Itinerant Air-Cooled

Thinking about buying a fastback to replace my current daily driver.

Have some questions.

1- Most of the cars I find, have been converted to carbs. How hard is it to find original FI parts to "bring it back to stock"?

2- I really don't like the lights/bumpers and squared off front of the newer type 3's (I guess I'm just shallow), but I do want front disk brakes, and FI. So I guess I'm looking around 68 or 69 right?

3- Any reason to stay away from the earlier FI systems?

4- What are the differences between IRS and Swing-axle? Does it matter to me?

5- Auto stick ?? what's that all about? just an automatic? Should I stay away from them?

I'm sure I'll have more questions, just doing some research for now. Thanks for your time answering these :)

Mike

MConverse wrote: 1-How hard is it to find original FI parts to "bring it back to stock"?
3- Any reason to stay away from the earlier FI systems?

2- I really don't like the lights/bumpers and squared off front of the newer type 3's (I guess I'm just shallow), but I do want front disk brakes, and FI. So I guess I'm looking around 68 or 69 right?


4- What are the differences between IRS and Swing-axle? Does it matter to me?

5- Auto stick? automatic? Should I stay away from them?

1/3 Parts should be pretty available since people tear them off the engine so readily when confronted with a mystery. The D-Jet fuel injection is tough as a boot. All you have to do is install it with attention to the electrical connections and make sure that the air connections are snug and the fuel hoses/filter are fresh.

2/4 More specifically, you are looking for a 1969 with IRS, though the trunk space in the later Type IIIs is better, so HAH! IRS is truly the better engineering for emergency evasive maneuvers. It also has the more successful suspension isolation methodology.

5 I think (tristessa?) you can only get the real automatic with Type IIIs.
Colin

Yes, only fully automatic trannies were available on the Type 3.

Well, it looks like I may have found one

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... ?id=556626

Any thoughts? Going to go look at it this weekend.

MConverse wrote:Well, it looks like I may have found one
Any thoughts? Going to go look at it this weekend.

Looks really good, but by all means get that inflated price down.
If this is a car that seduces you with all of the charms of a Type III, then price may not be an object. You will eventually recoup your investment.
I am in town if you'd like The Nightmare Of Any VW Seller to tag along with you, for a small (gas money) fee. We could arrive in my Squareback. I did pay $1,200.00 for it (covelo, have I thanked you again this month?). That could help soften up the seller a little, though my interior and growly transmission are downers. It honesly does not and never will matter how much he spent on it, ($11,000.00?????) you pay what the market deems appropriate. Look around theSamba classifieds and get a good idea of the price range of current offerings. It is true that many of these Type IIIs are trashed as hell, your prospect looks really good.
Colin