GT or not?

Bought a scrapper beetle as a donor for my resto project last week. Bargain
at ?50.

But a few aspects of it have me scratching my head in confusion.

Firstly its Tomato Red...was this a GT-only colour, or would it have been on
other beetles in the same year too? If its a GT only colour, that ticks the
GT box.
Its a '73, built December '72...so that bit ticks the GT box also.
It has tan doorcards...that apparently ticks the GT box.
It came with GT wheels....that may tick the GT box, but easily swapped.
It has an AB code gearbox, which with a little investigation was on 1300
beetles upto 1970. So clearly not the gearbox this bug started life with,
and perhaps a replacement GT box wasn't available when the first gbox died?
Has drum brakes on the front. These could have been changed by a PO, but
why would you replace disk brakes with drum brakes?
Has a different dash to the other '73 scrapper I bought, more modern
looking?
No rear wings on it, so don't know if it had elephant's foot lights or
standard lights?
No engine lid either.
Curiouser, and curiouser, inside it we found the makings of a twin-port 1600
engine (AS41), which most definitely ticks the GT box.

So what do you reckon...a lot of co-incidences? Or a genuine GT that got
messed about with by one of more POs?

The paint looks to be the paint it came out of the factory with....all the
finicky bits are the same colour, inside and out, inside doors, under door
cards etc. Unless a PO did a totally huge respray on it? But then if that
kind of job WAS done on it, I'm surprised I found it in the condition I did,
absolutely rotten...utterly utterly rotten. Can I emphasise how rotten and
unloved this bog has been in the last I don;t know how many years...

Would welcome thoughts on the identity of my tomato red '73 bug...and any
thoughts on 100% identifying it as GT using something that PO couldn't have
changed.

Plonk up some pics :-)




"caroline" > wrote in message
...
> Bought a scrapper beetle as a donor for my resto project last week.
> Bargain at ?50.
>
> But a few aspects of it have me scratching my head in confusion.
>
> Firstly its Tomato Red...was this a GT-only colour, or would it have been
> on other beetles in the same year too? If its a GT only colour, that
> ticks the GT box.
> Its a '73, built December '72...so that bit ticks the GT box also.
> It has tan doorcards...that apparently ticks the GT box.
> It came with GT wheels....that may tick the GT box, but easily swapped.
> It has an AB code gearbox, which with a little investigation was on 1300
> beetles upto 1970. So clearly not the gearbox this bug started life with,
> and perhaps a replacement GT box wasn't available when the first gbox
> died?
> Has drum brakes on the front. These could have been changed by a PO, but
> why would you replace disk brakes with drum brakes?
> Has a different dash to the other '73 scrapper I bought, more modern
> looking?
> No rear wings on it, so don't know if it had elephant's foot lights or
> standard lights?
> No engine lid either.
> Curiouser, and curiouser, inside it we found the makings of a twin-port
> 1600 engine (AS41), which most definitely ticks the GT box.
>
> So what do you reckon...a lot of co-incidences? Or a genuine GT that got
> messed about with by one of more POs?
>
> The paint looks to be the paint it came out of the factory with....all the
> finicky bits are the same colour, inside and out, inside doors, under door
> cards etc. Unless a PO did a totally huge respray on it? But then if
> that kind of job WAS done on it, I'm surprised I found it in the condition
> I did, absolutely rotten...utterly utterly rotten. Can I emphasise how
> rotten and unloved this bog has been in the last I don;t know how many
> years...
>
> Would welcome thoughts on the identity of my tomato red '73 bug...and any
> thoughts on 100% identifying it as GT using something that PO couldn't
> have changed.
>

On Jun 5, 10:46 am, "Neil - Usenet" >
wrote:
> Plonk up some pics :-)
>
> "caroline" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > Bought a scrapper beetle as a donor for my resto project last week.
> > Bargain at ?50.
>
> > But a few aspects of it have me scratching my head in confusion.
>
> > Firstly its Tomato Red...was this a GT-only colour, or would it have been
> > on other beetles in the same year too? If its a GT only colour, that
> > ticks the GT box.
> > Its a '73, built December '72...so that bit ticks the GT box also.
> > It has tan doorcards...that apparently ticks the GT box.
> > It came with GT wheels....that may tick the GT box, but easily swapped.
> > It has an AB code gearbox, which with a little investigation was on 1300
> > beetles upto 1970. So clearly not the gearbox this bug started life with,
> > and perhaps a replacement GT box wasn't available when the first gbox
> > died?
> > Has drum brakes on the front. These could have been changed by a PO, but
> > why would you replace disk brakes with drum brakes?
> > Has a different dash to the other '73 scrapper I bought, more modern
> > looking?
> > No rear wings on it, so don't know if it had elephant's foot lights or
> > standard lights?
> > No engine lid either.
> > Curiouser, and curiouser, inside it we found the makings of a twin-port
> > 1600 engine (AS41), which most definitely ticks the GT box.
>
> > So what do you reckon...a lot of co-incidences? Or a genuine GT that got
> > messed about with by one of more POs?
>
> > The paint looks to be the paint it came out of the factory with....all the
> > finicky bits are the same colour, inside and out, inside doors, under door
> > cards etc. Unless a PO did a totally huge respray on it? But then if
> > that kind of job WAS done on it, I'm surprised I found it in the condition
> > I did, absolutely rotten...utterly utterly rotten. Can I emphasise how
> > rotten and unloved this bog has been in the last I don;t know how many
> > years...
>
> > Would welcome thoughts on the identity of my tomato red '73 bug...and any
> > thoughts on 100% identifying it as GT using something that PO couldn't
> > have changed.

is the intake manifold still on the engine? those came with dual
carbs.
also should have gt on the doors and checkered stripes on the quarter
panels.

http://www.sebeetles.com/vw_gt.htm

"anton" wrote
> On Jun 5, 10:46 am, "Neil - Usenet"
> wrote:
>> Plonk up some pics :-)
>>
>> "caroline" wrote in
>>
>> > Bought a scrapper beetle as a donor for my resto project last week.
>> > Bargain at ?50.
>>
>> > But a few aspects of it have me scratching my head in confusion.
[...snipped...]
>> > Would welcome thoughts on the identity of my tomato red '73 bug...and
>> > any
>> > thoughts on 100% identifying it as GT using something that PO couldn't
>> > have changed.
>
> is the intake manifold still on the engine? those came with dual
> carbs.
> also should have gt on the doors and checkered stripes on the quarter
> panels.
>
> http://www.sebeetles.com/vw_gt.htm
>

Hi Anton

The link you gave is for the '72 VW GT which was only available from the
Salzburg Porsche-Austria dealership. The car came in Silver with black side
stripes, Black bonnet and engine lid and the Austrian racing stripes of
narrow red on broad white. Both doors carried the VW GT logo with chequered
flags on the rear quarter panels.
I'm on about the '73 GT beetle which was sold in the UK and Ireland, and
came in the following colours: Tomato Red (30M), Lemon Yellow (15M) and
Apple Green (46M) paint
See THIS link (same site, different beetle) http://www.sebeetles.com/gt.htm

"Neil - Usenet" wrote
> Plonk up some pics :-)

Hi Neil

Some pics he

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...ars/Tango3.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...ars/Tango1.jpg

I *did* say it was a scrapper didn't I... *LOL*

>
> "caroline" wrote
>> Bought a scrapper beetle as a donor for my resto project last week.
>> Bargain at ?50.
>>
>> But a few aspects of it have me scratching my head in confusion.
>>
>> Firstly its Tomato Red...was this a GT-only colour, or would it have been
>> on other beetles in the same year too? If its a GT only colour, that
>> ticks the GT box.
>> Its a '73, built December '72...so that bit ticks the GT box also.
>> It has tan doorcards...that apparently ticks the GT box.
>> It came with GT wheels....that may tick the GT box, but easily swapped.
>> It has an AB code gearbox, which with a little investigation was on 1300
>> beetles upto 1970. So clearly not the gearbox this bug started life
>> with, and perhaps a replacement GT box wasn't available when the first
>> gbox died?
>> Has drum brakes on the front. These could have been changed by a PO, but
>> why would you replace disk brakes with drum brakes?
>> Has a different dash to the other '73 scrapper I bought, more modern
>> looking?
>> No rear wings on it, so don't know if it had elephant's foot lights or
>> standard lights?
>> No engine lid either.
>> Curiouser, and curiouser, inside it we found the makings of a twin-port
>> 1600 engine (AS41), which most definitely ticks the GT box.
>>
>> So what do you reckon...a lot of co-incidences? Or a genuine GT that got
>> messed about with by one of more POs?
>>
>> The paint looks to be the paint it came out of the factory with....all
>> the finicky bits are the same colour, inside and out, inside doors, under
>> door cards etc. Unless a PO did a totally huge respray on it? But then
>> if that kind of job WAS done on it, I'm surprised I found it in the
>> condition I did, absolutely rotten...utterly utterly rotten. Can I
>> emphasise how rotten and unloved this bog has been in the last I don;t
>> know how many years...
>>
>> Would welcome thoughts on the identity of my tomato red '73 bug...and any
>> thoughts on 100% identifying it as GT using something that PO couldn't
>> have changed.
>>
>
>

caroline wrote:
> Bought a scrapper beetle as a donor for my resto project last week. Bargain
> at ?50.
>
> But a few aspects of it have me scratching my head in confusion.
>
> Firstly its Tomato Red...was this a GT-only colour, or would it have been on
> other beetles in the same year too? If its a GT only colour, that ticks the
> GT box.
> Its a '73, built December '72...so that bit ticks the GT box also.
> It has tan doorcards...that apparently ticks the GT box.
> It came with GT wheels....that may tick the GT box, but easily swapped.
> It has an AB code gearbox, which with a little investigation was on 1300
> beetles upto 1970. So clearly not the gearbox this bug started life with,
> and perhaps a replacement GT box wasn't available when the first gbox died?
> Has drum brakes on the front. These could have been changed by a PO, but
> why would you replace disk brakes with drum brakes?
> Has a different dash to the other '73 scrapper I bought, more modern
> looking?
> No rear wings on it, so don't know if it had elephant's foot lights or
> standard lights?
> No engine lid either.
> Curiouser, and curiouser, inside it we found the makings of a twin-port 1600
> engine (AS41), which most definitely ticks the GT box.
>
> So what do you reckon...a lot of co-incidences? Or a genuine GT that got
> messed about with by one of more POs?
>
> The paint looks to be the paint it came out of the factory with....all the
> finicky bits are the same colour, inside and out, inside doors, under door
> cards etc. Unless a PO did a totally huge respray on it? But then if that
> kind of job WAS done on it, I'm surprised I found it in the condition I did,
> absolutely rotten...utterly utterly rotten. Can I emphasise how rotten and
> unloved this bog has been in the last I don;t know how many years...
>
> Would welcome thoughts on the identity of my tomato red '73 bug...and any
> thoughts on 100% identifying it as GT using something that PO couldn't have
> changed.
>
>
In Norway we got the 1300S, which supposedly was the same car minus the
trimmings or bling per today's lingo.

Came with swing-axle tranny with tall gearing, dual port, single carb
1600 engine and disk brakes up front..

The rims in the picture was use on several models.

J.

On Jun 5, 5:40 pm, "caroline" > wrote:
> "Neil - Usenet" wrote
>
> > Plonk up some pics :-)
>
> Hi Neil
>
> Some pics he
>
> http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...psy/donor%20ca...
>
> http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...psy/donor%20ca...
>
> I *did* say it was a scrapper didn't I... *LOL*
>
>
>
> > "caroline" wrote
> >> Bought a scrapper beetle as a donor for my resto project last week.
> >> Bargain at ?50.
>
> >> But a few aspects of it have me scratching my head in confusion.
>
> >> Firstly its Tomato Red...was this a GT-only colour, or would it have been
> >> on other beetles in the same year too? If its a GT only colour, that
> >> ticks the GT box.
> >> Its a '73, built December '72...so that bit ticks the GT box also.
> >> It has tan doorcards...that apparently ticks the GT box.
> >> It came with GT wheels....that may tick the GT box, but easily swapped.
> >> It has an AB code gearbox, which with a little investigation was on 1300
> >> beetles upto 1970. So clearly not the gearbox this bug started life
> >> with, and perhaps a replacement GT box wasn't available when the first
> >> gbox died?
> >> Has drum brakes on the front. These could have been changed by a PO, but
> >> why would you replace disk brakes with drum brakes?
> >> Has a different dash to the other '73 scrapper I bought, more modern
> >> looking?
> >> No rear wings on it, so don't know if it had elephant's foot lights or
> >> standard lights?
> >> No engine lid either.
> >> Curiouser, and curiouser, inside it we found the makings of a twin-port
> >> 1600 engine (AS41), which most definitely ticks the GT box.
>
> >> So what do you reckon...a lot of co-incidences? Or a genuine GT that got
> >> messed about with by one of more POs?
>
> >> The paint looks to be the paint it came out of the factory with....all
> >> the finicky bits are the same colour, inside and out, inside doors, under
> >> door cards etc. Unless a PO did a totally huge respray on it? But then
> >> if that kind of job WAS done on it, I'm surprised I found it in the
> >> condition I did, absolutely rotten...utterly utterly rotten. Can I
> >> emphasise how rotten and unloved this bog has been in the last I don;t
> >> know how many years...
>
> >> Would welcome thoughts on the identity of my tomato red '73 bug...and any
> >> thoughts on 100% identifying it as GT using something that PO couldn't
> >> have changed.

Looks restorable to me! ;-)

Scott S.

"compwrench" wrote
> On Jun 5, 5:40 pm, "caroline" wrote:
>> "Neil - Usenet" wrote
>>
>> > Plonk up some pics :-)
>>
>> Hi Neil
>>
>> Some pics he
>>
>> http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...psy/donor%20ca...
>>
>> http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...psy/donor%20ca...
>>
>> I *did* say it was a scrapper didn't I... *LOL*

> Looks restorable to me! ;-)
>
> Scott S.
>
*ROFL* maybe for the very brave or stupid <grin> Those pics show the pretty
bits.

However....might be feeling brave after I've finished the one I *am*
actually restoring...and then I maybe stupid enough to look at what's left
of the donor cars... ;o)

Any thoughts on whether its a GT or not?

Shouldn't the GT have coild spring front suspenison ?

Rich


caroline wrote:
> Bought a scrapper beetle as a donor for my resto project last week. Bargain
> at ?50.
>
> But a few aspects of it have me scratching my head in confusion.
>
> Firstly its Tomato Red...was this a GT-only colour, or would it have been on
> other beetles in the same year too? If its a GT only colour, that ticks the
> GT box.
> Its a '73, built December '72...so that bit ticks the GT box also.
> It has tan doorcards...that apparently ticks the GT box.
> It came with GT wheels....that may tick the GT box, but easily swapped.
> It has an AB code gearbox, which with a little investigation was on 1300
> beetles upto 1970. So clearly not the gearbox this bug started life with,
> and perhaps a replacement GT box wasn't available when the first gbox died?
> Has drum brakes on the front. These could have been changed by a PO, but
> why would you replace disk brakes with drum brakes?
> Has a different dash to the other '73 scrapper I bought, more modern
> looking?
> No rear wings on it, so don't know if it had elephant's foot lights or
> standard lights?
> No engine lid either.
> Curiouser, and curiouser, inside it we found the makings of a twin-port 1600
> engine (AS41), which most definitely ticks the GT box.
>
> So what do you reckon...a lot of co-incidences? Or a genuine GT that got
> messed about with by one of more POs?
>
> The paint looks to be the paint it came out of the factory with....all the
> finicky bits are the same colour, inside and out, inside doors, under door
> cards etc. Unless a PO did a totally huge respray on it? But then if that
> kind of job WAS done on it, I'm surprised I found it in the condition I did,
> absolutely rotten...utterly utterly rotten. Can I emphasise how rotten and
> unloved this bog has been in the last I don;t know how many years...
>
> Would welcome thoughts on the identity of my tomato red '73 bug...and any
> thoughts on 100% identifying it as GT using something that PO couldn't have
> changed.
>
>

Tricky wrote:
> Shouldn't the GT have coild spring front suspenison ?
>
> Rich
>
>
> caroline wrote:
>> Bought a scrapper beetle as a donor for my resto project last week.
>> Bargain at ?50.
>>
>> But a few aspects of it have me scratching my head in confusion.
>>
>> Firstly its Tomato Red...was this a GT-only colour, or would it have
>> been on other beetles in the same year too? If its a GT only colour,
>> that ticks the GT box.
>> Its a '73, built December '72...so that bit ticks the GT box also.
>> It has tan doorcards...that apparently ticks the GT box.
>> It came with GT wheels....that may tick the GT box, but easily swapped.
>> It has an AB code gearbox, which with a little investigation was on
>> 1300 beetles upto 1970. So clearly not the gearbox this bug started
>> life with, and perhaps a replacement GT box wasn't available when the
>> first gbox died?
>> Has drum brakes on the front. These could have been changed by a PO,
>> but why would you replace disk brakes with drum brakes?
>> Has a different dash to the other '73 scrapper I bought, more modern
>> looking?
>> No rear wings on it, so don't know if it had elephant's foot lights or
>> standard lights?
>> No engine lid either.
>> Curiouser, and curiouser, inside it we found the makings of a
>> twin-port 1600 engine (AS41), which most definitely ticks the GT box.
>>
>> So what do you reckon...a lot of co-incidences? Or a genuine GT that
>> got messed about with by one of more POs?
>>
>> The paint looks to be the paint it came out of the factory with....all
>> the finicky bits are the same colour, inside and out, inside doors,
>> under door cards etc. Unless a PO did a totally huge respray on it?
>> But then if that kind of job WAS done on it, I'm surprised I found it
>> in the condition I did, absolutely rotten...utterly utterly rotten.
>> Can I emphasise how rotten and unloved this bog has been in the last I
>> don;t know how many years...
>>
>> Would welcome thoughts on the identity of my tomato red '73 bug...and
>> any thoughts on 100% identifying it as GT using something that PO
>> couldn't have changed.
>>

Not if it is the same as the 1300S, the fastest(can one say that?) stock
bug ever produced..

I have all the running gear in my oval -56 "Fellatio" from a 1300S, will
do close to 100Mph all stock parts except ignition.

J.