Notch Back in the paddock, and Type 4s in Aus?

OberonViking Seriously Crusin Dubber

124 posts · joined Mar 2008 · 4 Jun 2008, 7:00 pm

#650160

I've spotted a notchback in a paddock, looks straight and complete as I drive past - I though I might drop in and make an offer on it. What should I look for though? What would make it a terminal wreck rather than a long term restoration project?
Anyone out there want to swap it for a square back?

And, were any Type 4s sent to Australia?

1970 Baja - waiting in the paddock for some TLC.

barls Administrator Causer of Chaos and Mayhem

9,476 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 4 Jun 2008, 7:12 pm

#650165

only personal imports mate

“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
the chaos project - click me

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 4 Jun 2008, 8:00 pm

#650178

Hi
411s & 412s were sold in New Guinea and i believe New Zealand and South Africa plus Europe etc..

they were declared too pricey for Australian Motorists...

I did see a few 4 door wagens and cars back in the early 70s... all RHD...

I had never seen a 4 door VW up till then...

they are pretty rare all over the world now...

I have seen a few at VW shows in the past 10 years so there are a very small number still in excellent condition..
the 411 had large oval headlamps in the front guards
[twin headlamps in some countries]
and the 412 had the "Leiding" nose with the twin headlamps in the front section..
the South Africian Igala and the Brasillian Brasilia both had the "leiding" nose which led people to think that these two small cars and the type 4s were related...

incidently, the type 3s were originally advertised as -
The Halfback - the Squareback and the fastback..

I used to have a sales brochure many years ago...

LEE

1 attachment · Log in to view

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Notch Nut Custom Title Time!

1,011 posts · joined Apr 2006 · 4 Jun 2008, 9:42 pm

#650204

OberonViking wrote:I've spotted a notchback in a paddock, looks straight and complete as I drive past - I though I might drop in and make an offer on it. What should I look for though? What would make it a terminal wreck rather than a long term restoration project?

If it has spent a life in a paddock, look for rust, rust and.....
....
more rust.

Check the floors and work your way up. If the body is in tip top shape, then consider the price of parts for the interior if it is complete or not. How origional do you want to keep it?

When it comes to type 3's it may be cheaper in the long term to get something that is already registered and modify/restore to suit your tastes and leave the paddock bashers to the spare parts department.
Opinions may differ but it all depends on your skills as a restorer/welder/mechanic or available finances.
On the other hand it could turn out to be a great bargain and easy restorer. Always best to look at the situation form a worse case scenario.

Hope it all works out cos it's always good to save a notch from the scrap heap.
- Adam😎👍

If you can't fix it with a hammer,
you have an electrical problem....

Dyno Officially Full-On Dubber

279 posts · joined May 2005 · 9 Jun 2008, 1:28 am

#650943

About a dozen 411's made it officially to the dealers for their perusal. I do not know of any 412's which made it here through the dealer network. I have a 412LS 4 door sedan, needs a little body tlc from being scraped down the rhs and has had a tap on the r/rear corner. Still has the hi comp 1800 with twin factory 40's, factory sunroof, diamond velour trim, eberspacher BA4 with clock timer and factory fogs. Also has the full delivery history and pick up paperwork from Wolfsburg Germany(was a LHD car).

Andy Andy\'s Adventures

2,820 posts · joined Nov 2002 · 9 Jun 2008, 9:45 pm

#651170

Yep as Dyno said, a few were brought in for evaluation to Oz by the importers of VW. The rest were private imports.
I'd love to know a little more about your 412, and maybe a few pics?

68autobug, the oval head lights were '69 model only, after that they went to twin head lights to tackle the US market, where it was a dismal failure. 4 door was in sedan form only, the fast back and wagon were still two door. The Brasillia had the same shape as a 411/412 and did come as a 4 door wagon, but was based on the type 3 floor pan I believe, so narrower and shorter then a 411/412.