On
The Hunt
It
all started in 2012 when I was 16 years
old. I had just finished secondary school
and I had achieved good grades. My family
was never into Volkswagen or classic
cars but I just had to have an iconic
car as the Beetle and my father was
willing to buy me one. After viewing
a lot of different beetles from projects
to restored ones, I managed to find
a 1962 Deluxe Beetle in Light blue in
February of 2013 for a reasonable price.
The
car was not perfect but it was a runner
and could be enjoyed as it sat. Eventually
we bought the car, though after sometime
I sold it again as it had some rust
issues which I didn't want to deal with.
The
hunt was on again and at a local jewelry
shop we got to know of a Beetle which
had been sitting in a garage since at
least 1996. My father and I went to
view the car and bought it straight
away in December 2013. The car was super
neat, 1 owner, matching numbers pan,
body and engine. It just had been sitting
there for a bit less than 20 years.
We took the car to a friend's garage,
were he serviced the brakes and engine,
and got it running.
I
gave the car a very good clean up, new
tyres and I started to enjoy the car
as is. After sometime I pulled the motor
out of the car just to learn how to
do it. I also decided to return to a
6 volt electrical system to have it
the original way. Eventually I noticed
that a standard look was not my type.
I chose to add my touch to the car.
I
fitted dropped spindles, an adjustable
and narrowed beam. Dropped the rear
1 inner spline, and fitted banded wheels.
I also added some period accessories
which include rear venetian blinds,
hooded swan neck mirrors, NOS breezies,
and white wall gaiters of course. Changed
the front turn signal lenses from amber
to clear and also replaced the front
emblem with one I purchased from the
meet in Hessisch Oldendorf. Just now
I installed a zoom tube.
The
car has been sprayed sometime in the
1980s but everything else is the original
to the car. Originally the car was still
red in colour. I try to use the car
when I'm free and the weather is permitting.
I met a lot of great people who are
into VW here in Malta which nowadays
I call friends. I love my car and I
love VW enough that I also bought myself
a Thing. It's a military spec 1970 Type
181. I believe I'm not finished with
VW, as now I'm on the hunt for a classic
Cabrio Beetle or anything that's neat
and is up for sale.
Joram
Grech
