I finally talked Drew into giving the '62 back to me. So I started trying to fix it from the wreck. I was able to pull it with the winch on the trailer enough to get the bad buckles at the bottom of the rain gutter staight. But, now I need to find a rear clip to fix the rest of the damage. I'm just glad I was able to fix what I did. Also glad to be able to start working on the car again.

Yesterday:

Spent most of the day tearing apart my old motor. where i discovered that the main bearing was grinded down, and metal shavings were everywhere. I just happened to have a AH block lying around from my 29' benz kit car. I had gotten that engine running about 2 years ago, and had dissasembled it with the intent to rebuild. Anyway, that morning i switched over the cylinders/ pistons, heads, valve train stuff, pulley, alt, shroud, dizzy, and header.


Today:

I had to work early so i didn't get a whole lot done. I installed some aftermarket cylinder tin i had. And to anyone reading this, what everyone says is true. THAT STUFF IS SHIT. It didn't fit any aspect of the motor. Nothing lined up. The holes for the mounting weren't even close, the spark plug holes didn't line up, so i had to pound them out. It didn't sit cleanly on the top, and i had to beat the hell out of them and force them down. Also i installed the plugs, wires, adjusted the valves, and did some flushing out with oil, to try and get all the crap out of the new case (dust and other sludge).

I still have to install the drain plate, the turbo, and the carb/intake. I plan to filll it up with oil, start it (assuming it does start, hahaha), let it run for about 20-30 seconds, change the oil, let it run again for
about 10 mins, change the oil again, drive it around for a few hours, change it again, then drive it for about another week, and change it again. Then i should be good from there.


THE TURBO BUG WILL LIVE AGAIN TO TERRORIZE ALL WHO CROSS ITS PATH......... unless the motor blows up again, in that case, nevermind

2 days worth! Well pulld the 73's engine, found damaged carbs, bad vaccums from carb to car, clutch was nothing but rivets on one side, so.......drove to sc today, bought a rebuilt 1.7, got a set of 34 dells, pulled a gon engine to fix the panel. Now get to unload tommorow, hopefully the westy will be a driver soon!

today i finished up the motor for the turbo super. I got the turbo bolted on, the intake and carb, all the little odds and ends. then i spent most of the day cleaning and degreasing the engine. the thought was, It may not run good, but damnit ITS GONNA LOOK GOOD DOING IT!!! . Got the motor bolted in, started it up and made this EXTREMELY loud Whining. It was the fan rubbing against the shroud, so using the palm of my hand, i beat the hell out of the shroud, till it bent it enough to stop sqealing. And the whoole reason for that was that damn cylinder tin throwing the shroud out of alignment. Anyway, it ran perfect. In fact it ran Much better. It was much quieter, and had tons more power then before, due to the intake leak, and there is hardly any turbo lag, due to the exhaust leak being fixed. Way more power . Much ass hauling will occur tommorow

I air hammer-chiseled the stock seat rails out of the waterbug. That left a few small holes in the pan from the stubborn spot welds. I bolted my custom seat brackets to the bucket seat rail. Then I positioned the seat where I wanted it. I marked where I would be welding and pulled the seat back out and ground the paint off the pan in those places. I put the seat back in and spot welded the brackets. I then pulled the bolts out and removed the seat again and welded the brackets securely to the floor pan. I welded the holes that were left from air hammering the stock seat rails off and re-shot primer sealer on all of the welds including those underneath the pan.

I also hinged my "wing-engine-thing-cover" at the top so I can get to the engine without removing the entire assembly which is somewhat difficult by yourself. Now it's pop two dzus fasteners and lift the lid. I'm working on a hood prop so I wont have to carry a broom handle with me. To use hydraulic lifts I would have to really stiffen up the cover with bracing on the inside. (More weight?) I don't know that it even matters as I wont be racing this car unless it is really quick. In fact I don't know what I'll use this car for. Maybe just cruising around and picking on unsuspecting Jap wanna-be-racers. Either scenario will depend on how fast this bug is.

I need to work on the throttle cable as I'm only getting 2/3rds throttle as it sits now. I need seat belts too. I need to mount the Jetta brain and electrical center (Fuse and relays) permanently and make a cover where the back seat used to be.

hated on vendors tht dont tell you when stuffs backordered

today while driving i started to slowly loose power. And when i floored it, it would slowly spool up, but not build any presure. so i think the turbo must have messed up the bearing when i went without oil. Or maybe when the main bearing bearing shredded up, particals made its way to the turbo. either way, it looks like i might need another turbo. I just happen to have a spare, i pulled off a saab 9000, and it looks identical, except for the water cooled side. so i'm hoping i can simply switch over the bearings, and possibly the main shaft, over to the current housing. and maybe the intake side compressor if it happens to be bigger than the current one .

Hauled the buggy body to Stockornaut ( www.stockornaut.com ) for the paint work. I can see the light at the end of the four year long tunnel and it is good.

Bought a 1970 Standard Beetle

Well I installed the seat-belts on the waterbug that came with the used bucket seats. Wonder of wonders the retaining bolts were the same size and thread pattern.

I only had to weld two nuts to flat washers. Then used a hole saw to drill two hole slightly smaller than the flat washers on top of the tunnel just ahead of the back seat rail. Then I put the washer with the nut facing down and welded the perimeter of the washers thereby making a receiver nut for the buckle part. I could have used the existing receiver nuts on the tunnel were it not for my seats are just a tad too wide.

I had to drill and tap two more holes on top of the monster 2" x 4x 1/8" heater channels for the lap belt part. I now have three point seat-belts.

Last night I was helping a friend move a few things with my bus. All was going well until I was pulling back into his driveway, "SNAP"! Broke my clutch cable. Luckily I had a brand new spare in my parts box, so I installed it. Fun stuff!