Introducing my first air-cooled vehicle and also my first VW!
Since i was a kid i have always had a soft spot for beetles, but found myself entering the Datsun scene when i was around 14 and had started racing a Stanza at hillclimbs etc.
Fast forward 6 years and many cars later, i found myself falling for beetles again. I did a bit of searching for a while and then kind of forgot about it and decided i didnt need any more cars (i had too many cars already). But then a few months later i met a fellow datsun enthusiest who told me he has a beetle that he was thinking of selling. After seeing a photo i just had to have it!
After looking at Fonzie in person i knew i had to have him! and a couple of months later he was registered in my name.



The car had been sitting under a tree in my mates yard since it became unregistered in January 2014 and the key had also been lost so the engine hadn't been started since then. So i took off the front door handle and took it to a locksmith who was able to cut me a key using a code that was found on the handle.
The fuel hose from the fuel pump to the carby was completely cracked and would have leaked everywhere, so the first thing i did was replace that and replace the fuel filter, which i will later relocate so its not on top of the distributor. Also the handbrake wasnt working as the button had flown out, but i watched a video online and managed to pop it back in.







I added some oil and tried to get it running but it would turn over but it wouldnt start or even try to start, so the first thing i was to do was an ignition system overhall. (family owns an autoparts shop so this was relatively cheap). I bought a new coil, new points, new condenser, new rotor button and new dizzy cap.
After pulling the dizzy out and revamping it, i turned the key and it ran beautifully.
I was so excited to take it for a drive and i was smiling the whole way down the road!





I purchased some new window winders, as the old ones were broken, a suction mounted vase for the dash, an 8-ball gearknob, some new clear front indicator lenses, venetians and a new handbrake boot.



Here are some before and after shots of the front indicator lenses.







List of things to do:

Tighten rear passanger wheel bearing
Fix generator (battery not keeping charge)
Fit venetians
Fit front visor
New door seals
Lift up on hoist and check over bushes etc.
Tighten front bumper bolt
New steering wheel
Install Radio
Full polish
Fix dents

Heres some photos of my other cars for those interested:

1979 Datsun Stanza GX


1966 Nissan Cedric


1979 Datsun Stanza Coupe


1979 Datsun Stanza Coupe

Well done with the Beetle Trav, looks nice.
Nice photos of a nice group of cars. I like the Cedric. There is a bit of untapped potential in those Cedric/SuperSix/PersonalSix Datsuns in my opinion.
Hope you have many happy miles with the Bug. Welcome.
Cheers, Rob.

Welcome to AVD. The beetle looks like a nice score. Judging by your Datto collection, it is also in safe hands.
Enjoy.

Wayne.

Good collection of cars. The old Stanza, gotta love it.

Make sure you get rid of the fuel filter sitting just above the distributor, just waiting to pour fuel over the ignition. Biggest cause of engine fires in Beetles.

Great find mate, welcome to AVD. Looks like you're doing a great job of recommissioning your bug. Get onto that fuel filter though! I cringe whenever I see a fuel filter put there!

If you jack the rear passengers side up and jump underneath the left rear wheel well you'll see where the hard fuel line leaves the pan, and there's a short section of rubber line before another hard line goes through the engine cooling tins into the engine bay. This is where you want to put your fuel filter out of harms way.

Also when you get the car up in the air check underneath the motor carefully - those tin plates around the motor keep the air circulating over the heads and cylinders and cool the motor, you want to make sure they're all there and that the rubber seals that seal them to the body are all complete.

I hope I'm not telling you how to suck eggs - just when I got my first beetle it was missing some seals and one piece of the cooling tins and I cooked a motor not knowing how important they were.

This is a great resource on how the cooling system works and has many how to's and other helpful articles to help get you up to speed with the aircooled vw motor. Can't recommend getting a proper Bentley or Haynes workshop manual enough either.

http://www.vw-resource.com 


Enjoy!!!

Thanks for the kind words guys!
I forgot to mention that relocating the fuel filter was something i definately planned on doing, But thanks for mentioning that anyway.
I hadn't looked at where i was going to put it just yet, so thanks for that. I am lucky enough to have a hoist at home so i will lift it up and check everything over.

I ordered a copy of "How to keep your volkswagen alive" as well as the Haynes manual last week.

If anyone else has any suggestions let me know! Thanks again guys.

Those Datto picks take me back, had a couple of 1600s they had the independent rear end, pretty sure those Stanzas have a solid rear end. Also had a 1200 sedan and couple and a 120Y wagon!

Not long ago I got rid of this one, she was pretty bad rust wise, I live by the sea, Don't think the high roof C20 was real common, she had this cool centre seat which could swivel and can point forward or back.



Nice cars you have there, does anyone remember Roy and HG's band the Nissan Cedrics!? Sorry for the hi-jack!