New project (warning air-cooled content inside)

Let me start with the explanation. My wife was driving a 1989 Volvo 740 turbo wagon until she blew the turbo out of it on the highway, the car seemed to run fine so she proceeded on her way until hole number one couldn’t take the lack of oil and put the rod through the side of the block. I asked her what she wanted to get next due to the fact that the Volvo was a 2K investment a year ago so it will be getting scraped. Her answer was an old Beetle, something we had talked about but were going to wait a year or so giving her the chance to save up some money and do it on her own. This did not bother me much due to the fact that I gave her her choice of anything including new cars and she choice the vintage beetle.



It is a 1962 original convertible car that was exceptionally clean for being in Colorado. It had an engine fire and a customer brought it into my buddies body shop to get fixed. After spending some significant money on new rails and all the other body work the car has been sitting for some time now. I offered the customer some money and now she is mine. It will be getting a seafoam green top and paint job with a white insert to give it that vintage look my wife likes, I will also be getting stock steelies that will be painted two tone to match. I will put a 1600cc single port engine with stock carburetion, exhaust manifolds and a mild cam to keep the wife on the road without a much trouble.



On with the pics……..






here are the links to the pics if it helps anyone
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/KUSTOM41/Beetle/IM000557.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/KUSTOM41/Beetle/IM000558.jpg

 

Are those glass fenders? You might get a double dose from some of the people here.

But anyway, I of course think this is really cool. I have a '72 Super. I bought it cheap in pretty good shape. I won't be restoring it, but I won't be turning into one of those "Volksrods" either. I have a lot of respect for both. I'd just rather run mine as is. Not perfect, but good enough.

They're great daily drivers. Almost the definition of "practical car." And parts are so cheap that you'll think you're getting freebies compared to parts for most of the cars people on the HAMB are driving. A very cool car for your wife. The plans for it sound good too. I hope you're brave enough to post the pictures when it's done.

 

Now you guys be good!

You'll find some closet VW lovers here. In fact. you'd probably find all kinds of things in our closets.
Sorry, can't comment on the VW. My firewall doesn't allow its viewing, PJ

 

three fenders are original german and one is aftermarket.... all I know is it was better than buying her a new Toyota or Honda at least it has some style

 

I'm still a newbie so my opinion don't mean squat, but I think that is a pretty cool wife you have there.

I own an air cooled car as well so I can definately relate.

I would however think about your engine choice and consider a 1776 w/big valve dual port heads, a VZ-25 cam and a single Weber 40IDF car. This will make about 85-90 hp and you will never have to worry about your wife having anough hp to stay safe in traffic.

Just my personal opinion.

 

I am going to stick with the 1600cc because they run so good at my altitude and they are pretty bullet proof. That and everyone is running dual ports, want mine to look pretty traditional

 

VW's suck - this shouldnt be here - okay now that this over

Why not go with a dual port?

Looks like it will be a nice driver, how long until she is on the road?

 

pretty cool my wife and i built a Bug last year for her. i even have a couple Beetle based project ideas in the back of my mind that even the most ardant VW haters on here would appreciate. it would'nt be aircooled anymore either. i have a couple good ole American projects ahead of those ideas though.

i actualy picked up a couple Hot Rod magazines from the very early 60s that had quite a few VW hop up articles and features. i was quite surprised how much attention the Hot Rod community was giving these things back in the day. so much for Beetles not being traditional .

 

nice..i have always loved beetles,buses,botchbacks and squareback wagons.i was a big VW nut when i first got my liscence.my first car was a camper bus.i was one of the few and town and only 2 at my school who had a real vdub..haha.post some pictures when you get it finished

 

I don't feel like dual ports look right in the engine compartment (not that anything does). We are down to one car right now so it needs to get done fast I am ordering everything for it on Friday (ie. engine, trany, top, everything) I am hoping to get it on the road in a month or two... don't worry I am not scared to show pics of it progress

 

WOW...ballsy post.

VWs suck and Lincoln's should be traded for Cadillacs (see my intro http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40641)

For daily driving go with a dual port and stick with a single carb for easier maintenance. Change your oil and adjust your valves often. Make sure all your engine tins are in place this helps with engine heat.

 

funny... I need to change my profile.... sold the Lincoln to Crap.... thanks for the advise

 

I'm happy to see this thread running pretty warm. I think there are certain things that most gearheads appreciate. Air-cooled VWs are one of those things. Bicycles are another. Of course tools are another. Some might argue for certain guns, motorcycles, fancy timepieces, boats, planes. Mechanical stuff of any sort is cool to real car guys.

I recently ran across the Volksrods forums. It looks like there are a ton of HAMBers over there. And vice versa. The fenderless bug rods those guys are doing are really something.

 

go with the dual port motor there are more parts and will cost less to build . plus run better. most single port intakes develop a vacum leak because many people forget to bolt them back to the engine case and the crack.
up grade to disk brakes in the front and they make a great driver.

 

not my taste (fenderless) I like the old ones (pre 64ish) that were still hand built for the most part. Traditional of coarse(two tone paint, steelies, ect....)

 

Question answered while I was typing - I bet you are excited - I had 73 Thing, it was rotted pretty bad so i traded it to a guy that raised birds and was going to turn it into his "birdmobile"

 

looks like a fun project.I tried to get my 13 year old daughter let me buy her one to restore for when she turns 16 but she wasn't interested.I wish she was because a friend has a pretty cherry 67 that needs put back together.If my daughter is holding out for a new car she's in for a rude awakening as i can hardly afford to drive the old ones.

 

The front discs are the one thing I'm planning to do with mine. As it stands, the car brakes a little crooked. Pulls to one side. So since I'm doing brake work, I might as well do a major upgrade. Any recommendations? I think my earlier research led me to a kit from aircooled.net. Every vendor sells one, but many look incomplete or low quality.

 

They are over there talking about VW's because it is a VW Forum.... The HAMB is not.

 

Nice VW vert. Hey is Randy of Randy's Stuff still around in Arvada? I bought a car from him once, very cool guy with a ton of cool shit, including Mopar and hot rod stuff. The guys house is like a museum!

 

Randy is a good friend of mine and he is helping me finish this beast... he sold is shop and it is on the third owner now who is running it into the ground.... Randy is dealing his Mopar stuff on the side and considers himself retired.... I actually bought my Hemi from him.... It's kind of funny you asked because if I stood back a little further when I shot the pics you would see him behind my '41 organizing bolts for his currant mopar convert project

 

Exactly!

 

never really said it was, just posting a project I just bought and am spending time and money on

 

Very cool, My first car was a 57 Bus, so you could say I kinda got a soft spot for the old VWs.

 

if they raced VW"S on NASCAR, RYAN would close this thread also

 

I don't understand what you are saying?

 

Thanks Ryan!

 

SAVE THE VOLVO. Put a 5.0 ford motor and transmission in it. It will be a sleeper set up.
check out this site.
http://www.converseengineering.com

My daily Driver for the last 8 years was a 1980 Volvo with a 5.0 5 speed.

 

thought about it and it's just not worth it for Volvo, it's not in that good of shape to spend any money on.... that and my wife dosn't like it all that much anyways.