71 super beetle & trying to find long-lost family '58 beetle

[beetlejuice]

hi VW friends,

Am excited to connect with fellow VW lovers.  I have a 71 beetle that I'm just beginning to fix up.  She's in relatively good shape and I think I have most of the parts now I need.  She hasn't been on the road since 1987 so I'm keen to get her back in motion.  

I am also wondering if anyone can help me find an old family car- a black '58 beetle.  My grandma bought it new in Victoria (speedway motors) and then passed it on to us in the early 70's when she quit driving.  It was our family car until 1982.  I rebuilt the engine as a teenager in '85.  Drove it for a few years (took my girlfriend to grad in it!) but had no where to store it when I went traveling a few years later and so gave it to a friend with the understanding that he would give it back to me one day.  He sold it without mentioning it to me That was about 15 years ago but I still think about that car often. And miss it.  

I would love to locate this car if I could.  The body was in good condition but had some surface rust.  Black with red interior.  White steering wheel, shifter, knobs, etc.  Radio had two buttons on it plus the two adjuster knobs.  No fuel gauge but had the reserve tank lever down by your right foot.  The rear window was not smaller in size compared to others of the day.  1192 engine.  
Please let me know if you have any suggestions for trying to find this old friend.  

Drew- Oyster River/Courtenay/Campbell River

[Volktales]

If it was sold only 15 years ago, it could well still be around. Dave has a black '58 on this site. I used to have a black '59 with red interior, but it was "a bit" rusty...

[beetlejuice]

thanks very much.  New to forums like this.  How do I find Dave?

[Volktales]

Ooops. Dave is "owdlvr" on this site. He is a busy guy and does not visit the site every day. Send him a private message via this site. I bet you someone knows the whereabouts of your old VW...

[beetlejuice]

Thank you so much!  I figured out how to find him and shot him a message. Really appreciate your help.  Know a bunch of people on this site and they say if you like VW's, you need to be on this site.  I get it.  Cool group of folks.  

Once I start making a little progress on my 71 bug, will post some pics.  Don't really know the 'later' models but I'm learning.  It has the flat windshield, which I gather is kinda cool.  She will be a proud little car once again.  Have a rebuilt engine for her that I will put in so that I can drive her and start rebuilding the stock engine.  This winter is about getting her back up and running.  Lots to do on her but I have almost everything I need - thanks to the almost original owner keeping her stock and with a little help from California Imports....

[CrazyBrit]

There was a black late fifties, perhaps 1960 sitting on a driveway in a side street near Dover Bay school in Nanaimo early this year. Similar condition to what you describe. Does your friend (or ex friend!) Know where the car was sold to?

[beetlejuice]

hey, good to know. Thank you very much. Sounds like a good reason for a road trip to Nanaimo. Any chance you remember the side street? He never really said but I think it might have been down island. I'm in Courtenay so Nanaimo would definitely be a possibility. Really appreciate this. Will definitely take a drive to Nanaimo to see what I can find.

[stude]

Ever see my green machine cruising your neighborhood I'm in oyster river let's see a picture.

[beetlejuice]

not sure. Are you on Clarkson?  The green machine with the Porsche engine?  If so, I think we connected if you are Terry.  I'm just near the trestle bridge.   Terry offered to help me figure out some of the metal work on my '71.  And now that I'm getting to it, am totally keen to know more about how to proceed with the metal work.  Was planning on being in touch.  . If not, please let me know how to connect.  Drew

[beetlejuice]

sorry, missed the request for a picture.  Will figure that out and get a picture of my little 71 up in the next few days.  She's a sweetie.  Needs some attention, but by the end of this winter she'll be strutting her stuff.

[CrazyBrit]

Oct 26, 2022 6:29:15 GMT -8 stude said:

Ever see my green machine cruising your neighborhood I'm in oyster river let's see a picture.

I think it was Shadow Mountain Rd. Near the Hammond Bay end of the street on the east side I think.
5853 Shadow Mountain Rd
maps.app.goo.gl/kxAaHv1523ek45Nv8

[beetlejuice]

thank you so much!  Have arranged for a friend to cruise the neighbourhood tomorrow and if he can't, will head down during the week. So appreciate your help with this!  Drew

[stude]

Drew I remember going to your place have you done anything to the beetle since I was there? I think I said to you should get the struts back in there and the motor to turn it into a roller. If you have not done that then maybe you should not start on that car at all. The amount of time it would take would be better spent on building your 59 find a shell use your parts these guys would help. I think you have the skills but the time you do the mechanical and the metalwork you still have strut car find a beam car make it look like a 59. PM messages work I rarely use the phone and texts I am a poor communicator not one of my better skills.

[beetlejuice]

hey, yes, I agree with you.  I have started working on the 71 in the past weeks.  It's my winter project.  I like your idea about getting a shell.  There's apparently a 58 on Cortes somewhere that Mark here mentioned but I messaged and haven't heard back.  Have friends on Cortes trying to figure out who it might be and reach out to him.  I headed to Nanaimo later this week to check out the 58 there.  Was hoping a friend would do it but haven't heard back so will just head down.  Maybe Friday.  How are your other projects going Terry?

[beetlejuice]

this is going go sound like a dumb question but is this what you mean by pm'ing? Or using the messages/inbox here. I'm good with either.