Tone Parsons

An update on the ’68 VW Beetle Project!

By popular demand (ok… only one person asked for it), here’s an update on the restoration of my son’s ’68 beetle!

Things have gone pretty slow, as my son has been broke, and with my income turned off for several months, there’s just been no cash to work with.

But now that my income has been turned back on, combined with the fact that my son got some high paying temp work, we’re back on it!

We’ve been having problems finding parts for the beetle that actually work.  The local import parts store has been a little less than helpful (they keep selling us the wrong parts).  But… we found a great source online, Mid America Motorworks.  They have good prices, are providing the correct parts, and the shipping is very reasonable!

Here’s a list of things that didn’t work when we got it, but do work now:

Electrical System:

  • Dash lights
  • Brake lights
  • Turn signals
  • windshield wipers
  • Headlights
  • Fuel Gage
  • Horn
  • Interior light

Suspension:

  • Rear shocks
  • Rear Camber rod bushings

Interior:

  • Seats (the seats in the car were from a Ford Bronco, we found origional ’68 beetle seats for it)
  • Ashtray

Engine / Transmission, Drive train:

  • Shifter linkage
  • Carb rebuild (It leaked gas everywhere!)
  • Boots for the swing arm drive
  • Gaskets for the oil screen (it leaked oil)
  • Brakes!! (there were virtually no brakes when we got it)

We just received an order from Mid America the other day, and now have a few more things to do.  Here’s what we got:

  • Seat belts
  • Wiper arms
  • Front hood latch receiver (with release)
  • Cable for front hood latch receiver (so it can be opened from inside the car)
  • Rear hood locking handle
  • Shifter knob showing shift pattern
  • Emergency brake lever
  • Seat rails for both front seats (the ones in the car had been destroyed)
  • Battery tray pan (it’s totally rusted out back there!)

Once we get those items done, all we need to do is replace the transmission rear mount and adjust the torsion bars on the rear wheels, and get new tires.  Then it will be ready to drive and street legal.

Once the kid is able to drive it, he want’s to invest in some cool wheels.  The wheels on the car currently are rusted badly and look like hell.  He doesn’t want to go with the vintage beetle look, so we went hunting for after-market ones.  Sadly, we could only find two wheels for the beetle with a 4-130mm bolt pattern when we went to the tire stores.

So again, we went online and sure enough, Mid America Motorworks offers several exclusive wheels for the beetle.  My son picked out the ones shown to the right.  We’re not going to get then right now, but come spring… they’re the first thing on his list.

They run $599.99 for a set of 4 (or $149.99 per wheel) which isn’t bad at all.

I’ll update once again when we make more progress!

3 comments

3 Comments so far

  1. Mike Yager November 2nd, 2008 6:27 am

    Hey Guys,

    Tell me a little more about your “son”. Age? How long have you had the Beetle? First car?.

    I bet I can help you get those wheels! 🙂

    Mike Yager
    Chief Cheerleader
    Mid America Motorworks

    P.S. Thanks for the nice things you said about my company!

  2. Dad November 2nd, 2008 10:13 am

    You guys are doing a great job and will end up with a car when its all done. I’m going to check out Mid America Motorworks to see if they got any stuff for my old Mercedes CE300. Thanks for the update and we will see you all on Thanksgiving. Heck, I may even make you a Norwegian milkshake…..

  3. Mag November 2nd, 2008 2:58 pm

    We miss the Hell out of you at work too! Not the same there without you….

    Well, since they won’t let you work, just thought I’d give you, actually your son, the heads up that we are looking for someone, full time employee, to work the CTO warehouse (Distribution Coordinator). Pulling parts, helping out in shipping, etc. If he’s interested, let me know…smart kid, might do well!