1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle 1776 Resto-mod

Description for Volkswagen Beetle - Classic 1973

It was fun while it lasted but the time has come for her to go.
I am putting my 1973 Resto-mod Super Beetle up for sale.
I have put quite a bit of time and money into this car. I started with a very clean Nevada/Arizona chassis. The only significant rust was under the battery (to be expected) which has been repaired.
I put a new disc brake kit on the front end and replaced all the flexible brake lines with braided stainless lines. The master cylinder is new. The wheels are new - American Eagle. The tires are new. I replaced all the bushings and tie rod ends and had her aligned so there is no steering hop (a well-known problem with these cars).
The original dashboard was sun-cracked and beyond hope so I replaced it with a custom dash painted a black cherry color. I used original switches in as close to their original places as possible to try to keep it more-or-less original looking. I added a 5 gauge Classic Instruments gauge set - speedo/tach, fuel, volts, engine temp, oil pressure. The wiper and turn signal switches are new although the turn signal switch does not self-cancel. I added an electric pump to the windshield washer reservoir so it does not feed off the spare and have it controlled by an original switch I repurposed. I crafted new rubber mounts for the blower motor. I have an old OOGah horn tucked under one of the front fenders, just for a bit of fun. I installed a CD stereo. I replaced the steering wheel with one from the 60's because I liked the look of it better. I replaced the ignition lock along with the locks on the doors and the engine lid so all are keyed alike.
I replaced all the upholstery, including the trunk liner with a Sew-Fine interior - burgundy/grey seat covers and tri-color door cards. I replaced all the cushions in the seats. I even replaced the cables in the steel sunroof but the extra thickness of the headliner material creates too much friction - the sunroof, regrettably, doesn't open. The seat belts are new. I removed the wing-vent windows and put single piece glass in the doors. The rear window is new and the defroster works to the best of my knowledge although I really don't get to use it much here in southern California.
The engine is a NEW Gene Berg 1776 cc, not rebuilt. It has less than 1500 miles on it so far. The Gene Berg people dynamically balanced the entire rotating assembly as a unit, not just the individual parts. This makes the engine run smoother and tends to extend the life of the engine. There are dual Weber carbs, big bore heads and a big bore exhaust. I put on some big bore heater boxes to let the engine breathe freely while keeping the heat working in the car, at least as well as the heat ever did in these cars. I kept the cooling louvers in the engine, controlled by a new reproduction thermostat. A lot of people pull these out but they allow the engine to warm up more quickly without restricting the cooling, which also helps prolong the engine life. I don't know how much horsepower this engine makes but it is quite easy to burn some rubber in first gear if you aren't careful. I find I can keep up with traffic pulling the grades on the California interstates. I decided to stay with the 1776 because it gives me the extra horsepower I need to keep up with traffic while running the air conditioner (yes I also added AC for comfort) without harming the engine longevity as the higher displacement setups tend to do.
The old paint was stripped off and the car was painted a two tone burgundy/black cherry metallic. There are several coats of clear coat over the paint but the clear coat developed quite bad orange peel. Perhaps some judicious wet sanding and buffing would take care of it. I have aftermarket taillights and the front turn signals and running lights have been moved to the halogen headlight units. I did the body work to the fenders to get the 60's bumpers to fit as if they were original.
Clear California title. Current, active registration. I have been driving her now and again to commute to work.
I will not accept bids from anyone with an Ebay rating of less than 5.
I am selling this car AS IS and will not accept a return.
I will not ship or deliver. Buyer is responsible to arrange pick-up within 7 days of auction close.
I will not accept Paypal. Payment may be made by cashier's check or cash on pick-up. Payment is due within 7 days of auction close.