I am from Germany and my parents owned two of these Käfer when I was a child. The second one was a gray one from 1967. This was the first car I drove when I was 12 years old.
One thing that should be added is a fuel shut off valve. I had my 1973 VW Beetle drip gas beyond the needle valve in the carburetor float bowl when it was parked with the gas tank higher than the engine. When I got in and tried to start it, it wouldn't turn over. My initial thought was the battery was dead. So I just turned the car around by hand and thought I would head it downhill and jump start it by putting it in gear and letting out the clutch. Luckily I was just barely moving and immediately realized the engine still didn't want to turn. I checked the oil and saw it was way up on the dipstick. Then I smelled the oil and realized the gas had filled the crankcase to the point where the engine was hydro locked. The gas had gotten into the combustion chamber and wouldn't allow the piston to move up to the compression stroke. Luckily there was no damage to the engine. I drained the oil and replaced it. As well as replaced the carburetor. From then on I have had a fuel shut off in place in line prior to the fuel pump.
As an addition to the last one, be prepared to have any stops you make to be lengthy and prepare your significant other. Tell them that even though you are just getting gas in your VW it might take 30 minutes to an hour to get out of the station because everyone has a VW story to tell. Ask me how I know.
I'm too old now to start another VW project, but when I was very young (18-24), I had two early 60's Bugs and a 67 Camper bus. A word on the heater system on these rigs: People mistakenly say they are horrible heaters, but they're not. If your air-cooled VW doesn't get warm enough in the cab, go to ACE hardware with the old weak springs from the heater box doors in hand. Match the length, but buy a thicker gage spring. Then, go at the door area with a steel brush and clean the crap off everything related to the free movement of that door. They're just a flat piece of sheet metal. make cleaning thatatrea part iof your 3000 mile service interval. Every German knew this. Just as every British owner of an MGB knew to remove the coil wire and clean the oil bypass film off the rubber boot. Or, likely it will just slip off when the oil gets warm under the hood. For some reason, they mounted the coil upside down. I once got a date with a very lovely girl that way. Pays to know a coupla things.
Band clamps on braided fuel hose is a great way to get a fire too That hose isn't supposed to be clamped And by clamping it you're pinching the rubber and that's where you'll find a pin hole leak.
