Help! Type 3 Fastback

[Fiona78]

Hi there, putting something quick so i dont get deleted!! Ha ha. Right, although i am a woman, housewife, mother, blah blah. I am interested in cars, had a few classic's, Mk1 Escort 1300 sport, Mk1 Capri Xl (facelift), 73 Cortina, 74 1300 Beetle (Herbie Replica Awwww!) and a Anglebox!!! Really, really would love a Karmann Ghia, but alas my money really doesnt go that far. SADLY my current car is a 03 Vauxhall Vectra! Think i lost my way a wee bit. Basically i have fallen in love with the type 3 fastback, my car is up for sale and as soon as it goes i am ready. I've been looking a while and spotted a few, not got loadsa money tho. Main questions i suppose as i dont know much are, weak points? What to look for? Do'd and donts!!! Luckily my husband is mechanically minded, but dont think he's up for a total rebuild unfortunately as ive spotted a fab orange one on ebay (god i sound like a girl!) he's into bike simonfrancisservices.co.uk!!!..... As i said any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

[Editor]

Hi - Welcome to the forum, and glad you didn't get deleted! You should be safe now anyway, as I shan't do a sweep for another couple of days now and with a post already, you won't be selected.

Yes, that Fastback could be a good project, but it's always hard to tell from a distance.

The big problem is rust - any 40 year-old car is likely to be suffering from that, but it means unless you're into welding and fabrication, you need to get a sound one. Check the bottom 6" (15cm) of the body all round, and the floorpan edges. Quite a few solve the rust problem by buying LHD, which may be much less rusty, coming from a drier climate, but that has its own problems.

There's lots of helpful advice through the forum, so if you get a specific problem, someone can usually help out. Parts are not too hard to get, again, someone on here probably has anything you will need.

You need time to get a decent one though. Don't shy away too much from fuel injection or automatics, but there are things to learn about them, just as there is about the carbed models.

Put a want ad on the forum - and chase up all the old ads that look hopeful - people don't usually scrap them just because no-one has jumped at them. Probably worth saying you're in Yorkshire.

Hope you find what you want soon.

[Fiona78]

Brilliant, thanks for that. Rust isnt a problem as my husband is a fabricator and we've all the stuff in the garage so i can keep him busy, and also a good friend who owns a sprayshop, so think i'd prefer something tatty, so i could end up with exactly what i want, as long as i can get decent seats and interior!!! Normally put off automatics as fuel consumption seems to go through the roof! Is that not the case in these? I'll put something on the forum in wanted and see what comes up! Thanks for the advice.
Also, may sound a bit daft, but been looking on ebay and do beetle seats fit in a fastback? Cant seem to find any interiors for fastbacks! Also looking at Webasto roofs, does anyone have one? know there pricey new, hoping to find one second hand and fit it, but does it drastically alter the handling? Are these really stupid questions?? Ha ha. www.kombishop.co.uk/Kombishop_Volkswagen_1972... Thoughts on this, too much work????

[84gravytrain]

hey and welcome

cant help you to much on all the things you are looking to find out as i am still learning about my type 3 however the guys on here have been great help from when i was looking for a squareback until now (ownership of my 72 square), their knowledge, experience and support has been superb.....oh and they are pretty friendly to

so glad i dived head first into type 3 ownership because they are the dogs and so far fairly easy and cheap to run and maintain.......hope im not tempting fate ha!!!!!

cheers, ross

[Fiona78]

Found one on ebay! Perfect in everyway for what i want and local too. Fingers crossed. Dont buy it people out there or i shall hunt ya down!!!!!

[Danny Lord]

Found one on ebay! Perfect in everyway for what i want and local too. Fingers crossed. Dont buy it people out there or i shall hunt ya down!!!!!

Welocme to the forum

fingers crossed you get the fasty, make you you post some pics on here when you get it

[Fiona78]

There was one on here that's just been sold, had my heart set on it but hey ho! So.....still looking for a fastback! If anyone knows of one for sale please let me know!! Bloody vectra just cost me £300 for it's mot so that's going as soon as a fasty turns up! My number is 07879991592. Thanks! Fiona.