Ray Singh
Posted a lot
More German exotica in my garage now
Posts: 1,985
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Dec 30, 2019 14:52:39 GMT
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Following on from my thread about what car to buy for my 17 year old daughter, i noticed that there are a few 1998 VW beetles in the classic shape for sale in the UK. I presume that these are Mexican imports, but assume that they will be mechanically strong and reliable? Could these be back dated to a cal look style car with relative ease? Has anyone done this? Are there forums where these classic beetles can be bought? Thanks for your help. I thank you with some nostalgia......
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Dec 30, 2019 15:37:36 GMT
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I believe you are right that they are Mexican, but that means they aren’t made quite as well. Thinner panels etc and can be prone to rust. The German ones were, I have been led to believe better cars.
But, they are supposed to use the same panels as the flat windscreen beetles, so spares are plentiful and yes they can be made to look like a cal-look.
Not sure on price, but I just had a quick look and the one I saw was 4K, which should buy you a tidy 1970s beetle as well.
If I was buying one for Ella, I would probably consider a 1303 which are the curved front and windscreen cars with macpherson struts instead of the beam and IRS rear suspension. But still from the 70s I’d actually quite like a 1302 which has a flat screen and metal dash instead of the curved screen and plastic dash! But they are rarer.
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zeberdee
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 992
Club RR Member Number: 2
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Dec 30, 2019 15:45:21 GMT
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Speak to Max at Eva Resto’s . He loves Mexico Bug’s , very knowledgable & helpful . Also deals with all ages of Beetle , so could advise on any year really . A couple of his previous Mex’s
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Last Edit: Dec 30, 2019 15:47:41 GMT by zeberdee
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zeberdee
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 992
Club RR Member Number: 2
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Dec 30, 2019 15:49:13 GMT
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I think it’s best to buy a Beetle on condition . Beware hidden rust , they can hide it well . Think neilsdavies or oldisbetter would have good knowledge on here
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Last Edit: Dec 30, 2019 15:53:03 GMT by zeberdee
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Dec 30, 2019 16:56:21 GMT
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Mex beetles are very useable, but as Mr Sparky says, the metal is a fair bit thinner. So be prepared to replace wings/bonnet/boot.
Ps, if got a whole bunch of bits: Torsion arms (front) Stock spindles Wheels 2 X 7 inch wide on 130x4) Used 1600 heads Front backplates etc
If anyone wants them, just come by & pick them up.
Sorry, no intention to steal your thread, just remembered I need to have a clear out. Colin
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Dec 30, 2019 16:57:56 GMT
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Oh and a useable EMPI Monza exhaust & pair of heat exchangers.
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Dec 30, 2019 18:13:15 GMT
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I think it’s best to buy a Beetle on condition . Beware hidden rust , they can hide it well . Think neilsdavies or oldisbetter would have good knowledge on here I agree on this I thought I had a fairly solid beetle when I bought it 2 years ago but it's starting to show signs of bad rust. Have a look at all the wiring aswell mine was a mess but I replaced it all not a hard job to do though
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1967 Beetle
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oldisbetter
Part of things
If it has a ECU it's complicated :)
Posts: 478
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Most of the Mexican beetles i have had anything to do with were just as suspect on rust as the old German ones, But i have seen some that were fantastic as they had been rust protected from new, One thing to note is that they all started out life as LHD so if you do see a RHD one it will have been converted which needs to have been done well and normally they have not, The wiring can look bad as they tend just to extend it and you end up with no glove box and a nasty plastic dashboard covering the original chopped up LHD dash board, The late mexican engine is fuel injected and has CAT so if you want to tune it you get a bit limited and the crank is cast not forged so maybe a weak point beyond normal use.
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tofufi
South West
Posts: 1,458
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As above, Beetles (like all cars of their (original) era) rot. If you want a classic Beetle, a Mexibug only really has EFI and catalytic converter to set it apart from other Beetles. And the LHD>RHD conversions which were often a bit dodgy too... It's worth buying on condition rather than age. A decent 70s bug will be the same design as a Mexibug essentially, so I'd buy on condition of metalwork. I reckon Beetles are great to drive (I also own a Morris Minor which feels a lot more nimble but less solid). Don't forget they are essentially 1950s cars and despite the upgrades sometimes they do feel 'old'. Great if that's what you're after, but if you want climate control, safety and power steering they may not tick the box. They are comfortable on long runs and better than similar vehicles on motorways as they have relatively powerful engines. This is mine, owned nearly 15 years now - I bought it when I was 16 and it was my everyday car for a few years
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Last Edit: Dec 31, 2019 9:15:35 GMT by tofufi
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Dec 31, 2019 11:49:30 GMT
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The best thing about a Mex is that it has 30 years less crappy repairs done to it. They still like to rust in all the same places though - under the back seat, front bulkhead behind the pedals and the heater channels. A work colleague of my dad daily drove one for years and loved it. I'd have one, in red, without all the chrome sh1t on a set of Porsche914 wheels.
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1968 Cal Look Beetle - 2007cc motor - 14.45@93mph in full street trim 1970-ish Karmann Beetle cabriolet - project soon to be re-started. 1986 Scirocco - big plans, one day!
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oldisbetter
Part of things
If it has a ECU it's complicated :)
Posts: 478
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Dec 31, 2019 14:40:13 GMT
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As an after thought the mex beetle will cost you car tax and MOT aswell not mega bucks but if you only use it a few times a year it can make your wallet light for no reason.
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oldisbetter
Part of things
If it has a ECU it's complicated :)
Posts: 478
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Dec 31, 2019 14:49:11 GMT
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Dec 31, 2019 15:57:51 GMT
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Ignore the E-registration, I think it's an old floorpan with a new Mexican body.
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1968 Cal Look Beetle - 2007cc motor - 14.45@93mph in full street trim 1970-ish Karmann Beetle cabriolet - project soon to be re-started. 1986 Scirocco - big plans, one day!
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dikkehemaworst
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,617
Club RR Member Number: 16
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Mex beetles are very useable, but as Mr Sparky says, the metal is a fair bit thinner. So be prepared to replace wings/bonnet/boot. Ps, if got a whole bunch of bits: Torsion arms (front) Stock spindles Wheels 2 X 7 inch wide on 130x4) Used 1600 heads Front backplates etc If anyone wants them, just come by & pick them up. Sorry, no intention to steal your thread, just remembered I need to have a clear out. Colin neildavies for his schoolproject?
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Closed loop single point injection and a cat on a Mexican beetle was a pile of horse exhaust.
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