Trailmix Beetle

[toolbox]

Getting the slotted nut out of the generator stand to swap over the filler section to the alternator stand can be a bit of a PITA.

Internal pipe wrench

[blue71]

Internal pipe wrench

That would make life a LOT easier, especially if he doesn't have easy access to the factory tool or the slot is buggered up.

[trailmix]

An update on the beetle. I've been cleaning everything I can get my hands on. I've replaced the rubber seals that don't involve taking the body or its parts off. Waiting on the rest of the interior to be made to button that up. Carpet is being installed on the back seat back and then door cards. Headliner and a 12V conversion is still on the list. At least I can drive it with the seats installed. Hope to make a trip to Berea to meet Bruce and see if we can hook it up. Can't wait to get on the road.....I can feel spring in the air, not really, it's still super cold out today.

[wwebner]

Internal pipe wrench

That would make life a LOT easier, especially if he doesn't have easy access to the factory tool or the slot is buggered up.

The after market slotted tool is a POS. The internal pipe wrench is the tool to use. You need the one that is 1in diam.

[Dual Port]

The after market slotted tool is a POS.

I just used mine a couple of weeks ago on my SP and didn't have any problem using it with a long extension and a ratchet or breaker. I don't use it often but have used it several times in the past, it's important the "nut" isn't buggered up from some guy with a chisel.

OTOH, I've had an internal pipe wrench bit break and leave me in a bind (GM heater hose outlet years back).

[trailmix]

Bruce is one RAD dude! So much has been learned in the short time that we have been working on the Beetle. I will let him tell the story of what has been experienced so far. If only I had the tools, shop and experience that Bruce holds in that head of his, we would all be doomed! Super stoked on the progress and all the details that we've tackled. Just some random photos from the GoPro4 Black edition.

[Dual Port]

Trailmix brought his Beetle down for a 12v conversion. Man, this car is nice! Originally a Texas car, it's as dry as they get and probably the cleanest Beetle I've ever worked on. And it's unbelievable that this car has gone almost 50 years without a dent, ding, or any paint work, a true survivor. I'm really not a patina guy but this car really shouldn't be touched.


The kick panel area where the pans and body always rot out:



Check out the front fender and horn area- cleaner than any car I've ever seen in Ohio.



Anyway, let's rack it and get the engine out. I'm putting on a 12v gen and regulator under the seat like a '67-72 would have.



Like before, the engine comes out on the cart. It's an H case single relief.



Surprise, surprise! It has a 200mm clutch in it already, and I didn't recognize the flywheel has the 6v setup right away- it's a 6v tooth pattern and 200mm clutch. Isn't that a one year only '66 bus flywheel? It should have a 180mm clutch if it was OE.



The 6v starter is going away, along with the stupid "hot start relay kit" that's worthless.




While it's up we'll do some other maintenance like change the gear oil Good thing, as it was as thick as mud and there was less than a quart in it. Luckily the magnets look good.



The axle boots are on wrong and leaking, so those will go away. We pushed it outside and pressure washed the trans/frame horn area while the motor was out.





Here's what a nicely wired 12v starter looks like, I extended the trigger wire and used sealed connectors...



Along with hold down tabs for the main power feed. This will go into the rear seat area to feed the VR and main fuse, which I'll install soon. Polyloom, grommets, sealed connectors, you guys know what my work looks like by now.



I gotta hog out the bell to fit a 12v flywheel and my trick tool won't fit because it has a rear apron. Do you think Keith would mind if I cut the apron so a 1/2" drill will fit in there to turn the crankshaft?




There's no room to run the tool, but it did serve an important purpose. I removed the FW cutting head and put a 12v flywheel on it for test fitting while hand grinding the bell, otherwise it's in and out with the engine numerous times which would be a PITA. I think I had the jig in there about 6 times looking for rub marks between the FW and bell. The clamp and VG hold it in and turn the crank, the upper bolts look like it's bolted to the bell but in reality they're dowels for alignment and not retention.

You know how it works- grind a bit, paint it black, stuff the "motor" back in, turn the crank to rub the paint off, grind more, lather, rinse, repeat. Safety glasses plus a full faceshield, earmuffs, and a shop vac running to help contain the chips and dust. Shit job!



Touching right here, needs a bit more grinding. I used a pair of 1/4" die grinders with coarse fluted tips- one with a square edge and one rounded edge.



I put Keith to work doing stupid shit like changing all of the light bulbs. No rot at all anywhere in the light housings, very easy job. The reflectors were bad so we did the glue-the-alumunum-foil hillbilly trick to help brighten the bulbs.


And bead blast the sockets, naturally.



Of course the last moron used 1/4" hose and a wrongly mounted fuel filter, I just touched the carb inlet and it fell out! This would have been an inferno very soon. Phucking idiots. The whole car was plumbed with 1/4" hose and overtightened hose clamps, the instant I touched the clamp by the tranny it started leaking fuel.



I took the carb apart, blew it out, and put a new lid assy on from a spare carb I had that happened to have a 12v choke coil in it already. It's getting all new German fuel hoses, of course.

Here Keith is putting in a new engine seal weatherstrip. Look at that incredible concentration!



Engine converted to 12v, trimmed, and test running to check the charging system, it works perfect. I cleaned up the commutator and put new brushes in.

I did a compression test and all 4 are between 120 and 130. Couldn't be better!



Keith put lowered spindles on with LA pressing in the BJs and they're too tight. It takes way too much effort to turn the steering wheel so that needs to be attended to.

He complained about the shifter being weird so we checked things to find the rear coupler worn out and the front bushing missing completely, no big surprise. I stock both of them so he switched them out, no pics but it went smoothly and the access covers came right off like a new car. Also, he changed out the axle boots and my homemade tool for compressing the bus torsion bars worked well here, too. Putting the boots on with the axles hanging is almost impossible, they have to be dead level or you'll never get the boots on right.

Still need to complete the wiring by the VR and under the dash and stick the motor back in.

[Dual Port]

Here the motor's going back in, just like it came out. Set it on the cart, drop the car over the engine, slide the engine into the bellhousing.



The angle of entry wasn't quite right so a prybar and a wood wedge corrected that.



I don't know what I'd do without my 17mm ratchet wrench. I almost never use it except on upper bell nuts, but there it's a necessity.



A new wire on the 12v choke coil with heat shrink, sealed terminals, etc. The old short belt is on there in this shot, we put a longer belt on that fits the pulley properly.


Under the rear seat I opened the harness to bring out the wires I needed. One of my favorite wiring tools is a fabric seam ripper (WalMart, $1) for cutting the harness open without filleting all of the wires inside, like if you used a razor knife. Snap-On has the same thing for $14.



Here's the wiring under the rear seat where I put the VR. I ground the paint off for a good ground, used shrink terminals, grommets, heat shrink, soldered joints where the wires had to be extended, etc. That's a 40a MaxiFuse inside the big fuseholder on the power lead coming from the starter stud. The battery's right handy but I don't like tapping power from the B+ terminal because of corrosion issues. I know the Polyloom isn't OEG but it's better than a bare wire.



I put a rubber flap over the area and glued it down for added protection in case a fat guy sits in the back or the seat blows a spring.


And away it goes! Keith did the shifter bushing and coupler which made a huge difference in how the shifter feels since both were trashed. The charging/starting system is perfect and all lights work except the high beams because the high/low switch in his TS switch is bad. It cranks twice as fast as it used to and Keith's happy. He has some issues to work out with the ball joints he installed previously (too tight, wanders and tracks poorly) but other than that this is a great car.

[trailmix]

The Beetle is running great! Not only that, but having the piece of mind that attention was paid to the safety aspect and getting those items corrected. Being this is my first car project, I am learning so much about the car and its tendencies with huge help from Bruce and the fine people on this forum. I hope this documentation will be helpful to someone down the road with their project.
What I have learned is that everyone has their own opinion of what is "right" for these old cars. But, I feel that everyone is after that one goal....to enjoy it! No matter how you do it or how long it takes to get it done, just enjoy what your doing.
The Beetle will continue to evolve this spring and summer and I hope to continue to document the progress.

[trailmix]

I am trying to finish up the 12V conversion behind the dashboard. I ordered a new 12V flasher box from WW and it works great, even have 4-ways again.
I also ordered a new 12V armature for the wiper motor. "It just drops in they said, like five minutes they said". I looked all over for video or just a thread that explained how to replace it and couldn't find the exact motor that I had. The way it was sitting in the magnets and brushes, there was no easy way to get it out so I had to force it. Fortunately, it went back together nicely.
So now, when I turn on the key, the wipers turn on. Even with the switch off. It seems like its on a fast delay setting. Then when I pull the knob out (one speed switch) they are in fast mode.
So after researching some schematics (which I don't understand but I was trying) and watching some videos, I decided to pull the "parking" wire from the motor. Now they work fine except that they don't "park" at the bottom of the windshield. You have to be right on time with the switch to get them to stop so their not in your face.
I did notice on the old armature that there were countersunk drill marks on the magnets in random places. Is the WW replacement armature just a "fix all" and not specific to my switch?
I didn't take a bunch of photos but I did take a few to make sure I had the wires right when I went to hook everything back up.