Here’s an interesting photo, from the Port of Everett (Washington). It’s a bunch (gaggle? flock? covey? plague?) of beetles coming in the country in 1963. I wish the photo were in color. And notice how the cars have been stripped of their hubcaps? Kind of like taking off your shoes to board a plane, nowadays, I guess. I wonder if there’s a box of hubcaps inside each of these VWs?
Today I removed some more pieces. The front bumper (what was left of it), the rear bumper, and the horn. It’s amazing how much more rust is shown in the photos than what you see with your own eyes. I find myself taking a photo and loading it on the computer saying “Wow, that looks bad!”. I guess I could stop taking photos and the rust would just go away.
Work time: about 20 minutes.
I bought some heater vent covers and retaining clips off of TheSamba.com. Getting bug parts in the mail is just like Christmas. A rustier, dirtier Christmas.
Not sure what color they should be. Black? Gray? Should they match the carpet? Pearl White, like the body? Don’t know yet.
Add $40.75 to the Bug Bill.
Disassembly continues with the dash components. Removed the radio (I keep calling it a stereo) the grilles on either side of the speedometer, the fuel gauge, the ashtray, and the speaker. Tried to make a bunch of photographs to document how everything was hooked up.
A couple of observations: the radio is not original. There are markings on the case, ones says “Gadsden” and the other says “won’t play.” Since I have to guess — the bug was in Gadsden, and sent off the radio to some other city/dealer for repair. The original radio was a “Wolfsburg” (Blaupunkt, I think) according to the birth certificate that indicated code “M-95”. Also, the front windshield rim rust areas are rusted through to the electrical area, but there’s not widespread rust/damage underneath. That’s somewhat encouraging. It makes me think that once the windshield area cancers had eaten through the shell, the car was put aside, or mothballed, or whatever. Because it seems like the rust would’ve continued unabated and done a lot more damage. Although the speaker paper cone was completely gone, there’s not a lot of water damage in behind the dash.
Work time: 45 minutes to an hour. Photos following:
