Donor Arrived!

[meeja]

Finally got my hands on my Donor Beetle last night.....



Only problem is, it is in rather good condition (MOT failure due to a small amount of welding required)

Looking through the paperwork that came with it, the previous owner has spent a fortune in recent years....

Do I use it as a donor, or restore it as a Beetle.... as a bit of TLC, and a bit of cash (not a fortune) would see it happily back on the road....

(I am quite fond of old beetle's in a "cute" sort of way...)

It has a decent engine (albeit LRP), a recent clutch, new(ish) floorpans and recent heat exchangers, and drives suprisingly well!

[Liszt]

Sounds like the perfect Donor to me.

Get that angle grinder to it.

[richolaf]

What year is it? IRS? What do you mean by LRP? I hope you don't think you need LRP petrol, they have been able to take unleaded since the 30s as they always had proper valve inserts due to the ally head.

[KITT]

It's a Beetle, get grinding

[meeja]

richolaf said:

What year is it? IRS? What do you mean by LRP? I hope you don't think you need LRP petrol, they have been able to take unleaded since the 30s as they always had proper valve inserts due to the ally head.

YHM!

[vojx]

its a bug - squash it

[PeetBee]

Congratulations!
I'd be tempted to carefully strip it so you can sell all the good bits that you don't need and get some money back that way.
Have fun.

[lanciachris]

Have a heart people! Beetles need love too!
How far gone is it?

[meeja]

lanciachris said:

Have a heart people! Beetles need love too! How far gone is it?

That's the point.

It is nowhere near as far gone as I expected it to be. Hence it could be restored to a decent standard without spending a fortune.

(Basically, I got a bargain!)

[Martin_S]

richolaf said:

What year is it? IRS? What do you mean by LRP? I hope you don't think you need LRP petrol, they have been able to take unleaded since the 30s as they always had proper valve inserts due to the ally head.

Is there such a thing as a non-IRS Beetle...might handle a bit better with a beam in place of the swing axles, mind you...

Lead isn't there just for the valve seats, remember. Sure, the Beetles alloy heads will have valve seats that are hard enough to avoid VSR, but you'll still need to back off the ignition timing (and consequently the power), to avoid pinking - particularly since air cooled engines tend to run hotter.

[kitcarman]

Martin_S said:

Lead isn't there just for the valve seats. . . . you'll still need to back off the ignition timing (and consequently the power), to avoid pinking . . . .

Which is why the larger capacity engines are in so much demand these days. You need the extra cc’s to claw back the lost power.

Or else be left driving a damp squib

Den.