Hi all. Been a while since I've been here, mainly in lurk mode when I was.
I've been offered a 74 Sun Bug (not a super )for $600. Trouble is I don't know what these things are worth anymore. I sold my last project car, a 74 KG 5 years ago because of back and shoulder problems, so I would be buying this one to fix up just enough to drive. The KG was in pieces when I sold it. I need something to put the 2110cc motor into I built for the KG. Yeah, got the itch to go fast in a small package again. This car has no motor(in pieces), probably needs a new transaxle because of the power of the 2110. Needs tires, interior, and paint. The body is quite straight, doesn't need fenders, and the bumpers are straight, too. The doors close solidly. The only major rust is under the battery box. Wiring looks to be a bit of a mess, but a new wiring harness isn't too much of a problem to install. I have to remember to see if it has the stock shift knob when I take another look at it. Any advice on what else I should be looking at besides the sun roof? Thanks in advance to any who would care to help me out on this one.
I bought a solid 74 a few years ago without a motor for a little less but had to buy a couple of new fenders because of dents. I'm the 3rd owner but I still don't have the time to get it all back together so I would say, if you have the time and can afford all the misc parts you will need, do it. If I had it to do over, I would pay more and get one closer to done to start with. Just my opinion of course.
On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 08:02:45 -0500, snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (Dennis Wik) wrote:
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">Den's>1977 Puma
Thats what I'm leaning toward, after the problems I had trying to put the KG back together. I did the body work, and painted it, and had all the new parts. I do my own painting, and interior work is not that hard on me, and I will *not* be doing a body off resto. I just want a decent looking VW with get-up-and-go again. I miss the KG, but I like the VW's more. I've had more than a few of them.
Trouble is, in my area, Washington state, a fairly rust free car is hard to find, running or not, and the clean cars start in the area of
2500 and go up from there. Nothing special, just decent.
This car would look good with a paint job and interior work, and changing a transaxle is no problem, something I'd need to do sooner or later with whatever I buy because of the 2110 motor I already have. Its a mild engine, probably will make 100-110HP. I built it with 7.9:1 compression, an engle clone profile 110 cam with hydraulic lifters (ford smallblock) and 042 FOMOCO heads, VW 1.25:1 rockers with solid shaft, 82mm crank, and 90.5mm pistons with the teflon coated skirts, clearanced stock rods, 10.5lb flywheel, Kennedy 1700lb clutch cover, everything balanced. Case is o-ringed, and shuffle pinned main saddles. I sold the 44 IDF Webers and intend to use Kadrons. It should get up and go pretty well. Is 100-110 HP close? I'd think it is. I did some research on the Sun Bug last night. Didn't know much about them before. I know what to look for now, I will be going back today to take another look. The shift knob seems to be a high dollar item. Don't know if its still there, but I'll be looking at it, and for the sunbug emblem on the engine cover, rims, ect. Nice looking Puma. Not too many of those made it to the stage you are at with yours. Is that your 58-59 Merc? I can't tell the year for sure, maybe a 57? Don't see many of those around anymore. They wern't the first choice of hot rodders. Too bad, they were a nice car. A guy in the local car club has a 56 hardtop. Its the most drooled over of all the cars in the club. Thanks for the reply. I'll let you know what I decide.
I have a 74 Std. Beetle Sun Bug. Doing a total restore on it. The main thing to check out is the sun roof, make sure as complete as possible. That little hole in the roof cost some buck to make work right. The effort of doing one the way you want is your call. It's your time, your money... I was going to put a big motor in mine till I had a 65 dropped into my lap. So my 74 will be my cruiser. The 65 will be my hotrod.
I have whats left of a sunbug in my garage which is a doner for the other vw. The merc belongs to a friend who ownes a car lot. It is a late 57 with the quad lights. Mercury started 57 with single lights but introduced the quads before the 58 models like the rest of the Ford line. A little rare and a great paint job.
">Den's>1977 Puma That is a very nice Merc. I wasn't sure about the year, but do remember the dual headlights in the 57's. I don't know what the size engine is you have in the Puma, but it don't take much to make them go. I see you have dual Webers or Delortos. Must be a blast to drive.
Yes, I love the car. It is the Brazilian sports car Vw never built but allowed, encouraged, and supplied all new parts and warranted them. Only a couple of other manufactures and coachbuilders have had that sanction over the years. Someday I would like to visit the VW museum and see the Puma they have on display there. It is a couple of years newer than mine and in a gold color but the same model, the GTI. They offered 3 engine sizes but only the 1600 for export. The others ran on alcohol and blends with up to a 12 to 1 compression ratio offered. It is still amazing to me that VW, GM, Ford, chrysler, and others ran their vehicles on alcohol in Brazil for decades and yet here in the USA they cannot seem to offer it.
"" wrote: > Hi all. Been a while since I've been here, mainly in lurk mode > when I > was. > > I've been offered a 74 Sun Bug (not a super )for $600. Trouble > is I > don't know what these things are worth anymore. I sold my last > project > car, a 74 KG 5 years ago because of back and shoulder > problems, so I > would be buying this one to fix up just enough to drive. The > KG was in > pieces when I sold it. > I need something to put the 2110cc motor into I built for the > KG. > Yeah, got the itch to go fast in a small package again. > This car has no motor(in pieces), probably needs a new > transaxle > because of the power of the 2110. > Needs tires, interior, and paint. The body is quite straight, > doesn't > need fenders, and the bumpers are straight, too. The doors > close > solidly. The only major rust is under the battery box. Wiring > looks to > be a bit of a mess, but a new wiring harness isn't too much of > a > problem to install. I have to remember to see if it has the > stock > shift knob when I take another look at it. Any advice on what > else I > should be looking at besides the sun roof? > Thanks in advance to any who would care to help me out on this > one.
Based on my observations, I?d say the car should be worth $500-1,000, based on how you?re describing it and depending on what part of the country you?re in. It may even be worth more to somebody with their heart set on a Sunbug.
The main thing to look for is rust or other serious body damage. Other than that, I?d say go for it.
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