82 VW Bug for conversion??

[vpoppv]

My neighbor is moving to Colorado and he doesn't want to tow his VW. It is pretty thrashed, but it had some goodies that caught my eye. It has a new, in the box, alternator. It has a spare fiberglass hood and whatever the part underneath the hood connected to the fenders is called (apron??). It has a lot of chrome stuff on the engine. It has a gasoline heater. I really hate those huge dune buggy rims and tires on the back though. He wants $500 for it, but I don't think I can get that much for all the parts. Oh, and supposedly the transaxle has just been overhauled. What does everyone think?

[Frank Lee]

I didn't think there were '82 Bugs in the U.S.

[Old Mechanic]

Picked this up last week.
$700 + $100 for a Painless wiring harness.

regards
Mech

[vpoppv]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

Picked this up last week.
$700 + $100 for a Painless wiring harness.

regards
Mech

Now THAT is beautiful!

Neighbor said it was an 82, looks like they stopped making them before then, but I know zilch about VW. I've only owned ONE; it was a 63 that I paid $60 for. I cleaned out the fuel line and drove it until my wife blew the engine. I can't blame her though, because I never ONCE checked the oil the whole time I owned it, and I hear that kind of thing matters, especially on air-cooled engines.

[Old Mechanic]

The Fiberfab kit was something like $3500 in 1982. This one is on a 73 bug chassis with a dual port 1600 cc engine. The title says 63k original miles. It has never been on the road or finished. The gent I bought it from got it from his dad when he passed. He was moving to California and did not want to ship it there.

It cant weigh much, easiest car to push I have ever seen on dirt and gravel parking lot.

The front parking lamps are brand new in the box. I need to finish installing the shifter, parking brake, and wiring harness. Looks like about 40 hours total work. Even came with new brake lines, engine mounts, and all the gauges necessary to complete the job. Only thing missing is the shift rod and some of the shifter linkage, even got two new e-brake cables.

Brand new, never installed, muffler assembly and gaskets.


regards
Mech

[Clev]

Should be a nice conversion; bugs are pretty popular conversion candidates. Don't forget a build log!

[vpoppv]

Just checked with the neighbor, and he got out the registration: it's a '72.....

[Clev]

Originally Posted by vpoppv

Just checked with the neighbor, and he got out the registration: it's a '72.....

That explains it. :-)

[MPaulHolmes]

Oh snapping turtle! Mine's a 1971! It was super easy to work on. If it were up to me, I would suggest that you do it. Everything on it is so darn mechanical. It all makes sense. Those Germans done good with it.

[vpoppv]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

Oh snapping turtle! Mine's a 1971! It was super easy to work on. If it were up to me, I would suggest that you do it. Everything on it is so darn mechanical. It all makes sense. Those Germans done good with it.

Well, I think you're the first person to actually tell me to get it. I had someone from high school tell me not to get it, because she owned three and said they are money pits. I didn't have the guts to ask why she would get 3 if they were such money pits? She then said that before you know it, you have to replace an alternator, a clutch, etc. I don't think so! Those are the first things I take OUT! Since you have the actual experience of buying one, and converting it, I would think your advice would have the most bearing. Or maybe your advice needs bearings? I need to find some bearing grease.
So how IS your bug doing anyway? Do you still drive it?