It's hard to believe it's been nearly three years since the buggy finally hit the road. Eight hundred miles later, every drive still puts a grin on my face. But as much fun as it's been and plenty more to come, the time feels right for a new project. This one, though, isn't for me - it's for my wife. The brief is simple: keep it on a budget, and definitely don't let it turn into another 14-year marathon build!!!

I've had my eye out for a small-window Beetle for a while, and after plenty of searching, the right one finally came along. It's a 1963 model in remarkably good condition, considering its age. For most of the past 30 years it's been tucked away in storage, waiting for another chance at life. Along the way it's been treated to not one but two colour changes, adding a bit of mystery to its story.

This time around things feel a little different. There's no garage to work in  - "Ludicruz" has claimed that space - and no guidance from my dear father. Still, i know he'll be with me in spirit, keeping a close eye on every detail and, as always, scrutinising my work from above.

Instead of a traditional garage, a portable one from Machine Mart will become my new workshop. Inside it the 63 Beetle will take its place as the next chapter in the story. This build has already earned its name: "Mufasa" (The King of the Pride and a mentor to his son Simba) in dad's memory.

With Ludicruz by its side, Mufasa is set to become a proper classic to enjoy - and a project that's about more than just nuts and bolts......

Right....enough with the commentary.... time to crack on with some pictures coming very soon.....

Great opening paragraph to chapter one of your novel. Sounds like you have a nice bit of the cars history to perhaps slightly play into one or two subtle design aspects later on ?

Good to see you back at another project Nav the build thread will be interesting.

So envious.  Many memories from 1970 when I got my first beetle. It had trafficators     

On 29th July, we made the run from West London down to Southampton to see the '63 — and it was love at first sight.
The moment it rolled into view, everything just felt right. No signs of surface rust anywhere, the bodywork straight as an arrow, every panel looking untouched by time.

We took it out for a quick spin, and the seller casually mentioned that it still had its original 1200 engine, now breathed on and brought up to a 1600.
The drive was smooth, surprisingly so for something that had spent nearly three decades tucked away in storage and only taken out on rare occasions.

Within half an hour, the deal was done. It just felt meant to be.
I didn't want to risk driving it all the way back to London, though — not after so many years of sitting. So the sensible choice was to arrange transport and bring it home safely, ready for the next chapter.

That evening, once we were back home, we booked a recovery truck without hesitation. By the following afternoon we were already on the road again, heading back down to Southampton to collect the car and bring it home properly.

With the car finally home and sitting proudly on the driveway, reality began to sink in.
Its August and i have a month or to of good weather, but winter will be creeping closer, Ludicruz was already tucked away safely in the garage, and the obvious question hit us: where on earth were we going to work on this Beetle?

As we stood there thinking it through, a few neighbours wandered over, drawn in by the sight of the '63. Admiring comments turned into a small crowd, and then one of them came out with the most practical suggestion of the day: "You've got a driveway big enough for four cars — why not put up a pop‑up garage?"

It was one of those simple ideas that instantly made perfect sense.

That is a tidy beetle looking forwards to seeing the Nav work on it.

Hard to see any wear - even normal expected minor scuffing from everyday life. And I think it's decades since I've seen such a bold statement of an external telescopic aerial.

We all keenly await how this project proceeds.

That looks very tidy Nav what plans do you have with "Mufasa" ?

Quote from: Speedy on January 14, 2026, 10:43:08 PMThat looks very tidy Nav what plans do you have with "Mufasa" ?

Hey Matt, no concrete plans just yet... but the Mrs and I sat down and talked through what she envisioned for the car and what I'm actually capable of pulling off.
After a bit of back‑and‑forth, we ended up with a vision and a wish list.

The plan looks something like this:
- Stealth look — full black paint, all chrome deleted, bumpers included
- Low stance with a set of polished alloys to give it that subtle-but-mean presence
- Shaved door handles, if it's doable without compromising practicality
- Engine performance that meets — or ideally beats — Ludicruz's standards

Something similar to this...minus the chrome trims...




We've got a few ideas brewing for the interior as well, but we'll save those for later once the vision is a bit more refined.

By mid‑August, while we were still hunting for the right pop‑up garage, I couldn't resist getting stuck in.
I started stripping out the interior to see what the shell was really made of.
Was it going to live up to that first impression of being a genuinely solid car, or were there hidden rust patches waiting to surprise us?

















Fortunately, everything we found was only surface rust — nothing deep, no soft spots, and not a single hole in sight.
A massive sigh of relief, and a good sign that this '63 really had been preserved far better than we dared hope.

Previous repairs look fine, best get the waxoyl / preservatives out and into the channels and known rust areas to keep it like that. A stealth beetle

Quote from: snoopy on January 15, 2026, 07:01:19 PMPrevious repairs look fine, best get the waxoyl / preservatives out and into the channels and known rust areas to keep it like that. A stealth beetle

Yes, will definitely be treating all the usual trouble spots to make sure the car stays solid for the long haul. Longevity is the goal, so every cavity, and hidden corner will get the attention it deserves.

On 31 August there was a local classic car show, so we took Ludicruz down for a day out.




Among the lineup was this wild '61 sitting on air‑ride with a safari windscreen — absolutely insane in the best way.







Not long after, a mate of mine rolled in with his stunning '65.
He's running an incredible sound system in it too, unbelievably crisp and clean.





While we were at the show, I took the opportunity to chat with a few paint‑shop guys to get some quotes for the prep and paintwork on Mufasa.
Let's just say the numbers nearly put me on the floor. The quotes came back anywhere from £8,500 to £18,000, and I swear my heart skipped a beat.

Clearly, a proper paint job isn't for the faint‑hearted — or the light‑walleted!!!!