Project Car...The Beetle.

[JWC]

The only stinky on my car now is the new paint baking on the exhaust.  Probably a worn out engine...or running too rich.


I just ran her down the road and back a couple of miles.  The only adjustment I had to make was to add some shims to the alternator pulley because the belt tightened up on the road test.  Now all I have to do is hook up the air tubes for the heat and this car is road ready. 

On to the next!!

[JWC]

Well, I've driven it for the past week.  No failures, minor adjustment to the carburetor...

...and I now have heat again.

I did have to buy a new floor jack.  My 17-18 year old one quit during the adjustments on the heater cables. It managed to get the car up in the air, but it couldn't get it back down.

Same floor jack (but different name)...$100 less than I paid for the old one back in the early nineties.

[Soup DeVille]

Well, I've driven it for the past week.  No failures, minor adjustment to the carburetor...

...and I now have heat again.

I did have to buy a new floor jack.  My 17-18 year old one quit during the adjustments on the heater cables. It managed to get the car up in the air, but it couldn't get it back down.

Same floor jack (but different name)...$100 less than I paid for the old one back in the early nineties.

Of course you have heat again! It's no longer winter.

Bugs are like that.

[JWC]

39 degress here this AM.  Winter hasn't let go yet.

[JWC]

Bumping this back to the top...

I spent this past weekend working on the red Beetle.  It seems to take up more time than I anticipated, so the yellow car has kinda dropped off the restoration map.

The brakes failed last Thursday morning as I pulled into a drive up ATM.  Nursed it back home and spent July 4th installing new brake hoses on the front.  I had seen a bad spot on the right front and ordered replacement hoses.  I just didn't get around to installing them soon enough. 

After that I installed new gauges in the dash. I can now monitor oil pressure, oil temperature, and volts.

Unfortunately, during the road test, a nagging little hiccup the car had for a few days before the brakes failed, decided to become a case of the flu.  Without warning, it will buck and misfire on acceleration.  Even backfiring at times.  I haven't put my finger on the problem yet, but I'm thinking condenser.  That is until this afternoon. I was talking to one of the old timers at work about the problem and he thinks the coil is bad.

I ordered new points and condenser this morning. I'll order a coil tomorrow.  If nothing else, I need spares anyway.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Condenser is simple and cheap, but gave you narrowed it down to ignition? Could also be a fueling problem.

[JWC]

I removed the coil today at lunch and took it to work.  Tested the ohms and it is definitely out of range.  That was cold, so it is probably even worse when hot.  If that is the only thing wrong I'll be happy.

I based the diagnosis on past experience.  Dwell readings were way off which would pretty much narrowed it down to ignition. 

[JWC]

Parts (new coil, condenser, points) came in this morning, rode home and installed the coil, still same result.  Replaced condenser, straightened right up.  Weak coil probably led to the condenser burning out.  Drove the VW back to work, no problemo.

[JWC]

Spent about an hour this afternoon trying to clean up the "luggage" compartment.  Problems was what to do with spare belts, wires, and all the tools.

Bought a early sixties (or late fifties)  Samsonite suitcase.  I wanted something vintage to go along with the car.  Guy at work has a sister who deals in antiques and she had this leather one that she sold me for $25.  Went to the dollar store and spent ten bucks on storage trays and containers.  Narrowed down all the tools to VW only. 

The result: (Sorry about the big photo, didn't post process)

[Rupert]

Neato.

[Danish]

Damn, you really know what you are doing

[MrH]

I like how a giant thing of zip-ties is in your repair kit.

[280Z Turbo]

That is cool.

[JWC]

Just to add more to the pot....

I bought a 1978 Westfalia this week.  Needs restoration and (hopefully) minor engine work.  $500.00  Towing it home Wednesday. 

[JWC]

In case you've lost count....that's four, yes four, VW's at my house now.

[SVT_Power]

so i assume you sell these after you finish restoring them?

[JWC]

so i assume you sell these after you finish restoring them?

Only if I have to.

I once had four or five and sold them all to make a down payment on the house.   I'm fixing these up for me, then hand them down to my daughter.   

[JWC]

Got the Westy running today. It didn't sound too bad for not having run in three years.

I have also decided to sell the 'vert for whatever I can get for it. That money will finance the camper.

[Cookie Monster]

Are you going to get one of those wacky campers where you can make a complete U-turn underneath the camper?

[Soup DeVille]

Are you going to get one of those wacky campers where you can make a complete U-turn underneath the camper?

When he says "Westy" he means "Westfalia," which means "VW camper bus."

[Cookie Monster]

When he says "Westy" he means "Westfalia," which means "VW camper bus."

Oh, didn't catch that.

[Soup DeVille]

Oh, didn't catch that.

Its a Veedub thing, you wouldnm't understand 

[JWC]

Its a Veedub thing, you wouldnm't understand 

So true.  This is my second VW camper.  The first was a 1964 "split" I bought in 1978 for $1500.

I must say, I'm thoroughly confused about this 1978 Westy.  After adding two gallons of fresh fuel (to the old fuel)  and some injector cleaner it ran and idled great.  The owner sold it to me because it was skipping so badly. The only thing I hear out of the ordinary is a very loud exhaust leak, but I just about pinned that down, I think.  I'm trying to remain skeptical about this engine and the supposed problem.  I let it idle for about 45 minutes and drove it around my friend Shannon's yard, no problem.  Well, except the brake pedal almost drops to the floor and you have to pump the pedal to bring it up.  I added a pint of brake fluid, so I'm sure there is air in the lines.

The PO really hated giving up this camper, enough that we agreed that if I ever sold it, I'd give him first chance at it.

I'm not seeing why he let it go so cheap.

[JWC]

The VW Bus/camper left this evening for greener pastures.  I sold it to a guy in Atlanta and we loaded it up on his trailer most of the afternoon and until 9:30 tonight. He really didn't come prepared and I'm worried that the bus won't stay on the trailer for the trip back to GA. 

I made sure the bill of sale stated that I relinquished all responsibilities and liabilities to him. 

[hotrodalex]

He didn't have a few tie down ropes?

[JWC]

He didn't have a few tie down ropes?

He brought one huge ratcheting strap and two small ones.  They were new and he had never loaded one before...and I haven't done it in years.  So, I assembled those.  He kept twisting them and getting the straps jammed in the gear.  I finally donated some new chain and a padlock to secure the front.  Used one small strap underneath the rear. We ran the huge one through the side windows and to the trailers side pockets. 

I had to use the V70 to pull the bus on the trailer.  How it arrived from Ga in one piece must have been pure luck because when the when the front of the bus hit the trailer, the trailer came off the hitch and put a nice dent in the truck's tailgate.  Too bad it was a borrowed truck from a friend of his.

He kept wanting to push the bus up on the trailer, but he didn't bring help and god-dammit I'm 55. I'm fat and tired.  I finally convinced him that pulling it onto the trailer with the Volvo was the only way to go.  We put jack stands under the rear of the trailer and pulled it right up.

[JWC]

Well, he made it.  He called me last night.  Great guy.  He said it was a little squirrelly due to some rough roadways in S.C. (I-20)

He had to get bolt cutters to remove the chain, so that tells me how rough it was and that I made the right decision to give him chains to tie it down.

[shp4man]

It's not real without pics. 

[JWC]

As of Wednesday...I will be divested of all VW gear and cars.  I will keep my VW-particular tools though, learned that lesson.

[Rupert]