Hi there,

A friend pointed me in this direction today as someone was getting rid of some 1303 bits (on a pre 67 forum, whats that all about lol) so I signed up and thought I'd come an explore!

So fare I have generally had post 70s cars as generally they are cheaper, the earliest car I have owned was a 1970 fastback (it was cool!)

I have a 1972 1302s, a 1974 1303, a 1972 camper and for my g/f a 1972 1200 basic which I want to build into a pre 67 looking car.

Obviously with her car some limiting factors which will easily point out its era will be the window size, but I thought you guys could help me get alot of other external features of her car right too so it looks the part 🙂

Welcome.

I don´t know about your question - I´d be inclined to just say buy an early car, if thats what you want. Modding a `72 gives you what? A car that is no longer an original `72 and also not a genuine early car. I doubt I´d be rushing to do it. My 2cents.

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I got the 1200 for free(no engine or interior).

Its tax exempt.

just needs a bit of normal welding as in channels and pans/door piller bottoms but other than that its pretty solid.

I have to buy wings/trim etc anyway and my g/f wants an early 60s look car.

its the odd things like door handles that are diff I need to find out about, the small details like.

Cant go to wrong with a free car really!

There's usually a number of give aways on a fake early car, things like the vent or indent for vent behind the rear quarter window and fuel filler location, the thickness of the side trim, etc. Thats assuming that you change the front valance and put a longer bonnet on and change the rear valance to put the longer engine lid on to get most of the panels right.

I'd be inclined to fix up your free car and sell it to buy a 60's bug if thats what you're after - it would be cheaper to do that than to create a fake one.

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Oh, well, of it was free and is missing bits, then what does it matter.

The oldest you will get it to resemble would be a `65, as its the first with big windows. They had push button door outside handles and an ice pick looking interior door handle, like the earlier cars. Chrome lever quarterlight catches too. I would say, if you really want to get it looking right, you could find some `65 doors, but they are always rotten, due to bitumen sound deadening stuck in the middle! I think the striker plates and catches changed around that time too, possibly each year. Might be a bit of a game getting them to latch, even if you could find any. Not really certain though.

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