1971 RHD Japaneese 1302 Super

'Bye bye '65.....
Hello '71 Jap 1302 RHD!

More pics tommorow, but it has an "AB" block in it (I checked it isn't an AE). Cannot id the origin, thinking this might be the OEM engine for Japaneese Delivery. Is a DP now, haven't checked to see if it is a dual relief case yet, it is late and I am tired. Engine is the Cleanest non new VW engine I have ever seen.

Car has 19K miles on it since it was imported in and they changed the Speedo / ODO.
It is a wierd bird...
Alot has been shaved on the dash (radio, ashtray, fresh air box, holes in hood...)
I have to determine if this stuff was ever there. Who ever shaved it did a GREAT JOB, all metal, no fiber or bondo. There is just a couple of MINOR rust bubles along the rain strip and on one door skin.

Drove it 2 hrs back from B'ham at 60 -65 mph. I-59 is a booring drive.

It was difficult to get into the rythmn of driving on the wrong side of the lane.
By Gadston, it was almost second nature.

Stoped by the sonic in Ringgold to get some grub with my girls (support crew) and had two people come up and give it the wierdest look.
It was hilarious to have people pass me and do a double take on the passengers seat of the RHD.

Any way, It was worth the drive and I am happy.
Will have to rebuild something in it though, got squrrelly 3 times when I would hit a bump on a left hand curve. Wheee!

KC

nice cant wait to see the pics

Sweet another Japanese RHD on GD... mine is a 66 burgandy I will post pics when I see it for the first time its still in Japan waiting for my arrival and the PO is waiting patiently so i can give him the rest of his money, just want to give it a good look over before I pay full price. 2 more weeks!
Cant wait to see the pics of the 1302 RHD

"got squrrelly 3 times when I would hit a bump on a left hand curve"

This is NOT a good sign! I would check your frame head. I had one that was like that... it was a parts car actually, but the frame head was so rusted that the wheels broke loose... it was the scariest thing ever trying to tow that car home... Wow, that just brought back vivid memories.

I would NOT drive that car until you have the front end inspected. Forget super beetle shimmy (which in my ten super beetles I have yet to experience), this could be a whole lot worse.

Good luck with it though. I would like to see some pictures of it. I love 1302's... even though I prefer the 72 model.

AB= 1300 DP.
OEM engine.
Yea!
KC

vwgirl wrote:"got squrrelly 3 times when I would hit a bump on a left hand curve"

This is NOT a good sign! I would check your frame head. I had one that was like that... it was a parts car actually, but the frame head was so rusted that the wheels broke loose... it was the scariest thing ever trying to tow that car home... Wow, that just brought back vivid memories.

I would NOT drive that car until you have the front end inspected. Forget super beetle shimmy (which in my ten super beetles I have yet to experience), this could be a whole lot worse.

Good luck with it though. I would like to see some pictures of it. I love 1302's... even though I prefer the 72 model.

NO RUST / Checked that.
This feels like a brace bushing problem.
KC

You may just want to get a bushing kit and start there then.

You had me worried for a minute!

I bet this thing is pretty cool. I can't wait to see it.

bakertim2 wrote:I bet this thing is pretty cool. I can't wait to see it.

x2

59 Euro Rag wrote:

bakertim2 wrote:I bet this thing is pretty cool. I can't wait to see it.

x2

x3

Here are some photos taken yesterday:
Front: (I have the bumper and the front turn signals are in the bumper, look oem.)

Back:

Dash:

More in a minute, uploader is screwy... Dont want to loose this.
KC

Are you keeping the graphics, or going back solid white?

Grifspop wrote:Are you keeping the graphics, or going back solid white?

I'm thinking solid white although the wifey likes the fire, they are painted on no vinyl...
The white is a pearl white and Every bit of the car has been repainted, it looks like the pan was seperated to paint this car bak in the day.
Not used to the 1 piece windows.

I have the Japaneese Dealer plastic envelope, the cancelled Japaneese Title, and all the import / EPA papers.
Front glass has been replaced, but it has some Japaneese Headlights in it (cool, but one High beam is dead....)

Car is Ubber Cool...
It is 2/3rds way to German look with the signals in the bumper, gonna rebuild the front end, Hope that kits and such are interchangeable with the N.A. spec'ed stuff..
KC

Cannot seem to upload any more photos, keeps logging me out.
Will try again tommorow.

Looks really solid... I am not so much digging the graphics either... but to each their own...

The dash is interesting... no spot for a radio! What are the other knobs on the dash?

vwgirl wrote:Looks really solid... I am not so much digging the graphics either... but to each their own...

The dash is interesting... no spot for a radio! What are the other knobs on the dash?

Bottom is the Hazard light switch,
Top left is the ligfht switch and top right is the wiper switch.
The switch on the left of the steering column is the turn / beam switch.
There is no ashtray either.
The radio area appears to have not ever been there.
There are mounts for something at the back of where the ashtray is that I am assuming would be for the fresh air box although the hood has no holes in it for the inlet.
The door stops are nylon webbing and use the same cleats that are all over the bus stuff. There are no metal door stops in the door's jambs, this stuff is screwed down to the inside edge of the door and the door pillar.
Weird.
Like I said though, this stuff may have been there but shaved, although the work to get it this smooth and with metal would be astounding.

KC

Looks like a solid 1302, good clean canvas to put your grubby little hands on cant wait to get mine all over the 66

ASBug wrote:

vwgirl wrote:Looks really solid... I am not so much digging the graphics either... but to each their own...

The dash is interesting... no spot for a radio! What are the other knobs on the dash?

Bottom is the Hazard light switch,
Top left is the ligfht switch and top right is the wiper switch.
The switch on the left of the steering column is the turn / beam switch.
There is no ashtray either.
The radio area appears to have not ever been there.
There are mounts for something at the back of where the ashtray is that I am assuming would be for the fresh air box although the hood has no holes in it for the inlet.
The door stops are nylon webbing and use the same cleats that are all over the bus stuff. There are no metal door stops in the door's jambs, this stuff is screwed down to the inside edge of the door and the door pillar.
Weird.
Like I said though, this stuff may have been there but shaved, although the work to get it this smooth and with metal would be astounding.

KC

You can't use the original door stops with the one pc windows, the stops will hit the front of the glass and shatter it. When I converted mine, I used metal cable flexible stops in the stock location. I've since noticed the webbing ones like you're describing.

Pearl white is nice, but incredibly hard to match. You might have those graphics longer than you think.

You said German Look, but it looks to me more like the California Look, done in the late 80's/ early 90's.

Great looking Beetle, good luck with it.

You're not going to convert it to Automatic Stickshift, are you??

Grifspop wrote:You can't use the original door stops with the one pc windows, the stops will hit the front of the glass and shatter it. When I converted mine, I used metal cable flexible stops in the stock location. I've since noticed the webbing ones like you're describing.

Pearl white is nice, but incredibly hard to match. You might have those graphics longer than you think.

You said German Look, but it looks to me more like the California Look, done in the late 80's/ early 90's.

Great looking Beetle, good luck with it.

You're not going to convert it to Automatic Stickshift, are you??

Nah, This has a sweet Gene Berg RHD shifter in it...
I'm thinking that I'll get the yellow removed and get it all red on the front as a sort of Japanese thing...
Car was imported in 1995 and was originally a light metalic blue.
Hate the mirrors, will change them out.

Probably going to lower the struts and put the Turtle Backs on it.

KC

I have the same mirrors on my bus and are not too fond of them either. They are currently on the endangered species list, I have some original reproductions that I am planning to install as soon as I have the time.

I do not think that the engine has been bumped up to a 1600,
It is still running a VW muffler and a VW fuel pump.
Get this the carbie is a 31 PICT 3???
Cool.
KC

DiggerD wrote:I have the same mirrors on my bus and are not too fond of them either. They are currently on the endangered species list, I have some original reproductions that I am planning to install as soon as I have the time.

Digger, do you have a good shot of what your dash looks like, I have a '72 beetle, but the dash changed in '72. I am wanting to see if the switches / holes that are missing were ever there, and would like a guide for where they are located on a '71 1302.
Thanks,
KC

Yeah, I can take a pic of the dash for you. I am currently out of town, but we will be back tonight, probably too dark for a pic by then, but I can have something up on Wed.

DiggerD wrote:Yeah, I can take a pic of the dash for you. I am currently out of town, but we will be back tonight, probably too dark for a pic by then, but I can have something up on Wed.

THX.
KC

Just ran the Vin and I have a Aug. 1970 Super. It was the 7,9## off the line.
Since they ran the Vin #'s sequentially for beetles and supers, who knows how many SB were ran before mine.
I litterally have one of the 1st SB ever made...
Ubber Cool.
The AB engine that is in it is also an early 1971 model engine.(Aug 1970, but before Aug 1971)
I am stoked.
KC

Just realized, I forgot to put of some pics of my dash for you...... Anyway here they are!! (finally)