Early 1963 Beetle, in storage since 1982

[Argee]

After many years of being an observer I finally found a beetle of my very own. An early 1963 in Anthracite grey. It's been repainted once, the newer coat is flaking off. I estimate a production date of mid September 1962. The last inspection sticker is from 1981. It runs and drives, but needs some going over before I drive it regularly.

I have the hood emblem and running board trim to put back on.

original interior

the Steering wheel is upside down when the wheels are straight, Tie rod adjustment I'm thinking?

still has the trunk liner. Spare tire is the wrong color but the tire was made in Austria.

this in inside the upper trunk liner, what do the numbers mean, is it a date?

really clean under there, battery tray is solid, stale air heater hoses intact.

took out the seats for better access. Carpet is great back there, headliner needs cleaning but is intact.

speaking of seats, has a split seam but otherwise is good, I'm confident this is repairable.

It's got the original engine with 98000 miles.

Guy who found it replaced the fuel pump, but I have the original.

I'm unfamiliar with that extra bit connected to the pump, thoughts?

The bad: rust on the A pillar. This is is only bad rust on the car, passenger side looks fine.

The heater channel is intact however.

reverse view of rust from the wheel well

So that's where things stand so far. I'm going to have lots of questions I'm sure going foreword with my first bug.

[Danwvw]

That is one nice un touched beetle, So nice it will be difficult to decide what to do with it. So what were you thinking?
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Welcome to the samba, and excellent find! I would replace all the flex hoses, wheel cylinders, master cylinder, and shoes on the brakes. If you try to piece it together, you will most likely be chasing your tail. You will also need to go through the fuel system by either flushing/replacing the tank, blowing out steel lines, replacing all rubber fuel line, and I would do a rebuild of the carb. Along with a basic tune up, and valve adjustment, that should get you running, and stopping. You can then at least drive the car to get any estimates for your rust repair if you're not tackling it yourself.

I'm envious. I came across a 64 Sunroof in the same Anthracite, red/white interior combo, but I'm much farther away from going down the road than you are. I'm with Danwvw, yours is such a nice unmolested example. I would work tward a stock recommissioning.

[Ojai63dbl]

Nice score ! and beautiful - welcome to the anthracite club- good reference for future 63's - be sure to load a bunch of documenting photos to gallery - as 63 was change year (my late 63 has subtle (rear seat heat arrangement) and not subtle (stale air vs fresh air, nose emblem, etc) differences I can see from your early 63 photos). Cool to compare the two

youll need to work on A-pillar and rocker might need replacement (run a bore scope in and see how bad,

does it still have grease nipples on the tie rods up front?

and ditto on soft brake lines in front and rear, hone wheel cylinders and rebuild., and maybe consider an upgrade to a dual master cylinder.

Fuel pump you have has an anti-siphon check valve *from gallery- thx OFIR*

,

that was original to 1965, perhaps earlier, not used on later as it was integrated

[tasb]

Good example of not being too quick to pull the trigger and wait for the right one to come along. THAT is the right one!

I believe that check valve would be period correct. run it you don't see them very often.

You might be lucky and find that the PO chose to mount the steering wheel that way.
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1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[wcfvw69]

That's a beautiful, unmolested bug right there! I hope the plan is to keep it bone stock and original.

X2 on trying to rebuild (if original) the wheel cylinders and master cylinder. If you're buying new ones, get the best ones you can buy vs. the cheap Chinese parts all the FLAPS sell.

A talented body shop tech can fix that A-pillar so you'd never know it had rust there. Also, I'm not sure if it's dirty but is that rust under the back seat at the base of the rear quarter panel?

Again, great score.
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[Argee]

The plan is to keep it as original as possible. The only modification on it is the addition of a starter button because the contact in the key are worn out. There is what appears to be surface rust on the heater channel near the battery. I think water was/is pooling where the running board meets the rear fender and finding its way in. I assume battery proximity is also a factor.

[anthracitedub]

Wonderful car! I have the same combo 62. Mine was in very similar condition when I found it, except it had a respray in blue with minimal prep work and it had no rust . Awesome find, congratulations.

[Sharp64]

[glutamodo]

When the factory ignition switch in my 62 took a dumper on me, I took it apart and swapped the electrical bits out of another switch and it's been good ever since.
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[irvanm]

What a great car, congratulations.

[67ctbug]

That's a really nice car!
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'67 Beetle L41
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[gt1953]

Very nice find for your region of the country. I like your plan to keep it as original as possible. As far as the spare wheel color the beauty rings will cover it. Like mentioned make is safe to drive. Clean all electrical contacts make them all bright and shiny, dremmel tool little wire wheel. Do repair the ignition switch.
Oh one more thing, are the wheels straight and the steering wheel upside down.
You have come the best site for VW air cooled information and assistance.
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Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[Argee]

[bluebus86]

very nice, congragualtions. the rust spot is often caused by a leaky front window seal, the water runs down the defroster vent and gets in there.

besure sure to read the link at bottom of this post regarding safety wires and engine fires, the fuel inlet, outlet pipes on the carb and pump do loosen up and can fall out, spreading fuel on the dizzy, spark kaboom!!! so get that taken car of also get that fuel,filter out of engine bay, if you want an added filter, please install it under the car near the tranny were there is no igntion source. also consider the fuel hose on bottom of tank maybe a bit risky along with the one near tranny, so replace them rubber hoses before filling her with gas and parking in your garage. recommend you use a moderen lined hose such as sae 30r9 which will resist fhe new mandated oxygenated fuel which can rot out older unlned hoses.

that rear seat could be restitched, the carpet behind it looks awesome! the front of dash wires looks very unmolested. I think you found a pretty nice car
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[GB2S]

Nice car!! I have a later model 63, which is also anthracite grey. Would you please take ALOT of pictures. I would appreciate it. How did this car avoid the hurricane / flooding?

Geoff
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1963 Ragtop

[67ctbug]

[wcfvw69]

[Sharp64]

Ok. I have to ask. Why can't you just take the steering wheel off and turn it 180* and stick it back on? Looks like someone just put it on wrong.
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1960 Indigo Blue Ragtop (Blue Barry)
1967 Ghia
1985 Westy Money Pit
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[67ctbug]