My 1959 Euro Bug

mee either. this one and bertha will make a sweet pair of earlies!

Well, not much of an update, but it took a new battery and a carb rebuild get the car running smooth. I really thought the starter was starting to go, but it was just a worn out battery. I had to go back into the carb, it would not idle at all. The main jet was clogged with black substance??? It cleaned up nicely with carb spray. Tonight I hope to adjust the clutch and align the front end, so maybe I can drive it on Sunday.


Danny

Between Family outings, I managed to get clutch adjusted properly and had to shorten the drives side tie-rod about another 1/2". Did a rough alignment and tested the clutch out. Did a few reverse to neutral and forward starts, no slipping or grinding. I guess that counts as its 1st test drive. On Friday, my boss who is a car nut (early Malibu and Nova Guy), is lending me an alignment tool for the front. I hope to get that on Wednesday from him and if I can get that done I should be legal this Friday, AKA Pay Day!

If anyone needs non-daily driver insurance, may I suggest checking out Grundy.com or Haggerty.com. I decided that I am going with Grundy, according to them, I can drive it anytime except as a commuter car. They said "If I was attending a car show/club meeting/function after work, then it would be fine to drive it to work". No mileage restrictions with comp, collision, 100/300 and no deductible for $104.00 a year. It will be insured for $5,000 and as more work gets done, I can change the amount until I get to the point that I need an appraisal. I will have all the details on my coverage Friday, so if I was told wrong I can relay what is on the actual policy.

Well I gave up on the Bocar carb. The accelerator pump refuses to work, even with a new one. I ended up getting a 34 PICT-3 Solex carb and that almost took care of the fuel issues. Still need to fine tune it. Runs good enough to drive it around the sub division this morning. It does stop nice and straight, but takes longer to do it then i/m used too. I guess, I am used to my 4 wheel power disc brakes. Shifts good and drove straight, so Monday morning I will get the tag and finish getting all the little things done to make her more reliable.

nice cant hope to see this thing rolling next weekend

Heinz57 wrote:....It does stop nice and straight, but takes longer to do it then i/m used too. I guess, I am used to my 4 wheel power disc brakes.....

time for a disc conversion

Well, haven't done much with the car in the last month. Too much going on at work and the kids went back to school and with homework about the same time I pulled the shroud and intake off to fix the vac leaks. Yesterday morning I got it back together and it fired right off and idled on its own, so maybe that problem is gone. I also have a nice intake with clean heat riser so that should help out a lot. Test drive today.

Danny

Car is tagged and Insured as of this morning. Will be driving it Saturday.

Its been a while since I have posted any updates. I installed a Tachometer from a 1969 Mercedes 230 and the lettering is very similar with VW's. I like the way the numbers are layed out. I shift at 3K and all you have to do is see the needle point straight up without really looking at the numbers. An old drag racer setup.





One problem ended up with a main power wire that started to break. Must have had a few strands left that still would let the car would run until you hit a bump or you closed the door too hard. Then car would just die, no power. I ohmed the main 8 gauge wire out and it would show a open line if you rocked the car or closed the door. Installed a new lead from the starter lug to the alternator and new from there to the headlight switch. I also replaced the headlight switch harness too, since it looked very questionable. Been driving it almost every day, got about a 100 miles on her this week and all is well except???

It appears that the (Empi) solid front transmission mount adapter (the one that lets you install a tunnel trans in place of a split case) has broken the nose cone. I will pull engine and tranny out in January and cut the split case mount off the pan and weld in a later model mount so I can install a later transmission. Then I can use the HD factory VW mounts and have a quieter drive train. I know I am getting older, but I am not sure whats louder, the stinger or the solid front mount.

thats cool man with the solid mounts you feel every vibration too

when yall say you feel every vibration, what do you mean by that? i have solid mounts on my bug, and i really don't see a difference between it, and my other bug with rubber mounts. i can hear the motor a little louder, but i don't actually feel any difference. I really love solid mounts, as it got rid of all wheel hop. i can lay a nice 20 foot burn out with no hopping at all. my 74 with rubber mounts would hop like hell. maybe all the old dirt, and crap, acts like a giant harmonic balencer

Heinz57 wrote:Its been a while since I have posted any updates. I installed a Tachometer from a 1969 Mercedes 230 and the lettering is very similar with VW's. I like the way the numbers are layed out. I shift at 3K and all you have to do is see the needle point straight up without really looking at the numbers. An old drag racer setup.

That's nice man. I'd love to find a nice 0 to 6k tach. Got any pics of it before you installed it? How deep is it?

I guess I should have said that to me, it amplifies the drive train noises making me think I have a problem. I do like the lack of movement, but with me something will eventually break. In my case, it was the nose cone. I am currently using the red urethane rear mounts as well.

I should have addressed this problem before I tried to install the current engine. My friend, who I got the car from said he could barely get his 1600 DP in it 3 years ago. His solution was to trim the hot air duct flush with the front tin and had someone push on the engine while he tightened the bolts. It worked, but you could hear it rub the lower fire wall and such.

The Empi metal adapter tranny mount that I am using is made from two 3/16"metal plates welded together. The mount is about about 3/8" to 7/16" thinner then the original rubber mount, so this pulls the drive train forward causing the front engine tin and hot air duct to contact the lower firewall. The front firewall seal will not even fit. I had to cut the fire wall to match the curve of a late model and the engine fits OK, but you can not ever install that seal again. Yes I could try to shim the mount rearward, but its not a race car, just a cruiser. I hate putting band aids on things to get things to work.

I would love to drop in a big CC engine one day but I need some extra $$$$$. But for now, if I really feel the need for speed I can ride my father-in-laws super tricked out 2009 1000 cc Kawasaki ZX10RR (480 lbs) or his balls to the wall 2010 1100 cc Ducatti Street Fighter (372 lbs), which both bikes are currently 200 hp or more.

No, I never took any pictures of it before installation, to be honest I never thought about it. I have had it for a few years sitting on the shelf. Its basically a standard style VDO gauge. Uses the 2 stud mount with a U-shaped retianer bracket, 3 wire leads and uses the VW push-in style bulb socket holder. I just need to get the correct '59 and down screw type bulb holder. Later today I can try to get the P/N off the back for you.

Worked on the old girl today, pulled out the 009 and installed a SVDA. Static timed it to 7.5 degrees before TDC and test started it. She fired off almost instantly and idles nice at 1000 RPMs when warmed up. Better than the 1500 RPMs before with the 009?? Hopefully get her timed correctly, readjust the carb and go for a test ride this week!

New update, pulled the engine and trans out with Dale's help. Stripped the engine down to a long block, needs new pushrod tubes and seals. DiggerD was able to come up with some nice OG cylinder head tins. I was able get them clean, blasted and primed. I also blasted the short axle tubes, lightly primed them. I installed 1 piece boots which went on very easily using hot water and 2 screw drivers. Transmission has been cleaned and most of the black paint has been removed. New brake drums, hoses and brake hardware is almost ready to go on. More pictures later.

Nice 1 Piece Boots



Freshly blasted and primed backing plates


New rear clip side


New OEM Trans mount bracket mounts





Drivetrain pulled

Well, I didn't have time to post pictures tonight, but the transmission is back in and now is sporting a NOS shift coupler. The brakes were done I thought, but now have a metal line leaking at the wheel cylinder on the passemger side rear. So much for the the new lines. Also installed a new heavy duty cross shaft with new bushings and a new German TO bearing. I rebuilt the pedal assembly. I was able to find a rusted and unusable pedal assembly and remove all 4 bronze bushings and install them in my original assembly. Tim Baker was nice enough to give me some amber lights. They are about the same size as the '67 Beetle back up lamps to work as rear turn signals since the semaphores have not been repaired yet. The pushrod tubes and seals have been replaced and all the cooling tin has been blast, primed and painted. I hope this Saturday I can reassemby the engine and get it back in the car. The BugPak header and heater boxes were modified with flanges instead of those 2 piece clamps and dougnut.

I found an interesting/stupid thing done to this engine, one of the lower stud has had the nut welded to the stud? I know who did it, but won't mention his name.

Again I hope to get pictures up tomorrow night since updates are not as interesting without pictures.

Here are some pictures, a lot of work was already done and I forgot to take pictures while I was working.

New German TO Bearing and HD Cross Shaft w/HD Clips

Tires tuck under with the stock narrow axles, no more wide axles



The hi=tech weld nut?

New OEM VW alt stand

what is that on the rear of the alt stand?

you got that mexican stand i wanna see that thing in person

callahan wrote:what is that on the rear of the alt stand?

I could be wrong, but I believe that casting is a boss where an idler pulley can mount

Grifspop wrote:

callahan wrote:what is that on the rear of the alt stand?

I could be wrong, but I believe that casting is a boss where an idler pulley can mount

IF I understand correctly this was the idea, but they never actually did it.
I have always wanted to see it an idler pulley from another car could be made to fit, (one of the H2O VW's).
KC

Yes, that mounting boss was suppose to be for a belt tensioner. I got it from CB Performance, I think it was $33.00 and came in a real VW parts box. I didn't really need it, but thought it looked different. The cast lettering for firing order is actually in Spanish instead of German.

I hope to fire up the engine tomorrow. I have it set up on another floor pan, sort of an engine assembly/engine run stand. If the oil leaks and the alternator vibration are gone, I will reinstall it tomorrow afternoon or Sunday!!!!

Well, the engine ran fine, no noises or rattles. The new late model OE VW exhaust system sounds nice and fit very well. The old BugPak header was a little thin and very pitted, even with the lowest setting, the mig was blowing holes through the pipe. I will end up putting those flanges on this new system. It will be nice to not drag the collector when I drive out the driveway. I have to say that the German OE cylinder head covers fit way better than the Chinese made ones that were on there. The Shroud slipped on without any adjustments to those tins and sits nice and level. This may have been the reason for my Alt problem, since the shroud would never sit right. I will attempt to install the engine after getting back from the Mother's Day dinner if not I will get it done tomorrow night.

Well, here's an update. The engine is running good so I drained the oil and tried to remove the drain sump plate. It really did not want to come off?? After some easy prying with a putty knief the plate loosened to find a ton of "Red" RTV holding it on?? After careful cleaning, the case opening has been eaten away by water sitting in the case up to the 6 drain plate mounting studs. It was a reconditioned motor when I bought it from Tim's VW. He apparently used a junk case to build it and was also was the one who welded the nut to a head stud??? I let it drain for 3 days and cleaned it real well. I spread JB welded all the pits and let it dry overnight. Sanded it carefully, cleaned the area and had to use RTV very sparingly to seal the oil sump drain plate to the case. Its seems to be dry, but will always be a concern on the filter screen cleaning. The new replacement alternator is working good, but the belt seems to slip still. I have the 5/8" of deflection per the SM, I guess I will try a different belt next. The transmission still hard to shift from 3rd into 2nd, I hope a shifter adjustment will fix that. I had to remove the rear bumper because the tailpipes were hitting it. The late model rear clip does not line the bumper brackets the right way, they angle down touching the exhaust tips.

The next big change I did was using a different set of wheels on the rear. I installed a set of 5 1/2" Mangles with a set of 205's. The rear is down 1 outer spline and it looks good to me. Hope I can pickup the other two 4 1/2" Mangles with 145SR15's for the front today from Dale.