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Diamond in the Rough
"Notcho" was Brought Back to Life and Better Than Ever!

By Kathy Jacobs
Photography: Kathy Jacobs

Several years later, Jesi had a desire for a Notchback, and with the help of friends Shane Socash and Joe Piacenza the search was on. They ended up finding it locally and purchased it in October of '96. The Notch was by no means perfect: it needed some major work, which they were willing to take on. The car had no interior, with the exception of two ripped front seats. The glove box even had some vinyl letters attached cryptically spelling, "Someday."

The car was promptly disassembled. The body was removed from the pan and the pan stripped. First on the agenda was replacing the bulkhead. Being driven too low by the previous owner the original bulkhead was destroyed. Ed Muha of Gilmore Enterprises was called upon and did the welding of the new bulkhead. The only part of the pan that needed replacing was the battery tray, and then the whole pan and frame was shot with Body Shutz Undercoating. All the suspension and brakes were restored back to stock. The car was lowered one spine in front and equally in the back. A set of reproduction 15in 914 2 litre Alloys were wrapped around by 165R15 tires.

The body was then completely dismantled and stripped to bare metal. A years worth of welding was then done, including new front inner tire well area, front apron, inner and outer rocker panels and more. All metal parts were treated and shot with epoxy primer.

The car was then painted with three coats, base and clear, of Diamond Blue two-stage PPG Deltcon.

A new wiring harness and all new or NOS rubber were used, including rare NOS outside scrapers for the door glass. Santa Anna Plating did the little rechroming necessary. A roof rack from Bill and Steve's in Downey, Calif., was added along with Hella driving lights.

The interior remained stock, with the exception of an original EMPI VDM steering wheel. TMI provided black basketweave vinyl for the front and rear seats as well as the black carpet kit and door panels. Sewfine was called upon for the white perforated vinyl headliner.

The engine was meant to be the ultimate in reliability with a couple of performance upgrades. A new Brazilian universal 1600cc, dual-port case, with a standard uncut German VW 69mm crank and new semi-hemi-cut VW heads done by Chris Cross in Kenneth City, Fla. Quite a few Gene Berg components were used as well, including dual springs, EMPI 1.4-to-1 ratio rockers on Berg solid shafts and a stock VW camshaft broken in by Gene Berg Enterprises. The case was drilled and tapped for a Berg full flow kit with a Berg 1.5-Quart Oil Sump. Berg also supplied the chrome molly push rods, NOS German Kolbenschmidt 85.5 pistons with German rods and all Kolbenschmidt German bearings. Total Performance in Tampa, Fla., balanced the crank, pulley, fan, flywheel, rods and pistons.

A set of Solex 32 PDSIT carburetors sets the fuel in motion. A Bosch 009 distributor with compufire electric points sets the spark to fire up the 1600cc. Gene Berg Enterprises provided the headers a single quiet-pack muffler.The transmission remained all stock with a Flat-4 reproduction eliminator shifter.

This Notchback is a daily driver and will see up to 8000 miles a year, while driving around the streets of St. Petersburg and all across the state of Florida and beyond to VW shows. Jesi had lots of fun finding parts for her beauty and now has the pleasure of driving it.

Thanks go out to her parents for bringing home that '74 Beetle; Joe Piacenza and Chris Cross for all the advice; Daryl McAllister of D&A Repair for finding some rare Type III goodies.

Last but not least, special thanks to Shane Socash. He was the main guy behind all the work in this beauty.