'66 Squareback
- Fri, 20 Feb 2009
- Comments (1)
There's a school of thought that says ‘if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. And these days it seems there's a similar school of thought that says ‘if it ain't painted, don't paint it.' But not everyone adheres to that rule, and to pose the question is guaranteed to open a can of worms you'll never get shut again. Personally, I'm of the paint it persuasion. That's not to say I don't appreciate a bit of patina and the odd battle scar, in fact I love it and think it adds unquestionably to a car's character and history - provided it's not going to accelerate its demise. And let's face it, what might look cool and may well last for years to come in the dry desert environment of Arizona or the sun-drenched climate of Southern California is a very different proposition in a rain water and sea-salt lashed coastal town in England, for example. Now this isn't meant to get into a ‘to rat look or not to rat look' debate, but this particular car does illustrate both sides of the argument rather neatly.
When Steve Gilbert of One on One Restorations saw this '66 Squareback at the workshops of The Rust Box in Visalia, California he knew he just had to have it. For a start, it was a desirable '66 model, so came with all the cool looks of an ‘early' Type 3 - the wide side trim and early handles and dash - but with the benefit of disc brakes (note, if you're on the lookout for a Type 3, this is a great year to go for, though 12-volt electrics didn't come in until August that year, so you'll need a '67 model to get that worthwhile upgrade). It also had the added bonus of a steel sliding sunroof which, as everyone knows, is one of the best things ever invented by VW. But what was the real clincher for Steve was the fact that the Granada Red paint was all but missing from the top surfaces of the bodywork, and was flat as a pancake everywhere else. In short, it was exactly the kind of car that it seems everyone wants these days.
For the full story on this car make sure you pick up a copy of the April 2009 issue of VolksWorld
SUBSCRIBE
Never miss an issue again by setting up a subscription to VolksWorld magazine!
VW Wallpaper
You can download a wallpaper from this feature for your computers desktop in our VW Wallpaper section.
Have your say!
Latest comments
GERALD HOUGH
February 20 10:34
I have been agonising over the same dilemma over how to live with my 72 Marathon but in the end decided to keep the car as standard as posible. This meant not replacing any part that did not look like the original. Obviously there were downsides like not converting to disc brakes but your forum was helpful to sort that out. A soon as i got the Marathon in Oct 08 I was going to "personalise" it but the weather and cold over the winter stopped play. This has been a bonus because I now think it is worthwhile to step back and take stock of what is required for a particular vehicle. Mine was virtually standard so relatively easy to keep stock. however if a car has either been heavily modified before or in a poor state then I believe you have more choices without turning a stock car into a special. My view is if a special is wanted start with a modified car, If stock rings your bells try and start from a stocker. This will keep a pool of stock cars on the road. Ideally from my blinkered eyes converting specials to stock would be beneficial but the cost could be astronomical!