Re: I want a new one.

[Toby Erkson <Toby_Erkson@ccm2.hf.intel.com>]

Auto repair costs:  It all depends upon how far you want to go.

Good body shops are everywhere if you only wish to do stock repairs.  As 
others for their opinions and look at *several* shops.  The shop personnel 
should be friendly and show a willingness to help.  Ask for a tour of their 
shop.  If they refuse, say thank you and go to your next shop (every shop 
I've ever been to has never refused giving me a small tour).  Body shops 
are very dusty so don't expect it to be spotless and dress appropriately.  
What you may want to do is get estimates on what needs to be done from 
several shops then have one shop do one job, then the other shop do another 
job, and then compare.  Did the final sale come close to the estimate?  
Where all your questions answered? (Due to the nature of my body work, my 
car would be "under construction" for several days so I would stop by just 
to check up on her and the shop didn't have a problem with it).  Did they 
do what you asked?  Was the finish smooth?  Look at the work closely with 
your eyes *and* hands.  Every thing should flow.

If you are happy with the work, well, you found your body shop!  
Personally, once I find a place that satisfies me I stick with it.  The 
people then get to know me and my car.  I've visited Atlanta and some other 
places in the South and I don't think you will have a problem finding a 
shop.

Now, as for what you want to do, I will try to keep brief.  Going for a VW 
as a project car to restore is a good idea due to availability of parts.  I 
have friends here who restore British cars and parts are harder to come by. 
 I don't think Italian and upper price-range German cars need to be 
mentioned here $$$  The air cooled VW has a VERY big following.  Restoring 
a vehicle to "mint" condition will require much more than what you have.  
For the body work/paint you want expect the $5000 to go to that.  To do a 
100% job the body and pan will need to be separated and everything 
disassembled, blasted, smoothed, filled, etched, squirted inside and out 
(metal dash, remember? :), then reassembled (with new seals/hardware, of 
course!).  This is assuming everything goes right and no little surprises 
are waiting to be found.  Don't do the monster engine.  The total of my 
engine was $5000 alone and took about two months to complete (thus I bought 
the 914 as my *second vehicle* to get around).  After the engine loan is 
paid off I will be taking another one to paint the body.  The price does 
not include interior work, like upholstery.  From what I gather from your 
message you want to do what I am working on:  Producing a car that, for all 
intents and purposes, is a brand-new vehicle.  And that requires gobs o' 
money.  In essence it's just like I said at the very beginning of this 
message.

My approach, since I cannot afford to do this all at once, is to do a 
little bit at a time and I am getting a little closer to my goal.  Big 
engine, ragtop, smoothed body...  not much individually, but when the 
pieces are combined the whole picture starts to appear.  I acquired my baby 
from the original owners, my parents, in 1985 my senior year at high school 
and have been working on her ever since.  Three years in the Navy helped 
out a lot, but I really don't recommend it!  Four years in college was hell 
since I couldn't afford to really work on her.  Now I am finally in the 
work force and am able to pursue my dream (of being in debt, ha ha ack!)

Don't be dissuaded, just be informed.  I think it's fully cool what you 
want to do and I hope you do it!
     Toby Erkson
     air_cooled_nut@pobox.com
     modified '72 VW Squareback 2.0L
     stock '75 Porsche 914 1.8L


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: I want a new one.
Author:  type-3-errors@umich.edu at SMTPGATE
Date:    12/3/96 9:37 PM


As some of you may know I had a trouble prone '69 Squareback for about six
years and I finally sold it a year ago. I'm classic-carless until I
graduate one year from now, but I'm amassing funds that I am going to put
towards an antique European car of some sort, but I don't know what.

Of course one option would be to get another Squareback. I would like to
buy one that is restored or restorable and make it mint, which is what I
always wanted to do to the old one. I never see any '60s vintage
Squarebacks for sale in Atlanta and the ones that are are in pretty poor
shape. In fact the only one that I've seen in the past couple of years is
mine!

My ideal Squareback would be a pearl white late '60s model, stick shift,
IRS, dual stock carbs unless the FI comes in good working order along with
stock air cleaner. Or of course I could put some monster engine in it, but
I'm a bit traumatised by my hot running example and a big engine is more
likely to suffer the same fate. Are there good body restoration shops in the
southeast that would strip the car down, do a first class body repair and
paint job and reassemble? I can do the mechanical stuff fine but I can't
weld or do good body repair. I'm going to have about $5000 available to
build a car and I think I could do a Squareback for that.

I'm just rambling, any thoughts welcome. I miss my car.

Graham