swallowtail 1975-THE REBUILD - Updated 18/06/2014

Hello all, welcome to my build thread of a 1975 swallow tail called BETTY after the 1st owner whom passed away. It has 46'000 on clock and im the 2nd owner. The shell is pretty much solid, however as it has sat in a semi-dry garage there is still rust areas that I will be addressing.

The plan is to fully restore her to factory standard, using as many original parts as possible…..any heres some pics of when i 1st pick her up…











this is not me by the way, its my mate nick, owner of golfsburg birmingham - i think he was exicted too.


Dont know what this guys problem was, but he was sat on our bumper. lol

Interior pics: lower backs, burnt orange, no rips/burns or tears


















Engine pics: abit grabby but complete.







RUSTY BITS:


















As you can see the rust bits aint bad, most as just surface as i had a good poke around with screwdriver.

Let me know what you think

Bob

Lovely project, please go down the factory fresh look, it'll be stunning and rare!

All the best
Oldfool

Oldfool said

Lovely project, please go down the factory fresh look, it'll be stunning and rare!

All the best
Oldfool

thank you,  yes it will be fatory standard….stunning and rare lol. bob 8)

Thats in really good nick mate. Good find.

anyone interested in my other project - 16v corrado

http://the-corrado.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=82148

if you scroll down you'll see a pic of my other mk1, my mates yellow swallowtail.

bob

Raffles said

Thats in really good nick mate. Good find.

cheers mate

That rado is sick. Nice work.

I wish I could find something like that! Especially in that condition.

All the best with it.

After 16years of sitting, i put jumps leads on it and turned it over…….believe me or not after a couple of turns, it fired up….and run sweet. heaters, lights, dash intruments and everything else worked…..apart from one brake light out………couldnt believe it myself… anyway more pics of stripping the car down to a bare shell so it can go to the surface acid dipping place in dudley….same place that beetle crisis was flim (discovery turbo).


air filter removed


washer bottle removed


disconnecting the rad


RAD out


horn removed



batt and header tank removed abit rusty but solid.






whilst removing bits i decide to polish up the inner wing, polished up well.(i was bored)

sweet  car . hope to see that about soon

I defo keepin an eye on this resto! I'm gonna enjoy watching this, keep the updates flowing!

Wow amazing, are you restoring to original spec?

Thats about 3 early series ones appeared on the site all of a sudden now  

Early-1800 said

Wow amazing, are you restoring to original spec?

Thats about 3 early series ones appeared on the site all of a sudden now  

yes restoring to original factory spec……..1.1 (slow as hell….but worth it)

Hey hey cool… Nice find !! Been sat about the same time as mine - strange we all start these early ones at the same time!
Looks not too bad in the usual areas - will keep and eye on this and were both going factory original  8).
Mark

This the one that finished on eBay a few weeks ago? I was waiting to sell my bike to buy this! Typical bike sold two days later!

carlettof said

This the one that finished on eBay a few weeks ago? I was waiting to sell my bike to buy this! Typical bike sold two days later!

yes it was, i did a deal before ebay auction ended

75golf said

Hey hey cool… Nice find !! Been sat about the same time as mine - strange we all start these early ones at the same time!
Looks not too bad in the usual areas - will keep and eye on this and were both going factory original  8).
Mark

does this mean i got Competition? joking ….its great seeing yours and notice the differences. i got plastic inserts at the top of the wing,where it meets the body…..has yours? ive neva seen this before.

Bob

Only for parts :-)

i have seen those inserts before but i cant temember on what- i think it was on a very rusty 76 i broke for parts…mine has new wings though as its done over 200k- if they were there they are long gone..

When abouts in 75 was yours built?

Thata a good question. Who has the earlyest swallowtail??

i think mine was built 18/1/1975 (got to be one of the 1st)