This will be a journal of the partial restoration of my 1976 California 2002. I say partial now, but I know I have big dreams for it in the future (or possibly another '02, if the body on this one turns out to be more heartache than heart-throb). I figure it's best to post it here, so the experts can read it and assess it, rather than it's current blog-home.

Some background on the vehicle I'll list here and also at my rarely-updated website devoted specifically to the car www.prest-rat.livejournal.com.

I'll begin by stating here and now that I am NOT a mechanically-inclined person. I, like many people, have owned a series of random cars that would get me from point A to point B with little attention or interest from me, barring my first 3 cars back in the late 80s which included a 1975 Super Beetle (tetanus trap), a 1970 Beetle (still, outside the '02, the love of my life), and a 1971 VW pop-top camper (think an '02 is a $$ pit?).

This car was manufactured in January of 1976 in Munich, VIN# 2378461; original color was Jadegrun, a color that I see listed as being used almost exclusively on Targas. However, I discovered that it had a very poor respray who knows how long ago, the color being lighter and slightly more metallic than the original. It is a Getrag 4-speed, with (non-functional) AC and of course all the regulation smog equipment weighing it down.

This vehicle was a single-owner California car; the seller worked at CalArts in the 70s, and this vehicle was owned by them for the first 6 months of its life while he drove it, and then purchased it from them. It even still has the dealer plate-surround on the rear "Tom Ray" in Los Angeles.

The PO put on most of its 119k miles in LA between 1976-1980; he then drove the car to Naples, FL, where he lived for a year, and finally up to western MA where it would essentially sit for 28 years. This car has had but one mechanic in those 28 years, and he informed me of some of it's more interesting history, including when he first saw it in 1981 it had over 80k on it already; so that's 40k in 28 years, or roughly 1500 miles per year.

This car was COMPLETELY stock, including the old 2bbl Solex, original steel wheels (well, the tires weren't the originals, fortunately!), the spare (which doesn't look as if it's ever been touched), right down to the old split vinyl seats, original Blaupunkt radio, even what looks to be an original fuel filter in the old woven fuel line!! Ok, some of this stuff is stock that should have been changed LONG AGO. Like the coolant hoses, gaskets, fuel line, alternator, fuses, etc. You can put your jaw back in place now...

In the next post will be the preliminary pictures (once I size them correctly) and some more tales of wonder and woe....
_________________
Sean
'76 Jadegrun '02

Daily driver and ONLY vehicle! It must be love...