Deck lid Script

[68autobug]

I was thinking of buying something [??] from the UK a couple of years ago
and i rang the company.  they would have sold Me the parts [Less VAT -Tax]
and they would have come into australia via post and no import duties etc...

Most companies I have dealt with in the USA still charge Me the US Tax...
even though it isn't being sold in the US....??

Just about everything sold in the UK-Europe is expensive...
but maybe cheap if you live there??

If everyone sees this post Mike and sees how much an autostick badge is worth..
there will be a lot disappearing from the engine lids...    lol
and onto ebay...  lol

LEE

[Bookwus]

Hiya Lee,

Actually, nothing seems to surprise me anymore.

A lot of the crackheads here in the States have figured out that they can make drug money by recycling metal.  So these idiots have been stealing metal wherever they can find it.  Guardrails, safety cables, even firefighting equipment - nothing is sacred to these fools.

[68autobug]

Yes
A Ham Radio club I'm a member of, which is located in a populated area
has lately had all the copper pipes stolen then all the antenna cables have been stolen..
just for the copper..

the electricity companies have to guard the large rolls of copper cables these days..
but the scrap value is a lot less than new cables cost...

makes you wonder what next they will start stealing....

LEE

[68for500]

Many years ago, as a plumber in South Carolina, I had to re-plumb the water in a house that was being refurbished in a bad part of town THREE times, because these guys would come in and strip the whole works overnight.....that sucked. This was 15 years ago too when copper didn't fetch all that much....I used to think, certainly there are easier ways to earn money....I'd rather flip burgers than try and remove piping from underneath a house in the dark....People are strange in their unbelievable ability to not see the forest through the trees eh?

[68autobug]

thats unreal, and 15 years ago...

I thought it was  new thing...

although I have seen on TV shows that in the UK
people have been stealing LEAD off the roof of houses
at night for the money... for 40 years or so...
and many of those houses are 2 -3 stories too...

I have noticed that copper prices are going up..

so We will soon have to have a sign on Your house saying
"NO Copper pipes here" "ALL pipes are PVC"  etc...   lol

onto another subject
which i just read in an aussie motoring magazine
that many people in cities now take everything out of their
gloveboxes and leave the glovebox lid open
so any thief can see there is nothing to steal...

I don't know what the world is coming to...

Lee

[Barb]

My 1969 AS has the VW AS pot metal emblem on the deck lid, it also has 4 sets of vents any ideas if this is original?  It does not appear that any PO did anything to this car.

[68autobug]

My 1969 AS has the VW AS pot metal emblem on the deck lid, it also has 4 sets of vents any ideas if this is original?  It does not appear that any PO did anything to this car.

Hi Barb

No,

the 4 vent engine covers started in 1972 model Beetles..
I have a new 1976 engine cover i bought many years ago.. on My beetle
which would be identical to Yours I would say..

the 1968-69 engine covers had No vents at all..
but over heating can occur in high summer temperatures...
so many owners replace with the later covers with vents..

many owners of Early model beetles in Australia
have the vents added to the old style engine covers
to add more cooling and more air..
cheers

LEE



http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug

[buggerfly]

Since someone brought up the topic about the deck lids, I'm trying to figure out why my 71 super vert has 4 rows of 7 and the other deck lids I see have 2 rows of 7 and 2 rows of 6. Anyone know the reasoning behind this?
Sorry I've been gone for a while, lost power for 2 weeks due to IKE and just getting caught up again.

[Bookwus]

Hiya Stephanie,

Glad to have you back with us.  I hope that Ike was easy on you and yours.

The decklid business has the potential for getting very confusing.  There were a bunch of different configurations for vents depending on just what you were driving.  In short, that accounts for the differing numbers of vents on the rear decklid.

For example, in 1968 the standard sedan had no vents whatsoever.  The 68 convertible had 2 sets of five vents each.  Generally convertibles sported more vents than their hardtop brothers.  Sedans first gained decklid vents in the 1970 production year with the introduction of the larger 1600 engine.

Your 71 vert should have 4 sets of seven vents each, just as you have described.  However, a standard hardtop in 1971 would have only 2 sets of five vents each.

People who are really into stock appearance can spot mismatched decklids by counting the vents.  Getting to that level does take a little education and experience.

[68autobug]

I didn't know that about Karmann made cars Mike
as the convertible beetles [Karmann Cabriolets] were never sold in Australia
I have seen LHD USA late model imports plus RHD imports from Japan..

I've never actually counted the vents on the engine covers..
but know when they were introduced etc...

I think the first thing I bought for My 68 Beetle was a new NOS 1976 engine cover
with all the vents...  My original [no vents] engine cover in in a shed in gray undercoat
I should of had it painted at the same time so I would be able to use it in the winter..
I suppose i could paint it Black and still use it in the winter....lol

Mike - have you ever seen the vents on a South Africian beetle??

I'm not sure how many vents they do have
but they are closer together with a large gap in the center...

I think some Brasillian beetles had  similar vents
I could only find some very small pics of them but I do have some pics of a South Africian
1303S with front torsion bars and rear swing axles and 5 stud wheels..

there is another well known beetle in Australia which also has that type of vents -
I don't know if He welded them in or has a South Africian engine cover...

the vertical vents on very early Karmann cabrios [convertibles] have been copied
on many Australian early beetles... some are in the correct position and others
are at funny angles etc....

cheers

Lee

[72VDub]

Is Agave Green an old VW color, and by old I post oval bout 58-60?  I am looking for a good color that is not very widely used or even on my new toy.

[Bookwus]

Hiya 72,

I don't see Agave Green listed as a VW color in the early sixties.  VW offered Beryl Green in 61 and then switched that to Java Green in 64.  If Agave Greden was used it would predate 1960.

And if you want something unique but authentic, here's a thought..........why not choose a VW green that was NOT offered in your market?  I have a list of colors NOT offered in the USA but offered somewhere else in the world.  Deep Sea Green, Willow Green, Ravenna Green, Zambesi Green, Lofoten Green, Cliff Green, Manilla Green, Bali Green, and Viper Green Metallic were not available in the States at all or during certain production years.

[72VDub]

I found it in an old paint book shortly after posting, this is what I found:

Paint Code: L240 Agave Green
Year:4/56-58, 65-on for Beetles

[72VDub]

Bookwus,

I kinda like your idea however about picking a different market color, only problem I have is my books just lists colors for year and model.  It does not tell me anything other than that, so is there anyplace I can look that will tell the market each paint was offered?

[Bookwus]

Hiya 72,

Good question.

All I have is a list of colors (from 61 through 79) that were not offered in the North American market.  I don't know if there is a listing of colors by specific market.

Anybody else out there have a lead on this?