Since this classic car is fairly new to us I had no idea if the engine and tranny matched the body.  The previous owner told me everything was original.  I just wanted to make sure before I started pulling the motor off the tranny.

I started my VIN/Chassis/Engine block number matching at The Samba.com.  It’s a huge source for information about VW production cars.  The link previous stated takes you to products years and VIN numbers.  Thier info helped me come to the conclusion that our 1970 Ghia Convertible is all stock.  The VIN and Chassis match, and the engine block number was produced with a few months of the VIN.  Perfect.  This is great news!

Now that I know the engine and tranny are alos 1970. I headed up to Painter’s Grinding.  This is a great little machine shop up in Denver that specizes in VW restoration parts and hot rodding them.  They hooked me up with a clutch kit.  The kit includes clutch, plate, and throwout bearing.  They also tossed in a clutch alignment tool.  I also picked up a main seal.  Since I’m already in there I might as well replace it too.

The plan right now is to pull it apart Friday morning.

First I looked into the “holeless” option offered by a Vendor on the NAM site. Hit the link, this option is really great, but I already have the holes for the stock one in my bumper. As a looked at pictures of this option It looked as if it might restrict a little air flow. It may even block some of the light give off by the factory fog lights. I would love to be able to put a new bumper on it, but that’s not financially feasible right now. I understand the hole can be filled and the color touched up, but I have never been really good and that sort of thing. I hold things like this to a pretty high standard, sometimes standards that I, personally, can’t reach.

The second option was to find the stock plate holder, like the one that came on my Mini new. Not my first choice, but the best given the circumstances.

I stopped at Ralph Schomp Mini today to pick one up. $90+ later I had my stock holder. I picked up a Badge holder for the grill also.

Shelly at Schomp is just absolutely wonderful.