When this 1963 VW was customized the owner pulled out all the stops

We’re talking a 1-3/4-inch chop, suicide doors, frenched headlights, and shaved molding and door handles… and that’s just the exterior!

The extensive bodywork was handled by Mike Penock in Wilmington, and involved complete dechroming with the exception of the front VW emblem. After the custom modifications were completed, thorough block sanding was done to straighten all panels, in preparation for Ronny Wright to apply the House of Kolor custom-mixed metallic green. Fiberglass bumpers from Glass Action in Prescott Valley, Arizona were also painted to match, but not before the fronts were modified with small turn signals. Other exterior tricks include remotely actuated electric door and hatches, billet mirrors, halogen street rod headlights, and polished Porsche “Hackmesser” wheels wrapped with Dunlop rubber.

The interior of this neat Notch’ was handled by Randy Bussey, with help from Jim Carr and Wes Moss, and was totally redone with tweed and velour. Starting with highback seats and custom door panels from Sewfine Interior Products in Colorado, they installed a velour headliner while Bussey fabricated and installed a custom-cut carpeting.

One major modification to the interior was the addition of a custom fiberglass dash from Glass Action, which was modified by Wes Moss and fit with an assortment of VDO gauges, Premier stereo head unit, and various switches. The stereo system packs quite a punch, with a large Rockford Fosgate amplifier mounted in the trunk, from MB Quartz component speakers, and a 10-inch woofer mounted between the seats.

The interior is also highlighted with a Grant steering wheel, Berg shifter, billet pedal covers, and a chrome fire extinguisher.

With all the customization to this point there wasn’t a way to settle on anything but a stout powerplant. For one wild ride, he had Bernie Bergmann in San Jacinto, California assemble a 2442cc Type 3 powerplant, starting with a fully machined case, Bergman 88mm full-circle crankshaft, 94mm Cima/Mahle pistons and cylinders and 5.700-inch H-beam rods with Chevy journals. An Engle 120 camshaft operates 3/8-inch chromoly pushrods and stock rockers, which open and close 44mm intake and 37.5mm exhaust valves in ported and polished “D ‘port heads. Air and fuel are metered by a pair of Weber 44 IDF carburetors, and the mixture is fired by 3/4-inch spark plugs that get zapped by a Bosch 009 distributor. Exhaust is handled by a custom built 1-1/2-inch header system that is HPC coated and finished with a Super Trapp muffler. Topping this mighty mill off is a Bergmann 911 fan system paint-matched shroud, a host of billet goodies, stainless steel lines for the fuel, breather, and full-flow oil systems, and a Bergmann-refreshed gearbox.

Looking this terrific Type 3 over, you can see that details are everywhere. From the highly-detailed trunk with tan tweed lining and billet hinges, to the slick hinged suicide doors and glassy smooth exterior, the owner certainly spared no expense. And with Best of Show wins at both the Manassas Bug-Out and Florida Bug-Jam, you can see that this is indeed one fine “Chop Notch.


Price: Auction

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Seller's other items: 427garageusa

Location: Carthage, Tennessee, United States