Classic/Antique Car Repair/vw superbeetle

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Expert: Paul Wilczynski - 2/27/2009


Question
Hello! I have a 1979 superbeetle convertible. It was parked outside for 4 years..not driven. The bottom is rusted out. There is some rust around the windshield. It will need a new paint job. The headliner also needs to be replaced. It started but will not hold...not sure. It also needs new brakes and cylinders. I figure it will cost between 5000 and 6000. Do you think it's worth it or just let it go. It's such a fun car! I appreciate your help.

Answer
Deborah:

I think the question here is not "is is worth it?", but rather, "can you get it done properly?".

You don't mention if the body outriggers (the big, square tubes that run down the length of the car, under the running boards) are still intact, or if they're gone due to rust. If they're rusted away, it's a huge job to have them replaced or re-fabricated, and this is absolutely essential to the structure of the car. Additionally, the replacement work needs to be done by a specialist. Left undone, or done improperly means that the car will lack structural integrity ( even with a brand new chassis pan!) and will be unsafe to drive. Chances are that the doors won't even stay shut.

So, it goes beyond engine and brakes--before I did either of those relatively simple tasks, I would have the body and pan rebuilt by a competent, experienced VW specialist, even if you have to travel 500 miles to find him.

Good luck with your decision!

--Paul  

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Paul Wilczynski

Expertise

Most questions involving vintage car restoration, mechanical and body, paint and upholstery. Parts sourcing. Extensive experience in wood-bodied station wagons, British and French cars of the '40s through '70s. Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Sunbeam Alpine and Tiger, Citroen Maserati, VW Beetle, 1955-65 Chevrolet (especially Nomad station wagons), Corvair.

Experience

Wide-ranging and long-term. I owned a restoration shop in the 1970s, continue to dabble in vintage exotics. At one time, had a seven-car collection of contemporary exotics which I had restored and maintained myself. When I was 18 years old, I designed a woodie kit for the VW Beetle, which I developed into a product which was featured on television and in over 100 magazines and 25 books at last count. I still own and drive one of my creations. I owned a design and fabrication consultancy from 1982-2002, specializing in show car fabrication for manufacturers including Ford, Mazda, GM, Subaru, Mitsubishi, etc. Since 2003, I have been a department manager in Industrial Design, and a full-time instructor in automotive design and fabrication at the university level. My students go on to design automobiles as staff designers for major auto manufacturers worldwide.

Organizations
Western Automotive Journalists, Industrial Design Society of America.

Publications
Long list of magazines and books, including Playboy, VW Trends, VW Greats, Hot VWs, and European automotive magazines.

Education/Credentials
I teach design and fabrication at university level. My education is in Industrial Design, University of Illinois (1966-1970).

Awards and Honors
Many awards for restorations in local concours and shows.

Past/Present Clients
Mazda, Ford, GM, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, Mercedes, Porsche.

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