Just picked this up recently and gave it a good clean. It's just going to get a buff and polish and the chrome shined up, new door, hood, engine bay seals and seat belts for now before a repaint and sympathetic restoration in a years time.

It's a 1967 model and I'm the third owner, apart from a 12v conversion in 2009 totally original from the motor, interior, paint and wheels. Solid pans, minor bits of rust in the guards and spare wheel well, and everything is present and correct - even the heater works flawlessly.

The interior is great and I'll have the split seams stitched back up as the fabric is fine, will need to replace the carpets and sound deadener as some water has been getting in from the perished door seals.

The brakes were totally rebuilt a few years ago and it has new tyres. Engine runs great and must have had a freshen up not too long ago as it pulls well and doesn't rattle or blow smoke. Box is a little loud in top gear, I'll have it rebuilt when we paint the car.

I plan on taking the motor out before summer to give it a good clean, replace the engine bay seals and fix some oil leaks. Will put a new clutch in at the same time.

Have just done the usual valves/oil change/tune up and it runs like a dream. The odometer reads 04637 miles so who knows.. The motors filthy (oil cooler seals I think) so it hasn't been down for a whole but it runs great and it's smooth and torquey - better than what I expected from a 1300 SP.

I also have the original service history, manuals and an accessories catalogue from May 1966 the trunk even had the original paper/cardboard instrument cover (sadly rotted) and trunk liner - any idea if these are still available?

Plan on keeping it all original and eventually repainting it in the original colour, giving the interior new carpet and sound deadener as they're water damaged, replacing the headliner but keeping the original patina as much as possible.

Will rebuild the beam and suspension and gearbox/motor but keep everything pretty standard, though I'm keen on a roof carrier and reverse lights.

It sound like a good honest car. Enjoy the trip coming your way.

Yogie

I already love this thing mate! My wife and I love aircooled volksies, and my first attempt at vw ownership was a disaster (72 super full of rust) but this ones the real deal.

It's 47 years old and everything is there and working!

Good luck, that looks nice mate, and you seem happy about it.
Re. the '72 experience, was that the yellow and white one I remember?
Cheers, Rob.

Yeah it was .. Rusty rusty rusty. In the end we had to give up on it, sold it to some guys who had another body lined up.

I have driven this car every day since I picked it up. I've given it an enormous clean up inside and out, an oil change and tune up, scrubbed up the chrome with fine steel wool and auto sol, and rust converted and primed any rust spots (remarkably few) and every day I have off from work I pick something that isn't working and get it sorted out.

Even what's left of the paint is coming up with polishing. Absolutely loving it! It's a hoot to drive.

Can anyone recommend where I can get a few things though? After the carpets for a 67' that use the rubber mats.. Can't see them on the usual sites? I also need a front apron receiver/latch for the bonnet as mines stuffed - volks sent me a LHD one and when I pointed this out to them (ie they're selling a LHD part that won't work on an Aussie car from an Aussie site to Aussie people) they didn't seem to care.. So I butchered it and made one good one but my RHD striker pin is too worn to work consistently.

I also need a window regulator for my passenger door .. And I'm wondering if anyone knows if the shield for the fuse box and back of the instruments in the trunk is still available from somewhere or whether I should just make one up?

Cheers,
Ben

Got the trunk and engine lid seals replaced today and my door seals.. Just wondering if anyone has any tips for getting my bonnet on straight? It's very pissed.. Big gaps at the sides.

I replaced my hood seal a while ago, the difference in thickness between the old and new was massive. When I finished I undid the hinge bolts, left the bolts firm but not tight, closed the hood (making sure the push button handle latch had plenty of clearance) and then manipulated/ moved the hood till it was pretty even all around. I also put a bit of Teflon grease around the hood rubber so the hood would move easy, then tightened up the bolts.
That's how I did mine, other people might have some tips.
PS don't forget to wipe off the Teflon grease.
All the best, Rob.

Thanks mate!

Updates..

I've given it a cut and polish and to my surprise it actually came up pretty shiny overall.

I managed to make a new bonnet latch from a LHD one by pulling it apart and taking what I needed and putting it back together.

I also cleaned up and fitted the weather shield that came with the car, it looks cool and works well.



Plus my dog loves it.. When I work on the car he hops on the back seat and goes to sleep..

All sounds great.

Glad to hear someone enjoying the car as it came and cleaning it up in between driving.

Yeah you can get all those mentioned parts.

Keep it simple and enjoy!

Looks sweet as B-)

Looks really nice and original.

We are going the same route. Simply cleaning and getting things working whilst driving it and enjoying.

RE the carpets,.. I understand that the Original type 'German weave' Carpet is available.

If you're wanting to keep the original look and feel of the car,.. it is the way to go.

There are are couple of upholsters here in Brisbane that have the templates to make new ones up.
I'm sure there must be someone over there in Perth.

You can also buy kits online,.. but from what I've read they don't always fit without modification.

I'll be getting a set made up soon,.. if you have no luck over there, or no one else chimes in with a better solution,.. I can ask for you here.

Good luck.

Thanks mate!

I have been driving the car almost daily and just love it. My wife and I kind of argue over who gets it over the golf :P

In between this I have also rust converted inside the doors and everywhere I have found any significant corrosion - remarkably little. The lower parts of the doors will need patching when we paint it but that's the worst of it. The door check strap on the drivers side had broken and bent the door skin in where the hinges are - I've now fixed that, but it's let water in and rust has started.

As much as I loved my hella Australia rear lenses they were faded and crazed so I had to replace them and polished up the reflectors while I was at it ..







I have changed the transaxle oil, done the engine oil and valve clearances and a tune up and am about to do the front beam lube once it stops raining. What I really love is I've taken several original parts that weren't working, cleaned and reassembled them and they work perfectly after 48 years. You can't beat that.

Still going strong.. Got the passengers window working - just disassembled the regulator and aligned everything, a bit of ptfe grease in the felt channels and it works like new.

Even got a bit of shine out of the old patched up paint..



Anyone got a recommendation for panel work and paint in Perth?

Now that is a nice car, nice stance, even for stock.
It came up a treat with a polish.
Giving the car a new lease on life, you should be proud of that.
Do you get many looks and comments when you're driving around?

Thanks man!

Yeah it's come up great. We've become quite attached to it already. It's great to drive, really surprised at how well it rides and handles.

Lots of people respond to the car with fond memories of their old cars actually, and vee dub people have offered me parts and advice which has been nice. Good people, the vee dub community is quite giving of their time.

I'm looking around at the moment for a panel beater in Perth with some experience in VW's to look at the car and give me a quote.

The tough part about having a car in such great nick after 47yrs is you kind of don't know how much to restore.

Just a little update.

The bug is going well. It's about as clean and polished as it can be until we paint it. We've been saving our pennies up so we have plenty in the piggy bank for when we split the pan from the body, tackle the small ammounts of (visible at least..) rust and paint it. I know what I'm like, I won't want to put anything sub-standard back on the car so there will be plenty of hidden costs.

We've been going to VW shows and asking around about panel beaters and spray painters who have done old VW's, doing our homework. I think we have some likely candidates lined up.

It had a bit of a birthday recently after a disastrous trip out to my mum's place to be a good son, mow the lawns and fix some leaking taps. It's a decent drive and halfway there (on a stinking hot day) up a decent incline in a 70km/h zone it conked out from lack of fuel.

Up goes the engine lid and off comes the air cleaner .. no fuel coming out the squirters, fuel pump has clearly gone caput. I'm 15-20km from mum's and I'll be damned if I'm going to be towed..

So I put my thinking cap on McGuyver style, used the wash wipe hose (thank god I have a deluxe) to siphon some fuel into a drink bottle, took the top plate off the carb and topped off the float bowl .. did that twice and it got me to my mum's place.

Borrowed her car, got a new fuel pump, and put it all back together.. as I'm putting the throttle cable back on my original single strand cable gives up and snaps off .. so back to VW centre .. a 1500 multi strand cable goes in (and isn't that a fun job) .. all back together again, doing up the alternator pulley nut .. and the thread (which has always been a bit dodgy) gives up completely ..

So off comes the bonnet, air cleaner, carb, fan housing, and in goes a reconditioned 38 amp kombi alternator, and I decided to give it a proper birthday and replace the points/leads/cap/rotor, rebuild the carburetor, and give it a major service, valve clearances, repaint the valve covers, etc.

I wish I'd done it sooner! It's like a new car, has such better throttle response and I finally got the electric choke working - now it starts directly off of the key with one pump of the throttle. I do wonder whether this motor has 1500 or 1600 barrels actually, it's quite pokey.

Brosol 30/31 is all shiny now .. scrubbed the whole thing. I just had shoulder surgery so I've been sitting around at home unable to do anything involving lifting or straining so just been doing little jobs.

I also finally got round to cleaning and fixing up the old owners manual, dealer directory and accessories broschure.

MacGyver alright!

Haha! Thanks.

It was a bloody hot day and I didn't feel like hanging around for a tow truck. I always try to repair on the spot if possible. I've built up a tool kit for the car with spare points, fan belt, a test light, socket set, pliers, screwdrivers, fuel line and hose clamps for little repairs. If only I had a spare fuel pump on me that day

Sounds like a crazy day but a great result at the end of it all.
Looking great!!

Nice work!1 BTW thats a SOLEX not Bristol. Mitchell

Just did the shifter rod bushing and coupler .. What an ugly job to do on a humid day! The rod bushing was intact, but the coupler was stuffed .. One side came out in about 10 pieces.

Got the shifter rod sanded down all shiny and smooth, down to 600 and grit and covered the lot in lithium grease. Even cleaned up the daggy mig welds.

Now the gear shift is nice and tight and each shift feels very precise. Hopefully it lasts another 48 years.

This car will soon be up for sale as my wife and I have decided to upgrade to a kombi and do some travelling ..

Pm if any WA Dubbers are interested ..