Feazy's 58 AirRide Bug

The Featured Car section is to highlight a club member's car. We will accept any aircooled VW regardless of condition. We want to see all of your works in progress and learn more about them. Show off all that hard work by submitting your VW pics and detailed info on your car. Before and after pics are a plus. Add any stories that go along with the pics. Feature will run for one month depending on how many submissions. Submit pics and info to kustenkreuzers@yahoo.com

Apr 2012 Featured Car

Feazy and his 1958 Air Ride Beetle

OWNER: Christopher "Feazy" Feazel

VW: 1958 Beetle

ENGINE: AE 1600DP

Eddie Chambless and a friend found this car in Troy Alabama back in Nov 2011. It was pulled from a barn where it had been sitting since 1988. They parked the car because of a leaking hardline in the brakes. Eddie snatched it up for $700!!!

After putting new tires on it, Eddie trailered it back to FL. With only a new 6v battery and new fuel pump she fired up and drove. (with no brakes still)

This car is incredibly untouched, esp to survive the 80's without any modifications! It has original radio, antenna, washer diaphragm w/squirters, and reverse lights. All were not standard items from the factory but were dealer installed. It had the original motor 1200 36hp (which is under restoration)

I tell Eddie my dream project for the car and with his ever growing collection of VWs, he decides to sell it to me Feb 1st 2012

That week the body comes off and goes into storage. The chassis comes home with me for a complete rebuild. The beam was swapped for a brand new one narrowed 4 inches and shock towers extended 3 inches. The rear spring plates were notched and all new seals and rubber installed. The rear pan halves were replaced. All the while keeping the original carpet the best I could. The front and rear was then fitted with Airkewld's complete ariride system, which involved extensive welding done by my friend Shane Kahl.
Though I would have loved to have kept the OG 1200, I couldn't find a logical way to run the air system on 6v. So I dropped in a stock 1600dp color painted to match the chassis with earthy moss green and rust red.

Once the chassis was complete, it was brought back to the shop where the body has been stored and untouched. Three guys and a forklift and the body was back on. Some minor tweaks (like blowing a throw-out bearing up) she was on the road.

Finished product was my dream car. A beetle completely untouched showing its true age but with a new chassis and new motor. Oh and layed out on the ground!!!

Thanks for all the help from the club. Rob, Oz, Eddie, Mom, Rick, and Shane.