[goaly]

Hello, I just found this forum… What a wealth of knowledge!

Here is my question, what parts are available to make the new beetle look a little bit more like the old one? I’m thinking of painting the rocker panels black to give a little bit of the old running board look.

Are there retro wheel covers, taillight accessories, or even fender-mounted turn signals for new beetles to give them the old school feel?

Thank you!

 

[Growler]

yes. it can be done.

stock NB 16" steelies, old school hubcaps & hubcap clips, Flat-4 wood slat roof rack, and a two tone.

 

[BUGSTUFF]

Here's one!!!

http://newbeetle.org/forums/showthread.php?t=32032

 

[beej]

A lot of the retro items have been discontinued, such as ATP Classic rims, the PIP rack, and the chrome trim (like Rodney and Felix's)

However, there are retro mods you can do yourself...a popular one used to be grabbing the carpet runner from Home Depot, and cutting running board covers from it. Use 3M tape to hold it on, and its great for protecting against scrapes too.

The retro steelies were superhot for awhile too, just use the flatter hubcaps, the older, domed caps fly off rather quickly!

 

[vwgary]

TVA seems to still offer chrome window moulding as well as door handle scratch guards. Street Beat Customs still offers their version of the old skool sliding ragtop for the NB.
I agree with beej tho, that alot of the retro items initially offered are no longer available. I've decided against going the full retro route I had originally intended. But I still plan to install the sliding ragtop since my NB is a 98 w/o sunroof.

 

[bugsy98nb]

Why Paint the rockers when you can apply something really cool that looks like the originals


PM Growler for detials on the rocker/running board covers

I think they REALLY add that retro feel

 

[vwgary]

I wish someone could photoshop a set of EMPI 5 spokes on an NB. I'd go that route with the rubberized running boards and rag top.

 

[T1KARMANN]

you can buy the empi 5 style wheels from ebay UK

their you go

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/18-ALLOY-WHEE...14&_trkparms=72:1299|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

 

[vwgary]

That would be very cool with a set of wide whites and a ragtop

 

[bugsy98nb]

BRMs FTW !

http://newbeetle.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1493

 

[hadda61beetle]

Why Paint the rockers when you can apply something really cool that looks like the originals


PM Growler for detials on the rocker/running board covers

I think they REALLY add that retro feel

Okay...since I do not know of Growler, might someone lead me in his direction. I'm curious as to how he blacked out the "faux" running boards on the NBC. A while back, someone posted where one could buy a chrome strip that went along the bottom side of the rocker panel, such as in days of old for the running boards, but I've not seen that strip any longer.

Jerry

 

[Growler]

Okay...since I do not know of Growler, might someone lead me in his direction. I'm curious as to how he blacked out the "faux" running boards on the NBC. A while back, someone posted where one could buy a chrome strip that went along the bottom side of the rocker panel, such as in days of old for the running boards, but I've not seen that strip any longer.

Jerry

Tag! You're IT!

Jerry

the blackout running boards you see on Bugsy's vert are really only ribbed carpet runners from home depot.

make yourself a paper template of each end of your running boards. best to use two or more long pieces taped together to make a complete template (6" wide and 5' long iirc, best to double check on your own car)

then cut them out and use the 3m double sided foam tape (grey foam with red covers) to apply them to the car.

I haven't made any in a while. but the black ribbed carpet runner at 30-36" wide will give you PLENTY of material to make a set or 2 from.

 

[bugsy98nb]

Okay...since I do not know of Growler, might someone lead me in his direction. I'm curious as to how he blacked out the "faux" running boards on the NBC. A while back, someone posted where one could buy a chrome strip that went along the bottom side of the rocker panel, such as in days of old for the running boards, but I've not seen that strip any longer.

Jerry

IF I Recall ( since its my NBC Growler pipe in :lol: ) its a shelf liner thats ribbed like the running boards of the old bugs were. cut trimed to fit, then use double sided 3m tape that holds it in place. 3.5 years later its still in place and hasnt moved

 

[bugsy98nb]

Tag! You're IT!

Jerry

the blackout running boards you see on Bugsy's vert are really only ribbed carpet runners from home depot.

make yourself a paper template of each end of your running boards. best to use two or more long pieces taped together to make a complete template (6" wide and 5' long iirc, best to double check on your own car)

then cut them out and use the 3m double sided foam tape (grey foam with red covers) to apply them to the car.

I haven't made any in a while. but the black ribbed carpet runner at 30-36" wide will give you PLENTY of material to make a set or 2 from.

haha JINX !

 

[beej]

Growler is Growler, hit him with a PM he answers quickly.

VWGary, the chrome trim that Felix and Rodney wear was a Mid America product, back when they had watercooled Beetle things... it is nose trim, and trim that sits under the windows.


Here is Rodney in Roswell a few years ago, the rims are ATP Classics.

 

[beej]

Another fun one is to take a badge from an old aircooled and add 3M tape for the back.

I got a bit tired of the turbo crowd adding badges to theirs a few years ago, so Rodney's reads VW Automatic. Felix has Fuel Injection.

Electra is still not badged.

 

[bugsy98nb]

Another fun one is to take a badge from an old aircooled and add 3M tape for the back.

I got a bit tired of the turbo crowd adding badges to theirs a few years ago, so Rodney's reads VW Automatic. Felix has Fuel Injection.

Electra is still not badged.

Yes this is a Cool mod. OR like i did since i was afraid of it coming off ... I found on ebay a Decal script . since my bug is a tiptronic ( auto ) I was going to use an Automatic stickshift badge off my late uncles 69 but feared it comming off so i went the decal route..

 

[beej]

I wouldn't fear it falling off, if you wait until a very warm day to do it. Rodney's has been on since 2002 or 2003, with no issues

The decal works nicely with your seat covers .

 

[bugsy98nb]

I wouldn't fear it falling off, if you wait until a very warm day to do it. Rodney's has been on since 2002 or 2003, with no issues

The decal works nicely with your seat covers .

Cool.. I guess since the one I was going to use was bigger the a normal badge is why I worried about it can't really use it now as it would look goofy :lol: . Thanks for the kudos I actually had that on before the seat covers when I ordered it they had four colors, red, silver, black , white . Since the car was red that wouldnt work :lol: and she already had too much black top tires interior, so I went with the white . I had half thought of finding someone to match the Font of the script and make me an autostick decal to place under the volkswagen one .

 

[OldSkoolVWLover]

BRM's with the proper bolt pattern and offset can be found on CIP1.com for a decent price.

You can also get some steelies, and use some caps of your choice. Click the NB in my sig..... it's on 15inch Jetta Steelies with Rabbit bottle cap hubcaps, held on with og hubcap clips bought off of CIP1. We have some other things planned, but it's one of 3 cars that all get attention and money, plus the house. Hoping to have a few more things done before show season starts in March.

Other things I have done..... Air Cooled steering wheel in my MK3 (67 wheel), also used a shift knob from CIP1 that was designed for an AirCooled car. Seat belts, I am running OG style 3 point belts with the chrome buckle and the wolfsburg crest.

Other than that, I have thought about fender turn signals.... but haven't really seriously considered it. Maybe once some other stuff is done I will grab a set and see what the wife thinks. I would want them to be functional though, and I really don't want to put holes in the fenders...... so probably will never happen.

I missed out on a smoking deal on a PIP wood slat roof rack a year and a half ago and I am still kicking myself (this is another one of the discontinued parts people spoke of). Was sold a lot as a dealer add on (at least at my local dealership) back when the NB first came out.... now you can't find em anywhere, and if you do it's usually someone who knows what they are worth.

There used to be chrome headlight trim on ebay, not sure if there is still any of any quality floating around new though.

In the end most of it ends up being up to your imagination and fabrication skills.