I have really enjoyed your videos, I’m currently doing a’74 Ghia, but now there classics not just old transportation cars of the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s but still way cheaper than therapy 😂 Rule #1 Boss is always right, Rule #2 if the boss is wrong refer to rule #1😂.
I'd make a list, but it wouldn't count because I started 12 years ago. I did a little at a time and still drove the car to work and about the counties. The car was 5000 dollars and only needed an SVDA to be reliable. I put in disc brakes on the front, and re-stuffed the seats. Not necessary at all. Then necessary stuff happened as time went on. New carb, new steering bungs, new master cylinder internals, new rear brake cylinders, new tires, new jugs and pistons, new steering damper, new center link, new ball joints. Then it went on to other stuff I wanted like a spin-on oil filter system. I'm sure I'm missing a bunch of stuff. But it was all much cheaper 10 years ago. You mentioned disc brakes. I didn't think it was necessary at the time, but once I had them THEY WERE NECESSARY.
I DID forget some necessities... a thermostat and louvers. Engine bay and bonnet seals. I did do those jobs early on. And another thing that's just mechanical, the transmission wouldn't go into second without double-clutching. I changed the transmission fluid to an MT1 and never had a problem again.
owning one is expensive "ouch" but slowly making mine road worthy, it's the "Love for the Bug" that keeps me going, Thank you for this series I've learned several things 🙂
I’m probably about 2500-3000 into My 69 vert. project so far, including painting, body work and rust repair, and engine rebuild. (Most all parts from You guys) But I’m not done yet. Still have to get the new top, floor carpet and interior door stuff, all the park/ turn signal lights, etc…. It adds up for sure, but worth every nickel to Me. Probably will end up around 5-6 G , but I will have a better than new 69 Beetle when I’m done. So far, the most expensive parts were all the door/ window seals, which are very pricey for the convertibles, but that’s ok, it is what it is. I enjoy it. J Bugs has been a great help, especially with the wiring diagrams . Thank You very much! Well, I better get back at it. 👍👍🇺🇸
Nice work Sam, I will be learning a lot on your future projects, hopefully your boss will agree to refine the body along with some paint, my 67 is already there, just a few more details left to do.
All the parts (short of the door panels which aren’t online yet) are linked on our build page here - www.jbugs.com/product/Video-1967-Beetle-Build-Summary.html
When you do the labor yourself, there is no labor cost. As for paint and body, you can spend as much or as little as you'd like. We're planning on keeping the body work and paint to less than 5k. For our last restoration, the 1971 Super Beetle, the body and paint was quoted as being worth 25-30K by the person that painted the car, but again, as I did all the body work before the paint and the color sanding and polishing afterwards, the cost was just my time. In materials, the Glasurit paint alone on that car was 1K, and figure another 5 to 6 hundred or so in primer, filler, sand paper, sanding blocks and a temporary primer booth in my garage at home.
It’s always amazing what it costs to rebuild/restore a car. It’s never cheap and you are only citing the costs for parts! I would be curious to know how many hours you spent working on the car. Granted that’s the fun part and the real value for most of us is the actual work, but for someone who is considering doing a restoration but doesn’t have the skills, the labor costs add up fast. In the end you now have a sunroof 67 beetle-a special year and a special car, which is awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Time and labor are hard to quote, absolutely. I, like many others do this for enjoyment. If you aren’t going to do the work yourself, you’re better off buying a car that is already what you want it to be, for sure. For those that want to do the work themselves, go out and do it! I’m not a trained mechanic, I learned by doing and fortunately with UA-cam videos, you can find out how to do just about anything!
Hello Sam, I hope you are well, I have a 1974 1303 Super Beetle and I have a problem with the balance of the rear wheels. Are these adjustable or is there a big problem? One of them stays further in than the other.
By balance do you mean the wheel shakes? Or that one tire sits closer or father away from the fender than the other? For a shaking, out of balance on bent wheel, a tire shop might be able to help. If one wheel is closer to a fender though, there are a couple of things that can cause that, from body or fender damage, two different fenders (perhaps one original, one aftermarket) etc. Possibly a bent control arm, etc. The only real body "adjustment" is literally loosening the all the pan to body bolts and then shifting the rear of the car over one way or the other as needed. You can get maybe 1/4" adjustment that way, but that is an extreme solution.
@@Sam_Mebane Hello Sam, thank you for your reply. It would be better understood if I send you a photo, because this is not one of the things you said, can I send it to you by e-mail?
Thank you Sam, for sharing this experience. For the setups and the tight edits. All of that takes time from working on the bug. Also the 20 minute format seems about right for these. Most importantly, thanks for opening the books and putting all the numbers on a spreadsheet. That 4 inch narrowed beam sounds interesting. Or dive into a bug that gets no love, turned into a Class 11. How about visiting the bugs in the lot in some shorts. What's good, what's bad? Happy Thanksgiving!
I used to race class 11, it's how I met my wife in fact. Her aunt and uncle owned the car that I was the co-driver in, so I have a soft spot for 11 cars for sure. We have some ideas for the future but a closer look at the cars wasn't one, I'll see what I can do! Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.
Sam how much do disc brakes really help? My 68 had very good brakes, but they were stock.. I've never driven one with disc's, so i really couldn't compare it to anything... Btw the 67 looks great, personally i would paint it, but that's just me... Sam you take care and God Bless...
Gary, disc brakes are a must in my opinion. They take the stopping power from adequate to more in line of what you expect from almost a modern car, sans the brake "booster" ease.
If Your drum braking system is in good condition and properly adjusted on these old beetles, they have all the stopping power needed for normal driving. These vehicles are light, and compared to normal vehicles, very light in the front, which is about 75% of your braking. Keep in mind that there is no ABS systems on these bugs and it is not difficult to lock the brakes up in a panic situation, and even more so with disc brakes. Not a problem for old school farts like Myself. If Your not mechanically inclined and don’t know how to properly adjust and maintain the drum brakes, disc conversion on All 4 wheels is a very good idea.
Yes, it will but we’re aren’t going for that nice of a paint job on this car. That was 25-30k in body and paint. This car we don’t want to drop more than 5k.
You had a lot of polls asking the viewers to decide on a part or a certain direction for the car, what would you have done differently if there wasn't any external factors deciding on the car? Also, how do you personally feel about this car and price tag?
If you plan on having a PROFESSIONAL paint shop take it down to bare metal with doors / hoods off- windows out, it’s very easy to hit 20-25,000 quickly!
Almost $ 12 K invested and you haven't even done the most expensive part....the body and paint. This doesn't even look like a 'restored' car....more like a freeway warrior, a worn out daily driver ! My guess is you're maybe half way there. I hope you're ready to finish the trip...and not just give up.
Like I said in the video, short of paint and body, a headliner and carpet, we’ve done everything else. At this point we’re going to tear it all down again, and then do the paint and body and re-reassemble everything but parts wise, we aren’t going to need much else…
I have really enjoyed your videos, I’m currently doing a’74 Ghia, but now there classics not just old transportation cars of the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s but still way cheaper than therapy 😂 Rule #1 Boss is always right, Rule #2 if the boss is wrong refer to rule #1😂.
I've worked with my boss for 26 years now, rules don't always apply!
I'd make a list, but it wouldn't count because I started 12 years ago. I did a little at a time and still drove the car to work and about the counties. The car was 5000 dollars and only needed an SVDA to be reliable.
I put in disc brakes on the front, and re-stuffed the seats. Not necessary at all.
Then necessary stuff happened as time went on. New carb, new steering bungs, new master cylinder internals, new rear brake cylinders, new tires, new jugs and pistons, new steering damper, new center link, new ball joints.
Then it went on to other stuff I wanted like a spin-on oil filter system.
I'm sure I'm missing a bunch of stuff. But it was all much cheaper 10 years ago.
You mentioned disc brakes. I didn't think it was necessary at the time, but once I had them THEY WERE NECESSARY.
I DID forget some necessities... a thermostat and louvers. Engine bay and bonnet seals. I did do those jobs early on.
And another thing that's just mechanical, the transmission wouldn't go into second without double-clutching. I changed the transmission fluid to an MT1 and never had a problem again.
owning one is expensive "ouch" but slowly making mine road worthy, it's the "Love for the Bug" that keeps me going, Thank you for this series I've learned several things 🙂
Exactly, it’s the love and enjoyment that we get from that hands on experience and watching our work and money transform before our eyes.
Amazing! I just bought another Beetle and order a lot of parts from JBugs.
Thanks and thanks! Enjoy your VWs, the parts and your Thanksgiving!
I’m probably about 2500-3000 into My 69 vert. project so far, including painting, body work and rust repair, and engine rebuild. (Most all parts from You guys) But I’m not done yet. Still have to get the new top, floor carpet and interior door stuff, all the park/ turn signal lights, etc…. It adds up for sure, but worth every nickel to Me. Probably will end up around 5-6 G , but I will have a better than new 69 Beetle when I’m done. So far, the most expensive parts were all the door/ window seals, which are very pricey for the convertibles, but that’s ok, it is what it is. I enjoy it. J Bugs has been a great help, especially with the wiring diagrams . Thank You very much! Well, I better get back at it. 👍👍🇺🇸
There is a LOT of rubber on convertibles. It is the price you have to pay for driving around “topless”! 😂
@@Sam_Mebane No argument for topless in My book!😃👍👍🇺🇸
Nice job Sam, can't wait for the next project.
You and me both!
Excellent debrief and look at costs Sam!
Thanks Tim, Happy Thanksgiving sir. I do miss seeing you around, I hope all is well!
And a happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Sam!@@Sam_Mebane
I have truly enjoyed this! Rebuild 😂👊😎
It's happening....after the sunroof video (which I am wrapping up editing on right now) this car is slated for a full tear down.
Nice work Sam, I will be learning a lot on your future projects, hopefully your boss will agree to refine the body along with some paint, my 67 is already there, just a few more details left to do.
Yeah, it’s going to get mild bodywork, after the few major issues (like the hacked up dash) and a quick paint job, nothing fancy.
I really like this series. Also, i kinda want to get that same intor for my 1963 beetle.
All the parts (short of the door panels which aren’t online yet) are linked on our build page here - www.jbugs.com/product/Video-1967-Beetle-Build-Summary.html
not sure if I missed it but what about labor costs? Time/hours? what is paint job for a bug?
When you do the labor yourself, there is no labor cost. As for paint and body, you can spend as much or as little as you'd like. We're planning on keeping the body work and paint to less than 5k. For our last restoration, the 1971 Super Beetle, the body and paint was quoted as being worth 25-30K by the person that painted the car, but again, as I did all the body work before the paint and the color sanding and polishing afterwards, the cost was just my time. In materials, the Glasurit paint alone on that car was 1K, and figure another 5 to 6 hundred or so in primer, filler, sand paper, sanding blocks and a temporary primer booth in my garage at home.
I was just thinking the same thing when putting in my Black Friday order for my 67….😮
Save while the savings are good! A sale on something you don’t need isn’t saving you anything but, if you need it, save it!
@@Sam_Mebane New wheel cylinders and brake shoes all around while the body is off. The sale came at just the right time.
It’s always amazing what it costs to rebuild/restore a car. It’s never cheap and you are only citing the costs for parts! I would be curious to know how many hours you spent working on the car. Granted that’s the fun part and the real value for most of us is the actual work, but for someone who is considering doing a restoration but doesn’t have the skills, the labor costs add up fast. In the end you now have a sunroof 67 beetle-a special year and a special car, which is awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Time and labor are hard to quote, absolutely. I, like many others do this for enjoyment. If you aren’t going to do the work yourself, you’re better off buying a car that is already what you want it to be, for sure. For those that want to do the work themselves, go out and do it! I’m not a trained mechanic, I learned by doing and fortunately with UA-cam videos, you can find out how to do just about anything!
Hello Sam, I hope you are well, I have a 1974 1303 Super Beetle and I have a problem with the balance of the rear wheels. Are these adjustable or is there a big problem? One of them stays further in than the other.
By balance do you mean the wheel shakes? Or that one tire sits closer or father away from the fender than the other? For a shaking, out of balance on bent wheel, a tire shop might be able to help. If one wheel is closer to a fender though, there are a couple of things that can cause that, from body or fender damage, two different fenders (perhaps one original, one aftermarket) etc. Possibly a bent control arm, etc. The only real body "adjustment" is literally loosening the all the pan to body bolts and then shifting the rear of the car over one way or the other as needed. You can get maybe 1/4" adjustment that way, but that is an extreme solution.
@@Sam_Mebane Hello Sam, thank you for your reply. It would be better understood if I send you a photo, because this is not one of the things you said, can I send it to you by e-mail?
@@alijado9191 absolutely, my email is sam@jbugs.com
Do you have a complete 1965 convertible passenger side wind-wing?
The convertible vent wing assemblies are not made new, no.
Thank you Sam, for sharing this experience. For the setups and the tight edits. All of that takes time from working on the bug. Also the 20 minute format seems about right for these. Most importantly, thanks for opening the books and putting all the numbers on a spreadsheet. That 4 inch narrowed beam sounds interesting. Or dive into a bug that gets no love, turned into a Class 11. How about visiting the bugs in the lot in some shorts. What's good, what's bad? Happy Thanksgiving!
I used to race class 11, it's how I met my wife in fact. Her aunt and uncle owned the car that I was the co-driver in, so I have a soft spot for 11 cars for sure. We have some ideas for the future but a closer look at the cars wasn't one, I'll see what I can do! Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.
Also, where has Nitrocross been all my life?? That was awesome!@@Sam_Mebane
I really enjoyed the series.
Where did you buy the rims on the bug? Or do you have them on the website
We sell them on our website, JBugs.com - Vintage 190 wheels.
Sam how much do disc brakes really help? My 68 had very good brakes, but they were stock.. I've never driven one with disc's, so i really couldn't compare it to anything... Btw the 67 looks great, personally i would paint it, but that's just me... Sam you take care and God Bless...
Gary, disc brakes are a must in my opinion. They take the stopping power from adequate to more in line of what you expect from almost a modern car, sans the brake "booster" ease.
@@Sam_Mebane Ok Sam, thx for getting back to me so quickly... Sam, wishing you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving...
@@garyjones2582 Likewise, thank you and God bless you and yours!
If Your drum braking system is in good condition and properly adjusted on these old beetles, they have all the stopping power needed for normal driving. These vehicles are light, and compared to normal vehicles, very light in the front, which is about 75% of your braking. Keep in mind that there is no ABS systems on these bugs and it is not difficult to lock the brakes up in a panic situation, and even more so with disc brakes. Not a problem for old school farts like Myself. If Your not mechanically inclined and don’t know how to properly adjust and maintain the drum brakes, disc conversion on All 4 wheels is a very good idea.
Where did you get the t-shirt you are wearing? Is that a JBUGS shirt?
It is, for staff only. We got a few when we made the move from CA to AZ.
That super beetle was so nice…..just sayin. The 67 will so nice painted.
Yes, it will but we’re aren’t going for that nice of a paint job on this car. That was 25-30k in body and paint. This car we don’t want to drop more than 5k.
Can you provide us with the cost spreadsheet?
It should be on a linked PDF on our webpage here - www.jbugs.com/product/Video-1967-Beetle-Build-Summary.html
Thank you Sam.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving
You had a lot of polls asking the viewers to decide on a part or a certain direction for the car, what would you have done differently if there wasn't any external factors deciding on the car? Also, how do you personally feel about this car and price tag?
Short of the only part that I didn't have control over (the interior) I wouldn't change a thing!
If you plan on having a PROFESSIONAL paint shop take it down to bare metal with doors / hoods off- windows out, it’s very easy to hit 20-25,000 quickly!
On JUST paint and body, yep!
I bet they will do a payroll deduction of $50/wk and just let you buy it. It's worth a try.
I'm trying all I can!
Almost $ 12 K invested and you haven't even done the most expensive part....the body and paint. This doesn't even look like a 'restored' car....more like a freeway warrior, a worn out daily driver ! My guess is you're maybe half way there. I hope you're ready to finish the trip...and not just give up.
Like I said in the video, short of paint and body, a headliner and carpet, we’ve done everything else. At this point we’re going to tear it all down again, and then do the paint and body and re-reassemble everything but parts wise, we aren’t going to need much else…