A FULL RESTORATION OF A VW BEETLE

This VW Beetle stood in a field for 20-years before it was given a full restoration, check out how it was done by a man in his own backyard.

We went down a rabbit hole and discovered this gem of a video on YouTube. Meet Max Wilson, who spend two-years completely restoring a VW Beetle he found on a farmer's field. The bug hadn't run for 20-years, it had no keys, and the entire vehicle needed some TLC. And that's what he did, by himself, in his own backyard.

After moving it to his house, Max got down and dirty, removing all the dirt, dust, grime and everything else a farmer's field could throw at it. He then stripped it down completely, removed the engine and front assembly and hoisted the body off its chassis.

Then, he stripped all of the paint and sandblasted both the body and the chassis. The next step was to prime and paint the skeleton, clean up and reinstall the front assembly. The bodywork, however, needed some work as it was clear that the nose cone had been poorly mended after a front end collision. 

The simple solution was to purchase an aftermarket replacement, chop of the old damaged area, and weld the new one on. Max also installed an aftermarket roll-back canvas sunroof by chopping a hole in the roof, pop-riveting the sunroof framework in, and sealing it closed. He then bolted the Beetle's body back into place onto the rolling chassis.

Next up was to dismantle the engine, give it a thorough clean, and make sure there was no catastrophic damage. He replaced the bearings and rings, fixed the carbs and put everything back together.

Then, it was off to paint, coating the Beetle in light avocado green, inside and out. Max replaced the entire damaged fuel tank with one he found at a scrap yard, as well as installing a new fuel pump and piping.

He installed the steering column and ran a new wiring harness from the frunk, through the body and into the engine bay. He also installed sound-deadening tape to replace the insulation removed when the car was stripped.

After this was complete, it was time to start up the motor which, with a little bit of adjustment to the timing, performed beautifully, with no leaks or knocking at all. The clutch engaged properly and allowed the Beetle to move forwards and backwards a few inches.

Max then instaled the canvas roof and finishing up the painting of the fenders, doors, hood and boot lid. After re-installing all of these parts, it was time for a quick test drive. All of the lights were then cleaned up and reinstalled, as was a new speedometer and period-correct radio head unit.

Happy with the body and mechanical work, Max installed an entirely new interior lining, including customising the roof lining to accommodate for the new sunroof. He also replaced the three-quarter rear windows as well as the rear glass from a donor Bug, all with new rubber moulding. The windscreen, however, proved more difficult, with the first glass breaking. The second piece of glass fitted perfectly snug with no issues.

The carpet liner was glued in perfectly before the newly refurbished interior items, such as the seats, were installed. These were also done by Max, as were the door liners and seatbelts.

Almost complete, the Beetle received a new set of windscreen wipers, and rubber all around to compliment the painted steel wheels and shiny new centre hubcaps.

Considering Max did all of this himself in his backyard, it's an absolute gem of a car, and many of us could learn a lesson in perseverance and attention to detail from him. If you've got a project car that has stalled, perhaps Max can inspire you to get back on the wagon!

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