'67 Beetle; Need some advice

[britegreenVWSB]

I got out - COMPLETELY out - of ACVW's back in 2004. Now I'm thinking of jumping back in, and I want to get a '67 Beetle. I found one through Craigslist and went to look at it today. It is factory red, but has been painted on the outside. Rather badly, I might add; kind of like a Maaco special or something. The inside is the factory paint and is in GOOD condition. The pans are unbelievably solid. I looked under and couldn't believe what I saw. Lifted up the back seat and the pan was solid on that side, too. The body pieces look non-after market, but I don't really know how to tell, and I have no clue if the bumpers are factory. They do have the over-riders, but so what, right? The engine was a single port, but beyond that I don't know if it is the original 1500 or what. It does have a 009 dizzy and blue coil and after market exhaust. I does have the original oil bath air cleaner, though. The interior was useable but needs to be re-done. Gas tank was completely free of rust, inside and out. The spare tire well was also relatively rust free given the age of the car. Didn't/Couldn't check the heater channels. The removable heat channels under the back seat that direct heat into the front heater channels and rear heat have been removed. I will need to find some at a junk yard I think if I pick this car up.

So, here's where I need some advice: What other areas of the car should I check? Obviously, I need to take it for a drive if I get really serious. Also - the most important part - how much should I offer him? I'd rather not say how much he is asking; it might color what you all respond with. IMHO a car this old, in today's economy especially, is worth what someone will pay for it at time of sale. Anyway, your honest opinions are most welcome. Thank you.

EDIT: Oh, forgot to mention that the driver's side front fender, and the passenger side rear fender have been hit, but they are repairable.

[Marc]

The following is in no way a comprehensive response, but I wanted to give this thread a bump and give others a chance to add their advice.


Original `67 engine case would have an ID starting with H0. H5 would be worse, that's the "cottage-cheese" alloy used on `68/`69 1500SP (B5 is equally bad Bus version).
`67 is one of the hardest big-window cars to restore correctly since it has so many one-year-only parts, many of which aren't being reproduced. External door handles that don't have broken guidepins on their pushbuttons, for example, are rare as hen's teeth.
Make sure the frame head isn't tweaked where the beam bolts up. `66/`67 have several unique front suspension/steering parts (early `68 nearly as many) but they're all updateable to the late`68-up items. `67 master cylinders have been obsolete for decades, you have to use `68-up which have larger feed tubes and either alter the feed lines or install a late-style reservoir...many niggling little problems like this, but they've all been dealt with before and nothing's insurmountable.
OG bumpers are the only ones that truly have tight gaps where the "towel rails" meet the facebars. There are early and late versions of `67 front overrider bows, either is correct. The rear bumper overriders are unique to `67, the outer ends turn down sooner to show more of the taillights and the center part is kicked back a little for better clearance whan opening the lid.
Its sounds like it's at least a grand away from being cosmetically decent (just on the outside, the interior would be additional); that'd put the upper limit of what I'd pay for it at around $2000 unless there's documentation to prove the major mechanicals are in better condition than merely "functional". I realize the seller is asking almost twice that much, but IMO he wants top dollar for a car in this condition and should be able to prove why it's worth it. Fully restored it could be worth $6-8,000, but nobody'd pay that without a pedigree.
As always, be sure that the VIN numbers on the top of the tunnel and on the body tag in the trunk match the title.

[britegreenVWSB]

Here are the only two pics (the bottom two) of the car from the CL ad where I found it.

I'd like it to end up looking like the top pic.

Check this link: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... id=1193410

[britegreenVWSB]

Anybody else able to weigh in here?

[Steve Arndt]

Check the bottom door hinges for rust. With the door open about 1 foot, lift up gently and "torque" the door, checking if the hinge moves relative to the body where it bolts on.