Which one should i restore? 1958 or 1966

OK, ok, i know your all probably sick of polls and people asking for opinions on there cars such as what colour should i paint it, but!!...'

I am in a bind, i have a 1966 beetle which is in good condition all round and complete in respect of major components.

I also have a 1958 Beetle which is suffering from some cancer in floor pan and front window sill etc. Its semi complete with doors, bonnet, guards (although 2 are odd), has original 1200 motor. (drive line complete right up to brakes and wheels). (already semi dismantled)

Clearly the 58 will cost a bucket load more to overhaul than the 66 but will i get more enjoyment bringing back a car thats almost 50 years old over the 66 which is only 40?
In the long run i am not interested in which will be worth the most but more so which will become more unique.

I only have space to over haul one, and which ever one does not get over hauled i can use the sheet metal to fix up the other.....

By the end of the week i will evalute what the poll is and take it into account. I am picking up the 58 in a few weeks and have till then to sort out shed and get ready to start...

Post your polls and i thank you for your opinions.
They mean more than most would think 🙂

4 votes and no opinions yet.

I went 66 cause fot the 50 foot test i dont think there is all that much difference between a 66 and a 58.
And if you are going to be periiod correct there are a lot more difficult things to find in a 58 over a 66
It also sounds like the 58 needs major work - so why bother??

"IF" any thing, find your self an oval

Anyway - this is the opinion of some one who prefers late super beetles :duh

I would also go the 66 sounds like it would be less of a headache.

And again like Bizarre, what would I know I am a watercooled owner ??????

Do them both! Do the 66 first, then you will have more experience to do the 58.

i would say the same as edgeworks
start on 66 & go hard but if poss keep 58 & do a little at a time over a long period, an hour a week on the 58 will
see some work done on it & when the
66 is finished then you can put full attention into the 58 as finances permit. good luck
wally

Yes, do both!

But if you only have resources to do one, do the 58. All the little details make it look much nicer: Wolfsburg crest, Pope's Nose numberplate light, and several other little details all add up to a much better looking car.

do the easiest one first... that way you have a nice new car to drive while you spend time fixing your big project 🙂

BLUE_62 wrote:I only have space to over haul one, and which ever one does not get over hauled i can use the sheet metal to fix up the other.....

Noooo.... don't cut them up.

Put the 66 chassis under the 58 and sell the 66 body to me 😏

do the 66 for now, and do the 58 over time as others have said!

Don't wreck the 58... and make sure you get those semaphores working! 🙂

OK, from what the post has found! do the 66 first and
then follow it by the 58....

That sounds like a good option, i am busting to drive my beetle again and while it is in bits i have to stick with the bloody holden!

I guess i'll start looking for somewhere to store the 58 while i get the 66 under way!

We have a 9m x 23m x 4.5m high shed and its getting pretty full with 5 cars, tandem trailor, tractor, ride a mower, quad bike, work shop tools, half a house of furnature, loosen and feed (live stock feed), and an assortment of misc.

Dont get the idea of me having unlimited capital either..... i wish. It just means i'll be living at home for the next fucken 10 years! hehe

And @ 20bucks a week, who could complain. 🙂

$20 a week and a 9m x 23m shed...... can I come and live at your place too ?

if the 66 is regoed and on the road do the 58 first.
if not do the 66 first,good practice for the 58.
bob

tandem trailer? put the 58 on the trailer and you'll have room! 🙂

whatever has the most rust needs to be done now or gotten rid of.

sell em off and by a bus, everyone upgrades sooner or later, make a clean break of it.

the 58 is a rarer car. i would go the whole on the 58. just keep the 66 rego'd so that way you got some sane VW driving, to keep you happy during the resto.

I would put the 1966 Beetle on the road first.
Then I would slowly work on the 1958 Beetle.
From what I have struck with my own project the beetle probably has major rust and in the 1958 beetle you will have replace heater channels, A Pillars and front lower halves of ineer guards. (major engineering ) Bastard to unpick the spot welds.

yeah one at a time focus on one then the other later or sell to get one finished

go the 58. Early big windows are getting rarer especially ones with all the original running gear. Sell the 66 to fund the 58.

i'd do the 66, using the 58 parts - popes nose, front guards, bonnet etc.. to make a bastard child car... same as doing the 66 up, and still with niceness of the 58 - and u can use the body of the 58 as the sheet metal 😀

Neither of the two are registered,
as to why i bought the statesman as a daily driver.
The 66 was registered but when the front bulk head
broke i cancelled rego knowing it would be off the road
for quite some time.
I saw a awesome 1960 beetle today. Original Rat looker.
I might go with the 66 for sure and get it all cleaned up,
and then do the 58 when i can more so afford too.

I would like to spend some large dollars on the 58 and get
it back to concorse original, where as the 66 is ending up
a bit-s-a car.

Bloody hell. I want to do the 58 first thou!
I'll get the 58 and store it in my nan's shed for a while,
that will give me time to evaluate the situation and work
out exactly how bad the rust problem is.