My Beetles - '73 and '67

[lukeB]

Hi,

Here are some pics, more details to follow. The Green '73 is my daily car, the Grey '67 is a work in progress.

What do you think?

[Lewis]

Nice pair of Beetles ;D

Any plans for the '67 or is it going to be a stock rebuild?


Green'un looks in remarkably good condition!

[tonycocacola]

spot on mate.
does the 67 have the upright headlights or the sloping ones?what plans have you got?

[lukeB]

Glad you like them. There is a story to tell with both of these cars.
The green one came about because I was after a decent set of wheels and tyres for the grey one. Just put a 'wanted' add in the free adds paper asking for 5 good wheels and tyres locally. A bloke rang up saying he had them, but I had to have the whole car.

It turned out that the green car had failed the MOT on welding, in the usual places (under the back seat etc) and been left on the side of the road. The council had towed it to the nearest scrapyard where it was ready to be scrapped. There where a few bits missing, carb, fuel pump etc but nothing major.

It has had a new heater channel on one side and that welding I mentioned but other than that it is as it came from the scrapper (only buffed up with T-Cut a bit). It is totally stock as from the factory and has just clocked over 100,000 miles.

After all this the grey car, of course still had no wheels (because they're still on the green one). However I've just got a nice set to spray silver so its all go with this one over the next few weeks for the MOT.
With this car everything is done but the engine is holding me back (its smoking badly). As you can see all the bits to finish it are inside, waiting to be refitted.

The '67 will stay stock, but I have a nice selection of 1300 and 1600 engines to choose from to slot in if the old 1200 doesn't improve. The car does have the old sloping headlights but an outside fuel filler (I think the sloping wings have been added later). It is an August '67 so must be one of the first of the newer style beetles. It did have 6v electrics but has been wired to 12v for the sake of having headlights that actually light.

I will keep the post updated as it nears the MOT.

[Stu]

Good stuff Luke

[tonycocacola]

you say the 67 will be staying stock.what does stock mean? ;D
i was hoping you were going to say the 67 will be getting a lowered and narrowed front beam, a set of gas burners and a 2.3 stroker motor shoehorned in it.
you know it makes sense ;D

[lukeB]

Stock all the way for me! I think they look good just how they are. I could stretch to a 1600 engine maybe, and some discs up front.
I'm a bit of an originality perv.

[tonycocacola]

one mans meat as they say
as youve probably worked out i like em modded ;D

[ImpJimbo]

lukeB said:

Stock all the way for me! I think they look good just how they are. I could stretch to a 1600 engine maybe, and some discs up front.
I'm a bit of an originality perv.

Your on the wrong forum for originality ;D ;D Saying that it is nice to see an original Beetle for a change

[lukeB]

I'm saying its stock but someone has de-chromed it at some point in the past but, thankfully they didn't go any further than that.
Why, what mods would anyone suggest?

[penski]

Personally, I'd suggest:

5 lug hubs.
5spoke BRMS.
Slammed and on airbags.
Narrow beam.
Full chrome.
T-bumpers.
Frenched lights.
Sprayed in old english white.
Subaru 2.2litre flat-four with turbo.
Interior kept as original as possible. Possibly a retrim in a half leather/half houndstooth or tweed material.

*n

[ImpJimbo]

penski said:

Personally, I'd suggest:

5 lug hubs.
5spoke BRMS.
Slammed and on airbags.
Narrow beam.
Full chrome.
T-bumpers.
Frenched lights.
Sprayed in old english white.
Subaru 2.2litre flat-four with turbo.
Interior kept as original as possible. Possibly a retrim in a half leather/half houndstooth or tweed material.

*n

Only a couple of mods then ;D

[penski]

Naturally

*n

[tonycocacola]

my go ;D
lowered, narrowed front beam
csp disc brake kit all round, with 5*130 pcd
mahle gas burners
135s on the front
225s on the back
pair of jazz buckets with simpson harnesses
roll cage
the obligatery monster tach
a nice nardi wheel
berg locking shifter
a lot of ally panelling
a cogbox trans with welded gears and a superdiff
type 1 based 2.3 stroker motor with 48 ida's,a touch of gas, full flow oil system, magneto and a merged header with a stinger.
de-trim the body and paint it sahara beige
a "w" deck lid with popes nose
lose the bumpers in favour of t bars.
and that should do it ;D

[skoda_norman]

i'd take the bumpers off,
lower the front LOTS, and have the rear lower, but in the air.

and then get a nice exhaust over the rear panel and then some different rims, and i'd be finished..

[lukeB]

Interesting suggestions.

I was planning on selling the green one when the grey one is done, but maybe I'll keep the green one standard and make the grey one into a bit of a dark horse-standard looking but with a bit extra under the bonnet to take care of the saxos in the traffic light Grand Prix.

[skoda_norman]

if you sell the green one then what are you gonna use everyday?

[tonycocacola]

lukeb said:

Interesting suggestions.

I was planning on selling the green one when the grey one is done, but maybe I'll keep the green one standard and make the grey one into a bit of a dark horse-standard looking but with a bit extra under the bonnet to take care of the saxos in the traffic light Grand Prix.

its quite a hoot blowing them away, purely for the looks on their faces.
"ha ha, look at that funny orange old car, ha ha.where'd he go!!!"

[lukeB]

My brother in law sorted out the last spot of welding last night and I've sprayed the wheels so its re-assembly time. By next weekend it should be ready for the MOT.

I'm going to make my own fitted carpets (that should be fun).

[Stu]

Luke - let me know when you've done a bit more on it and we can take some progress pics and post them up.