The BugShop: Project '57, Index

An Anthology of my '57 Beetle Restoration

This page last modified- 9/16/02


This page indexes what has become the '57 Resto Scrapbook. Below are the pages available for your viewing with a brief description of the phase of the restoration that they cover. Be warned that most of the restoration pages contain 8-12 pictures and are about 250k-450k in size. Download time may be significant. Approximate total graphic file size is shown. 

I have put the "log" file link at the top since it is what I am adding to most often now.


A Post-Restoration Record of the Car's Travels

Note: I mark my "driving seasons" from Labor Day to Labor Day (first weekend in September) because I finished the car and started driving it on Labor Day weekend, 1999.



The Restoration Pages
    Page 1-   This page chronicles the "rescue" of this car from an old barn in 1992, the intital separation of the body from the pan and the painting of the pan underside. 
    Page 2-   This page details the restoration of the rolling chassis and just starts on the disassembly of the nose of the body. 
    Page 3-   The intial re-construction of the nose of the car is on this page. 
    Page 4-   Reconstruction of the right side quarter and the "menu of aprons". 
    Page 5-   The resolution of the front apron dilemma and final assembly and alignment of the whole nose. 
    Page 6-   Some re-work on the front apron and getting ready for "Drive Your VW to Work Day". 
    Page 7-   Three obscure rotted areas are "patched". 
    Page 8-   Out of the garage! Sandblasting time....
    Page 9-   The BARE sandblasted body, and what surprises it uncovered. 
    Page 10-   The addition of seat belt mounting points prior to any painting. 
    Page 11-   The roof is smoothed out and painting starts. 
    Page 12-   Final Paint!!!! 
    Page 13-   The felt headliner is installed. Easily an "All Day" job.
    Page 14-   Misc. "after body" painting of parts.
    Page 15-   More parts painting, seat frame resto and vent wing glass install.
    Page 16-   Misc re-assembly.
    Page 17-   Making engine bay tarboards, modifying H4 bulbs for use in euro headlights, pop out window rubber replacement (hell).
    Page 18-   Restoring the interior door panels and engine re-installation..
    Page 19-   Getting a rare speedometer working, rim hubcap clip and valve stem installation.
    Page 20-   Details of the struggles to get the front and rear windows in, mostly a text page.
    Page 21-   Installing the front seat belts and fixing a fuel tank leak.
    Page 22-   How I move the finished car around in the garage and how I store it for the winter.

    Restoration Diary-   This is a text, only chronology of the work on the car. It was started in late 1997.
    Project Costs-   How much did this all this cost!?
    The Paper Chase-   The torture of getting this car legal in Massachusetts



A Tour of the Finished Project
The Finished Project!!!-   A "Scrapbook" of photos of the completed restoration
    MPEG Movie!!-   A "driveby" on my street. That noise is not my car, it was someone with a gas powered leaf blower behind where the camera was.791kb
    Wanna go for a ride?-   A 10 second thumbnail ride on Interstate 84 in Connecticut.540kb
    Accessories!-   No Beetle is complete without them. A gallery of mine.
    The "Thanks to:.." Page-   Those to whom I am grateful...
    The seat adapter plate- Designed some 3000 miles after completion to make long drives more comfortable. (this article also linked in the technical help index)


Appearances in Shows and other Notable Events