Introduction and "my first VW"

[jgerock]

Evening folks.  Newbie here.

I've grown up with VW's all around me and have owned (3) so far.  
First job:  Gas station pump jockey
Current job: Sr. Project Engineer for plastics auxiliary equipment manufacturer
Hobbies:  VW's (what else?) and my '73 BMW 2002tii
Parent's VW's included a White '59 Beetle and (new) Red '68 Squareback with A/C.

Here is my first car I purchased in 1982 for $ 50.00 (1966 sunroof)
Picture was after I split the body/pan for some de-rusting


Right after the rejoining process (note the bald mis-matched tires)

A little more body work and...

Hi-performance mods were limited to 009 distributor, Thunderbird header/glasspack and a few stickers in the quarter windows (Auto Haus, Thunderbird,  Hot VW's and Carrello [lights] )

[bowen71]

Are those snow tires in the back? It looks like you've done a great job putting it back together.

What else do you have planned for it?

[jgerock]

Are those snow tires in the back? It looks like you've done a great job putting it back together.

What else do you have planned for it?

LOL.  I sold it in 1984 to a friend who painted it Guards Red, added five-spoke alloys, built a 1700cc dual-Weber IDF engine and totalled it one night. The car is most likely now a part of someone's Samsung refrigerator.

Yes, the RR tire was a snow tire. The body rust was so severe, I had lots of help grafting the entire lower body from a '68 Bug to the '66.  My first taste of "bodywork" wasn't pretty, but at least I installed new full floorpans ($ 75 each in 1982).   It was replaced by a '75 Rally Yellow Std. Beetle that I sold around 1988.  Engine was 1641cc with stock dual port heads, dual Weber 34ICT carbs and single "quiet" muffler exhaust.  No more VW's until 1993.

[jgerock]

Here is my 2nd VW  - a 1975 standard with carb'd engine.   The original F.I. engine caught fire and burned up the entire rear portion.  I purchased this car from a friend for a great price and installed the engine from my '66.  

It first had a 1641 cc engine with re-man dual port heads, single 40mm Dellorto carb, 009 distributor, el-cheapo aluminum pulley and the same rusty Thunderbird header.  I changed the carb to a single Weber (Solex type) single barrel carb while I drove back and forth to college, then finally upgraded to dual Weber 34ICT single barrels and changed the exhaust to a "quiet type".   Homemade center console with Coustic brand booster/graphic equalizer, Porsche 914 Tach. and Pioneer stereo cassette player in the dash.  Shifter may have been from Bugpack.
Front tires were Michelin XZX 165-15 with Bridgestone RD-205 185-70-15 "super-filler" radials out back.  I put a ton of miles on this car. Pictures are from 1988.