DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Strictly speaking at this stage this is not a restoration thread, yet. The car started life in March of 1966 as a UK supplied (thus RHD) in slate grey with brown leatherette interior (not sure if that's a winning combo as I've not been able to find any pictures of cars in that configuration). It came with 5 speed gearbox, a loud speaker, exterior thermometer, clock and key signal (still don't know what that means).

Its had 10 owners previously and I'm the 11th.

Currently the car is an Outlaw - it still has the original gearbox and has a 1966 engine, but not number matching, this has been bored out to 1720 in a recent rebuild.

I've documented the story so far in the 912 thread but I'm now getting into the car so thought this was a better place to keep updating progress.

Since I bought the car I've had it serviced at Revival Cars, had the rear suspension lowered and new dampers fitted along with a host of bits and pieces that needed doing to make it safer and MOT worthy.



Here it sits now

The current to do list;

You'll notice the passenger side headlight lens is missing, this is because the light was loose in the bowl as the lip which the headlamp rim catches onto is worn, so the light fell off whilst driving up the A30. I rescued the light but the lens is dead. They are Cibie units and I can't find a supplier so I'll probably have to change them out to H1's.

Sort the front suspension. First off the shocks are on their last legs and they need replacing. Secondly the height is wound down to the lowest setting but it's riding high. Perhaps it was put back in a spline out? In any case I'll get it striped out and see if it's on the correct settings, it's riding about an inch too high for my liking and is too soft.

New generator - the bearings are gone and make one hell of a racket.

Interior wise it looks good but the seats are too narrow at the base and with no back seats I can't take the kids out, which they enjoy. The solution for now will be a set of R type seats, standard seats in the back and switching back to 3 point seat belts. Longer term I am hoping to pick up a standard seating set which I'll get recovered, not sure if it will be in brown leatherette though.



The gas burners are not to everyone's taste. I've decided after a year I'm one of those people so they'll be swapped out for a set of deep 6's with hearts I've just picked up.

Something else not to everyone's taste (especially my wife's) is the green stripes. I think the car needs something to pick it up as it's mostly dechromed, but I'm wavering on the stripes.

Obviously ensuring I have the correct priorities in improving the car I started off by installing a period Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio.



I just think it's so cool that you can buy a nigh on 50 year old radio for a similar aged car and it fits in perfectly - I know it's obvious that it does but its still brilliant.

I'm thinking I might put on the Talbot Berlin mirror I have left over from a pair I bought years ago (the other is on my Cal Look 54 Beetle).

I should mention my general direction is away from a light weight track day looking car into more of a lightweight tourer, with my ultimate aim to join in on the Le Mans pilgramage.

Looks great - nothing wrong with sourcing the radio as a priority (not that you'll probably be able to hear it!!)

I think Beetle lenses fit those lights. Possibly. Worth checking before forking out for H1s.

‘Damen' on here has just put some up for sale

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=53840

Bathtub57 wrote:The current to do list;

You'll notice the passenger side headlight lens is missing,

Hi


I think I have the lenses that would work for you in the for sale area? they're the smooth type lenses
here is the for sale thread - only got one pair remaining (nice car by the way! )
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=53567

and it's the lenses in the top left of this pic


close up of them

The clear lenses are for fitting over period sealed beam headlights. Also over biodes and as I read recently over led units.

Is your surviving headlight lens Bosch or Hella?

Regards
Mike

also - here is a cibie 7 inch sealed beam unit.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cibie-7-Inch- ... 541266a948

they are the same as I have fitted to my 67 912. I've got those on my car along with a pair of the hella sb clear lenses which i mentioned in previous post.

thanks everyone this forum is brilliant!

The headlights are Cibie units, it doesn't appear that the lenses are available. The clear lens Charlie won't work as I'm not running sealed beam units. I've got a pair of lenses from KK but before I fit them I need to sort out the lip, or lack of, in the headlamp bowl. I reckon I can rivet or weld a lip on but need to find a couple of spare hours to get at it.

For reference here's some pics of the Cibie unit, if anyone comes across one please let me know.








Sorry for the crappy pics, the iPhone can't focus on glass!

And in other news...

I managed to pick these up today.



Well, it was either these or Tesco shares.

Mark,
those lenses are almost identical to the ones I have on my 1960 Beetle, so I am sure you can still get them. I found one on ebay, after a roof slate fell off and cut the front of mine off!

You might be better just getting 2 new Hella lenses and keeping your good one as a spare??

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PAIR-OF-50s-T ... 419902a122

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Split-Oval ... 56789f28a4

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Split-Oval ... 25a9d30ff8



Ian

Bathtub57 wrote:thanks everyone this forum is brilliant!

The headlights are Cibie units, it doesn't appear that the lenses are available. The clear lens Charlie won't work as I'm not running sealed beam units. I've got a pair of lenses from KK but before I fit them I need to sort out the lip, or lack of, in the headlamp bowl. I reckon I can rivet or weld a lip on but need to find a couple of spare hours to get at it.

For reference here's some pics of the Cibie unit, if anyone comes across one please let me know.








Sorry for the crappy pics, the iPhone can't focus on glass!

This is the cheapest one I can find for you on the net, and postage does not seem to severe from the States, if you want the original Cibie look

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-TYPE-1-Early ... 15&vxp=mtr

Ian

Nine One One wrote:This is the cheapest one I can find for you on the net, and postage does not seem to severe from the States, if you want the original Cibie look

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-TYPE-1-Early ... 15&vxp=mtr

Ian

Thanks Ian
Appreciate the leads.
Cheers
Mark

don't forget that a US one will dip to the wrong side of the road