My 1967 1500cc VW Beetle - Restoration done

71Convertible · 4th February 2008, 18:41

I found an spark plug interchange spreadsheet that shows interchangablity between most brands -- for ex -- what the Denso equiv of the Bosch number you show above. BTW, the stock number is W8AC and I have a W145T -- which is the same as the W8AC but uses the older numbering system.

Will email u the XL file tomorrow.
Byas

PAVAN KADAM · 5th February 2008, 14:42

Thanks Byas,

I've been doing some search for the same.

Right now with Denso the cars just flying.

Will look forward for the XL file.

thanks

chargerman · 19th February 2008, 20:25

good job pavan but there are a few things which need to be looked into, as a beetle purists- your tail lights are off a 68+ model, the 1303 badge only came on the superbeetles which came after 1973 that too with macpherson struts in front, the 1303 has a curved front windscreen and padded dashboard. your 67 could not have a 1500cc engine as this was introduced in 1968 if you give me the engine number i can tell you what it is and if its a 67 1500 it should have disc brakes in front. also your seats in front are not correct, dont get me wrong here, its a great effort but its not original, u can do things over the years to make it original though. all the best.

PAVAN KADAM · 20th February 2008, 13:27

Chargerman,

Thanks for your reply,
I Have few things for you
1)(Few things which need to be looked into, as a beetle purists- your tail lights are off a 68+ model)

The tail lights are of 1967-1968 mfd between September 1967 and August 1968.
Yes the 1967 Beetles also came with smaller tail lights, but were changed during this upgrade.

Different models for different countries were made and hence fewer changes were made.

2) The 1303 badge only came on the superbeetles which came after 1973

Yes the 1303 Badge is not original. It should be a Volkswagen, which will be coming soon.

3) Your 67 could not have a 1500cc engine as this was introduced in 1968
Mine is a true 1967 and 1500 and if you go through some history on VW's you will know that the 1500's were manufactured only from September 1967 till August 1968.

1967 Volkswagen Beetle
Manufacturer Volkswagen
Class Subcompact car
Body style(s) 2-door cabriolet
2-door coupé
Engine(s) 1500 cc OHV
air-cooled rear-mounted Flat-4
40 kW (53 bhp) @ 4200 rpm
105 Nm (78 ft·lbf) @2600 torque
bore 83 mm
stroke 69 mm
comp ratio 7.5:1
Transmission(s) 4 speed manual
Wheelbase 2400 mm (94.5 in)
Length 4079 mm (160.6 in)
Width 1539 mm (60.6 in)

Google Search results

The Volkswagen Beetle underwent significant changes for the 1967 model. While the car appeared similar to earlier models, much of the drivetrain was noticeably upgraded. Some of the changes to the Beetle included a bigger engine for the second year in a row. Horsepower had been increased to 37 kW (50 hp) the previous year, and for 1967 it was increased even more, to 40 kW (53 hp).

This would answer your question about my 1967 being a 1500 and a 53 bhp engine.
My bore size is 83mm. have the old piston rings for the proof.

Will that answer you or pls let me know if you want some more info on my engine, i'll be glad to do so.

4) Also your seats in front are not correct,

The seats are also from a true 1500 cc.
You want some pics on this also, will be glad to do it.

The handles are not oringinal for your info.

Thanks for your comments, not being offensive to them, i would like to give you some info on the car that has taken 1 yr of persuance to buy and the next 1 yr to detail it during restoration,and owning it for 5 yrs i've gone through all books and sites that give me the the best of information about my car.

And to sum it up mine is the car that was the limited edition of Beetles that came out in September 1967.

KARL YOUR INPUTS MAY BE REQUIRED ON THIS

The Beetle Saga continues.

karlosdeville · 20th February 2008, 14:31

There is one factor that is consistently overlooked in determining the exact model year of most cars. The 'model year' of the car may be different to the date of production. Upto the early 50s, that was not the case but later the model year started in August/September. Meaning, a car sold in November 67 is officially designated by the factory as part of the 68 model lineup. It can lead to a lot of confusion.

Moreso, the 67 model Beetle was a one off, appearing only for that year. There were many bits and pieces that were unique to the 67. It was an amalgum of sorts. 67 was also the transition year for the headlight design. If im not mistaken, your car should not have the sloping headlights and fenders as well. (Am 99% sure on this, but you seem to have your research done so Ill leave some room for error ;-)

PAVAN KADAM · 20th February 2008, 14:44

Thanks Karl,

This is a German make and came with the Oval head lights, early pics of the car had these lights on them, lateron modified by some moron with the ambassador head lights.

Would like to know when's your beetle coming off the assembly line.
. ..__
. /___\'
(O\ | /O)
.U````U

cheers

karlosdeville · 20th February 2008, 19:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

This is a German make and came with the Oval head lights, early pics of the car had these lights on them, lateron modified by some moron with the ambassador head lights.

Im not contesting your claim, but do you have any documentation or links to supplement this? I was under the impression those are incorrect lights.

71Convertible · 20th February 2008, 22:13

Hey Pavan,
What's the vin/chassis number on the car?

VW model year starts Aug 1. So an Aug 1, 1967 onwards is considered a 68 model year. (You may already know this -- wasn't mentioned in the couple of posts above this so thought I'd mention).

As u mentioned that the 1500 was manf from Sep 1967 to sometime in 68, that would again make it a 68 model year engine.

For 68 MY the headlights were changed to the circular ones. So it's interesting to me that your car came with a mix (68 engine, 67 lights).

Now, Fiat did this a lot. There are instances when they've even gone back and used parts from a 2 years earlier -- quality was never their forte

. I'm sure they are not the only manf who has done this.

VW too maded many running changes, but for the most part seems to have largely stuck to MY changes.

The chassis number should be able to clarify. BTW, you can even get a "Birth Certificate" from the Wolfsburg Museum which lists all the details and options the car left with and the exact date of manufacture, when it left the factory etc. I got one for mine.

PAVAN KADAM · 21st February 2008, 15:34

Would be interested in this Birth Certificate thing.

Pls let me know how to go about it.

karlosdeville · 21st February 2008, 16:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Would be interested in this Birth Certificate thing.

Pls let me know how to go about it.

Contact the official VW museum, called the Stiftung Automusuem
:: Volkswagen AutoMuseum :: Home

The procedure is detailed here.

TheSamba.com :: View topic - VW Birth Certificates

Quote:

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Im not contesting your claim, but do you have any documentation or links to supplement this? I was under the impression those are incorrect lights.

Can you please clear my doubt regarding the headlights? Im just curious thats all.

71Convertible · 21st February 2008, 17:10

Pavan,
You may have come across this, but if not... here's a good place to check your Model Year (MY) based on your chassis number. Chassis number on top of tunnel under rear seat if your plate is missing.

Beetle birth check - inerd.it WebSite!

B

71Convertible · 21st February 2008, 21:34

Just looked up my reference -- The Beetle, A comprehensive history... by Keith Seume -- the 67 was offered with the 1500. Many one year only features. The US bound version had 12V and diff fenders and the round headlights. Euro version still had 6V electrics, oval headlights, and front discs on the 1500. This was also the first year of trim change to the thin style. Tail lights were still the smaller 66 style. Trunk lid was the biggest visual change from the 66. One year only door handles as well. The 1500 engine was offered until 71 when the 1600 superseded it.

B

71Convertible · 22nd February 2008, 10:29

Pavan.
Just re-read your post, my source has couple of variances from your info:
* 1500 shown as avail from Aug 66 (start of MY 67) thru Jul 70. -- though dates are o
* Larger taillights started in Aug 67 -- these are considered MY 68
* Script on the back should be "Volkswagen" only for US beetles. UK/Eur/Export 67's had a "VW1500" badge
* the seatbacks with head-rests are a bit of a puzzler

Byas

PAVAN KADAM · 22nd February 2008, 16:22

Byas thanks,

Lets sit car to car and discuss this.

May be i am wrong, but theres still lot of scope of improvement that i welcome.

vintageman · 22nd February 2008, 22:06

Sorry to butt in guys , I restore cars to be daily drivers , I had a thread about - if restoration meant a show car or a daily driver , in my opinion a car restored with patience and love should be able to respond as a daily driver and if the restoration is true in spirit - is it required - to be true in letter . Kudos to the enthusiasts who restore to the ultimate but cars are supposed to be driven the showing buisness is the latter half . If a car is driven it can have a accident and may have to be re - restored.

Suggestions welcome if restorations need to be true in spirit or in word. Or if you cannot comply with one objective should the project be shelved ?

When these cars were actually in operation the mechanics took a lot of liberty to keep these vehicles in operation for the owners and in those times there was a lot of leeway allowed when these cars were shown with mismatched parts , maybe the advent of of the net changed things .

But hats off to all who have gone through the restoration process and come trumps up with a product which pleases them aesthetically and mentally . Being personally happy in the end product is what the restoration is all about.

It would be sad if the enthusiast got bogged down with the sematics of the exactness of the rtestoration.

Awini please comment.

4th February 2008, 18:41	#76
71Convertible BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 341 Thanked: 113 Times	I found an spark plug interchange spreadsheet that shows interchangablity between most brands -- for ex -- what the Denso equiv of the Bosch number you show above. BTW, the stock number is W8AC and I have a W145T -- which is the same as the W8AC but uses the older numbering system. Will email u the XL file tomorrow. Byas
	() Thanks

5th February 2008, 14:42	#77
PAVAN KADAM BANNED Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NAMMA BENGALURU Posts: 5,601 Thanked: 2,557 Times	Thanks Byas, I've been doing some search for the same. Right now with Denso the cars just flying. Will look forward for the XL file. thanks
	() Thanks

19th February 2008, 20:25	#78
chargerman BHPian Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh Posts: 242 Thanked: 195 Times	good job pavan but there are a few things which need to be looked into, as a beetle purists- your tail lights are off a 68+ model, the 1303 badge only came on the superbeetles which came after 1973 that too with macpherson struts in front, the 1303 has a curved front windscreen and padded dashboard. your 67 could not have a 1500cc engine as this was introduced in 1968 if you give me the engine number i can tell you what it is and if its a 67 1500 it should have disc brakes in front. also your seats in front are not correct, dont get me wrong here, its a great effort but its not original, u can do things over the years to make it original though. all the best.
	() Thanks

20th February 2008, 13:27	#79
PAVAN KADAM BANNED Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NAMMA BENGALURU Posts: 5,601 Thanked: 2,557 Times	Chargerman, Thanks for your reply, I Have few things for you 1)(Few things which need to be looked into, as a beetle purists- your tail lights are off a 68+ model) The tail lights are of 1967-1968 mfd between September 1967 and August 1968. Yes the 1967 Beetles also came with smaller tail lights, but were changed during this upgrade. Different models for different countries were made and hence fewer changes were made. 2) The 1303 badge only came on the superbeetles which came after 1973 Yes the 1303 Badge is not original. It should be a Volkswagen, which will be coming soon. 3) Your 67 could not have a 1500cc engine as this was introduced in 1968 Mine is a true 1967 and 1500 and if you go through some history on VW's you will know that the 1500's were manufactured only from September 1967 till August 1968. 1967 Volkswagen Beetle Manufacturer Volkswagen Class Subcompact car Body style(s) 2-door cabriolet 2-door coupé Engine(s) 1500 cc OHV air-cooled rear-mounted Flat-4 40 kW (53 bhp) @ 4200 rpm 105 Nm (78 ft·lbf) @2600 torque bore 83 mm stroke 69 mm comp ratio 7.5:1 Transmission(s) 4 speed manual Wheelbase 2400 mm (94.5 in) Length 4079 mm (160.6 in) Width 1539 mm (60.6 in) Google Search results The Volkswagen Beetle underwent significant changes for the 1967 model. While the car appeared similar to earlier models, much of the drivetrain was noticeably upgraded. Some of the changes to the Beetle included a bigger engine for the second year in a row. Horsepower had been increased to 37 kW (50 hp) the previous year, and for 1967 it was increased even more, to 40 kW (53 hp). This would answer your question about my 1967 being a 1500 and a 53 bhp engine. My bore size is 83mm. have the old piston rings for the proof. Will that answer you or pls let me know if you want some more info on my engine, i'll be glad to do so. 4) Also your seats in front are not correct, The seats are also from a true 1500 cc. You want some pics on this also, will be glad to do it. The handles are not oringinal for your info. Thanks for your comments, not being offensive to them, i would like to give you some info on the car that has taken 1 yr of persuance to buy and the next 1 yr to detail it during restoration,and owning it for 5 yrs i've gone through all books and sites that give me the the best of information about my car. And to sum it up mine is the car that was the limited edition of Beetles that came out in September 1967. KARL YOUR INPUTS MAY BE REQUIRED ON THIS The Beetle Saga continues. Last edited by PAVAN KADAM : 20th February 2008 at 13:32. Reason: Text alignment
	() Thanks

20th February 2008, 14:31	#80
karlosdeville Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 12,154 Thanked: 18,992 Times View My Garage	There is one factor that is consistently overlooked in determining the exact model year of most cars. The 'model year' of the car may be different to the date of production. Upto the early 50s, that was not the case but later the model year started in August/September. Meaning, a car sold in November 67 is officially designated by the factory as part of the 68 model lineup. It can lead to a lot of confusion. Moreso, the 67 model Beetle was a one off, appearing only for that year. There were many bits and pieces that were unique to the 67. It was an amalgum of sorts. 67 was also the transition year for the headlight design. If im not mistaken, your car should not have the sloping headlights and fenders as well. (Am 99% sure on this, but you seem to have your research done so Ill leave some room for error ;-)
	() Thanks

20th February 2008, 14:44	#81
PAVAN KADAM BANNED Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NAMMA BENGALURU Posts: 5,601 Thanked: 2,557 Times	Thanks Karl, This is a German make and came with the Oval head lights, early pics of the car had these lights on them, lateron modified by some moron with the ambassador head lights. Would like to know when's your beetle coming off the assembly line. . ..__ . /___\' (O\ \| /O) .U````U cheers Last edited by PAVAN KADAM : 20th February 2008 at 14:47. Reason: Text alignment
	() Thanks

20th February 2008, 22:13	#83
71Convertible BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 341 Thanked: 113 Times	Hey Pavan, What's the vin/chassis number on the car? VW model year starts Aug 1. So an Aug 1, 1967 onwards is considered a 68 model year. (You may already know this -- wasn't mentioned in the couple of posts above this so thought I'd mention). As u mentioned that the 1500 was manf from Sep 1967 to sometime in 68, that would again make it a 68 model year engine. For 68 MY the headlights were changed to the circular ones. So it's interesting to me that your car came with a mix (68 engine, 67 lights). Now, Fiat did this a lot. There are instances when they've even gone back and used parts from a 2 years earlier -- quality was never their forte . I'm sure they are not the only manf who has done this. VW too maded many running changes, but for the most part seems to have largely stuck to MY changes. The chassis number should be able to clarify. BTW, you can even get a "Birth Certificate" from the Wolfsburg Museum which lists all the details and options the car left with and the exact date of manufacture, when it left the factory etc. I got one for mine.
	() Thanks

21st February 2008, 15:34	#84
PAVAN KADAM BANNED Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NAMMA BENGALURU Posts: 5,601 Thanked: 2,557 Times	Would be interested in this Birth Certificate thing. Pls let me know how to go about it.
	() Thanks

21st February 2008, 17:10	#86
71Convertible BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 341 Thanked: 113 Times	Pavan, You may have come across this, but if not... here's a good place to check your Model Year (MY) based on your chassis number. Chassis number on top of tunnel under rear seat if your plate is missing. Beetle birth check - inerd.it WebSite! B
	() Thanks

21st February 2008, 21:34	#87
71Convertible BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 341 Thanked: 113 Times	Just looked up my reference -- The Beetle, A comprehensive history... by Keith Seume -- the 67 was offered with the 1500. Many one year only features. The US bound version had 12V and diff fenders and the round headlights. Euro version still had 6V electrics, oval headlights, and front discs on the 1500. This was also the first year of trim change to the thin style. Tail lights were still the smaller 66 style. Trunk lid was the biggest visual change from the 66. One year only door handles as well. The 1500 engine was offered until 71 when the 1600 superseded it. B
	() Thanks

22nd February 2008, 10:29	#88
71Convertible BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 341 Thanked: 113 Times	Pavan. Just re-read your post, my source has couple of variances from your info: * 1500 shown as avail from Aug 66 (start of MY 67) thru Jul 70. -- though dates are o * Larger taillights started in Aug 67 -- these are considered MY 68 * Script on the back should be "Volkswagen" only for US beetles. UK/Eur/Export 67's had a "VW1500" badge * the seatbacks with head-rests are a bit of a puzzler Byas
	() Thanks

22nd February 2008, 16:22	#89
PAVAN KADAM BANNED Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NAMMA BENGALURU Posts: 5,601 Thanked: 2,557 Times	Byas thanks, Lets sit car to car and discuss this. May be i am wrong, but theres still lot of scope of improvement that i welcome.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2008, 22:06	#90
vintageman BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Lucknow Posts: 429 Thanked: 689 Times View My Garage	Restoration Projects Sorry to butt in guys , I restore cars to be daily drivers , I had a thread about - if restoration meant a show car or a daily driver , in my opinion a car restored with patience and love should be able to respond as a daily driver and if the restoration is true in spirit - is it required - to be true in letter . Kudos to the enthusiasts who restore to the ultimate but cars are supposed to be driven the showing buisness is the latter half . If a car is driven it can have a accident and may have to be re - restored. Suggestions welcome if restorations need to be true in spirit or in word. Or if you cannot comply with one objective should the project be shelved ? When these cars were actually in operation the mechanics took a lot of liberty to keep these vehicles in operation for the owners and in those times there was a lot of leeway allowed when these cars were shown with mismatched parts , maybe the advent of of the net changed things . But hats off to all who have gone through the restoration process and come trumps up with a product which pleases them aesthetically and mentally . Being personally happy in the end product is what the restoration is all about. It would be sad if the enthusiast got bogged down with the sematics of the exactness of the rtestoration. Awini please comment.
	() Thanks