All,

I'm planning to hit L-P this Thursday afternoon semi on the way to a conference in Coronado. I'm towing the wife's '68 convertible beetle down. It has a 6-7 year old spray on a bare metal resto. It has one big spider web on the drivers door where one of my kids used it as a bumper with their bike, but otherwise paint is pretty fair. Work I'm gonna ask them to do:

* Respray/wet sand after pulling trim, fenders, door handles, etc.
* New interior
* Make the rear apron removable - getting that 914 motor in/out is pretty tight
* Push the sides of the engine compartment out about 2" - to make room for FI injectors
* Install convertible top

Gonna pick up body rubber and new bumpers at socalimports in Corona and convertible canvas, pad, headliner and other rubber at convertible specialties in Long Beach before the drive south.

For those who have BTDT - Dr. E, RB, JR, others - any advice, pointers, cautions? Also, any negotiation advice? It's been about 15 years since my last trip to TJ and my first paint/interior job at L-P. Advice would be mucho appreciated.

Some "before" pictures...

Front view

Rear

Rear 3/4 - top definitely needs help.

have dr. evil go with you..... they know him well

Interior - front seats from a GTI. Color matches well, but the whole interior is tired.

Last one

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Mar 12 2005, 03:36 PM)

have dr. evil go with you..... they know him well

He'd surely be welcome - I'd even spring for lunch down there . Not sure he has the time now that he's the big college grad!

Found 1 more. It's my 914 motor - 1.8 punched out to 1911cc with a DTM shroud. It's funny that folks are swapping other motors into their 914 and bug/ghia owners are swapping 914 motors into their rides. Kinda cool recycling program.

It's ded right now. Looks like a lifter wiped the cam. Water down through the K&Ns into the head into the pan. We got a boatload of rain in SoCal even in the high desert. Expensive lesson learned - make sure you're running watersheds and/or your rain tray if converted to carbs.

Well, you could probably save mony on any rubber parts if you bought them in Mexico as they just stopped making the beetle? If the glass is bad they have that too. Make sure to take 4 or 500 in cash to leave as a deposit as they like that. Take your time and go over everything twice as I do to make sure the body and interior guys know what you want as they don't speak really good english. The owner and his son do. Follow the signs that say 'CENTRO" and you'll be fine. Good luck

Too bad it will be Thurs. I will be going down this morning at about 7am. For bugs, I don't know what the finite $$$ would be. I am well versed in 914 only, with some emphasis on VW camper vans. I'll tell them that you are coming so that you may be able to get my special discount. You can mention that Mike sent you and we both benefit as they keep my prices low and give you a low price. How long will you be down? Work usually takes a week.

QUOTE (Dr Evil @ Mar 13 2005, 05:02 AM)

... I'll tell them that you are coming so that you may be able to get my special discount. You can mention that Mike sent you and we both benefit as they keep my prices low and give you a low price. How long will you be down? Work usually takes a week.

Appreciate feeding a good word for me...

Tentatively heading back on the 26th if they're open for pickup on Saturdays.

As I promised, I told them you were coming and to take good care of you. Then Chito, the shop forman, and I talked about how unfortunate it is that they area no longer making aircooled VWs in Mex. He actually looked kinda sad.

Mike,
I've been thinking. If I do get my V8 914 down there what would it cost for a respray? I plan on using the Napa guys for Neo914 but I'd like a better than Earl Scheib for the V8. Keep in mind it 40% is fiberglass.
Felix

pic

QUOTE (Dr Evil @ Mar 13 2005, 04:10 PM)

As I promised, I told them you were coming and to take good care of you. Then Chito, the shop forman, and I talked about how unfortunate it is that they area no longer making aircooled VWs in Mex. He actually looked kinda sad.

Cool Mike,

Thanks a bunch. For anyone interested, I'll post pics when the job is done.

Gary,

Sorry to hijack your thread. Your bug looks pretty nice the way it is. Couldn't you just have it detailed or do you really want that new look, smell, and feel?

Appreciate the optimism. It's interesting how the blemshes don't show well. There are several scars from encounters with the kids bicycle handles, a big spider web on the drivers door (suspect too much bondo on the last go around). She really needs a new top and the interior needs work. The paint should be straightforward for them - there's no rust repair to be done - and the wetsanding should turn out very nice. Plus, I do need/want the removable rear apron and to make room in the engine compartment for the fuel injectors.