The Black Sheep Beetle

Where I live a first car for a high-school chump might be a loud ford f-150, humble 4runner, or an obnoxious jeep. Nothing ever particularly interesting, (the occasional mustang mixes it up a bit) but usually nothing older than 15 years. This is where I step in.

This is my 1974 super beetle, or as I like to call it; broken. The seat-belt relay that was started in this year has gone bad, I'll be fixing it soon though, it's the simple matter of a jumper wire and some male spade connectors. When she would crank over she ran great, all the shifts were smooth and it was really easy to drive. There are a couple things that HAVE to happen in the short term other than the relay bypass. These include:

1. tearing out the interior including carpet

2. ordering new front seats, I would love to do something cool instead of just stock. Like some retro recaros or brides? Maybe the plaid porsche seats? how difficult would something like this be?

3. While interior is out POR-15 the entire thing

4. Fix headlights, they don't work, no idea why.

As you can see from this photo the interior is GARBAGE, its hard to sit in the front seats without wanting to jump out of the car.

I honestly don't have any specific goals for this car right now other than get it running perfectly and doing the interior. After that I will most likely move onto wheels/tires/suspension. Even from the couple of short drives I took the car on I am in love, I can see why these have such a cult following.

Here ya have it folks the start of the Black Sheep Beetle.

Interior doesn't look bad to me. I'd look in to getting the seats recovered or find some bucket seats with bolters. I remember just about rolling out of seats every time I took a corner in one with stock seats.

My advice, if this is your first car. DON'T take it all apart and try to do too much at once. Take it one weekend at a time and after a while , you'll have it where you want it. If you bite off more than you can chew, you my give up.

I'd start with getting the headlights going first then getting any brake and rust issues taken care of.

In reply to crankwalk:

Starting with the headlights is a good idea, it could just be a bulb, or it could be something slightly more serious. And I won't be completely tearing this thing apart, I don't have the money for that . It will absolutely be a project that goes weekend to weekend.

What would you recommend in the way of bucket seats?

POR 15 is expensive, Tractor Supply or Rustoleum enamel would be my choice. For seats, are those solid enough to put covers over? If not then maybe just adapt whatever you can get at your local junkyard that is around the same dimensions.

crankwalk wrote: My advice, if this is your first car. DON'T take it all apart and try to do too much at once. Take it one weekend at a time and after a while , you'll have it where you want it. If you bite off more than you can chew, you my give up.

This dude speaks the truth.

NoPermitNeeded wrote: In reply to crankwalk: Starting with the headlights is a good idea, it could just be a bulb, or it could be something slightly more serious. And I won't be completely tearing this thing apart, I don't have the money for that . It will absolutely be a project that goes weekend to weekend. What would you recommend in the way of bucket seats?

Here's an option to redo it yourself. Could be fun. Redo them yourself

Jbugs, Empi, and Craigslist is where I would start looking for seats. If you get new buckets make sure they are on sliders and you probably want some that recline. Fixed seats sound cool but for street cars, you'll appreciate the reclinability.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: POR 15 is expensive, Tractor Supply or Rustoleum enamel would be my choice. For seats, are those solid enough to put covers over? If not then maybe just adapt whatever you can get at your local junkyard that is around the same dimensions.

POR is overrated.

Rustoleum is underrated. Stuff works really well, and is easy to get. Rusty metal primer for the win.

Unless the seats have broken Springs sticking out throw some cheap seat covers on them for now. Make a list of things that MUST be fixed to safely drive it (like the lights.) Do those and drive the car. Start making a list of things that keep it from being fully functional and start hitting those next. Make a list of stuff that's annoying or will be more comfortable fixed. Slide those in as you can.

It's always easier to stay motivated when you can get a little enjoyment out of the car.

By the way, that's a great looking first ride! Congrats dude!

That looks like a clean bug! My experience is with pre-70's bugs but I agree with two points:

First: The interior doesn't look too bad! At least it hasn't had pigeons living in it (been there)

Second: make it run, make it stop and just enjoy it!

It is very easy to fall into 'project creep' and suddenly the car is in pieces.

Good luck with the project, and keep us posted!

Safe, reliable, cool. In that order.

Just the old man in me talking.

Good job on the first car though!!!

Nice car.

I agree the seats don't look that bad, but I've not put my ass on them, either.

Headlights first.

I'm also wondering what the car would look like with tubular step boards on it.

Too bad it's a Super:

Buy this book today:

$14.68 at Barnes and Noble

Do they still have Home Ec. in school? You could probably pick up a plaid material you like and copy you beat up seat covers in a nice pattern fairly inexpensivly on the school's equipment.

Agree with others about sequence. Seat covers for now then after it's safe then replace seats. As for headlights. Start with the simple stuff first. Fuses then bulbs then wiring. Been there. My Opel GT headlights didn't work, even after rewiring which it needed anyway and checking fuses and double checking fuses and double checking wiring and had proper volts. Replaced both bulbs and everything works. What are the odds that both bulbs would burn out at the same time? Well it happens more than you think it would.

In reply to 72Subabeetle:

That would be super cool, do you just bolt the whole assembly into the floor pan?

In reply to Wall-e:

Sadly classes like that are on the decline... My grandma used to be a home ec teacher though so she could help me make some covers.

Running to AutoZone later today to pick up the wires and connectors I need after school, should be able to get her up and running before this weekend. XC meet tomorrow means I'll be a little short on time.

In reply to wlkelley3:

That was my plan, I think it might just be bulbs because when I flip the headlight switch the amber turn signal lights on the fenders turn on.

Clean every ground terminal and fuse connection that you can find. It's free to do and will make a huge difference in your life.

Woody wrote: Clean every ground terminal and fuse connection that you can find. It's free to do and will make a huge difference in your life.

And I would add, spray it with a little PB blaster afterwards to keep the corrosion off longer.

crankwalk wrote:

Woody wrote: Clean every ground terminal and fuse connection that you can find. It's free to do and will make a huge difference in your life.

And I would add, spray it with a little PB blaster afterwards to keep the corrosion off longer.

or slater some dialectric grease on them. same with every electrical connector you touch. clean it up, coat it, and put it back together. you will love your younger self sometime in the future...

Dusterbd13 wrote:

crankwalk wrote:

Woody wrote: Clean every ground terminal and fuse connection that you can find. It's free to do and will make a huge difference in your life.

And I would add, spray it with a little PB blaster afterwards to keep the corrosion off longer.

or slater some dialectric grease on them. same with every electrical connector you touch. clean it up, coat it, and put it back together. you will love your younger self sometime in the future...

I feel like that time is coming sooner than later... I get home from school today and the car cranks up like nothing happened; and the headlights work! However, as soon as I shut it off and try again... nothing. I no longer think that it was the seat-belt relay, some previous owner most likely did the bypass a while ago. The down side to this is that I have next to no clue what's wrong, the electrical gremlins are at it again. Could it be ground terminals or connections somewhere? Is the starter a good place to start my gremlin hunt?

Is the relay still in place? Try bypassing it first.

In reply to NoPermitNeeded:

Check and make sure it's getting a signal to do something. Go from there. If it's getting 12V to activate, then it's the starter. If not, then it's upstream from there. And get a wiring diagram. I've had a bum ignition switch, too.

In reply to alfadriver:

Will do, I'll have to time to investigate it this weekend. I hope it's something relatively simple so I can get her back on the road

Grab one of these little brass wire wheels in the dremel section of your local hardware store.

Pull all your fuses, chuck up the wire wheel in a little drill, and lightly polish all of the contact surfaces in the fuse block. Either replace all the fuses or polish their contact surfaces as well. This is the first thing I do when I drag home a dejected European car that's been sitting and it usually takes care of 75% of weird electrical issues.