squareback heaven

["Cooper N. Melton" <cnm4x@virginia.edu>]

Howdy Volks:

What follows is a long, contorted, and magical journey.... but the ending
will leave you all drooling.

I took Rosie (my '72 SqB) in yesterday to have the front end checked out
concerning a bad shimmy.  "It probably just needs a wheel balancing", the
lady at the counter told me.  Wishful thinking.  Thirty minutes later, she
retrieved me in the waiting room with the rather ominous words, "The guys
need to talk to you in the back."  I got there and the mechanic showed me 
what was causing the shimmy, and told me that I need a new front
axle assembly.  D'OH!  Can anything else be done in the meantime?  I
asked. No, see the rust and the welding?  It's been patched together
before.  So I got a quote of $225 for the labor and an alignment provided
I can find a new axle.  I also got the number and address of a local
junkyard.  Great, i thought.  Another two-bit boneyard with a couple
wrecked Rabbits lying around, but the existence of any aircooleds was
doubtful and type III's?  Never.  This is central Virginia, not
southern California.
   But my trepidance was relieved when I pulled up to
the place, when the first thing I saw was a row of Beetles.  And as I
walked up the drive, more Beetles, a bus, and a bunch of boxer engines.
And then- just by the front door- a row of Squarebacks.  Woo-hoo!  The
owner came out and I told him what i needed.  "yeah, I've got one right
here- it's in pretty good shape too," he said as he poked around
underneath one of the
Squares.  I asked if he had any more type IIIs besides the five lined up
here, and he said I could poke around in the woods.
   What I found was absolutely amazing.  Spread out over a good ten
acres lay well over a hundred old VW's- Beetles, Ghias, Busses, and Type
3's.  Tons of 'em.  I didn't take a head count, but I estimate there were
at least thirty.  Mostly Squarebacks, a few Fastbacks.  Just about every
model year and option represented- dealer A/C, sunroof, automatic,
gas heater.  (No tachs though.)  A lot of them have been sitting there
since the mid-Eighties, so mildew and rot have attacked many of the
interiors.
   But there are tons of good parts, and a lot of rust-free body parts.  I
found the East Coast's Squareback Heaven.  It was an awesome sight to
behold.  (I feel like an explorer returning from the new world!)
   Anyway, a couple of questions.  What do you all know about the Sapphire
XII AM/FM radio?  I saw one in a '70 SqB.  Not sure if it works.  Is it
rare?  Easily fixed?   How does it sound?  Should I get it?  How much
should I pay?
   Another question.  He quoted me $175 for the front axle assembly.  How
reasonable is that?

Thanks guys, and i hope you enjoyed my tale of treasure.  :)

Cooper
'72 Squareback



Cooper N. Melton, Esq.  
221 Gildersleeve, Brown College at Monroe Hill
University of Virginia 
School of Architecture 
coop@virginia.edu
http://palladio.arch.virginia.edu/~cnm4x
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