My first car

[USSVWBEETLE]

THe horror, the horror. The old lady sold it to a hippie last night. I was fuming It sat there for three years and no one has even looked at it, and when I have money to buy it, it's gone. Murpheys law. I just hope I can find another one.

[noR]

nice That'll be fun.

[Beetlescott]

Good luck!!!!! My very first car was a 1956 Beetle, that was 37 years ago. Now I have moved up to a 1973 Super Beetle!!!!

[USSVWBEETLE]

Scratch that '76 bug, after it was sold I went on an expedition to find another one. Then I found a 1972, it is in great condition. Only a few minor problems and it will be road worthy! Hoping to pick it up this weekend!!!!!!

[USSVWBEETLE]

Yay! Went and bought the Beetle on saturday. It is an amazing little car, I heard it back fire a few times, and when it did I smiled. Stuff like that gives it a personality. I tried the picture upload thing to give you an idea of what it looks like(The picture isn't of it, but it is a close comparison). Now, I just have to name it.

[xscribe]

very nice!
First thing to do is get a hold of John Muir's "How to keep your volkswagen alive". It is very important to do proper maintenance to keep it running right and will save you a ton of money to do the work yourself.
good luck!

[USSVWBEETLE]

Yeah! Finally brought her home (by the way my mom came up with the name, Janus). Here are a few pic's. I love this car, I probably spent hours already just cleaning it up this weekend. Now I have something to do on senior skip day.

[FineExampl]

Awesome! My first was a 72 as well.

[JonK]

Congrats on your Air-Cooled Bug!!!!


JonK

[Beetlescott]

Congratulations! I love your Blue bug!!! I want the hubcaps so bad. I have to buy the wheels and all to get the look I want. Keep us posted on what you do to her, (or him)! Great find!!!

[USSVWBEETLE]

Yeah, it was really worth it. I probably spent 6 hours on saturday just cleaning her up. Then I spent a few hours on sunday just admiring it. I always loved the Beetle, but now that I have one, it seems to be so much more beautiful. I jsut need to do a little more work on it to get it road worthy. I'll get some better pictures up soon.

[bearzworkshop]

Welcome to the world of airheads. Remember to watch the oil level and keep the valves adjusted. Listen to what the car tells you.

[USSVWBEETLE]

Finally can get a computer. Time now for an update on my Bug. I found out that looks can be decieving. I have to do a ground up restoration. You know, the usual of taking out the floorpans, replacing the heater channel, fenders, upholstery etc. Anyway, I am getting my feet wet fast with this stuff. I hope to have everything done by September of '09, maybe without a paint job. But anyway, it will be a fun project.

[bearzworkshop]

Heater channels anf floor pans are the only major jobs you listed.

Fenders and uphostery are afternoon jobs.

If you do both full pans it is easier to pull the body but if you are doing partial pans or fiberglassing they can be done in place.

If you need new channels you should do both pans while you are at it.

I recommend putting disc brakes on as soon as you get a chance. Remember it is a 35 year old car so drive like an old man, thise brake drums are not like the brakes on newer cars.

[bearzworkshop]

Just noticed on the pictures, you said it was a '72 but those rear fenders and lights are '73 and later. You might want to check the VIN on the body and floor to see what it really is. Many bugs have titles that do not match the car.

[Ollie]

Don't let heater channels/rockers scare you- I let them once and really regret not having my Thing now. great bug- you'll do fine

[chiltepin]

Why Janus? That's the two-headed god of doors and gates, looking to the past and the future.

[USSVWBEETLE]

Originally Posted by bearzworkshop

Just noticed on the pictures, you said it was a '72 but those rear fenders and lights are '73 and later. You might want to check the VIN on the body and floor to see what it really is. Many bugs have titles that do not match the car.

It is a 1973, the guy I bought it from said on the ad it was a '72 but I did look on the door sticker and it wasn't a '72. Anyway, It is full floor pans. My dad's cutting out one side while I am getting the bolts out on the other. It seems scary at first but I'm sure once we get it rolling it'll go by fast. With Michigan winter though, we won't be able to spend hours at a time out in the back. And on her name, my mom preffered 'Bubbles', and what mom says goes, (she named her '08 Rabbit 'Rudy' in the first week she had it).

[thorgipsy]

Janus was the name of my high school yearbook.
It was a Catholic school with a Roman mythology reference, how odd!

Good luck with the beetle, it's a nice looking bug!

[max-five]

Keep an open mind about the name. Bugs name themselves. If yours likes Janus, it will answer to that. If not, it will tell you what to call it. Notice I say IT since you can't judge their gender. My 66 convertible is a male named Wilson. My 69 bus is a female named Sunshine. We named the 05tornado red convertible Pepper but before long, it told us to call it Ladybug.