I don't think this to be a FAQ...

[Magiceddie88]

Hi to all the EB owners, lovers, hobbyist, and enthusisast.

This is my question...

Gulp... :| so Im a kid, on his way in life, got a love for the Dub, and have worked on it consistantly, (it's always a work in progress) I do drive a Rabbit in winter, and when I want to run around.

I'm young,(not that that is a problem) And though I've lived a short life, -I know things don't happen over night- Am I in wrong...to step back, giving up the Air-cooled VW, not selling but letting it sit while I pursue my passion and my love for magic, (NOT THE CARD GAME) I'm a magician, I figure, if I focus on magic, (my main source of income at the moment), it will take me places, and I figure, when I'm older I then can come back to and do complete restore, on the Dub.

To sum up what I'm asking- "How did you go about restoring your Volks. Did you wait til retirement, do one thing at a time, did it all when you had finally saved enough, took out a loan to many, and got yourself a couple high interest credit cards...did you wait until your last kid got through college? Never have kids? haha...what step did you take to be able to enjoy your Vw. At your point and time in life.

Seeking helpful knowlege, from those who know abit more than me.
Thanks and Best
-Eddie :wink:

 

[Araon]

Its a hard one to answer really....

On the whole I think you'll find that these busses are a permanant investment both time and money, we work and drip money , sweat and blood into keeping these on the road. There are a few that money is no object, so will pay for the work or have all the facillities in an adjoining workshop, those that are in the business so have all the tools,facilities and spares to hand. Those that are retired (early or otherwise), that have all the time in the world to commit to the care and upkeep, but on the whole most are just, hard working folk with a love for the air cooled lump in all its forms....

Save your cash, birthday/xmas presents ask for cash or give your familly a catalogue with the parts you require circled, enjoy the bus and the adventure that lies ahead....

 

[Guest]

hi eddie, welcome to EB, its an interesting question and i think youll get loads of different answers.

move you to the general section :wink:

 

[Loxy]

Passed my test, first car - was a bus (78 devon), second car was a 56 oval, third car was a 62 sunroof - you get the idea.
Buy what you can afford and enjoy it, you can do little bits as you go along & if you get a bonus/windfall then spend it on slamming & a blinging set of wheels :wink:

 

[sparkywig]

All the buses I've until this one were rolling restos. Bits done as and when I could afford them around drinking, surfing, and later, family.
And as Loxy says, any bonus/windfall went on a set of wheels, or carbs, or engine, etc.
However, this one seems to be a bigger moneypit. :mrgreen:

 

[AxlFoley]

I'll tell you my story, see if it helps

I bought my first dub, a1303 beetle when i was 16, drove it like it was for 2 years then decided i wanted to resore it, my love for beer and women was grater that the love for my dub, so i botched the restoration, got a bad spray job, spent the best part of £6000 here and there, to the wrong people, although i did have some fun times (lots of storys) i wish i had done it properly, saying that i know of people who restored cars when they were young, they didnt go out saved all of their cash and spent it on the car.

so what i am trying to say is, park it up drive the rabbit, buy a nice tent for the show season, then restore the van when you are a litle bit more settled.

remember you are only young once your van will always be old.

p.s. i'm now 29 have my own garage, and a large collection of tools, and a nice Bus!

 

[mcvw]

Ok... I'll try to be brief... :lol:

I hastily bought my first bug (a complete D-plate '67). I had grand plans and stripped back to bare-metal, cut out loads of rust, trashed wings, dumped interior etc - all much to my dad's head-shaking/disagreement. Ended up selling it as a breaker and just about got my money back.

A few months later I was offered a US spec 67 bug (totally original but tatty) by a US serviceman who was dating my dad's friends daughter. I turned it down as I didn't fancy a LHD (it was white with a mint condition red interior!!!) - and offered it to a more knowledgeable friend, who promprly snatched my arm off - yet promised to find me a bug.

True to the friends word - a few months later the next bug was found. A pukka rhd E-plate 117 chassis. It was a complete bare shell. No doors, bonnet, decklid etc. Just a bodyshell, some glass, lowered beam and a gearbox. It was sprayed in Porsche Bambus and looked nice, but again the nitromors came out and it was baremetalled (through countless colour changes, red, light blue, floro green, then finally blue).

My dad was again at a loss with my choice - but was somewhat appeased when we spied a one owner 72 1200 in a garage round the corner from our house. It was ratty but totally original - and hadn't been driven for over 10 years. After several phone calls and a few visits the owner sold it to us. We gave it a service, put a new battery on, and mot'd it. This was to be my daily and parts chaser whilst the 67 was being restored.

After a couple of years the 67 was finished (and my dad was somewhat chuffed) - which was lucky as I rear ended somebody in the 1200 and wrote it off (which promptly restored my dads un-chuffedness), much to my wife's dismay (she was my g/friend at the time) as she loved pootling about in it!

To keep the 67 bug in top condition the fiancee (yep - things were moving on) & I started bus hunting and we bought an Italian 67 kombi (after buying our first house!!!). Totally original and extremely rust free - the kombi that is, and the house wasn't too bad either, plus it had a lovely double garage too... Strange that eh . We MOT'd the kombi, lowered it (dropped spindles) and razzed about it for a few years.

With the birth of our first daughter (things now up another level) things stayed pretty static on the VW front, until the news that the fiancee was expecting again... We now had to move to a bigger house(!), and with houseprices being as they were something had budge. The 67 kombi lost out - but was a nice chunk of the much-needed deposit for the new house (which only had a single garage anyhow).

With a new son, a new house and the 67 bug in the garage it was DIY time and house renovation took centre stage for a few years and we also got married.

With things all settled it made perfect sense for a new addition... but it wasn't to be a VW... With the birth of our second daughter (and third child), it was fate that I encountered this wonderful forum and re-ignited the VW spark and so we began bus-hunting again. This time - and with the knowledge from lessons learnt of past purchases we promptly bought a 71 Danbury project (accompanied by head scratching and chin-rubbing from both sets of dads now). I told you we'd learn't - we didn't buy a split 8) . Although it was a half finished project we had pretty sensible plans and started the resto. However, the resto was hugely dragged out and was going nowhere and finally took a big time turn for the worse when the restorer went tits up!

We were totally demoralised and ended up selling the Danbury - but managed to keep a few bits... the engine, spare gearbox.

With the VW fire burning the 67 bug was MOT'd again (first time in 4 or more years since moving) and life was fun again. But the bus bug had bitten and we wanted another. So decisions were made and the 67 bug was decided to be sacrificed (on grounds of impracticality for a family of 5). The bug was put back to stock (well 99% stock) and is now sold awaiting collection this Monday.

However... our next bus project arrives the following Tuesday :!:

So to summarise... I'm not retired, we didn't do one thing (or VW) at a time, nor did we do any of it when we'd saved enough, and our third child isn't even at playgroup yet! But we've always enjoyed life and there's always been a VW or two around to be enjoyed along the way - and I hope there always will be

 

[leon]

Do it now, it gets harder as you get older! I had more disposable income at 17 than i will ever have again. Doesn't matter how much you earn it's never enough.

 

[Magiceddie88]

I would like to say thanks to all those who relpied, We here are knocking on winters door, Snows half way down the mountain, and hovering high 20 Degrees F at night (-2 C) For now I have done what I can, with what I got, I figure I will get her back to good, before the first snow fall and wait out the long winter ahead. Again thanks for all the advice, I really do appriciate, hearing where you've come from-

Best
-Eddie

 

[Clem]

I had my first bus at 23, i ran in into the ground and just before it died began saving it .... eventually I sold it in very good condition, and bought my current van 2 years ago - it was a better start and the process is now different, but still consuming.

In the past Ive incurred loans and credit card bills to fund the bus, these days I am able to manage the bills a little better, but I also prioritise more these days

If youre a little preoccupied these days to sort it out, then leave it and come back when youre more able to.