About the car:
So..it all started in 1975 when my dad bought the car during the gas crisis to save on gas on his daily commute to SF and back. It was originally Sahara Beige sort of a sand color..very boring..but it hid dirt well. I have a picture of the original color..and it sitting on the street somewhere its an actual picture since digital cameras werent invented yet. So I will have to find it and scan it in. Anyway..the original owner hated the seatbelt interlock relay so they bypassed that so the buzzer wouldnt go on when he wasnt wearing his seatbelt. Could you imagine? Driving with no seatbelt on? Wow what a daredevil..especially back then when there was no traffic and your in this round can of a car!
My dad drive it for about 6 or 7 years on his commute and he never had a problem..never was towed or left him stranded.. The only thing that happened..was he was driving one day and hit a seagull and it put a little inch long crack in the windshield.. imagine of all the things to hit..and its a seagull!! That crack is still here to this day.
After the time my dad had it..he passed it along to my Mom and she drive it daily to her job in Novato and back. She used to drive a 72 Vega so this was quite the welcome change from the old red ugly Vega. The VW performed flawlessly. Nothing needed but gas.. I dont think they ever changed the oil to be honest. The only problem she has was at a stoplight and a cement mixer decided he didnt want to be in that lane so he backed up right into the front of it..smashed the hood and fenders..and drove off. ..the vw still drove home! After a crappy repair when the paint didnt match...it was given to my brother.. for his commute car to high school and college. Apparently the old reliable vw had about enough and it caught fire twice and the engine was rebuilt each time.
3 years later..its my turn to get the car...at first I didnt want it..and after a while I saw a magazing called VW Trends and I was hooked on all the custom Cal- Look cars that were in the magazines.. i wanted my vw to be just like them. I think the first thing I did was to learn to work on it. I took sort of an intern job at a mechanics shop which I was going to school for Auto Tech at the local jr college. First repair..jump right in and learn..the Alternator went out..my boss at the time said it would be a great way to learn..since everything has to come out so you can replace it.
ie: Tins, Shroud, pulleys, fan, alternator,,strap. My boss repaired mainly Porsches and raced them in Germany growing up..so he told me what to do..whats next and guided me along the way. That got me started on the custom VW "trend". Before long..a lowering kit and new 8 spoke wheels were ordered. A guy I used to work with from long ago..a "court worker" i think he had a DUI and had to work with us to pay off his debt or avoid jail..i never really asked.. but he said he painted cars..and was opening a new shop and wanted to test his paint booth out. So of course I said "Hell yeah..i want my VW painted!!" So he took it in sanded it down and painted it with what I remember was "Dupont Centauri Metallic Blue" This was done in the late 80s so no clear coat was put on and just paint and car wax. Its lasted well for 25+ years!! It has some flaking and needs to be repainted..but anything than that Beige and I was happy. While it was painted I had the window rubbers changed to "Cal Look" which is no chrome strip..had the back half of the car tinted as well since the windows were out.
Along the next 10 years or so I have changed the look to "German Look" I cant thank that website enough for the inspiration and ideas I get all the time. The following mods have been done to the car since:
17 inch porsche Cup 2 wheels
Maxx struts
2110 cc engine with Dual webbers , 72 pass oil cooler
blacked out chrome on the body including door handles
powder coated black front and rear bumpers
front sway bar with camber bushings
There is more but I cant think of any right now.. when I do I will add them here.
The engine story could take up a whole page..but this was getting long..so I cut some of the story out. Sorry if it got too wordy..stay awake out there!!!