Wizard Beetle

We acquired our first beetle when I passed my driving test back in 1983, although the same color as the above there the similarities sadly ended.

The plan was to strip it and convert it similarly to a Wizard Roadster using the chassis as the starting point, unfortunately on closer inspection it was discovered that the chassis was actually twisted due to it being involved in an accident and only good for the scrap heap, although I drove it for about 6 months, that

convinced me there is nothing quite as enjoyable as driving a beetle. Sadly work and financial commitments then put a halt to the plan. We brought our first house in Marlborough which needed extensive restoration work to it. Although the dream was shelved it was never forgotten.

Several years were spent going to various car and bike shows but the dream lingered.
I spent 6 months in 1990 driving to work with a colleague every day and leaving her car at our garage which was about a mile away from the house.

On arriving at the garage one morning at the end of December there was parked in the parking area the basis for our dream, commenting to my friend about it we then merrily continued to work, arriving home that evening to discover it still there.

I then gave my usual spill to Steven when I arrived home about there being this beautiful car parked by our garage, to which he replied rather bored oh is there.

The evening wore on and eventually I toddled of to bed only to discover a lump in the bed, (no not Steve) but a set of keys perched on a photograph album containing one receipt for a VW registration WBK478L from Country Volks in Basingstoke (do they still exist?).Well after much leaping about with joy I rapidly got dressed and fair flew down the stairs to Steven insisting that if it was the VW at the garage we needed to go and have a drive or at the very least a proper look at it, amid comments of but its after Midnight of we went.

Sadly she was sold for spares or repairs and had no MOT.

It was a start, unfortunately it proved to be a very slow one, the wings were removed from the front and rear, and then we decided it was totally impractical to carry out the work in a very small garage.
Mid '91 and she was taken to Ben's Garage in Hungerford, there the body was completely stripped followed by the seats and everything else including the engine.
This left the chassis which was then taken to Slough to be shot blasted, on arrival back to Ben's the floor pan was replaced and the whole thing resprayed in black.

Meanwhile a discussion in the local pub provided the answer to our problems, there was part of an old dairy building to let a couple of miles from home.

She was then transported back to Marlborough where the rebuild could continue.

July '93 saw the purchase of a new 1641cc engine, twin choke Kadron carbs and exhaust system.

August '93 VW meeting at Avon Park saw the purchase of very nice set of 15” Proline Wheels, Dip stick, clutch and various other small but significant parts.

December'93 and we finally ordered the actual body from Wizard Roadsters, not bad going in the grand scheme of things it had only taken 3 years to get to this stage.

February '94 and at last we went to Slough to pick up the body and there lay a whole host of new problems The main body was assembled without to much swearing but the there was no way the roof was going to fit and as for the doors well that was a whole new ball game.

March 95 and she finally goes for her paint job.

On her return the engine was refitted, new petrol tank installed ,complete rewiring(a little tip when doing electrics, don't let your mate any where near the diagram or wires if he is color blind), and the whole of the interior upholstered.

November '95 and she passed her MOT we have a roadworthy car.

Not bad going 6 years from start to finish (you can't rush these things) in 6 easy steps.