My 71 "German Look" build

[mountainkowboy]

So I guess I'll start a new one. The vert has been put aside due to the extreme rust and time constraints, so I decided to build the non-rusted 71 sedan that I picked up for a parts car.

So to start; the sedan was missing the engine, trans, rear trailing arms, rear stubs and brakes, other than that is was complete. The engine in the vert will be used and the trans in the vert makes noise, so I will need another.

Yesterday I went over to a CL add house on a "part out" VW. Turns out its a 76 standard FI bug. Got the complete trailing arm assemblies with brakes and drums for $30.00 a side. Unfortunately I was a day late for the single side plate freeway flyer trans that went for $150.00.

QUESTION
Is there anyway to get FI heater boxes to work on my engine? He had a set of OG ones that were in perfect condition.

To continue...the engine is coming out of the vert today and going on the stand for a take apart and inspect. Not gunna pull the heads cause it runs just fine. I will replace some seals and gaskets along with some tin cleanup and some repainting. Then the vert will be rolled to a corner of the backyard waiting for what comes..........that's not decided at this time.

I will be picture heavy of my build, cause that's just how I am

[mountainkowboy]

Engine is out...it argued the whole way, and the stock muffler is toast, but I knew that. Interesting thing is that the cooling flaps are still there, no t-stat though.

[Piledriver]

Interesting thing is that the cooling flaps are still there, no t-stat though.

The cooling flaps actually help cooling, the airflow gets directed where needed better.

There is a lister making new better than stock Tstat bellows
(He souced from original bellows manufacturer, who now use better materials)

He gets about the same price as a NOS one for a better part.

Can't recall the name ATM.


edit: "more better" was a cut and paste accident. Really.

[sideshow]

My first hand experience with his tin bits are good, he added thermostats a ?year ago ;
http://www.awesomepowdercoat.com/thermo ... built.html

I run thermostat and heater boxes in nearly everything, but have never used the beetle FI boxes.
From what I remember the packaging in them is a little different (and the apron had a bulge) and the lack of low mount linkage (the late beetle had cables up higher) and were kind of small.

[mountainkowboy]

Thanks for the info on the T-stat, I will be ordering a new one and get them working. For now I need to fix/find a trans.

[mountainkowboy]

I didn't pull the trans since its got problems anyhow. But I did get the sedan into the work area and the rear fenders off. I picked up a rear apron that was never hit and was cut off right at the end of the drip rail. The apron on the sedan is a bondo'd mess.

[mountainkowboy]

Went this morning and picked up the spring plates, rear springs, and retainer plates. I also picked up the complete rear seat in "like new" condition for $30.00. I will be going back tomorrow for the doors, they are straight, complete and the windows operate like new. The doors on the sedan have had the handles shaved (badly) and the windows don't really work....for $30.00 a door.

Work on the sedan will be spotty, since I have a few projects going at the same time...the bug, my 5th wheel redo, bringing the Kawasaki back to the living, and getting ready to move.

[mountainkowboy]

Doors are on and adjusted.......its really nice to be able to roll the windows down without pushing or pulling them! They lock, and open and close from the outside too.





All the parts are collected, the trailing arms, with stubs, brakes and drums, the CORRECT spring plates for the arms and a box of Energy Suspension, graphite impregnated, bushings for the arms and spring plates, basically the rear suspension should perform a little better than new.





Since the arms and plates are from the same car I will assemble them on the ground first and mark the positions of the plates to arms. Then put them on the car so that the rear adjustment are close to where they need to be.

QUESTION

The torsion spring that were on the 76 are red and marked with driver and pass......are these the stock ones? What I mean is are stock bars red?

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Yes, I think that is a protective covering.viewtopic.php?t=110857&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 About halfway down there is a picture of a torsion bar, is that the color you have?

I forgot to add, save the spring plates as there are some of us who still play with them.

Lee

[sideshow]

Factory bars tend to be red (just like the thread posted) and stamped L & R, I've seen black bars in early bus and porsche. Stock replacement bars don't tend to have any side marking.

[mountainkowboy]

These do not have any stamping on them of L or R they are just red with sharpie writing of driver and pass and an arrow.

[sideshow]

The trend is factory bars have a stamped letter on the outboard face, replacement bars have no marks as they can be either until installed.

[mountainkowboy]

Got one side together today with the new moly-graphite bushings from Energy Suspension. Didn't go to bad, got everything all lubed up and the retainer plate went on without much of a fight, didn't need longer bolts, just a little finesse. The other side is soaking due to a broken bolt......what a PITA!!

[mountainkowboy]

Small road block....maybe a BIG ONE. We were having problems with the paperwork on the sedan and things just seem to be getting worse now. The title was lost and so was the bill of sale. The original owner appears to un-findable, from what we can tell. It appears that I'm going to have to do Lien sale paperwork on it. That's a HUGE pita and takes 30-90 days to complete.

So today I got brave and went out to Vivian, the vert, and started pulling pan bolts out to see what I could see. Every single one just backed right out.....(that's a GOOD sign). I will know in the next day or 2 if we can get around the paperwork issue. If not it looks like I will be doing a pan swap on Vivian and cutting the pieces out of the sedan that I need to do the rust repair. If I keep it running and driving.....I think that I could get it by where I'm moving to, and be able to do the repairs in stages.