We're seeing two Beetles tomorrow!

We will do our best to inspect them unbiasedly but it may be hard...
Red 1969 (or 1970?) convertible
Goldy 1974 1600L
If anyone has any tips on what to look for on these particular models please let me know! If you can spare a couple of minutes to have a quick look and tell me anything glaringly wrong with them I'd really appreciate it, because we know nothing... Thank you!

I'm just hope it isn't pouring with rain tomorrow like it is now while we're looking ...

P.S. at this rate of asking questions on here I may be owing you all a beer soon - maybe when I've got my Beetle and it's time to celebrate!

i think convertibles may be more prone to rust, so check that one closely. Do a google search too, there are some handy websites out there which give some good advice.

Rust - inside the front guards behind the wheel; along the bits which run next to the rear window; the floor pan. (Hope this makes sense.) Beetles rust from the inside out and can often be good at concealing how rusty they really are. Also check for dodgy repairs in these places.

Most convertibles are 'chop tops' and not factory 'verts so check to see it has bee done properly with all necessary paperwork.

I'm sure there's many people here with more knowledge than me, but it's a good starting point. I think it pays to be careful and patient when looking (just as I was NOT) as you don't want to end up with someone else's problems. But I'm sure you know that already.

Best of luck.

Cheers

Ok, will get my rust spying eyes on! It's almost always going to be an issue with the old 'uns, but it's really good to know where to look - thank you!

Bodywise, take a fridge magnet with you and put it on the lower body and doors in lots of places - it should stick each time. If not it has been bogged up. Lift up the floor mats to check for rust, likewise under the back seat, the bottom door hinges and heater channels, and the bodywork behind the front wheels, under the front mudguards. See if the doors and bonnets shut properly and straight. Look for rust at the rear, beside the window.

Grab the top of the front tyre and try shaking it back and forth (ie in and out). There should be no play.

Listen to the engine run. There should be no rattles, clunks or oil leaks. Crawl underneath and see if it is leaking oil from anywhere.Take off the oil cap while its running; there should be little or no breeze coming out. Take it for a drive and try the clutch and brakes.

L Superbugs are great, but hard to find one with an un-cracked dashboard.

Avoid 'convertibles' as they are just sedans with the roof cut off. They are always badly built, rusty and the tops are crap. Genuine VW Cabriolets have additional body strengthening and a multi-layer roof with a glass back window. They cost big $$$.

Thanks for those pointers!

I had thought that going for a convertible must be asking for trouble, but I liked the look of this one as it's only the top part of the roof that's soft (I don't usually like them as most of the ones I've seen it's pretty much the top half of the car that opens, like a normal convertible and I think that ruins the shape of Beetles). Correct me if I'm wrong (and I probably am!) but doesn't this one have a glass back window, like you mentioned the genuine convertibles do? As you say they cost a lot, so I'm not suggesting that I've found a spectacular bargain, I'm just asking all the questions I can think of as I'm trying to learn as much as I can as quickly as possible!

Now I'm off to put fridge magnets in my bag...!

Well you could say there are two types of 'chop top' Beetles.

Firstly the 'roll back' roof, where they leave the doors, and side windows, rear window and rain gutters in place, and just cut out a very large square from the roof. It's really like a very large sunroof. The vinyl cover can just be unsnapped and rolled back. This is just like the soft roofs that Citroen 2CVs had. So yes, this one will still have the standard glass side and back windows. Still very shoddy. Avoid.

Then there is the 'full' convertible, where all the metal above the bottom of the windows (except for the windscreen) is removed. This drastically weakens the whole car, which local converters tried to fix by welding on RHS braces underneath the floorpan, and usually a large roll-bar over the middle. This didn't work. Also, a whole new top, from the rear cooling slots forward, had to be fitted, usually with some kind of pram-like frame and a plastic (NOT glass) back window. This goes cloudy and opaque very quickly. The top flaps in the wind and lets in the rain, which runs into the body cavities. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

The only way to enjoy a topless Beetle properly is to splurge on a genuine Karmann-built cabriolet. It has a properly strengthened body with different panels from a normal Beetle, and a properly designed and built top.

I seeee, that all makes sense thank you!

Reckon I'll go back to my original avoiding convertibles then... I do prefer the shape with the hard roof anyway, just got slightly caught up in the idea of being able to drive with the top down more than two days a year now that I'm living in a warm country... Wouldn't know it today though would you!

just make sure you want a vw for the right reasons, Dont fall in love with the idea that you want one because they look cute . After all its a car to get you from A to B and it will not drive its self around like Herbie .

Quote:

Originally posted by ian.mezz just make sure you want a vw for the right reasons, Dont fall in love with the idea that you want one because they look cute . After all its a car to get you from A to B and it will not drive its self around like Herbie .

Just make sure they are advertising the 74 right. If it is a super beetle it will have a curved windscreen but if its a non super it will hav a flat windscreen. Supers have the better suspension but the non supers are lighter.
Good luck!
Simon

It's really up to person preference. Supers will handle and ride better although if not maintainanced properly can ride sloppy, whereas a non standard may not ride as well but is more forgiving if not maintainanced. Supers have more space in the boot, and front disc brakes whereas non supers usually have all round drum brakes. As Phil74Camper said, its hard to find a super beetle without a cracked dash. With either one if maintainanced properly you should be fine.
Simon

Good luck with the hunt it may take you weeks to find a good one even months. Don't buy the first one you see. Took me months to find my oval and I haven't looked back I'm glad I waited till the right one came along.
If you go look in the rain they will think you are really keen so be weary of that.

Thanks, that sounds like very good advice Rose, I'll try to be sensible!

I know you said in another post you guys were in Sydney. Where abouts? I'm sure someone in Sydney might be able to help you have a look if you want.

I think the best thing for you to do at the moment is really work out exactly what year model you want - so check out http://www.samba.com  which is loaded full of different year pics. From there, once you narrow it down, you'll be able to look at your market a little differently.

if you do go to the samba please remember that australian models were a little different to us/euro models.

squizy's idea to drag someone along till you know exactly where to look for problems is a good one. plus it's always good to find/have friends who "get it".

have fun.

Well, it would be nice to have friends who 'get it' Or even just friends - we haven't been here (Coogee...) very long! Or maybe it's just that we have strange habits that don't attract people, like our liking of old VWs that will cost us more in time and money than is at all sensible!

I will look at that site and see if I can narrow things down, although the main aim is to get a working Beetle as soon as possible so I'm not sure just how picky I can afford to be! However, I am going to try not to actually rush into it...

Am a bit scared by the fact that it's still pouring with rain after Rose warning me that they'll think I'm very enthusiastic going in the rain but I can't bring myself to cancel at the last minute!

By the way, http://www.samba.com  is some kind of 'world class banking site' which appears to be in Arabic... or some language that looks similar to the untrained eye!

It's http://www.thesamba.com  in case anyone else wants to look at it. Now I'm going to have a quick look at it before we go for our wet Beetle viewings...

Make sure you take some photos and post them up here for the "experts" to have a look at
Simon

Absolutely right about the Supers with cracked dashes. Mine has more cracks than a plumber's convention But I saw in VWA mag this month that Classic Veedub at Rydalmere has new ones for $260. Don't know yet whether they'll be any good, but I plan to find out. Good luck with the hunting.

Quote:

Originally posted by AnnaBee Well, it would be nice to have friends who 'get it' Or even just friends - we haven't been here (Coogee...) very long! Or maybe it's just that we have strange habits that don't attract people, like our liking of old VWs that will cost us more in time and money than is at all sensible! I will look at that site and see if I can narrow things down, although the main aim is to get a working Beetle as soon as possible so I'm not sure just how picky I can afford to be! However, I am going to try not to actually rush into it... Am a bit scared by the fact that it's still pouring with rain after Rose warning me that they'll think I'm very enthusiastic going in the rain but I can't bring myself to cancel at the last minute!

I've just looked at the thread with the picnic info and that looks good, we've got to go to that! Thanks for the heads up

And I've just driven two Beetles!! That was FUN!! Oh apart from the getting soaking wet in the rain part, ugh. But not while we were inside the Beetles, so that was a good start!

We thought the 1974 goldy / yellow / mustard 1600L seemed pretty good, very little rust, engine ran smoothly. The windscreen was curved so that's good news (I think?!) and the dash was indeed cracked, so those people who pointed out those things were spot on! Just scared to like it by the fact that it was the first one we looked at... And I'm not at all keen on the colour! I know that shouldn't be important but when you're going to get a cool looking car I think you should like the colour!

The other 1969 red convertible one was very pretty but we were quickly turned off it, various bits of rust that we could find looking under wheel arches etc and the engine had a bit of a rattle, it just didn't feel all that good, especially after having driven the first one.

I think we did an ok job of looking at all the things that were suggested, except we don't really know what you mean by 'heater channels'... It sounds like where the heat comes out, but I don't really know what to look at?

So, we're now sitting trying to dry out and having Beetle discussions. Ah, it's good to be back in VW world!

I found this site really helpful when I was going to buy a bug..
http://www.thebugshop.org/bsfqbyng.htm 

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/volkswagon-vw-convertable-porsche-kit-rwc-reg-mayswap_...

cracked dashes are no real reason to avoid superbeetles
standard bug dashs crack just as bad along the tops around the vents
u can get dash mats to cover Lbug dashs easy enough
the dash caps that george sells that Gwendolyns Master mentioned are only tops, basically vynil dashmats but as long the top is ok then thatll do the job well

the suspension in superbeetles both front and rear is light years ahead of the tractor setup of standard beetles
id be lucky to have 2 grand invested in the suspesion of my Lbug yet it craps all over my old 1500 bug which had nearly 8 grand in the floor pan

The one good thing about looking at a car in the rain is that you should be able to tell if it leaks

Good luck with your search!