Let me introduce the latest addition to the stable. But before I do that, the VWs I already have are:

* A 1974 L Bug, bought almost 8 years ago. Much work (and money) has gone into it, with a 1916 Pobjoy, suspension and brakes by Holzl, Recaro seats, Momo steering wheel, and Boxster wheels. Much still to do on it.
* A 2002 Bora V6 4Motion. It has the Oettinger kit on it, and it is lovely, but receives the least money of the lot. A blast to drive.

So anyway, I became aware of a Beetle parked up in a paddock in the Riverina region several years ago, as it belonged to a relative of someone I work with, but the owner always intended to restore it. In the end that poor gentleman passed away from a nasty genetic disease, and in his last few months he wanted to pass the Beetle on to someone who would look after it and neither of his sons were interested.

So for the princely sum of nothing, it has become mine.

So, I gathered a few mates and we set off to see what it was that had become mine. I had seen only one photo, and that at the funeral, from when it ended up hanging off a herb garden, because his learner driver son had forgotten to put the handbrake on. So all I really knew was that it was white and post-67, but not a super. I figured if it was too far gone I’d part it out and donate the money to find a cure to what killed him, otherwise I’d see what I could do.

At any rate one of my mates who was on the retrieval mission had also decided to buy an old Subaru Brumby from the Riverina to use as a paddock basher at his brother-in-laws farm, so it was going to be an adventure (and it was a great road trip).

We made a feeble attempt at starting it, but using only WD40 as fuel, we couldn’t get it to fire, even though it happily turned over on the starter and there was spark. So we loaded it up and brought it home.
We discovered that it had last been registered in 2007, and that it was the herb garden accident that resulted in its parking. Some attempt had been made at repair, hence the mismatched fender.

When we stopped for lunch at a small town on the way home a guy wandered up and asked if we restored Beetles and asked for my contact details so he could send photos of one or two he has at his place (which was in yet another small town some 80km away), and apparently many VWs at one of his neighbours place. Who knows what will come of that!

Anyway, we arrived home safe and sound, rolled the car onto the street, and made a proper attempt at firing her up. In the end all it needed was clean fuel, everything else was fine and it fired first turn of the key, letting out a huge fart of black smoke and crud. We started and stopped it several times, gave it revs and it sounded like the happiest 1500 in the world. From there I drove it up into the carport, with steering, clutch, gearbox and brakes all working just fine.

Yesterday I started the clean out, because it was packed to the gunwales with junk and dirt and spiders. What I discovered:
* Based on the VIN it was built in Feb/March 1969
* It was built in Germany (does that mean that it isn’t a CKD?)
* It has the Sekurit glass (again I’m not sure whether AU CKD kits had this?)
* No vents on the deck lid (which struck me as odd for a car this late, although I’ve no reason to believe it isn’t original)
* Unmolested 1500 engine with original oil bath air filter.
* Front discs (they look factory from the very brief look I’ve had)
* Lotus white
* Red interior
* The owners manual
* The faint remains of a VW dealer sticker on the rear window for a dealer at (I think) Strathfield. Phil, who was the dealer there, it looks like Mc????
* Almost all complete and original except:
* Passenger fender with some neat 80s graphic stickers, but scratch the paint back and it seems to be the same colour as the rest of the car underneath
* The passenger seat had been replaced by something from a much more modern car, although using the original runners. An identical one obviously destined for the driver’s side was also in the car, but both have now been removed. I think the driver’s seat is quite busted as well.
* Lots of lichen and patina
* Rusty floor pans
* Some rust spots on the bottom of the B pillars and inside the front wheel arch
* A very small amount of rust in the spare wheel well.

All in all not bad for a 46 year old car that has spent at least the last 8 years sitting outside under a peppercorn tree.

So the plan is:
* Figure out how much damage its herb garden adventure did and make that good.
* Sort out as much of the rust as is feasible (I really need to buy a welder and learn)
* Source a new passenger seat
* Potentially recover all seats
* Source a less destroyed front bumper bar
* Recommission the engine, brakes and suspension by replacing all rubber hoses, shocks, pads etc
* Give it a very mild altitude adjustment
* Ankor wax to protect it from rotting too much
* Get it registered
* Drive it

As I still primarily want to spend my money on my 74 super (plus the Bora needs new shocks and suspension bushings, which might accidently result in it getting lowered) I’m trying to do this one as frugally as possible, and ensure it is kept as original as possible. I’ll be hitting the swap meet at the nationals in a few weeks, but if you’ve got anything I’m after please let me know.

Given the rat look is still fashionable I don’t have a problem keeping the exterior looking as it does, as long as I keep it in a condition where it is suitable for a more complete restoration one day, if and when I get around to it.

What I can say from the road trip is that the Riverina is full of interesting cars parked up in various states of viability and availability. We’re already figuring out who amongst our group needs a project so we can hook the car trailer back up and head back out to some of the swap meets we now know about.

Let the fun begin!

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Hi Craig,

haven't seen you in ages. Congrats on the new car and sounds like it may lead to some more vw's for you.

Although, I think you should put it aside and finish the bloody first one you started

Cheers, Kev

Hi Kev,

I've been hiding under a rock, but if I get the fire extinguisher cradle welded in I plan to do the Supersprint in a few weeks.

What does the word 'finish' mean?

Cheers
Craig

Nice looking car for a freebe. Some of those rust spots could be sprayed with and etching primer to slow down the arust till you have time and money to do it right

Chalee

Good score. The early 68's had an engine lid with no vents. They also had a fuel flap that just opened from the outside with no internal release like yours so it may have had an earlier engine lid put on or maybe even a bit if a hybrid as they used up the last of those engine lids on the early 69 models.

Have fun with it though.

Yogie

The vented engine lid didn't come in until 1970.

Good luck with the new Beetle. It looks similar to mine. Same colour, no engine lid vents, chrome strip on the dash, front discs, oil bath air cleaner, mostly "Sekurit" glass (except for a couple of obvious replacements), non-reverse tail lights, and you have the same remote lever operated foot vents.
Also it looks like your driver's seat was the passenger seat, judging by the position of the backrest release.
Rob.

Thanks all, my knowledge of the 69 model grows daily. Good spot on the passenger/drivers seat.

I'll have to have my list ready at the Nationals' swap meet

I have an identical 68 version even colour. Only difference I can see between yours and my 68 is that there is no "dimple" at the fuel flap where you have a finger hole and the different modern looking speedo.

Rego is probably close to original. My Oct registered 68 was AAM so ASD is conceivably late 1969.

Great pickup. Keep her going!

My 69 was AVE

my 69 was ANF

for 1500 Bugs

I hope that rust doesn't prove to costly to keep it alive once you get into it.

Thats some very funky looking mould on the roof!,

So you got it! Awesome! I guess that'll teach me to dissappear overseas for a month.

Personally I think it screams... "rally car". But then I think everything screams rally car.