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"Project kaferTEK":

I bought this 1969 Standard Beetle in Spring of 1998. The prior owner had purchased what was essentially a rust-free California car and transported it back here to Indiana. He began a full pan-off restoration, but lost interest in it after he had separated the body from the pan and completely unassembled it.

The car sat under a tarp in his welding shop for the next ten (10) years until I came across an ad for it in a local Auto Trader magazine. Two weeks and $600 later, I brought the body and pan home on a flat-bed trailer with a pallet-sized box full of miscellaneous parts.

I didn't get much done in the first six (6) years that I owned the car. You see, I brought the Beetle home just a few weeks after my son, Caleb, was born. That's why progress was slow. You have to have your life priorities in order -- or at least try to keep them in order!

I began picking up the pace on "Project kaferTEK" in 2003. I started scouting around for specific OEM sheet metal parts, bought a variety of body tools and Lincoln SP-135 Plus mig welder, read a lot of articles and books, and learned how to do some basic metalwork (bumping and welding). It took a few months to feel comfortable enough in my abilities to start tackling the body, but after that there was no stopping me. I got busy filling in the antenna hole, body trim holes, dash, and a variety of "can opener" holes under the hood along with replacing both the front and rear aprons. Before and after pictures can be seen in the DIY Body Work section.

In the Spring of 2005, I ordered-up a 2332cc Type-I power plant from Jason Lauffer (VW Paradise, San Marcos CA). I met Jason and Kris Lauffer while on a business trip in San Diego, CA back in 2003. After meeting and talking with the brothers, I knew I had to have me some VW Paradise power! In order to put the power down to the pavement, I called on Kevin Richards (KCR Transmissions, Riverside CA) to build me one of his SuperStreet Plus Type-I transaxles. Specs on both can be seen in the Engine & Transaxle section.

Things really started to pick-up after that. I sent the car out for paint in the Fall of 2005. While it was gone, I worked on getting the chassis and drive train together. Pictures of the various stages of both can be seen in Final Body Work & Paint and Chassis & Suspension sections.

I got the body back from paint in the late-Summer of 2006 and began the laborious task of assembling the car. Over the next 24 months, I was able to piece the car back together. Short of the headliner install (two failed attempts was enough), I did all of the final assembly -- glass, interior, wiring, etc. I'm glad that's over! Pictures taken throughout the final assembly can be seen in the Final Assembly section.

Now that the car is completed, I've decided to name it "Jack" in memory of my father-in-law, Jack Stitt, who ignited my interest in air-cooled VWs and inspired me to build the car. You can meet "Jack" by visiting the Hitting the Streets sections.

DIY Body Work (Updated 03/18/08)
Engine & Transaxle (Updated 03/18/08)
Chassis & Suspension (Updated 03/18/08)
Final Body Work & Paint (Updated 03/18/08)
Final Assembly (Updated 05/16/09)
Hitting the Streets (Updated 05/16/09)
Additional Mods (Updated 06/19/10) --NEW--
Awards & Recognition (Updated 10/17/09)