VW Beetle what do I need to know before buying one

Invasion

Invasion

Invasion

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I have decided to get an old VW beetle I would like it to be around 1973 (the year I was born) my main aim would be to restore it to like new condition over a period of time.

it would be nice to have somthing that could stay on the road while work is being done, that way it wont end up being another unfinished project like so many do.

so really I am looking for advice on what to look out for when buying and things to avoid. Any links to good sites that would be helpfull to me would be much appreciated.

any info/advice and pictures if any one has any would be good :)

Regards
 
Look for a good local club so you can get a bit of advice, and people to help you! There are loads about, so it should be easy to find a local one.
 
Oooookay......be prepared for a few "what are you thinking?!?!?" comments from certain people.

Main enemy of the Beetle is rust. Heater channels, floorpans, battery area....in fact, pretty much all over. VW Heritage have replacement panels for pretty much every part of the car if you have a semi-solid shell. Engine-wise - stock engines were at their most powerful with the 1600 in the 1303S and the later Mexican and Brazilian market cars, most cars will have 1300 engines if you're looking at around '73. I'd suggest going earlier for the whole road tax exemption thing, '72 and back.

Aside from the 1302 and 1303S models, all Beetles had torsion bar suspension in the front. The 1302 and 1303 series had Macpherson strut suspension and a more bulbous front end, the 1303 adding a curved screen. Both are ugly as sin, but do actually have some kind of worthwhile luggage capacity.

Pick the car carefully. Rot can cost an utter fortune, mechanical stuff is probably a bit cheaper in the end. A friend of mine went all out on his, replacing all the rotten panels (all four wings, bonnet, engine cover, door skins....) with fibreglass items and sticking a Type 4 motor in the back in a ludicrous state of tune. He spent an utter fortune - although happy with the car, he does regret having had to spend so much money getting the body right.
 
get something with a long mot, but dont worry about anything else. Thats if you wont a workign project..

Oh and be prepared for lots of unforseen rust..
 
I know I'll get flamed for this, but in my opinion stay away from the Super Beetles, the ones with MacPherson strut front suspensions. They are a hideous bastardisation of a relatively good car.

Things to look out for :

Rust - all around the running boards, especially behind the front wings. At the bottom of the door pillars. Belly pans aren't too much of a problem as you can get replacements from JCWhitney fairly cheaply.

Wiring - try to get one that hasn't been butchered by some numpty installing a stereo. Wiring looms are getting harder and harder to find for them.

Engine - try to get the 1300cc or bigger power plant. The 1100's are good engines, just VERY dire when it comes to the power output. Also the 1300's and larger can be outfitted with the 88mm bore cylinder heads and pistons.



Other than that, just look for the usual - bondo covering up a smashed panel, uneven wear on the tyres indicating a suspension hit, grey soot in the tailpipes indicating the engine has been ragged, etc.

Any other questions, please feel free to ask. It's been a good few years, but I did a ground-up restoration on a 1959 Stuttgart Edition Beetle, so I've got some experience in the field.
 
As everyone above has stated, rust is the enemy. Ours suffered along the heater channels and at the bottom of the front wings. The doors also disintegrate from the bottom up.

Engine wise, the only problem we had was related to the choke - a simple fix was to use a rubber band and in any case it isnt that major a problem.
 
Good choice. You'll find that they are a farily easy find at this age, and some VW enthusiasts will wonder why you bothered as they have the gash indicators, etc. Its useful (if restoring) to get the GF wings front and rear and just rip the old ones out and chuck them.

www.thesamba.com for parts and vehicles, although mainly American, there are a LOT of english sellers on there. Ebay also throws up some good stuff too occasionally.

Alan Schofiled or VWH for panels and parts although both are horrifically expensive and MAY NOT stock parts for 'newer' beetles (post 70).

Other things such as shocks and brakes, a good site to look at is CSP. Incredilby goof value for money, based in Germany I believe, they ship to the UK very reasonably, and most parts are genuine, and they stock all parts.

Aim for a 1600TP engine, I belive most at this age were anyway. Good strong unit with upgrades a plenty. I've seen a slightly twearked 1600tp throw out over 150bhp reliably with normal tuning techniques.

If you need any more info, let me know.................
 
Thanks for all the advice given really is appreciated :) and has been of great help.

was looking at VW Heritage to see what books they have and was thinking of getting:

VW Beetle

By Jim Tyler

A very thorough guide to every aspect of maintaining and restoring a Beetle. More than 250 photos, 239 pages. Paperback.

Does anyone have this or read this book? I thought £25 well worth to see what I am really getting into.

regards
 
Invasion said:
Thanks for all the advice given really is appreciated :) and has been of great help.

was looking at VW Heritage to see what books they have and was thinking of getting:

VW Beetle

By Jim Tyler

A very thorough guide to every aspect of maintaining and restoring a Beetle. More than 250 photos, 239 pages. Paperback.

Does anyone have this or read this book? I thought £25 well worth to see what I am really getting into.

regards
Click to expand...
This is what you really need:

How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot

I mean it!
 
Mohinder said:
This is what you really need:

How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot

I mean it!
Click to expand...

Thanks :) got hold of a copy for £9.99 inc delivery...a good read of it should give me more of an insight to what I am letting myself in for.

I am setting a purchase budget of £1500 for the car itself I am hoping this will be enough to get me somthing good to work on.

Regards
 
You will need some Cillit bang to clean the goo off after penski finds out you have one :p
 
Invasion said:
I am setting a purchase budget of £1500 for the car itself I am hoping this will be enough to get me somthing good to work on.
Click to expand...

Before I got the Olds, I was looking at a '66 Bug that had been fitted with a 1600 engine and 12V electrics. Was only around £600, no rot in the floors and heater channels but it needed both front wings replacing. Was pretty scruffy, but I've regretted not buying it ever since. £1500 ought to get you something half decent.
 
I think everyone above has covered what to look for.

Just to add, I absolutely loved owning my old beetle. They are fantastic cars to own and run.....not in a Mondeo, home comforts and power sort of way, but just the feeling they give you when you're driving it. I found it totally changed my driving style - it doesnt matter what engibe you go for it will be dead slow but you wont mind at all. I used to cruise at 55 - 60 on the motorway in mine, which in any other car would totally frustrate me but its different in a big. The thrumb from the engine is lovely, and mine was totally reliable. I went all over the country to various Bug Jams and it never let me down once.

The social scene is possibly the best of any marque of car, and you will get waves from other owners, which is always nice.

So go for it - you wont regret it :)

I wish I had some pics of my old car - it was a custom flat screen 1300 in powder blue with a huuge whaletail spoil, sideskits and wheels. Completely chromed engine detailing with a denim interior lol. It was all done professionally by a local bodyshop and looked a lot better than it sounds :D
 
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