said I put $1700 into her
Sold it for $2300 (in 1988)
It was a great project.
I have had a 1971 Standard Beetle (drove it from Nebraska to Ventura California and back at least 2 times. I was in college. Now THAT's another story...
I had a 1967 that I drove up to Eugene, Oregon and back from Ventura once. I was 19.
I had a 1971 VW Bus that I LOVED; we used it to haul our band stuff when we got a gig. Drove it all over, sister borrowed it for a while in San Diego. Took it up north when I went to PT school, took it South when we went to Bakersfield, then sold it when we moved back to the midwest. Damn I LOVED that bus.....
Now I recently (Well, last October) I bought a 1971 Super Beetle and am currently restoring/rebuilding it. Maybe someday even drive it back to California....for fun!
It is no California car, that's for sure. You can find it at my Official Super Beetle Project page....
These things grow on ya don't they? _________________ China Clippers Official 1971 Super Beetle Project!
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728089&highlight= |
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9880 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 9:11 pm Post subject: Re: I just found my 1965 Beetle! |
|
|
Very nice! Funny how you roll back to those things you did in those younger years! Like, one is trying to desperately find something from the past, some connection.
I think it is a comfort thing. It is familiar and transports one to another plane of living!
Love old stories! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
|
|
peter66larson Samba Member
Joined: August 30, 2020 Posts: 15 Location: Germany
|
Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 8:46 am Post subject: Re: I just found my 1965 Beetle! |
|
|
According to the pictures, the project was a total succeed, congratulations
And, by the way, very well kept the pictures, looks pretty nice. |
|