The Ratty Rag Top

[stealth67vw]

I just picked up the ratty rag top! It was in the local paper last week for $1500 USD. Nobody called about it for a few weeks so I went at looked at it and offered him $1200 and he took it! He got it in a trade and had very little money into it. He never drove it more than 1 mile from home and had let the registration lapse. It's original paint is a little rattier than I remember it last week, but still has a ton of potential.

I was just digging through the glove box and found some old registration and an old friend, Ray Isipovich from the Bay Area owned it in 2002. He moved up here to southern Oregon 11-12 years ago and I just happened to run into him 2 weeks ago when I went to look at a pair of dual Solexe's at a yard sale. He gave me a complete history of the car this morning, who built the 1600 dual port, why the front apron was primered, how old the brakes were, how much he paid for the brand new Firestone F-560 135s, 215/65s and Centerlines. Ray still had the warranty card for the tires. He actually called a guy in Montana to see if he still had the original steering wheel and he has the original seat bottom in his garage.

My future plans call for some minor body work and a fresh coat of flat black epoxy primer, new window seals with the chrome and maybe a 1915 with a W125 and 44IDFs.

[stealth67vw]

I've already gotten pulled over in it  No ticket(s) though

[javabug]

Nice looking ride.  Altho, only my opinion, I think it deserves better than black primer.

[stealth67vw]

Nice looking ride.  Altho, only my opinion, I think it deserves better than black primer.

With primer, I don't have to worry about scratching primer when replacing gearboxes, bigger, then even bigger engines, swapping dual carbs, etc.

I don't know yet, the car might grow on me or I might sell it to fund other junk. I have 2 other cars in line for paint before this one, both black 67s

[louisb]

Sweet deal there. You could shine it up, put a mild engine in it, a stock interior and probably turn it around for $5-6 grand easy.

[yvre]

Nice looking ride.  Altho, only my opinion, I think it deserves better than black primer.

With primer, I don't have to worry about scratching primer when replacing gearboxes, bigger, then even bigger engines, swapping dual carbs, etc.

I don't know yet, the car might grow on me or I might sell it to fund other junk. I have 2 other cars in line for paint before this one, both black 67s

I agree with Mike... Do some touch up on the front apron and leave the rest of the paint alone.

[roland]

Black primer is for hoodrides...

[beetletom]

that red paint looks cool!
just polish it!  and drive 

[Neil Davies]

Agreed, don't black primer it!

[stealth67vw]

After sitting on this thing for a while, I started putting work into it in the last 2 weeks and start driving it. I pulled the engine and cleaned it up and added the dual Solex's, replaced the axle boots, replaced the urethane trans mounts, new battery, put a 63 decklid with stands off on, swapped passenger rear fender, replumbed the fuel system, added some H4 headlights, added Euro bumpers after drilling out 5 broken bolts( ) and fixed the cleft palet of a dash. It looked like somebody tried to pry open the glove box with a crow bar once upon a time. Still a lot of work to be done. I plan on adding a new ragtop canvas (DAMN CATS ), headliner, carpet and door panels, fab up a different muffler and throw away that piece of shit Scat "Miss Shift Fast" shifter. The stocker with a 5 dollar shift kit would probably work tons better.

[Hotrodvw]

Nice!!!!!  I'd roll that!   

[stealth67vw]

My birdshit welds look pretty good on the dash, don't they?

[Hotrodvw]

Amazing what a flapper wheel on a grinder will do, eh? 

[Sam K]

That looks like a fun driver!

[Rennsurfer]

John, that dash came out pretty good. Job well done. Are you leaving the rear gravel guards on?

[Jason Foster]

 In the shot of the new passenger rear fender looks like they are allready gone.

[Rennsurfer]

You're right, Jason... good catch.

[John Rayburn]

Thanks Mark.

[stealth67vw]

John, that dash came out pretty good. Job well done. Are you leaving the rear gravel guards on?

Nope, they are gone. Less is more

[John Rayburn]

I always thought more was less. Is that how that goes?

[Hotrodvw]

Are we talking about cars or women???   

[John Rayburn]

Women.

[Zach Gomulka]

Indeed.

[Rennsurfer]

Nope, they are gone. Less is more

Right on, Bates. Like Jason pointed out in the later photo, it looks much better. What are your plans regarding paint for it?

[John Rayburn]

We've already talked about all that, remember? You even came over and saw things in person.

[Rennsurfer]

We've already talked about all that, remember? You even came over and saw things in person.

Hi, Rayburn. This is Mark. Mark is conversing with Bates.

Have a gosh darned fine day.

[stealth67vw]

No plans on paint yet. This car was waaay back burner until I tore apart the 67 for the motor/trans swap and then got laid off. I needed to drive a VW so I took this one out of the Moth Ball Fleet and put a few bucks and a few hours into it.

[John Rayburn]

Oh, hi Mark!

[Rennsurfer]

No plans on paint yet. This car was waaay back burner until I tore apart the 67 for the motor/trans swap and then got laid off. I needed to drive a VW so I took this one out of the Moth Ball Fleet and put a few bucks and a few hours into it.

Cool, John. Looks like a fun daily driver.

[John Rayburn]

Thanks!