Different project for the summer (pics)

tracto-man · Apr 7, 2017

Kinda something unique we got ourselves into here. I'd never been up close to an old super beetle until yesterday when we brought it home, things are tiny! Engine is supposedly rebuild, just need to get a clutch on it, then see if it'll run or not. Idea is it'll restored to almost original. Interior is original and in very good condition, and only surface rust, nothing real deep. Its a 1972, 4 speed manual, 76,000 miles. Haven't decided what color to paint it yet. Let it rust for Sweetfeet? Or blue for Larry the corner guy?

jon f mn · Apr 7, 2017

It's Case colors right now and I don't see any reason to mess with perfection.

RBnWA · Apr 7, 2017

tracto-man those are a lot of fun to drive. Cousin of mine had one years ago. AGREE with Jon F. RB

Crazy Horse · Apr 7, 2017

Various auction results like Mecum, Barret Jackson, etc show the VW's getting pretty decent prices in the past few years. Now if it were a 23-window Hippie Flower Child Wagon from the late 50's, you'd be looking at some serious coin. But even the Bugs do relatively well nowadays.

SweetFeet · Apr 7, 2017

Looks like a fun project.

I've never seen one in full rust... but can envision it paited up like a hippie van. LOL

Blue would look good too. I just can't agree with jonf's assessment on the case color scheme.

Heyseed · Apr 7, 2017

Here is some ideas for paint color.

Paul Shuler · Apr 7, 2017

I refreshed a 1971 Super Beetle back in the mid 80s. Loved it. Many times I wish I had it back. Mine was corvette yellow and had factory air and a crank back sun roof. Have never seen another one just like it. In Aug they have a big beetle show in Eureka springs Ark. It is a blast. Just wish I had one to show now. They were cheap back in the 80s when I bought mine. Not so much now. Funest car I have ever owned. It was amazing fast from a dead stop up to about 45 mph. On a funny note. I was driving mine one time and heard a sudden load scrapping sound. Pulled over and looked and the battery under the back seat had rusted through the floor and was dragging on the road. Lol. Great car.

tracto-man · Apr 7, 2017

We got it for pretty cheap, planning on getting as back to original as we can without blowing several thousand on it, then either sell or keep. Seems a realistic price range for nice ones is 4-6000. We'll see how it turns out

tracto-man · Apr 7, 2017

It's gonna stay case colors for now. probably end up something more original in the end though.

I guess I should get a case tractor to go with it?

rbhuntn · Apr 7, 2017

Ah heck paint it to look like Herbie in the old movies. Those always get a lot of attention.

Have even seen a NEW Bug painted like that once and everyone loved it.

centash · Apr 7, 2017

Right up there with the muscle cars of that era......4 on the floor, dual exhaust, fastback, dual throat carb., bucket seats, .....just missing a few pistons! Ben

rlp in Co. · Apr 7, 2017

I know where there is a whole yard full of bugs and busses, but I'm not telling!

teddy52food · Apr 7, 2017

I used to have a bug too. I was driving in the rain & hit a water puddle on the road. The front end hydro planed & I almost went in the ditch. I sold it shortly after to a gal heading to Montana. Never seen either one since.

big tee · Apr 7, 2017

Bought one from a buddy when I was in the Navy. Rode home with him to Maine-drove it back to Norfolk, then to Iowa. Got more looks--about the time Herbie the love bug was out.---Tee

Bob Collins · Apr 7, 2017

That is not a Super Beetle, it would have a curved windshield and strut front suspension, in my opinion, the regular beetle was better that year.

tracto-man · Apr 7, 2017

Shows what I know about it, lol. I don't really care wether or not it is a super or not though.

You do have me curious now, which way would the windshield be "curved"? It does have front strut suspension, but some of the fenders are not original, so that might have been changed as well?

tracto-man · Apr 7, 2017

Head on pic of this ones windshield.

Robin Hood · Apr 7, 2017

My first car was a 72 super beetle with a flat windshield.

JerryS · Apr 7, 2017

I'm pretty sure this is a Super Beetle. The Super Beetle came out in 1971 and I bought one, yellow just like this one. Paid $1,900, as I recall. The SB in 1971 had the larger engine, as well as 50% more storage in the front luggage bin. This was accomplished party by a more bulbous trunk lid, which TractoMan's car has.
His car also has the louvered "smile" ornament behind the rear side window, which was new with the Super Beetle. The curved windshield came in 1973.

I really enjoyed driving this little car. It was very "zippy". Unfortunately the add-on air conditioning was inadequate, to say the least---not a good thing for someone living in Houston.

MKinON · Apr 7, 2017

Super Beetle went to curved windshield from flat in 1973. If you want to restore like original, note that the body colour is inside as well as out, so, easiest is likely to go with original colour if interior is still in good condition. Otherwise, you'll have to strip out the shell, paint and re-build.

tracto-man · Apr 7, 2017

I had noticed interior was same as exterior color. But didn't think much of it. Interioer is near perfect, so I'd rather not redo it. Thanks for pointing that out! That probably decides it for yellow...

Steve A W · Apr 7, 2017

Sweetfeet
I saw this in a store parking lot this evening.

SweetFeet · Apr 7, 2017

Steve A W,

Too funny!

Now I can say I've seen a rusty Beetle. Thanks for posting.

sms · Apr 8, 2017

Back in the sixties we had a hippy commune in the area. The landowners had a bug painted to look like a ladybug, even two rods with toilet floats on the end for antennae on the front.

notjustair · Apr 8, 2017

Wrong. It's a 71 or 72 super.

notjustair · Apr 8, 2017

Let me know if you need anything. I'm down to just four (one Super convertible) but have had dozens. I've kept lots of parts over the years and rebuilt them from the ground up. I bought the red one as a shell. It has pulled first in class at every show in six surrounding states. It was a repair project that got out of hand! Now it's just for groceries and parts.

jon f mn · Apr 8, 2017

You mean case colors right? Those power red fenders look sharp.

Bob Collins · Apr 8, 2017

Yeah, you are right, been a long time since I worked in a VW dealership. When the super bug came out we had a ton of problems keeping the steering wheel shimmy controlled, replaced ball joints with "stiffer" ones and had to have the tires balanced perfectly. I forgot the curved windshield was later. Sorry.

Blackhole49 · Apr 8, 2017

Nice project. This is what I got instead of a bug. Fun to drive, but much harder to get in and out of for an old man. If that is like any of my tractor projects, buy the time your done working on it, selling it will be the last thing on your mind.

RedMF40 · Apr 8, 2017

(quoted from post at 06:52:14 04/07/17) Kinda something unique we got ourselves into here

Mom bought a yellow one new back in '73. Not much left after 5 kids were through with it. Brother thought stowing bag of salt up front for ballast/weight would be good idea. Of course it broke and made swiss cheese of the front end. Remember the washer fluid was pressurized from a hose off tire stem on the spare--factory original. Learned a lot of early repairs on that car.

Different project for the summer (pics)

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