[ajmat]

Ah nostaliga!

We had one of these, a 1968 1600TL, it was a dealer demo car. My dad bought it since the Austin he ordered never appeared. We kept it till 1974 and did 100,000+ miles in it. We drove around France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Scandinavia in it and only once did it stop - why four up with camping gear on a hot summers day and my Dad enjoying the autobahn, led to a fuel lock. By the time the ADAC man appeared, the car started up again.

We used to have a german mechanic come home and service it. There were no repairs to it except a new gear box when new. We only sold it since we moved to India and sold it to some Ugandan Indians whom we had helped settle in the area when they fled Uganda. The car was seen motoring for a while.

Our experience with this also led us to buy a new 1970 1500 Orange Beetle. That was a Belgina assembled one but the Wolfsburg Variant was of better quality, it only showed rust much later. Mainly from areas where the dealer fitted the aerial. It survived a front shunt when a van overtook and hit the drivers side wing and carried on.

Ours came with the later hubcap embellishors, the blobby tail lights and blade like front indicators and a bigger numberplate light.

My parents loved it to bits - need I say more- We were supposed to keep the Beetle, sell the Variant and replace it with the Mercedes, we instead sold the Beetle - TAB 125F - you were most loved

[SILVERWOOD]

Hi Pavan,

I envy you man.

We have one variant in a very pristine condition in Hyderabad and the colour is pink.

Not sure if it is original colour.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Thank you very much for the pics.



................

Wow! Wow! Wow!!!!! Awesome! Yet another VW under the mastermind's arms. I can't wait till I can see all your VWs. Any plans of buying the new VW Beetle!?
So is this the only "Bone stock VW Variant" in India?
Oh, and how do you manage parking space for all your rides now?
Wishing you all the best.

[PAVAN KADAM]

Originally Posted by SuperSelect

AaiGa ! She's looking beautiful, Pavan - from every angle ! And spot on, she's in the right hands..
How's she to drive ?
Are you planning any interior 'upliftment', or are you going to leave her 'bone stock' ?

No interior upliftment, it will just be some nice Interior Cleaning

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Pavan - your hard work and genuine passion has rewarded you. Please keep this car as it is, forever.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

People like you are an inspiration to us sir. Thank you very much.

Originally Posted by manishalive

That's an awesome car. And it would be nice to preserver her just like that, the patina is to die for. You have got a looker and a original car. And Seriously I am liking the Variant more than your Beetle and Bus .

Thanks Manish.

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Wish you happy motoring in your lovely Variant. A humble suggestion - the whitewall inserts are too jarring on this late a car, they really deserve blackwalls or at the most, thin whitewalls. The two tone wheels with cream rims and black centres will give just the right look. Those stenciled plates are just right too. Cheers.

I will retain the whitewalls right now since i've ordered, paid money and got them, but as you said, the rims will be 2 tone.

Those work is pending for the coming week.

Originally Posted by vintagepoint5

Hi Pavan, Hearty congratulations for new addition to your VW collections. I am happy this car has got best owner now. Your passion, hard work and dedication is outstanding, we are proud of it.

All the best!

Thank you very much, it means a lot when everyone appreciates.

Originally Posted by ajmat

Ah nostaliga!

We had one of these, a 1968 1600TL, it was a dealer demo car. My dad bought it since the Austin he ordered never appeared. We kept it till 1974 and did 100,000+ miles in it. We drove around France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Scandinavia in it and only once did it stop - why four up with camping gear on a hot summers day and my Dad enjoying the autobahn, led to a fuel lock. By the time the ADAC man appeared, the car started up again.

We used to have a german mechanic come home and service it. There were no repairs to it except a new gear box when new. We only sold it since we moved to India and sold it to some Ugandan Indians whom we had helped settle in the area when they fled Uganda. The car was seen motoring for a while.

Our experience with this also led us to buy a new 1970 1500 Orange Beetle. That was a Belgina assembled one but the Wolfsburg Variant was of better quality, it only showed rust much later. Mainly from areas where the dealer fitted the aerial. It survived a front shunt when a van overtook and hit the drivers side wing and carried on.

Ours came with the later hubcap embellishors, the blobby tail lights and blade like front indicators and a bigger numberplate light.

My parents loved it to bits - need I say more- We were supposed to keep the Beetle, sell the Variant and replace it with the Mercedes, we instead sold the Beetle - TAB 125F - you were most loved

Ajit, thats Nostalgia.

What a history, next time we meet, i will make sure that i get one Good Beetle for you.

Originally Posted by SILVERWOOD

Hi Pavan,

I envy you man.

We have one variant in a very pristine condition in Hyderabad and the colour is pink.

Not sure if it is original colour.

Variants never came in Pink. I would love to see the Hyderabad car.

Originally Posted by Arkin evoisrevo

Wow! Wow! Wow!!!!! Awesome! Yet another VW under the mastermind's arms. I can't wait till I can see all your VWs. Any plans of buying the new VW Beetle!?
So is this the only "Bone stock VW Variant" in India?
Oh, and how do you manage parking space for all your rides now?
Wishing you all the best.

Thanks Arkin,

Parking......! sigh.......! i am not a lucky chap when it comes to parking.

My house can only take 3 car parking inside, which the Safari, Beetle and the Matiz has already acquired.

The M-800, Bus and the Variant now stand outside, but i make sure, every car is covered and parked.

Never will i buy the NEW BEETLE, niether do i have that kind of money and Mainly, i dont like any VW's which are not air-cooled.

Very soon, i will be parking few cars at my friends place, and have decided to use the cars very very sparingly.

The Bus is fully restored and Running fine, so i just need to disconnect the battery and leave it, since it can start and run any given time.

The Variant is bone stock, just attending small rust spots next week, get it home, cover it and store it.

The only car that has to be completed is the VW Beetle, which i will wrap up in the next 3 months.

[wasif]

Great car and its good to know its with a person who appreciates it for what it is and will look after it and keep it as it is for future generations to admire.

Pavan, you have to be very carefull with this car. Just do the basic work that is necessary and try to drive it sparingly.

What is the mileage showing on it now. Also please put up some pics of the engine

[PAVAN KADAM]

Originally Posted by wasif

Great car and its good to know its with a person who appreciates it for what it is and will look after it and keep it as it is for future generations to admire.

Pavan, you have to be very carefull with this car. Just do the basic work that is necessary and try to drive it sparingly.

What is the mileage showing on it now. Also please put up some pics of the engine

Thank you for the advice Wasif Bhai,

Some more pics of the interior for you,.

I am yet to check out the car, but i am being that extra careful during my discovery But each time i try to see something in the car, it throws out a lot of OHREEGEENAL stuff, and i am really getting excited by the day.

BTW, What i noticed

1) Brass knobs for the switch is intriguing,
2) The roof liner is original,
3) The original basket weave seat covers are safely covered with the ORIGINAL GERMAN MADE Jute seat covers. (this is what Prof. says) and i can see the quality.

[RandomUsername]

Nice!
This is the best type of classic car - original and un-restored!

[PAVAN KADAM]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Ah nostaliga!

We had one of these, a 1968 1600TL, it was a dealer demo car. My dad bought it since the Austin he ordered never appeared. We kept it till 1974 and did 100,000+ miles in it. We drove around France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Scandinavia in it and only once did it stop - why four up with camping gear on a hot summers day and my Dad enjoying the autobahn, led to a fuel lock. By the time the ADAC man appeared, the car started up again.

We used to have a german mechanic come home and service it. There were no repairs to it except a new gear box when new. We only sold it since we moved to India and sold it to some Ugandan Indians whom we had helped settle in the area when they fled Uganda. The car was seen motoring for a while.

Ajit, on this i forgot to comment.

There is a very rare 1600TL owned by my friend, its not yet restored . But will go into restoration few months later.

Will send you some pics once i start on it, and maybe we'll drive it around to relive your memories

Originally Posted by RandomUsername

Nice!
This is the best type of classic car - original and un-restored!

Thanks Santaji

[COUNSEL]

Nice to see a thread on your latest wonderful acquisition! These VWs are known to built to last. Take extremely good care of her. I know that you use your Classics regularly but this Variant needs some extra care!

[PAVAN KADAM]

Originally Posted by COUNSEL

Nice to see a thread on your latest wonderful acquisition! These VWs are known to built to last. Take extremely good care of her. I know that you use your Classics regularly but this Variant needs some extra care!

I agree with you buddy, but you know,i am very very fuzzy when it comes to older cars at home.

The newer cars seldom run. My Matiz, even though its 11 year old, its still FACTORY FRESH, you know about the DICOR, 5 years its run only 30k kms. But the older the car, the more it runs

I dont understand my logic behind this, But i am somehow extension of these classics. I just cannot get over driving them.

Just last night, 12:30, me and my bro just decide to go out, we take out the variant, and off we go, spent some time with the car and got back home. lol...

[PAVAN KADAM]

Getting those small rust areas treated today.

Using a different technique this time.

1) Get rid of the rust spots
2) Spray Etching primer
3) Spray 3M antirust coating
4) Spray 888 Dupont Surfacer
5) Check undulations with Dupont Tube Patti
6) Spray Dupont paint.

So the complete bottom half is now rust proof for ever.

[funkykar]

Anna, spotted yet another Variant today.

[wasif]

Originally Posted by funkykar

Anna, spotted yet another Variant today.

LOL...that looks more like a Amby Station wagon than a VW Varient. Are you sure its a VW ????

[SILVERWOOD]

Originally Posted by wasif

LOL...that looks more like a Amby Station wagon than a VW Varient. Are you sure its a VW ????

It is indeed a Amby mark 4 station wagon.

[priyadarshan.b]

Pavan Sir..
I have a qustion for you. How do you end up getting all the good volkswagens when we dont see any around us??
This is a really superb car and suprisingly well kept. Rather it looks like it just went through a restoration. We have no doubt that you will elevate it to even higher level. Congratulations and wish you all the best for restoration..

Priyadarshan