This is "The Bug". My dad bought it as a burnt out wreck in 1992 and together we did a cheap resto. Being from Florida it didn't need any welding. After a slow start we finished it in time for my wedding in 1995. Sadly my dad died in 1997 so i became the owner. I was too sad to use it for a couple of years and even after this, buying a new house and having two kids etc. etc. the car was not used. It did about 300 miles up until December 2013. Now it has become my daily driver, summer and winter.
I've just had the wheels powder coated. A nice sensible birthday present from my mam. Better than socks with split screen campers on like last year. I still need 2 hub caps. £30 quid each for stainless . I'm finding it hard to keep this and the camper going at the same time. Photos can be deceptive. 17 years unused in a damp garage have done it no favors. Since 1999 i was using a Vespa for work which cost nowt to run but i was getting a bit sick of it in the winter and people just don't see you and try and knock you off. Last December the car had to be pushed out of the garage because the roof was leaking badly, that same week 2 days in a row i nearly got knocked off the Vespa . This was the final straw. My wife had been on at me for a few years to get a cheap car for work. That's when the penny dropped. Use the bug. With a second hand battery from a Vauxhall Ampera and still with the old fuel, i turned the key 3 times. It fired and ran mint. A quick lap around the block to clean the brakes and that was that. My new daily driver. Kids to gym and football, shopping, work the lot.
Seriously up my street that, I've always wanted a 1303 convertible, loving the ally stone chip guards too
Back in the early 80's i had dozens of old bugs. They all needed welding and were rough but thats the way things were then. I never paid more than £100 for them. A nice 1303 cabby was always the ultimate goal for me and my dad. The only way we could afford one that wasn't rotten was to get this US fire damaged one. Back then 1303 cabs were like splits are now for cost. I'll try and dig out the old photos. Even in this state it still cost £2000.
I'm sure but worth every penny, I had a nice 1303s years back but could never afford the cab (without stopping drinking). I'd love to see some old pics, my dad and I were big beetle fans, we both ran them and were members of the VWOC, dad had his on the front cover of "Beetleing" the club monthly back then. Best cars ever, I miss mine, I'd love another but I worry about the rust
this is me and my boy 9 years ago at a car show in Scotland. I managed to get a good second hand engine so dug the car out fitted the engine got it taxed and mot'd, did a wedding for a friend at work then went camping with my son. Then i cashed in the tax and that was the last time it turned a wheel until December 2013.
Thanks everyone for the comments. I've got more likes for this than my camper. Might put my camper on The Late Bug
Still using the bug every day and just pottering on with the odd job now and then. Almost finished a dash refurb.
Mk 2 astra clock, blue led lights, strip and clean speedo, old cd player from the camper, empi plaque, new dash top from vwh, switches cleaned and painted.etc