Decided to restore - 1967 Beige Beetle

[vwtc489]

I bought a 67' Beetle as my first vehicle 21 years ago (I was 19). It was my daily driver for 8-9 years but I needed to buy something more reliable and safe when I became a father. My plan to drive it on weekends failed so it's been rotting in my driveway for about 12 years.

About two years ago I endeavored to rebuild the engine and get the car running again. I pulled the motor and dismantled most of the parts (I did not split the case). Anyway, it seems like my desire to work on it comes and goes and I am constantly thinking about selling it. I don't have much time to work on it now, but I always envision working on it as my kids get older and are lower maintenance.

I am trying to figure out what to do moving forward. I guess my options are to sell it, fix it myself, have a shop restore it, or continue to let it decompose in my driveway.

I have a couple of questions that I think will help me with my decision: What's the best way to determine its value in its current condition?
How much of a time commitment will it take to restore it back by myself? (I understand how the motor works and I am a generally competent home mechanic)
Apart from the engine rebuild, what else might I need to rebuild (I know I'll need new tires and brakes.)
Any good mechanic recommendations in San Jose/South Bay Area? (I don't want to spend more than it will be worth after restoration).

I realize these questions are probably hard to answer without knowing the condition of the car, so let me know if more information is needed.

[Glenn]

What condition is the body? Any rust/rot?

Floors, heater channels, trunk... anywhere?

Are you mechanically inclined?

What's it worth... not much when it's all apart.
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Glenn
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[fl59bug]

I understand what you are feeling. I think you need to drive your car to foster a connection to it.

Is there any way you could a) slap a top end on your disassembled engine and b) get it back in the bug and fire it up? If said engine is too far gone then maybe look to buy a used long block on FB Market place. Single port engines (at least on my area) are cheap and plentiful.

That would encourage you I think. Don't give up.

Good luck and best wishes - Ted

[Eric&Barb]

Either way, rebuild the engine properly and get the beetle running. Seen too many top end rebuilds just put the worn bearings to the test and fail all too soon afterward. Point is to get the beetle running reliably.

Set aside sometime at least once a week to work on it for minimum of two hours. Once you have the engine, and at least the brakes rebuilt, then with the beetle running, you can sort out if you want to keep it or sell it.
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[Busstom]

I'm going to run counter to the inspiration crowd here. The positivity and encouragement that you receive is certainly well-intended, but keep in mind, that energy is coming from people who have vintage Volkswagen flowing in their veins. If they are anything like me, they can't see living life without VWs.

You said you've let it rot for 12 years; that suggests that even you know it needs a lot of work...

As it is, your desire to work on it comes and goes, and yet you're asking how much of a time commitment is needed to do all that work yourself...

And, you're constantly thinking about selling it.

And believe me, finding anybody in the Bay Area to do that work for you is going to cost serious bank. And if you happen to find someone to cut you (what seems like a good) deal, they may not actually ever finish it, or return a bodged up POS to you.

Everybody around here is here to help, that's what they do, they enjoy it and thrive on it. But all the cheerleading in the world can't FORCE you to set "life" aside and get your rear-end out there to start knuckling down. It takes serious drive and commitment, and the fact that you are unable to make up your mind, especially after all these years, suggests to me that your heart just isn't in it....you don't have VW in your blood. So no encouragement from me, I say sell it.

Look at comps in the ads here, then look at the days on market, and consider knocking some off your dream price...because that's what's mostly in the classifieds here, dreamers who think they're going to cash in on the hype (perceived demand), and look how people sit parked at their sky-high prices and the cars just sit...for months, and some for years.
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[finster]

restoring - that's going to need a fair amount of time, effort, determination and money.

holding on - unless the car can be dry stored it will only deteriorate further while you wait for the 'free time' to work on it.

selling - ideally done now before you've sunk more money/time into it.

so I'm with busstom, sometimes you have to know when to let go and move on. hopefully there will be a time in the future when you can enjoy owning a classic vw, probably one that is on the road but needs tidying. and until that time you have the memories and experience of your first car.
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nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect...

[richparker]

There’s restoring and then there’s preserving it. I have 2 ACVWs, neither one is restored, but both run, drive, are reliable and have lots of patina. I prefer to sink my money and time into the mechanics of my cars and not the body. That said both of my cars had good bones to start and needed very little body work.

I’m sure you have some shops to choose from over there in So. Cal. Maybe take the engine to be rebuilt and work on the other mechanicals in your driveway. Do the brakes, change out the transaxle fluid, new axle boots, clean the gas tank, top off the steering box, put on a new steering coupler. Stuff like that. These are all pretty straightforward tasks and the parts are not that expensive.

I say keep it and set up a time frame for yourself. It’s gonna hurt to sell it, especially since it was your first car.
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[Dusty1]

[Cusser]

I resurrected my daily driver 1970 VW (1972-1993) after it had sat 23 years on the side of my house to get it back into running condition. Was well worth it to me.

My thread is here https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=664950&highlight=resurrection
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[vwtc489]

[vwtc489]

I should have clarified in my original post that I don't intend to perform a complete restoration - I just want to get it running again.

[vwtc489]

[vwtc489]

Since it's probably worth way more to me than anyone who might want to buy it, I think I am going to commit a small amount of time each week to working on it. I know it seems like my heart is not in it since I have allowed it to deteriorate, but its probably the only possession that I truly care about. I simply want to get it running again, and I think I can accomplish that. I guess I can reevaluate once I've accomplished that.

Thanks to everyone who provided their perspective.

[zerotofifty]

I have my first car still, 45 years later. You only got one shot at your first car, nothing can replace it. KEEP IT.
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[Busstom]

[Dusty1]

I ran the numbers a few more times. At fifty bucks an hour and no one works that cheap... you're in for $1000 every 20 hours, $10,000 at 200 hours and a whopping $100k if it needs a full restoration and you farm it all out.

That's why VW owners are at least amateur VW mechanics.


On the motor rebuild...

At an hour a week you may want to take a shortcut. Used to be $500 would buy a running single port "all day and all night". I've certainly sold enough good running single ports at that price. I can generally whip something up using parts on hand.

The No Situational Awareness crowd doesn't understand that everyone doesn't have the mechanical aptitude to rebuild a VW motor. It's not difficult but there are certain aspects of it where you need to be a machinist more than a mechanic.

What I'm saying is it's quicker to bolt up a running motor than it is to rebuild a worn out motor.


Not a complete motor but the machine work has been done:

There's a sketchazoid up in Livermore (FB Marketplace) who has a rebuilt '67 case for $175. What I'm sayin' is grip your money tight until you have the case in your other hand.


Otherwise, it just needs tires and brakes. Check out the wheels & tires section of TheSamba Classifieds. I'll bet you can find a deal on your tires.

.
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[Eric&Barb]

[Eric&Barb]

Also will suggest that you:

1. Change the title of this thread to convert it to cover your project. EG "Getting the 1967 back on the road.".

2. Do post some images of the engine, preferably before you tear it apart. That way you can get advice about the engine from all of us here, if you are missing any tins or seals or etc..

3. Find out if there is a VW club near you that might meet up once a month, go now and then to meet local fellow VW owners. That will allow you to get connections for help and parts. Plus it should encourage you to get to the end goal with your beetle, and have folks to commiserate with.

4. Highly recommend installing the Maxi2 from CB oil filter/pump or the stock version of that from VW of Mexico. Really makes a big difference for the bearings not getting scored up from metal flakes that pass right thru the stock oil strainer.

5. If you are not going for a full 1967 restoration of the engine. The doghouse cooling system that came out in 1971 is so much better that the earlier version, but you need ALL the parts to make it work right. #3 cylinder does not get as hot and so not as often failure point that the earlier engines have.

6. Counter weighted crankshaft make a big difference in how much smoother a ride and the #2 bearing area in the case gets beat up much less. That will also give you less driving fatigue on longer drives. Up to you if you go with stock crank with welded on counter weights or new Chinese forged, just do not get a cast crank please.

7. Most of all be safe and enjoy the little things in this journey!!
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[rcooled]

[Cusser]