Your AS Ride

Bookwus · 01 November 2007, 07:01

Hiya All,

I thought it might be a good idea to post pictures of our rides all in one place. I know Lee has been good about sharing his car with all of us and I thought we should all take a look at what the other folks here on VWAR are driving.

So............I'll start of with my Bug. This is a 1970 Savannah Beige. It was rescued from a parking lot where it had sat for some months. I thought it was a derelict and I stopped by to take a closer look. One tire was flat and the interior was trashed, but the body was straight and it showed signs of having been, at least at one time in its history, well cared for. I popped the rear hood and almost as soon as I did that the owner of a nearby tavern came charging out the door. "Hey, whaddyathinkyurdoin"?, he yelled. I told him I thought it was a derelict and that I might be interested in buying it. His tune changed fast. He told me that he had taken it in trade for a bar bill. He wanted $850 for it. Geez, the PO must have been a heavy drinker! I offered him $550 and he jumped at it so fast it made me think I should have offered him less.
I went home and got a spare wheel and tire (from another of my VWs) and slapped it on the Bug. Then I had my first experience with driving an AutoStick (with really crummy vacuum hosing I might add). It started right up and struggled to get going in First. But I got him home. I did change out the hosing (among lotsa other things) and the little guy now runs like a top.

68autobug · 01 November 2007, 14:39

Good work Mike...

its looks very "original" which is something I really like...

even though I have this painting bug [no pun intended]
and I paint everything thats not moving....

I love your air cleaner... distributor,. carburetor...
and those NEVER Used in Australia tail lamps....

Now how about some interior shots Mike...

cheers

Lee -

Chris the Eagle · 02 November 2007, 00:35

Well, here is my restoration in progress. It is a 1969 Autostick that has seen much better days, but I hope to make it look like new. I found this jewel in the small town where my wife was born and I only paid $500 for the car. The only rust that was present on the car was under the rear luggage compartment and the floor board in the backseat. All the glass was original and the rear defogger windows were still in great shape. These pictures are from the first week of having the car home.

Since these pics, I have stripped the interior and replaced 75% of the wiring, gave it a new set of tires, primered interior and in the process of replacing rusted panels. I have replaced all the engine wiring and all the engine rubber. Soon I hope to have the motor out and replace and paint all that is needed. I will have more pics soon.

Bookwus · 02 November 2007, 05:49

Hiya Chris,

Well, you've got a lot of work to do. But you know what? I envy you. This is the really fun time of working on an old VW. It changes right before your eyes. You actually get to bring something back to life. Have fun!

68autobug · 02 November 2007, 07:23

You must enjoy hard work Mike....

that was the rustiest engine I've ever seen...
looks like the car was originally white...

Best of luck to chris..
a lot of work ahead of you...

it does look original and has pop out windows too....
pop outs were never sold in Australia..
but many have been imported over the past few years..
I have a set to add to My beetle...

cheers

Lee

volkenstein · 02 November 2007, 13:48

All,
Here's the oft quoted but never seen "Klaus". Now redolant in rear window livery!

The donk.

The livery..

Volkenstein

volkenstein · 02 November 2007, 13:59

Mike,
Schweet bug there! Very nice..and wotz that TLS equipped beastie I see (or is that my fevered and squinty sight gone awry?) lurking there?

Chris,
Aways to go!! And we'll help as much as we can..

Lee,
We really should get Damien to rejoin (for those who know Killakornkob, his bug has been out of action for a long time and his apprenticeship keeps him very busy) and post up and convince Laura to add PBB (Pretty Blue Bug) as well.

Paul/Pod?? Dennis (BTL069)?? Olgun?? C'mon lurkers!!!

Sean aka Volkenstein

Bookwus · 02 November 2007, 14:39

Hiya Sean,

Whoa! I REALLY like that green! That's not a USA color. I checked my copy of Garwood and he does not list Moss Green Metalic (L95C) as an available paint option until 1974. And that's still not in the USA. Boy, I do like that color. Geez, and the brown interior too. Klaus is one good looking Bug! And the decal turned out great!

OK, now go easy with the Ozspeak on me. Remember, I'm just a simple Yank. TLS? Might you be referring to my Bus?

volkenstein · 03 November 2007, 00:07

Mike,
The '70 donor bug I chopped was "Ascot Green" and I think that was a VW colour all over the place. As I mentioned in my email "Moss Green" was used for one, or maybe two, years in Australia. The paint plate is from Dulux, at one time a massive supplier of all paint types here along with Berger who also did VW paints here.
When I got him (from Adelaide, about 750 miles away and a punishing weekends drive..) the paint was a little faded/chalky but polished up pretty good.

I have actually called the colour Exorcist Projectile Vomit Green

TLS? Twin Leading Shoe brakes. I was referring to the motorbike I can just see the front wheel of

Regards
Sean

68autobug · 03 November 2007, 01:03

I believe most of the colors Volkswagen Australasia used were unique to Australia... We never had any Metallic paints at All... never...
as Sean said, Berger and Dulux aussie paints were used..

even though Auto beetles were fully imported from Germany...
so the original colors would have been German VW...
it seems most early autosticks that came to Australia were white...

Sean,
We need to see more pics, in the sunshine...
the shadows make it hard to see....
and I looked but cannot see the Motorcycle wheel...??
Maybe My eyesight is getting worse...

So, Sean,
that isn't the original body on Klaus??
its an Aussie assembed or CKD Beetle body...

Lee

Bookwus · 03 November 2007, 05:21

Hiya Sean,

TLS..........Twin Leading Shoes! Thank you for the translation.

Yup. That's one of my other vices. A 1973 Honda CL350. When I was a kid I wanted one of those bikes so bad I could taste it. Never had the money for one though. Had to settle for a Honda 90. That was a lot of fun, but it wasn't a 350. So, now that I'm an old fart, I decided to finally get that bike. The bike was a basket case (Yeah Lee, I really do enjoy putting them together) and it has taken two separate restorations to get looking like................

volkenstein · 03 November 2007, 05:28

Lee,
The motorcylce wheel is in Mike's first pic.

I would imagine Klaus would be a CKD import as VWA?
It's the original paint & Dulux Tag and I can't imagine Germany shipping a fully assembled primed shell.
I was telling Mike I have seen 4 Bugs around Canberra, all 71's as far as I can tell, with the same colour and one of them is
a 71 rustbucket Autostick too.

Might bear some investigation when I can spare some time...

Mike, just saw your reply...CL350...rare breed you got there! With US Scrambler exhaust?

Regards
Sean

Bookwus · 03 November 2007, 06:28

Hiya Sean,

Quote from: volkenstein on 03 November 2007, 05:28
Mike, just saw your reply...CL350...rare breed you got there! With US Scrambler exhaust?

Original "up" dual exhaust in great shape. Basically, with only the exception of some newer electrical fittings, the bike is exactly as it rolled off the dealer floor in '73.

Achilles · 04 November 2007, 15:27

No got complete pics yet but you can see my progress here: http://ghiablog.blogspot.com/

Bookwus · 04 November 2007, 16:02

Hiya Larry,

Thanks for sharing. Now that looks like a quality project! Keep us up to date. I'm wanting to see how that KG turns out.