i need advice on type 3\'s....

I was wondering if anybody could help me with any advice about the type 3. My neighbour is thinking about purchasing a 1963 squareback. He is new to Australia and so I am taking him to look at it on Saturday. I personally have only ever owned beetles so don't know anything about type 3's and need some advice. Any handy hints or tips would really be appreciated...

What do I have to look out for?

Are there any common wear and tear areas or problems I should know about ?

And also what is a resonable price to pay for a type 3 of that year, which seems to be VGC (going by the pics)??

Hope you type 3 heads can help me...

thanks - Gary

[Edited on 4-11-2004 by gazza]

Rust is in the usual places, but you also need to check down the A pillar. Open the bonnet and look down. If you can see sunlight (or take a torch), don't touch. Check the battery area under the rear seat, and the heater channels (exactly like a Beetle's).

Seals in the rear boot are important to keep fumes out of the main cabin - make sure the engine lid is properly retained and has a good seal. Talking about seals, check out for oil drips etc.

For an early notch, I don't think you've got dual carbies like later ones, so there should be few problems with tuning the engine properly.

Early notches had more in common with early beetles, whereas later Beetles adopted many of the Type 3's nice bits like disk brakes, fuel injection, semi auto gearbox, etc.

I'm not an early Type 3 person by any stretch. Hopefully one of the breeders will come and post.

Check out

http://www.vwtype3.org/

Lots of cool info there.

Andrew

BenetonVW looks like he would know a bit about the type 3,
Give him a shot.

thanks dragbug, i'll try and touch base with him, anyway hope you're well,

gazza.

Yeah doin well..
Finishing one of the cars for our show we have this weekend.
You and Den good?

Rust in the inner front wheel arches too, basically where the floorpan meets the body, if it was a Beetle. Also, as Andrew said, the bottom of the A pillar.... therefore essentially where the front gaurd sits next to the drivers/ passenger door.Also check the roof gutters, sometimes these get clogged for whatever reason, and the roof starts to bubble.

If it is a Notchback, although you said Squareback, also look at the C pillar, where the roof meets the rear of the car, but look in the roof panel of that section.. hmm.. that didn't make sense... umm... don't worry about where the roof panel meets the boot/ rear of the car, but worry more about the panel itself that meets the rear.. oh bugger.. thats no better.. stuff it.. you'll see it.. BETWEEN THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOWS AND THE REAR WINDOW ITSELF.. maybe thats better... I dunno..

I'm not a professional on these.. just own one.. 😉