My mission

[formariz 11,987]

In 1999 I bought a new Volkswagen Golf for my oldest son in his senior year in High School. He kept and used it until a couple of years ago when it no longer made sense to keep it now having four small children of his own. His reluctance in getting rid of it was obvious because I had given it to him. It now has over 400,000 miles on it. So seeing how difficult it was for him I had an idea and told him that I would keep it. My intention is to have my oldest grandson learn how to drive in it . Ambitious for a car with that mileage and 5 more years until then. However regardless of cost that is my wish. Although mechanically sound and well maintained since my younger son is a mechanic, rust and a couple of silly mishaps were taking it down quickly. 
 Finally decided to tackle the body issues. Went to look at it today and it is getting there nicely with new rockers , body panels , and painted already. Can’t wait to bring it back home. 
 

in 1999

 

a month ago

 

 

 

Today . It will be finished by Friday

 

 

 

[Pullstart 62,891]

Amazing!  5 speed?  I had numerous VW’s in high school, my 1990 Jetta was my favorite.  I had a beetle with custom hood and trunk lids, but I don’t recall much other than it being a rusty pile of garbage.

[Achto 27,577]

Great to see you keeping this car alive. Looking forward to the finished pictures. 

[953 nut 55,243]

            Guess you will need to find three more since you have four grandchildren.          Not too many people would invested the money to bring a family heirloom on wheels back to like new condition.          But we are a strange bunch here.   Looking good. 

[squonk 41,118]

Back in HS only 2 of us in my gang had cars. I had a 61 Ford Falcon and a friend had a 68 Beetle. Everybody wanted to ride in the Beetle because it sounded funny and was cool .Even though my Falcon was jet black with white wheels and coil over shocks all the way around and about half a foot higher than normal. Only cool thing about my car was the truck horn it had.

 

The Beetle had an issue with the steering. Sometimes after hitting a pothole it would start to shimmy. The only way to stop it was to jerk the steering wheel back and forth. He like pushing the clutch in going down hills and freewheeling down them at about 40-50 MPH. We used to terrorize the next village over (school rival) and race our cars around at night.  One time I was riding with him and down this narrow street we went. Cars on both sides were parked so it was pretty much 1 lane. We go down this steep hill and he pushed the clutch in. There was an intersection half way down where it leveled off and then became a down hill again. We hit that intersection and got airborne. When the eetle landed it started shimming again and it was all he could do not to play bumper cars with all those parked cars! 

One very cold night I get a phone call. He's stuck in that village with another friend with a burned out clutch and wants me to tow him back. I tow him home. My car had a great heater and VW's well you know they only generate heat when they catch on fire. We get back and I practically have to pry them out of that bug they were frozen stiff!! 

Edited January 18, 2023 by squonk

[Handy Don 12,232]

’66 Beatle that rusted so badly it wouldn’t pass NYS inspection--sold it to a local trade school and they used the drive train and steering to make a Formula V racer.

’72 Orange Rabbit, my commuter car, that my spouse made me trade in on a “family” car with four doors and seatbelts all around. She was right, but boy did I miss that car.

[D_Mac 8,619]

My very first car was a 1970 Karmann Ghia. Bought it off a friend of my father. I was 16 yrs old and thought that car was the coolest car ever. No power steering or power brakes. Manual transmission.  Learned how to drive a stick in that car. Oooo how I wish I still had it.

[davem1111 2,030]

Okay, now I have to add my VW story.  Back around 1985 or 86 I had a Beetle I built from several parts cars I dragged home, so it was something like a 1968-69-70. White with blue fenders and a red hood in the back. Unfortunately I didn't secure the fuel line well enough and one day on the way home from work, the fuel line popped off and started a fire in the engine compartment. I threw some stuff I wanted to save out along the road, and watched it burn to a crisp. Dang, that car was fun to drive. 

[rmaynard 15,461]

We've had VW's in the family since high school. Now my daughter is the only one left with one. But I'm going off the tracks here with my crazy story. It took place in the mid-70's. My boss had a fleet of company cars for his technical staff. They were all Beetles. He would buy two wrecked Beetles from junk yards. One with front damage, one with rear. He would cut them in half, then weld the two undamaged halves together to make one. Caught up with him one day when one of the cars was pulled over for a brake light violation and the cop found that the front half of the car had been stolen when it was whole. 

 

[peter lena 8,629]

@formariz, opportunity , to get some  chain / cable lube inside those body panels,  also finish with , open gear lube  ,  done this for years , expensive today , but so worth it . note the rot areas  on thar VW  , with open body  panels  and related  under carrage  coverage  it would assure  a long rust free life , everything I  drive  has this , bombproof , pete

 

[clueless 2,993]

My VW ('69 Beetle) story, first oil embargo I was driving 40 miles round trip to work and the '70 SS Nova was kill me in gas. Neighbor had his chicken sh*t yellow '69 dub for sell. I bought it to get me back and forth to work, the gas mileage wasn't that great but better than the 9 and 10 mpg in the SS. I had to do something with it to make me feel better about so I put some spacers and a set of Cargar SS's, wider tires and a Monza exhaust on it, still slow a molasses but it looked and sounded cool . I was getting in it at one day at worked when a sailor stationed on the base stop to tell me how nice it looked, he told me he had a couple and been messing with Beetles for years. He told me if you like messing with cars these things are the simplest cars to work on you may ever owen, he was right, kind of like working on these tractors with the Kohlers. He said the first thing you need to do is buy John Muir's Compleat Idiot book, he was spot on . 

[Handy Don 12,232]

2 hours ago, clueless said:

John Muir's Compleat Idiot book

Found my copy a while back. Used his guidance to drop the engine and change the clutch. I was using two forklifts--big one for the car and small one for the engine. I was alone in my employer’s shop (with his permission) but only years later did I realize how big a risk I'd ignorantly taken.

[peter lena 8,629]

@davem1111   all my  stuff , has an oil film  coming OUT  OF METAL SEAM AREAS , every boxed / closed  area , has a  similar spray in it or on it . when you  stop moisture intrusion  and lubricate  car body  seam points , and spray into a closed area from the top down , it lubricates itself .  think the newest trucks out there are the worst . couple years old , body seams puffed up with rust . my son lives in vermont , and he also does  car / truck  body  lubrication spray down  , no rust / rot  .  tail gates  are so easy to do  , yet few do it  ?  oil film , pete

[formariz 11,987]

Well, she is back home looking her best in years. No more rusted out holes and bent panels. Only some minor final touches are needed such as replacing some indicator lights and gaskets, and getting wheels refurbished. She even got a new windshield since original one was totally “ sandblasted” from all the miles she has traveled. I have to admit it was a little emotional seeing it looking this good again. The first time it was parked on that spot it was 24 years ago. 
  You will notice I also have a red one. That is another cool story how it came about. 
 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2023 by formariz

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

Make me an offer I can't refuse...  1988 98,000mi

 

 

 

[wh500special 2,184]

Looks great, Cas.  Impressive that car has soldiered on for so long. 

Since you put a new windscreen in it you might want to consider treating it with Aquapel while it’s still fresh and clean.  Does the same thing as Rainex to shed water but is different chemistry and is much more permanent and doesn’t streak when you do need to use the wipers.  
 

I always loved VW’s.  Only had one and it was a 2013 TDI Passat.  Great car.  Certainly not a simple and durable as the cars that preceded it like yours and Jeff’s, but I loved it. 
 

Steve

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

1 hour ago, wh500special said:

simple

 

Simple enough I suppose, but getting that mechanical fuel injection working again after sitting 20 years was no easy feat!