Hi All,

I've read the forums for years, but first time posting.
I recently inherited my dad's old 57 oval. The car is straight with a great original interior, and the only rust is a couple of pin holes in the W decklid. The paint has seen better days though!
The engine is out and in parts, along with 3 other disassembled engines and a heap of NOS engine parts. Dad had owned the car for about 20 years, and has been talking about getting it back on the road again for some time. Sadly his health didn't hold out long enough for him to get around to it. I'd love to get her back on the road again as a bit of a tribute to him.

As much as I would like to pretend that I have the time, space and skills required to get the car back on the road, I need to be realistic - this is a job that I need help with.

I am looking for advice, which shops do forum members recommend? It has been a few years since I owned an aircooled VW, and I'm guessing there may have been a few changes in who is out there!
What experiences have you had, and who have you found to be honest, skilled and reliable?
The car is in Sydney, and I live in Melbourne, so I am open to shops in either city.

That is one cool looker....
In Sydney I have dealt with CCB in Penrith for a reco engine with good results and in Melbourne have used Volkshome in Thomastown..
Both places I would recommend.........and I'm sure there are others around....
What a great tribute to get it on the road again...

what are you wanting done and what are you wanting to spend (dont answer the 2nd question here)

Do you want it totally true and stock or would a healthy 2nd hand 1600 suffice?

Probably better to get it mechanically going in Sydney and go from there

I would call Boris at Vintage Vee Dub Supplies and have a chat with him - and yes Mike at CBB is bloody good as well

Oh - that is a bloody lovely oval you have scored.

Not many original beauties like that around

My opinion - dont paint it

nice looking car. Any more pictures, what colour is the interior? I'm guessing its brick red.

Great Patina, concentrate on the mechanicals and your on the road !

nice car mate. I would call Boris @ Vintage Vee Dub Supplies at Campsie. He will assist you and provide some options for you. Thanks for sharing the pic.

I would get it mechanically spot on and registered. The body and paint could cost you $15K. It depends on whether that is worth it for you when you are in the drivers seat, You could get cheaper, but it will look cheaper and could devalue the car with poor workmanship

What Pete said ^^^^^!

The body and paint look perfect as is. Get the suspension, brakes and engine spot on and bypass the 5-year body-off resto, which, if not done perfectly, would only decrease the inherent value of the car.

hth.

What Pete said ^^^^^!....What Pete said ^^^^^!

yes to all of the above she has aged so beautifully respect that don't go and buy her a fake set of tits and a raised hairline just mechanicals and register.
Mitchell

If you want to restore it ground up

think of a number and triple it and you wont even have change

Also finding some one to do the body work will be a BIG test no panel shops want to do this work any more late model cars too easy to make money on

Your paint work is done already!

Just focus on mechanicals and the rust situation, and cruise!

MORE PICS PLEASE..
just throw some ankor wax on it.. thats some sweet patina there!

Hi guys,
Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement!

What do I want to do with it? Good question, and one that has been on my mind quite a bit.

There are a few options that I am considering.

Body/Interior:
Option 1: Leave it as it is, coat with wax and just drive it. For the interior (correct Bugboy - brick red), with really good oatmeal squareweave, almost new rubber mats and headliner, just clean it, repair a few broken stitches on one of the seat covers and reattach one corner of the headliner that has slipped. The general condition and interior paint is so good that it isn't worth doing anything to. Need to replace the window scrapers, but the rest of the rubber is in good condition.
Option 2: Have the exterior only cleaned up and repainted the same grey colour as the car was originally. A body off resto is the furthest thing from my mind! I have no intention of repainting the interior any time soon, so this will keep costs to a reasonable level. Aside from the a couple of the tiniest dings, and a couple of minor rust spots in the decklid, I haven't been able to find any body work that needs to be done. I'm not looking for a show car finish.

I'm tossing this one up. The patina look is very in at the moment, and the car does look pretty cool with it. It also looked great when it had all of it's paint still on it - a lot cleaner. Not sure which way I want to jump at the moment.

Engine:
Option 1: The sensible option - have one of the 36hp engines built up totally standard. I have all the parts, at least 2 really good cases, NOS barrels and pistons, all the other bits, tinware, etc. There are also two split case transmissions (from memory the one in the car was really good).
Option 2: Vintage speed - Build up one of the 36hp cases with a Wolfsburg West Okrasa kit. I have always drooled over these, and it would be a really cool option. Has anyone had experience with them? I understand that they had some quality issues in the early days, but that they are now ok. Any feedback on these would be appreciated. I'm guessing that I wouldn't see much change out of $10K for this.
Option 3: A little more poke - This is where I could really get into trouble. A mild 1776 or similar with IDFs would move the car along nicely. Pouring endless cash into more extreme engines even more nicely. I need to get a bit more of a handle on what each step up is likely to cost. Of course, with this option there are all the additional costs - uprated brakes, new trans, etc. What are your experiences with doing this guys?
I know a 1600TP is a really easy, cheap option that will give about the same output as an Okrasa kit. I just don't get excited about them in 50s cars. I think I have nixed this idea already.

Suspension:
I want to be able to drive the car, so a total scraper is not what I am after. Having said that, a pair of drop spindles (or a 2" narrowed adjustable beam) will give the car a nicer stance. Nothing extreme, just a bit of fitting the wheels into the guards a bit better. Thoughts?

Wheels:
Again a toss up. BRMs/Raders (original look - don't like the polished/chromed look).
Or painted and polished fuchs style (4.5 front/5.5 rear). Is re-drilling a wide-5 drum to the porsche bolt pattern allowed, or does this require new drums?
I'm guessing Flat4 wheels are the done thing these days.

I'll be back up in Sydney in a few days, so I'll get a heap more photos to show off the old girl.

Thanks again for all the feedback, and in advance - lots of questions here, and your answers are all really helpful.

Cheers
Alex

One more pic I had with me!

Hey flexyspex,


Nice car, I also have a Oval in a similar condition to yours, having purchased it in July last year. It was last driven in 1987 and was parked in a shed until it was rescued by John Goodison from Volkshome in Thomastown. I like yourself have struggled to work what to do with the car and the overall look . I decided to keep the paint as it, try giving it a polish and wax. Its only original once. I did this and worked a treat.

With the Engine speak to John, I know of a couple of other mates who have had engines done and were very happy with the results. Sure others will have great experiences with other builders and can suggest other places too I am going to go full vintage speed including a Okrasa engine, likely to be close to 7K all in with parts. This should allow you to keep the stock running gear. As you suggested any bigger engine will cost more this this and have associated $$$$$ to make it safe.




Dan

As for lowering, i did 2 1/2 Drop Spindles on my 1966, looks very nice, and the RWC inspectors dont pick up on things like adjusters etc.

I`d be partial to a liberal coating of gibbs to sort out that surface rust.You could check out carl and emily`s thread on their 62"mary"

My opinion leave it as is, fix up mechanicals and enjoy. .....its only original once!

I've got a similar era car to that with mostly original paint. I'd say wax it, cavity wax/fishoil all the heater channels/doors to stop any current rust and leave it at that. Like others have said, you won't ever have the patina back.

Motor wise, I'd suggest a late engine. Which is what I'm doing. Single port 1600 if you must have that old school look. My brother has one in a 62 and it goes really nicely. A switch over to a late 1300 gearbox is another great, reversable upgrade. In the end, you want a car that's a pleasure to drive, not a chore.

P.s. It's not cheap, but a full suspension rebuild will have the car driving like new. I couldn't believe the difference in mine.

looks neat, DONT pull him apart before you work out which way your going and you have the cash, we see so many cars pulled apart and left. I have had lots of cars over the past 30 years, you could spend as little as $7000 or $40000 to get him back on the road including on road cost, DONT make the mistake of modifying the car before you get it passed for rego. Good luck with which ever way you go

Amazing car!!

Hi guys,
Just wanted to give a quick update. After an inventory check, I've got parts for 3x 36hp and 1x 36/40hp bastard engine.
The engines and associated parts are now with Boris at VVDS to build a stock 36hp for her. Hopefully the original (matching numbers) case is up to standard!

If there is a good second case there, I might look at one of the Okrasa repro kits, but that can be a later problem...

Number one is to get the engine done, then get the car in to have brakes done, suspension looked over, and a few perished rubbers replaced.

The interior is great. Headliner is perfect, as are the carpets. Seats have lost a little bit of beading, and a couple of split seams due to stitches deteriorating, but nothing that will prevent simple repairs from being done.

With the body and paint, I am in complete agreement with the crowd. Preserve what is left of the original, rather than embark on an expensive mission to repaint.

I'm looking for advice again - In order to preserve the car's condition as best as possible - what do you do?
Do you rub back the rust? If so, what is the best way? Or do you just leave it?
Once this is done, I am assuming that a careful cut and polish, then coat in ankor wax or penetrol.

Are there other ideas of what else should be done, or how to go about this?

more pics...

more pics...

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