Second time around in SoCal

This is the place to introduce yourself and tell us a little about yourself.....
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Rubin66
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Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:29 pm
Location: SoCal

Second time around in SoCal

Post by Rubin66 »

I would like to say hello the forum and tell a little about myself. Due to time involved, I’m not regularly active in such discussions, but will post and respond to selected topics. I would also like to research the ’66 model year and discover which months the minor changes occurred in, such as the outside door handle change etc.
I’m now 53 years old and have always been fascinated by machinery. VW’s came early in life as my older brother had one first before I had a license. It was a Black ’63 Bug his father-in-law had given him. I learned to drive in it, back and forth in reverse and first in a little 30’ by 60’ backyard lawn. Since then I’ve became a professional foreign auto mechanic, and the past owner of numerous foreign and domestic cars, including over 9 beetles from a ’61 Sunroof to a ’67 1200A Standard from Holland.
One of my particular favorites was one ’66 Bug that fell into my lap just as I had sold the ’61. A fellow mechanic had too many cars, and offered it to me for a fair price for the time of $600. It was Bahama Blue, needed some minor rear clip repair and had a tired 1300 that I rebuilt with 1600 cylinders, having the heads fly cut to allow the larger bore. While apart, I also had the body repaired and painted there at the body shop at Waggon’s Unlimited in Glendora, California circa 1979 or so.
Wow, what a quick, nimble and drivable Bug! With only the big bore kit, a 4-Tuned exhaust, the raised compression ratio (I have no idea how much, few thousands off the heads to clean them up), and I believe the increased squish area of the chambers, it was fast and responsive. With the 4:37 rear axle ratio, it had excellent acceleration, passing and cruising speeds, as well as acceptable MPG.
I drove it for a year or so, and then had to sell it to buy another VW project. Marriage, life in general and a long term career with Volvo lead me away from VW’s for over 20 years. Well, I recently attended the spring 2009 VW Drag Day at Irwindale Raceway, and was re-bitten by the bug! I had to have one again, so I searched high and low for something ’66 or earlier, original, affordable, and drivable.
For a few weeks I closely watched The Samba ads for something, but saw nothing that was close or interesting. I luckily uncovered the perfect car in my own back yard when I asked my old friend “Crazy” Joe Kossky of Crazy Joes Eurocars in Whittier, Ca if he had anything he would part with in his large collection of cool old VW projects. When he mentioned an original, one owner ’66 bug he had recently obtained from the original owner, (who was also a long time customer of his) I had to have a look at it.
After some negotiations, given the shape it was in, we agreed that $2500 was a fair price for it, and I am now the proud owner. It’s showing 32,423 miles (probably at least 132K actual), has badly faded original Ruby Red paint, typical shrunken vinyl on the door panels, and basically needs everything. But 0riginality is what I wanted, and that’s what I got, unmolested and undisturbed.
So now the fun begins, slowly restoring it as I drive it. I plan to use the best parts I can afford, and concentrate on function before form. I’m not into Mp3’s or CD players, so it should remain 6v as long as the lights are bright and it starts. When the engine comes out for freshening up, it will certainly get a 85.5mm Big Bore kit! Last will be to paint it, as you only get original paint once, and I hope to simply preserve it as best as practical for now. I hope to post a picture to complement this letter.
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jmartini
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Post by jmartini »

Hi Rubin66 - and welcome to the Forum - great story about your long standing relationship with the VWs - hope to see the picture soon!
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rokemester
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Posts: 274
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:46 pm
Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Your new bug

Post by rokemester »

Sounds like we will be on a similar track as I am trailering a red 66 to Cleveland early in June. My first step will be to get the car running, then I will begin to determine how deep do I want to go in restoring the car.

Mike
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