My New Child!

[Duncan]

Got hold of this 1956 Beetle a few weeks ago. In original condition. Need to change the rims though, back to original ones and get some white wall tyres.

Got the original SW radio working. Also managed to get the ondicator "flags" working

[fuzzo]

wow..it looks in awesome condition...great buy....

[Supra_Natural]

wow....... that is awesome....... it's really been well looked after.......... my granddad had one, a '52 i think...... bought it new n kept it till 2000....... and then he GAVE IT AWAY!!!!!!!! too bad the receiver wasn't me......lol

[ferrarif50]

nice.... btw what is this effect u did on the picture ???

[Stingray]

THAT is indeed a beauty..so how many "children" do you have now duncan??

[The Don]

Looks in great condition ? whats the year of manufacture Duncan ?

[Duncan]

1956 model.

With the latest addition it is 12 kids in the family. Thank god I don't have to pay school fees!!

[ash]

BEAUTY!!!

[MrCat]

  Duncan said:

1956 model.

With the latest addition it is 12 kids in the family. Thank god I don't have to pay school fees!!

Wow.. Fantastic find.. Everything looks like in original condition except for the two small lights fitted on the bumper isn’t it..?? This car has to be really well preserved that the s/w radio and signal arms are still working..

As far as I know this particular model is called the “wata” model over here because of the fence like front bumper..

U are in Africa isnt it Duncan..? Are there many bugs still running on roads over there..?

[Duncan]

Hi Mr.Cat

The Bug was available until the mid 80's. So the more recent models are still quite common on the roads. But pre 1970 models are very rare to find. This is why I jumped at this model when I saw it.

The small signal lights had to be fitted in order for the car to be street legal.

Even the interior is in awsome condition. I am the third owner.

Cheers

[dhp]

nice find! it seems to be in prestine condition..

now, in SL would that be the "vatey model"? (not to be mistaken for the "kaney mile")

what ever became of that vette u bid on a few months back? any pics/progress?

[Duncan]

The Vette never came through. Another guy beat me to it. But my Mustang is still work-in-progress. Very slow I must say.

Will keep the forum posted on developments.

[miniace]

A great buy! Please post some interior pics....awaiting to see the pictures of the full collection!

[Supra_Natural]

  Duncan said:

The Vette never came through. Another guy beat me to it. But my Mustang is still work-in-progress. Very slow I must say.

Will keep the forum posted on developments.

Duncan

good luck on the mustang project

Im a huge mustang fan, was wondering what year your car is? and by the way, would you happen to know where I can get Info on the number of Mustangs in Sri Lanka by any chance?? the only one i can confirm the existence of is the Beige '69 notchback that comes to the shows......

Can you Help?

Thanks

Edited December 21, 2006 by Supra_Natural

[Duncan]

  Supra_Natural said:

Duncan

good luck on the mustang project

Im a huge mustang fan, was wondering what year your car is? and by the way, would you happen to know where I can get Info on the number of Mustangs in Sri Lanka by any chance?? the only one i can confirm the existence of is the Beige '69 notchback that comes to the shows......

Can you Help?

Thanks

Hi

I afraid I can't help you with that info as I don't live in SL. Infact haven't lived in SL since small. Only visits.

Mine is a '67 GT350. But it's in pieces still. Haven't had the time to make any serious effort in this project. May be I will get some work done during these holidays.

Good luck with your search for a Mustang....they are wonderful cars!

Cheers

[Supra_Natural]

  Duncan said:

Hi

I afraid I can't help you with that info as I don't live in SL. Infact haven't lived in SL since small. Only visits.

Mine is a '67 GT350. But it's in pieces still. Haven't had the time to make any serious effort in this project. May be I will get some work done during these holidays.

Good luck with your search for a Mustang....they are wonderful cars!

Cheers

Oh I See....... Thanks Anyways...

GT350? as in SHELBY????? Those are fantastic man!!!!!!!! Botswana is a unusual place to find one though isn't it? has it been raced there or something?

anyway, thanks and happy holidays...

[madmax]

  Supra_Natural said:

Duncan

good luck on the mustang project

Im a huge mustang fan, was wondering what year your car is? and by the way, would you happen to know where I can get Info on the number of Mustangs in Sri Lanka by any chance?? the only one i can confirm the existence of is the Beige '69 notchback that comes to the shows......

Can you Help?

Thanks

Once a friend of mine has come across a mustang on the side of the road, while coming down from N'Eliya. And the owner has said it's for sale and wanted 5 Mil. My friend said it looked similar to the one that comes for shows.

[Overdrive]

  Duncan said:

Got hold of this 1956 Beetle a few weeks ago. In original condition. Need to change the rims though, back to original ones and get some white wall tyres.

Got the original SW radio working. Also managed to get the ondicator "flags" working

do you mean the side indicators (signal lights) that pop out from the sides? Those are so cool!

Congrats!! Car looks absolutely awsome! Is that the original paint on the car? On that note how is the weather towards paintwork over there in SA? What i find different in the UK is the bodywork seems to last longer since it does not burn the paint or wear it down like in SL (sun and humidity)And you see a lots of older cars with factory paint that still look good. And they very seldom do a " Cut and polish" where it makes the body work weak.

[MRM]

  Overdrive said:

do you mean the side indicators (signal lights) that pop out from the sides? Those are so cool!

Congrats!! Car looks absolutely awsome! Is that the original paint on the car? On that note how is the weather towards paintwork over there in SA? What i find different in the UK is the bodywork seems to last longer since it does not burn the paint or wear it down like in SL (sun and humidity)And you see a lots of older cars with factory paint that still look good. And they very seldom do a " Cut and polish" where it makes the body work weak.

i agree with you but do you know how Jap cars lasts longer than UK cars when comes to tinkering??

for an example my 1993 model mini imported from UK is already developing a little rust , imported to lanka in 1996 , but a jap car imported to lanka round the same time with YOM will last for a more longer time .

[The Don]

  MRM said:

i agree with you but do you know how Jap cars lasts longer than UK cars when comes to tinkering??

for an example my 1993 model mini imported from UK is already developing a little rust , imported to lanka in 1996 , but a jap car imported to lanka round the same time with YOM will last for a more longer time .

Hi Mrm,

I think Mini's developing rust has nothing to do with UK Cars actually, its to do with Mini's. Its very difficult to find even a 2000 mini (the last of the Rover minis) without a bit of rust, I am not sure if its the quality of steel used, or just the construction which accounts for the easy corrotion, but i am sure you would have seen in many a mini forum. Also in the UK grit on roads (mixture of sand and salt as you might already know) is responsible for a lot of the corrotion, and especially mini's being so close to the ground, and the mono construction seems to be especially vulnerable.

Generally speaking I don't think other UK cars (not that there are many left now apart from a few small sports car manufacturers) do too badly when it comes to rust ....

sorry I know your question was aimed at overdrive, just though i would add something being a mini fan myself (haven't got one thesedays for lack of a garrage pains me to see how they rust away in the open sob sob).

The Don

[Overdrive]

  MRM said:

i agree with you but do you know how Jap cars lasts longer than UK cars when comes to tinkering??

for an example my 1993 model mini imported from UK is already developing a little rust , imported to lanka in 1996 , but a jap car imported to lanka round the same time with YOM will last for a more longer time .

I suppose it depends on which region of the world the car was manufactured for. Depending on the type of weather the car is destined for, manufacturers treat the steel with different chemical's. If your mini was not destined for SL but was made for Europe it might not have been tropicalised (made to suit our tropical weather). There are a few UK imports in sl like some Rolls Royce's, Jags, even some German imports that have mould building up in the car interior, with our humid SL Weather. I even know some owners who have climate controlled garages to avoid the cars from getting deteriorated.

[dillongt]

  Duncan said:

Got hold of this 1956 Beetle a few weeks ago. In original condition. Need to change the rims though, back to original ones and get some white wall tyres.

Got the original SW radio working. Also managed to get the ondicator "flags" working

hey machan... wow....... what a awesome ride....... two big thumbs up from me

[MRM]

  The Don said:

Hi Mrm,

I think Mini's developing rust has nothing to do with UK Cars actually, its to do with Mini's. Its very difficult to find even a 2000 mini (the last of the Rover minis) without a bit of rust, I am not sure if its the quality of steel used, or just the construction which accounts for the easy corrotion, but i am sure you would have seen in many a mini forum. Also in the UK grit on roads (mixture of sand and salt as you might already know) is responsible for a lot of the corrotion, and especially mini's being so close to the ground, and the mono construction seems to be especially vulnerable.

Generally speaking I don't think other UK cars (not that there are many left now apart from a few small sports car manufacturers) do too badly when it comes to rust ....

sorry I know your question was aimed at overdrive, just though i would add something being a mini fan myself (haven't got one thesedays for lack of a garrage pains me to see how they rust away in the open sob sob).

The Don

thanks don for your detailed reply, i also feels this is some thing in common for mini's

as over drive said most of these cars imported from UK are not tropicalised i guess

  Overdrive said:

I suppose it depends on which region of the world the car was manufactured for. Depending on the type of weather the car is destined for, manufacturers treat the steel with different chemical's. If your mini was not destined for SL but was made for Europe it might not have been tropicalised (made to suit our tropical weather). There are a few UK imports in sl like some Rolls Royce's, Jags, even some German imports that have mould building up in the car interior, with our humid SL Weather. I even know some owners who have climate controlled garages to avoid the cars from getting deteriorated.

thanks over drive & i hear some 406's imported to SL also have this problem

[The Don]

Hi Mrm,

Mini's in the UK also suffer from this corrotion problem, so might be worse over there with the humidity and salt in the air. If you are careful and treat the surface rust fast, might be able to avoid more costlier tinkering sessions later on, Always keep an eye on the are arround the head lights, wheel arches and maybe the floor board too. maybe miniace can comment.

Incidentally is your mini a carburettor model or an efi ?

The Don