Tuna Can Org - totally irrelevant stuff

1960 VW Bug "Old Nele"

Another never-completed project of years past.

The '60 Beetle

******** NOTE: This page is here for archival purposes. I no longer own this car. *******

This '60 Bug is my latest addition to my VW lineup and it will ultimately become my street car and daily driver. My friend Tim found this car by way of an old mini-truckin' buddy. The buddy had just finished a '64 Bug and was selling this car. Tim bought the car, but never was able to round up the resources to get the work done that it needed.

I bought the car from Tim during the summer of 2003. Tim needed the money and since I've always had a soft spot for the 1960 Beetle, we worked out a deal. In Tim's free time, he's doing all of the metal work on the body and floor pan. Once it's ready to go, I'll make my final decision on the painter.

Body:: I've kept the body stock, and will paint the car it's original L363 Arctic paint (a very pale light blue). The only modification may be clearancing for the narrowed front beam. It will eventually have added factory popout rear quarter windows and H-4 headlights. It will also feature reproduction Economotors license plate frames and yellow California license plates.
Interior:: The interior will carry the understated stock theme too, with only a few necessary additions for the powerplant. The upholstery will be smooth grey vinyl and grey cloth headliner. The steering wheel will be an EMPI/VDM steering wheel I've had in the closet for years. The shifter will be replaced with a Gene Berg 11" locking shifter. The only other obvious addition will be the Autometer 5" Shiftlite tachometer under the dash. Hidden in the glovebox will be an AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo head unit, providing the tunes to a non-descript box behind the back seat. Just enough stereo to crank up the Beach Boys and the Pet Shop Boys on the way to shows and on cruises.
Tires/Wheels:: Right now this car will run the unconventionl Cal-Master chrome modular wheels that are on it on the big picture towads the top of this page. It will eventually have 5-lug EMPI Sprint Star wheels (no Flat-4 replicas here), 4" wide in the front and 6" in the rear. They'll be mounted with 145SR15 for the front and a pair of 205/65VR15s for the rear. Someday I may run a set of aftermarket BRMs in the mag grey color, but for now I'll stick with what I've got.
Front Suspension:: The front suspension will feature 2"-4" narrower beam, CB Performance dropped spindles, caster shims, '65 Bug brakes, and will be rebuilt for strength and reliability. I want lowered but not uncomfortable.
Rear Suspension:: The rear will remain essentially stock. I may replace the springplate bushings, but the only improvements will be a good set of shocks, a camber compensator, and brakes from a 65-67 Bug. Nothing crazy initially, but eventually I may install a set of adjustable spring plates.
Transmission:: Since the transaxle in the car is of questionable shape, I will need to have a transaxle built for it right off the bat. The specs will be a basic street trans with 4.12 R&P, 3.78/2.06/1.26/0.88 gears, SuperDiff, welded 3rd and 4th, and all of the usual modifications needed to make the Type 1 withstand a lot of power. I'm going to get rid of the solid rear mount and use an aftermarket mount with HD German rubber mounts. I'm also looking at other supports to keep the transaxle in place with the spirited driving I intend on giving this car.
Engine:: 1192cc (77mm x 64mm): Initially the Bug will have a mostly stock 1200cc. This engine will probably feature stock internals, with only a Zenith carb, Bosch 019 distributor and single QP header for modifications. Just something to get the issues worked out, anticipating a larger engine.; Type 4s: Once I'm through building the car, I am going to be using this car to be my testbed for using the Type 4 engine in a Beetle. First on the list will probably be a 2316cc (80mm stroke x 96mm bore) Type 4. Check out my website Type 4:Secrets Revealed for more information about the Type 4 engine.; 2316cc (96mm x 80mm) Type 4: The first Type 4 on the list will be a nice 2316cc. It'll have dual Weber 44 IDFs, BAS header with turbo muffler, and MassiveType4.com DTM upright conversion. The details haven't been hammered out at this moment, but as they do, I will post the details.

You can track my progress at this address.

Tom