1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country

PAVAN KADAM · 26th June 2014, 09:20

Yes, yet another 1968 VW Beetle belonging to Dr Philip Varghese, Ex-Bangalore car came down from Gods own Country. Looked Solid, a decent runner, but the paint job was past its prime, Engine used to overheat on short runs and a few electrical and mechanical Blunders.

A Straight forward approach and the goal towards achieving a simple Stock look with No modifications whatsoever and inching towards originality. But knowing me, i added my own touch in concurrence with Dr.

PAVAN KADAM · 26th June 2014, 09:58

PAINT JOB - A simple Two-tone Glasurit Paint job, Origianal VW Kansas Beige on top and a dash or Pearl white for the other half. And 3 coats of Glasurit Clear coat.

MECHANICAL MODS -
1) Gas filled Shocks
2) Electronic Distributor with Flame thrower
3) Re-jetting the 32 PICT carb
4) Valve grinding and Re-adjusting the gaps
5) Replacement Tail-pipes
6) Brand new Brakes, including the Master and wheel cylinders, Metal brake hoses and rubber flexible hoses replaced
7) Copper fuel pipe
8) New Clutch components

UPHOLSTERY - Again a Two-tone Beige Fabric - Brown Rexine combination with Cream Roof-lining and Oat-meal loop carpets

COSMETIC - all original fittings with gravel guards as accessories and one flagpost lights upfront and Rim beauty Trims

ELECTRICALS - New Finolex divided wiring loom, with battery kill switch, and a Brand new Alternator.

latentpotential · 26th June 2014, 10:12

That is a beauty you have there buddy! Congrats on the same, and excellent job from my perspective. Hopefully, in some time, I hope to have a beetle in hand as well.

26th June 2014, 10:12

No words to express my feelings. i don't think, i will find any in the oxford dictionary. Superb work.

The color of Paint selected, the application and attention to details. Superb.

The way the interiors are restored not to factory standard. In my opinion they are far superior than what VW made it in 60's.

Your attention to detail and your demand for utmost quality clearly shows. I wish you many happy miles in your new Beetle. And thanks a ton for sharing a beautiful restoration project.

And last but not the least. The number plates somehow look old and i personally prefer the RTA approved fonts and sizes. Please get it fixed.

saket77 · 26th June 2014, 10:42

Beautiful that bug looks now! Hats off to your attention for detail and the subtle mods, though not cosmetic. The paint looks very nice and the interiors look top notch. BTW, did you change the nickel plated bumpers? If not, how did you manage to get a shining look to them as they looked rusted before the restoration?
At last, I would re-iterate Gemi's concern - that number plate looks slightly out of place now. Get the standard plates.

AtheK · 26th June 2014, 15:17

As they say, old is gold. If you don't mind sharing, how much was the entire cost of restoration.

carpacman · 26th June 2014, 15:18

Love the interiors, especially the upholstery tone and the steering wheel. IMO a livelier paint job would have restored the spirit of the beetle even better. Enjoy the ride!

saket77 · 26th June 2014, 15:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpacman

Love the interiors, especially the upholstery tone and the steering wheel. IMO a livelier paint job would have restored the spirit of the beetle even better. Enjoy the ride!

True. Though the current color is very nice too, but the stock yellow color would have been in the spirit of the Beetle.

SnS_12 · 26th June 2014, 16:51

Yet another lovely bug rolls out of your workshop. Its a pleasure to see you restore these ageing beauties and giving them a much deserved new lease of life.

I wanted to pay you a visit, while I was in Bangalore two weeks back, but due to prior commitments I could not do so. Hopefully the next time I am in Bangalore.

As I hail from Kerala and since there are a good numbers of bugs out there, would be a delight to see one in flesh and specially one, which has been restored by you.

M00M · 26th June 2014, 18:20

Great Restoration. Wish i could get my hands on a Classic Beetle as well.

createrkid · 26th June 2014, 18:35

This is absolute beauty personified. The best part I liked about it were the interiors. Really neat. The color doesn't appeal to me much but that's just my opinion but it's phenomenally restored. Engine bay looks well set and neat too.

Servegaar · 26th June 2014, 20:23

The colour you have chosen has enhanced the beauty of the car. Hats off to your attention to detail. Wish you many happy miles ahead.

srikrishna717 · 27th June 2014, 09:02

Pawan,
Beautiful restoration. Kudos to your imagination and execution excellence with attention to detail!

YakubKC · 27th June 2014, 10:39

Another gorgeous beetle ready to turn heads and twist necks in Gods Own Country. The engine bay looks really neat and also love the ambient white lighting inside. Can't wait to bump into it somewhere! Pawan, I'll get in touch with you soon regarding my Bug - great to see the enthusiasm you have for bringing Bugs back on the road.

Shantanu1970 · 27th June 2014, 12:24

Simply beautiful.
Brilliant attention to detailing.
Love the footwell lights.
Please share some pictures of the interiors in daylight.

26th June 2014, 09:20	#1
PAVAN KADAM BANNED Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NAMMA BENGALURU Posts: 5,601 Thanked: 2,557 Times	1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country Yes, yet another 1968 VW Beetle belonging to Dr Philip Varghese, Ex-Bangalore car came down from Gods own Country. Looked Solid, a decent runner, but the paint job was past its prime, Engine used to overheat on short runs and a few electrical and mechanical Blunders. A Straight forward approach and the goal towards achieving a simple Stock look with No modifications whatsoever and inching towards originality. But knowing me, i added my own touch in concurrence with Dr. Attached Thumbnails
	(16) Thanks

26th June 2014, 09:58	#2
PAVAN KADAM BANNED Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NAMMA BENGALURU Posts: 5,601 Thanked: 2,557 Times	re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country PAINT JOB - A simple Two-tone Glasurit Paint job, Origianal VW Kansas Beige on top and a dash or Pearl white for the other half. And 3 coats of Glasurit Clear coat. MECHANICAL MODS - 1) Gas filled Shocks 2) Electronic Distributor with Flame thrower 3) Re-jetting the 32 PICT carb 4) Valve grinding and Re-adjusting the gaps 5) Replacement Tail-pipes 6) Brand new Brakes, including the Master and wheel cylinders, Metal brake hoses and rubber flexible hoses replaced 7) Copper fuel pipe 8) New Clutch components UPHOLSTERY - Again a Two-tone Beige Fabric - Brown Rexine combination with Cream Roof-lining and Oat-meal loop carpets COSMETIC - all original fittings with gravel guards as accessories and one flagpost lights upfront and Rim beauty Trims ELECTRICALS - New Finolex divided wiring loom, with battery kill switch, and a Brand new Alternator. Attached Thumbnails
	(37) Thanks

26th June 2014, 10:12	#3
latentpotential BHPian Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pune (1-4 DND) Posts: 509 Thanked: 419 Times	re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country That is a beauty you have there buddy! Congrats on the same, and excellent job from my perspective. Hopefully, in some time, I hope to have a beetle in hand as well.
	(1) Thanks

26th June 2014, 10:12	#4
gemi_kk Posts: n/a	re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country No words to express my feelings. i don't think, i will find any in the oxford dictionary. Superb work. The color of Paint selected, the application and attention to details. Superb. The way the interiors are restored not to factory standard. In my opinion they are far superior than what VW made it in 60's. Your attention to detail and your demand for utmost quality clearly shows. I wish you many happy miles in your new Beetle. And thanks a ton for sharing a beautiful restoration project. And last but not the least. The number plates somehow look old and i personally prefer the RTA approved fonts and sizes. Please get it fixed.
	(2) Thanks

26th June 2014, 10:42	#5
saket77 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: India Posts: 4,839 Thanked: 14,737 Times	re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country Beautiful that bug looks now! Hats off to your attention for detail and the subtle mods, though not cosmetic. The paint looks very nice and the interiors look top notch. BTW, did you change the nickel plated bumpers? If not, how did you manage to get a shining look to them as they looked rusted before the restoration? At last, I would re-iterate Gemi's concern - that number plate looks slightly out of place now. Get the standard plates.
	(1) Thanks

26th June 2014, 15:17	#6
AtheK Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,260 Thanked: 10,237 Times View My Garage	Re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country As they say, old is gold. If you don't mind sharing, how much was the entire cost of restoration.
	(1) Thanks

26th June 2014, 15:18	#7
carpacman BHPian Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Bangalore Posts: 45 Thanked: 18 Times	Re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country Love the interiors, especially the upholstery tone and the steering wheel. IMO a livelier paint job would have restored the spirit of the beetle even better. Enjoy the ride!
	(2) Thanks

26th June 2014, 16:51	#9
SnS_12 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,455 Thanked: 10,792 Times View My Garage	Re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country Yet another lovely bug rolls out of your workshop. Its a pleasure to see you restore these ageing beauties and giving them a much deserved new lease of life. I wanted to pay you a visit, while I was in Bangalore two weeks back, but due to prior commitments I could not do so. Hopefully the next time I am in Bangalore. As I hail from Kerala and since there are a good numbers of bugs out there, would be a delight to see one in flesh and specially one, which has been restored by you.
	(1) Thanks

26th June 2014, 18:20	#10
M00M BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Mumbai Posts: 855 Thanked: 1,323 Times	Re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country Great Restoration. Wish i could get my hands on a Classic Beetle as well.
	(1) Thanks

26th June 2014, 18:35	#11
createrkid BHPian Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Dhaka, BD Posts: 276 Thanked: 462 Times	Re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country This is absolute beauty personified. The best part I liked about it were the interiors. Really neat. The color doesn't appeal to me much but that's just my opinion but it's phenomenally restored. Engine bay looks well set and neat too.
	(1) Thanks

26th June 2014, 20:23	#12
Servegaar BHPian Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Bangalore Posts: 26 Thanked: 16 Times	Re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country The colour you have chosen has enhanced the beauty of the car. Hats off to your attention to detail. Wish you many happy miles ahead.
	(1) Thanks

27th June 2014, 09:02	#13
srikrishna717 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 154 Thanked: 110 Times	Re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country Pawan, Beautiful restoration. Kudos to your imagination and execution excellence with attention to detail!
	(1) Thanks

27th June 2014, 10:39	#14
YakubKC BHPian Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: BLR Posts: 59 Thanked: 63 Times	Re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country Another gorgeous beetle ready to turn heads and twist necks in Gods Own Country. The engine bay looks really neat and also love the ambient white lighting inside. Can't wait to bump into it somewhere! Pawan, I'll get in touch with you soon regarding my Bug - great to see the enthusiasm you have for bringing Bugs back on the road.
	(1) Thanks

27th June 2014, 12:24	#15
Shantanu1970 BHPian Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Dubai Posts: 31 Thanked: 99 Times View My Garage	Re: 1968 VW Beetle Restoration - From God's own Country Simply beautiful. Brilliant attention to detailing. Love the footwell lights. Please share some pictures of the interiors in daylight.
	(1) Thanks