Hello and welcome to my 1974 Super Beetle restoration project. It's finally complete (more or less- 05/09) and I've added a few custom touches to make it mine.  The wheels are Empi 8's and I've tinted the windows, added flush mount taillights, clear front signals, and painted the headlight rings to match the car.  I'm pretty happy with the results of all the work this took.  I couldn't imagine an easier and less expensive restoration than an old Beetle.  Almost everything (except the specifically Super Beetle stuff) is readily available from Mexican or Brazilian sources and CHEAP!

Progress pictures below

Here are the "before" pictures as I received this car in Dec. '06. Obviously there is a lot of work to be done, but fortunately this car is relatively rust free and only has 78,000 original miles. It runs, but the brakes are shot.

Mar. 07. All stripped down and almost ready for body shop. Doors are stripped out and ready to be removed and windows still need to be removed. Bodyman already has the fenders, hood, and engine cover. New master cylinder, wheel cylinders, e-brake cables and brakes are now working. I can't wait to get it back all painted and shiny!

Sept 3, 07. Completely stripped down and ready for paint. Glass is all removed as well as doors. I stripped out the seats and carpets. It looks like I'll be pretty high on spray glue re-doing the headliner and carpets once the paint is done.

July 9, 08. Finally gone away for paint. Here is what she looks like all stripped down with the donor hood and rear decklid.

New dash cover installed. I got it on eBay and it just glues on with silicone right over the old dash. Looks like new now.

Finally (04/16/09) some progress again.  I now have a bodyman who knows how to get things done unlike the last guy who strung me on and wasted 2 years.  It should be all shiny blue in about a month.

04/25/09  More paint progress.  First the green epoxee sealer primer and then the first coat of primer to be block sanded.

04/27/09 Getting close now.  Painted inside of doors, trunk, and door jambs.

05/01/2009 Paint is all done and I can start re-assembling tomorrow.  Those rims will be off pretty quick.

06/26/09  I'd hoped that I'd get to drive it until winter before tearing into the engine but a certain loose intake valve guide forced me to get to work on it sooner.  My son is a mechanic and his assistance was really valuable and it made for a great way to spend my Father's Day.  We replaced the cylinder heads, cylinders, pistons, rings, wristpins, and rocker assemblies.  While apart I got busy painting up all the grungy 35 year old cooling tin.  It also got an all new ceramic coated exhaust and heater boxes.  It's still the original 1600 CC's.  I was surprised that it went back in easier than it came out.  It runs much better now with 4 cylinders working instead of just 3.  I intalled a vacuum advance distributor with electronic ignition (Pertronic) as well as Pertronic Flamethrower coil and new carburetor.  It's running fine now!