1951 split window project

I put this advert up on another forum a couple of years ago to raise cash to buy another race car. I ummed and ahhed a bit, then missed the race car, but I've done literally nothing to the split since then and I've got other projects demanding my time and attention!

About 6 years ago I bought my dream VW - a 1951 split window beetle. Story goes that in 1967 the beetle was put into a barn in Sweden, having been driven around from new in that country since its build in late January 1951, being painted blue over its original Pastel Green paint during this time. It sat there until 1995 when it was found by Owen Warlow and brought into the UK. Rich Oakley even remembers seeing it at a show when it was fresh off the boat and complete!

Unfortunately the next ten years were not kind to it. It was reputedly passed around from restorer to restorer, with each one taking a few bits off it and then moving it on. Along the way it lost its wings, lights, motor and a few other parts, and I sold the ratty interior and bumpers to Bobby Wilcox for his slammed '52 which was on the cover of Ultra VW a couple of years ago. What it did gain was a heater channel and lower rear quarter repair on the left hand side, which although are solid aren't up to my standards. Other than that, the body is untouched and unwelded. However, it isn't perfect - the front end has some accident damage and rust, but I've already got a complete front end from a RHD 1958 Beetle to use as a donor. In addition, it looks like something has fallen onto the roof at some point, just above the windscreen on the right hand side.

There are a couple of boxes of bits with the car such as both glovebox liners, some dash trims, one dash pod with speedo, a spare batwing steering wheel with hornpush, some semaphore parts, a pair of repro tailight housings and some other bits.

My plan was to build my ultimate Cal Look Beetle from this car - a Mike Mahaffey tribute car - so I wasn't worried about the missing parts, as they were basically stock bits anyway. So that I wouldn't need to modify the original pan, beam and gearbox, (and to make the build-up a little easier!) I aquired a replacement floorpan to build the car up on, which itself has some interesting history. It is as close as you will get to a New Old Stock linkpin floorpan, having been used in a Belgian VW dealership in the early '60's from what I've been told, for training mechanics - rear suspension is painted green, the braking system in pink and the clutch in blue, so each system is clearly visible! It is a LHD floorpan, but I was going to convert the pan to RHD, so the pedal assembly is no longer there. It was run under a slammed WW2 Kubelwagen shell for a short time, and has had a couple of scrapes on the pan halves, but is otherwise perfect.

I swapped my MOT'd Karmann Ghia for the '51, and then bought the front end metalwork and the extra pan afterwards, which will give you an idea of the value I put on it. I'm asking for £3000 for all of the above.

I also have a CB Performance 2" narrowed beam, with dropped spindles and wide five stud disc brakes, all brand new and bought specifically for the car, with good original arms - basically the complete front running gear. This alone would cost £800, but if you want it with the '51 I'll let it go for an additional £500.

Be under no illusions, it's not a quick weekend fixer-upper! It is a project, and it will take some time. You could build up the pan and swap the body over for a ratty racer, but I'd rather see it done properly and Cal Look'd!
If you are serious about the car, then feel free to PM me and we can chat about the details. It's well protected in a dry garage so if you want more photos I'll have to dig it out, but I'll do that for serious enquiries.

Thanks for looking,
Neil

Edit - Sale agreed! Off to a good home shortly!