Ermahgerd Bücher!

Given that Im an amateur, Im going to need to do a lot of research. I know a bit about engines, but nothing about body work or restoration.

I figured  VW books would be a dime a dozen, and if you need repair help thats true. But there seems to be very few restoration guides. I wanted something that would help me form a game plan for the project. I'd hate to do work like replacing gaskets and weather stripping only to have to redo it later after repainting.

I found a book that seemed to be what I need. Unfortunately its out of print and was only available in the UK. Fortunately I found a way to import a used copy (thanks internet!)

It arrived this week and is in better shape than I hoped. Theres a lot of information here about disassembly, body work, and common troubleshooting and repairs. Let the research begin.

As far back as I can remember

I always wanted to be a gangster VW owner. Growing up, I always admired the Beetle's humble class. I lobbied hard for a Beetle as my first car, but the right one never seemed to be available. There has always been a Beetle shaped hole in my life. My grandfather was a shadetree mechanic, so maybe its in my blood.

I was recently offered the opportunity to correct that deficit: a 1971 Volkswagen Super Beetle. Shes in excellent condition for any car this old. Her name is Alice, named in respect for the lady who owned her for most of the last 40 years.

I intend this blog to be a record of the restoration of this car. Im an engineer, but have little practical automotive experience. A few years ago I changed the water pump and timing belt in a more modern 2001 New Beetle. It was a big project for me and I learned a lot. About halfway through I regretted not taking pictures and documenting the process. This blog is intended to correct that mistake.