Hey guys, I am finally an owner member!!!
I Bought my first Beetle last weekend off Keith (Ringoschariot) on here - a 1967 Deluxe Beetle 1300.I have been on the lookout for a while for an entry into the VeeDub world and when this came up i jumped-Keith only lives about 1-2km away.

Prev Rego:SMH 657
Engine:F0829341
Chassis:197759940

It has a 1300 motor that turns over but will not fire up. Hoping this is just the spark plugs needing a clean/change or maybe needing some fuel.If it requires new ones do you recommend Bosch or NGK plugs?
It also has new dropped spindles and adjustable beam.How hard is it to get a blue slip with these?Anyone know someone sympathetic reasonably nearby if i ensure its not too low?
4 good tyes with white wall flappers
Coverted to 12 volt
Short shifter kit
Extra Gauges
new brearings and bushes on front end plus new steering damper
shift rod bushing replaced
Interior is in pretty good shape.Black carpet with black/grey seats.
comes with heaps of used parts including wheels,sun visors,brake parts, speedos,fuel gauges, engine tin, front guard, glass
no serious rust
last regoed in 2007 in NSW.Apparently Keith bought it off a guy in Mona Vale so its been local for a while.
Colour is Bright Blue with primer patches (original colour underneath is dark Blue.

Bad
Small amount of rust at base of 1 A pillar- the weld at the base needs to be fixed and a bit addressed forward of the A-Pillar.The battery tray also needs attention.I know there is a replacement part for this...
Needs respray
Brakes work but need attention
Needs wheel alignment
clutch cable tube needs fixing in tunnel. the clutch does work .

Back is sitting a bit high due to having been jacked up and not driven.

The plan is to fix up enough to get Rego and then enjoy as is while I save for a larger engine and brakes.Probably end up taking the paint back to original paint/metal and ankorwaxing it.Is rust near the A-pillar difficult or costly to fix?Heater channels seem solid.

Also, where is a suitable location on the rear of the car to tow from?is there a towing point?Only has to come 10/15m out of a drive and garage but reasonably steep uphill-then I'll put on a car trailer or just tow the short distance to my house.

Also, is there any specialist VW workshops/mechanics on the Northern Beaches or close by anyone can recommend?I know the Kombi Whisperer is close in Ingleside but don't know if he does rust repairs?

Can't wait to get it on the road.I'll keep you posted and more pics to come on Saturday.I shall see you out on the roads shortly i hope-probably in the slow lane!!

Ben

Well done

Thanks mate.Just need to get the little things done and get it on the road!

congrats on getting into your 1st dub man! whats your plans with it?

Get her running and fixed up for rego and enjoy while I save the cash to increase horses + brakes.From there look at taking the exterior back to original colour.

A little worried that I may have issues getting a Blue Slip with the adjustable beam and drop spindles :S

Looks good enjoy..

So I managed to get it home Saturday afternoon after having been part of a group (1335 people) that set a new World Record for 'the Largest Group Fitness Circuit' on Manly Beach and then had to help move my brother's mate's stuff out of her old place and into the new.

So I managed to tow the Beetle home with my father Steve, the Landcruiser and a snatch-em strap. The big 'cruiser had no troubles pulling it out of the garage and then down the length of the suburb. One of the benefits of a 4.5L straight six!

Once out of the garage I discovered that only the front brakes and handbrake are working and that the adjusted beam kept dropping in height everytime I hit a bump (I'll check the adjusters to see if they are loose or worn) - so these have to get fixed ASAP. The front is way too low to be driveable at the moment - or even get a trolley jack underneath - and rubs way too much.

Once home the first thing I did was rip out all the shitty carpet to see the extent of any rust and and what the situation is with the pans and inner body. I knew about the rust at the base of the driver's A Pillar, but have also discovered a few spots on the passenger side inner wheel well. Someone has also previously done some cutting/ botch jobs on the tunnel - one at the the front on top and another on the passenger side inbetween the gear shift and seatbelt mounts (photos to come).Really horrible and lazy work - take some pride in your work!I will also need to get the battery tray replaced or fixed.

I then went around the back and made my start on what will have to be an ongoing and intensive degrease. While getting filthy I MAY have discovered perhaps why the car isnt running - the black wire that goes from the coil to a plate on what looks like a bellows below the carb body (photo to come) has a broken connector. What is this wire? How can I replace it considering where this is connected looks like two pins and not two screws I can undo? The bellows is also missing a spacer and screw at the top.

So I also made my first mistake - off to a good start. Since I am yet to purchase a trolley jack I raised it using a factory jack and the jacking points on each side, and then placed it on two axle stands. However I stuffed up in my excitement and forgot to chock the front wheels (idiot). When lowering it started to roll forward off the stands (slight slope in the drive) so I tried to drop it quickly. Indoing so the jack got stuck and bent itself along with the jacking point. So annoyed at myself and glad I wasnt under it!! A life lesson was definitely learnt that day...Also lucky because I think I have a spare jack...From now on I will be chocking wheels and using a trolley jack! Which brings me to a question - if one had a flat front tyre on the road and only the factory jack how do you lift the nose to change the tyre? I could only see jacking points infront of the rear wheels under the running board - are there some Ive missed?

I then went around the back and made my start on what will have to be an ongoing and intensive degrease. While getting filthy I MAY have discovered why the car isn't running - the black wire that goes from the coil to a plate (on what looks like a bellows) below the body of the carb (photo to come) has a broken connector. How can I replace it considering where this is connected looks like is held by two pins and not two screws I can undo? The bellows is also missing a spacer and screw at the top so I will need to replace.

So far I will also need to address: new tyres; new beading intbetween the guards and body; wing mirrors; fix the headlights as currently only high-beam is working; change the rear lenses from American to ones with amber lenses; get the engine running and fix the rust.

Do you guys have any idea if you can go for a Blue Slip with no carpet?

Extent of rust and dodgy repairs
Apologies they are 90 degrees the wrong way-they were taken on my iPad

First session of degreasing and rusty battery tray

A fortnight ago I raised the front end back to stock height as it was rubbing way too much.I believe this is because the tyres are too high a profile (or it was just too low).Ill leave it up until after its Blue slip.Also began degreasing the engine bay and removing the carpet to check the condition of the floorpans.Rust in the drivers A-pillar, passenger wheel well and the battery floor definitely needs replacing.

Over the past weekend I replaced all the spark plugs with some effort.Whoever put the last set in and done them up so bloody tight!!!And when I pulled them out they were absolutely filthy!

Also began an oil change and lucky I did because the oil was black!!Looked like it hadnt been changed in years...Just have to order a new gasket and maybe a new strainer and will fill her back up with the Penrite oil i purchased over the weekend...

Im slowly making progress and have got some great help and ideas (Sander288 and Mat Berry) on what I can do with the 1300 till i can upgrade down the track so thankyou.

Also a bigthanks to everyone who has been answering my rookie questions.

Stay tuned - more to come as funds allow.

I'll add some more photos over the next few days

Ben

What sort of Penrite did you pick up? Most of their stuff is good for a VW. At present i'm using Penrite Class Light; its a little more $$ than the HPR but still less than the Castrol Edge I was using

I think from memory I got the HPR 15 (15W-60) Full Synthetic. I looked for the Classic Light as I had done some research on their website but the Supercheap I went to didn't have it.Maybe I'll have to look at getting some in.

Also ordered a new front rubber as it was missing; a round paper air filter; an oil breather filter; and oil gasket/filter set.

The plan this Friday night/sat morning is to:
- do a ring around to look for this automatic choke.
- check distributor & spark
- Install said parts if they arrive in time.

These may or may not be achievable as I have a massive 'Start of Summer Party' down at the beach to attend and the hangover/lack of sleep will make Sunday impossible to achieve anything. I don't go out much anymore so might as well enjoy it when I do!

I'll try and fix (or replace if required) everything I can myself prior to enlisting the help of paid professionals.

That black wire is only the power to the choke heater, it won't stop the engine from running.

I'm hoping that braided spagetti tube isn't the fuel line

Oh damn i was hoping that was the answer to all my problems haha

yeah sadly i believe so...what would you guess it would cost to replace?would you use a formed metal fuel line?

So since buying this Deluxe I actually have not done anything except rip out all the carpet and sound deadener so see what the extent of the rust is.

Any ideas on the ballpark cost for me to get someone to replace the drivers side pan half, as well as rust repairs on the bottom of A-pillar and passenger front wheel well (pics above)? I would attempt to do it myself but do not have the covered space/storage and the car has to be parked in the driveway...And with all this rain we have had no guarantee of dry weather! Plans are to tow it somewhere to get all the work completed that is needed for roadworthy..Rust, service and get it running, and then new tyres before rego. Once it is on the road and not a driveway ornament I can do things on the go...

Hopefully this should change once my brother and I buy a house this year and I get a lock up garage!

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Cheers

You're in sydney right?

If so,.. give Steve Muller a call, he will probably be able to point you in the right direction.

Good luck with the repairs.

Quote:

Originally posted by Joel I'm hoping that braided spagetti tube isn't the fuel line

Just a few progress shots.
I picked up a Vintage Speed shifter at the Nationals and some new Raider wheels off AVD. Currently 195/50/15 on the front and 205/65/15 on the rear.

Looking at booking into a workshop somewhere in Sydney to have a service and get running (currently turns over but doesnt start), replace the current plastic braided fuel line, fix the suspected loose clutch tube.

There is also a grounding issue that results in a instant blown right hand fuse.

Some more shots.

More pics

Also have a set of Kadrons in the Garage waiting for me to source some SP manifolds

change the points...

AndrewB you were on the money - the points were one of the things that required being fixed.

Car has been running now for a few weeks and has had the odd run around my street to keep charge in the battery and to test it out.

Also had the rust fixed in the passenger A pillar. I know I often read how expensive getting rust fixed is and that you only uncover more but I was shocked - turned out to be double the budget I had set aside for the month's work. Seeing I get paid monthly I have been absolutely skint the whole time since - thankfully I enjoy eating cans of tuna and baked beans! The work is top notch however and the shop thinks I have been lucky with a pretty sound bug (that's of course until we start digging around or the paint comes off)

The driver's side A pillar and battery floor will have to wait a little longer...

There are also a couple of options for a name beginning to float around