Skip to content
Aussieveedubbers

Roadworthy questions about my 72 Super Beetle

0 likes
Share Share on Facebook Share on X Share on Reddit
Log in to reply

scootissimo Learner Dubber

18 posts · joined Jun 2013 ·

#1003516
Hi Fellow VW Nuts..I am about to start the RWC process after a year of having my 72 SB Convertible in the shed for new parts and upgrades.

Has anyone got any hints about the hidden issues I need to look for when making sure my old girl is ready for a RWC?

Like, will I get a RWC without dash vents?

Everything that is rubber on the car has been replaced apart from the steering damper bush because I couldn't find one.
Complete rewire so everything works, I need to find some of those tiny little bulbs for the dash to renew to be safe.

New tyres, shocks, bump stops, cv boots, tie rods, wheel cylinders, refurbed master cylinder and new brakes so got about 3/4 pedal which I thought was good, new windscreen, wiper motor and blades. There's no big areas of rust, one small area in floor under battery all fixed, underneath all cleaned and sound deadener to spruce up. Seats are not great but run on the tracks ok and levers all work. The only thing left missing are the vents so I started to wonder if it would be a RWC issue? Anyone been there?
There's no heating unit either??
Any info would be helpful..
Cheers
Sam
1972 VW Super Beetle Convertible - "Gretchen"
1967 SS180 Vespa-"Sophia"
1966 150 Super Custom Vespa -"Francesca"
2009 GTS300ie Vespa-"Arabella"

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#1003524
Hi Sam, you won't pass if the steering damper bushing is bad but any vw shop should have one, I got a new one from Mick motors for mine only a few months ago, you can even fit them at home.

Have you got a valid engineers cert for the state you are in?
that is the biggest issue with convertibles, when they get a current one now they get put through a body stress test and the roll bar needs to attach to the floorpan bracing as well as the rear wheel arches and possibly the windscreen.
many don't and only attach to the pillars where the roof was cut off.

scootissimo Learner Dubber

18 posts · joined Jun 2013 ·

#1003603
Joel wrote:Hi Sam, you won't pass if the steering damper bushing is bad but any vw shop should have one, I got a new one from Mick motors for mine only a few months ago, you can even fit them at home.

Have you got a valid engineers cert for the state you are in?
that is the biggest issue with convertibles, when they get a current one now they get put through a body stress test and the roll bar needs to attach to the floorpan bracing as well as the rear wheel arches and possibly the windscreen.
many don't and only attach to the pillars where the roof was cut off.
Shite! Thanks for the heads up Joel, I guess the RWC guy would have told me but at that point it would have been heart breaking to hear!! After your news I'm going to see the local guy this morning with my current ACT engineers certificate and get the low down on where I need to go/what I need to do.

A mate helped me pull the front end apart yesterday and we discovered a few more issues I need to deal with, the mechanic has put the new tie rod boots on but no clips so am sure that wont do, from a womans point of view it all looks waaaaaay too hard 🙂 but I am assured by my VW savvy friends here in Portland that it's all fixable and i just need to shell out some coin and do it properly, and I'm all for that, I'm an OHS consultant so all about being safe and eliminating risks hehe. Anything that makes it all safer and more reliable is a good thing in my books.

Update, just got back from RWC guy, all sweet apparently as it was registerd for the last 8 yrs as a convertible, he references my engineers certificate but said there's no dramas with rwc and rego. It would have been different if I did the work and this was it's first rego.
Whew!
Sam
1972 VW Super Beetle Convertible - "Gretchen"
1967 SS180 Vespa-"Sophia"
1966 150 Super Custom Vespa -"Francesca"
2009 GTS300ie Vespa-"Arabella"

scootissimo Learner Dubber

18 posts · joined Jun 2013 ·

#1004567
Joel wrote:Hi Sam, you won't pass if the steering damper bushing is bad but any vw shop should have one, I got a new one from Mick motors for mine only a few months ago, you can even fit them at home.

Have you got a valid engineers cert for the state you are in?
that is the biggest issue with convertibles, when they get a current one now they get put through a body stress test and the roll bar needs to attach to the floorpan bracing as well as the rear wheel arches and possibly the windscreen.
many don't and only attach to the pillars where the roof was cut off.
Turns out the steering damper bush was OK but that wasn't where it stopped, a good RWC guy will of course rip up the carpet to peer underneath...!! Am kinda glad he did, found lots of horrible hidden cancer being cut out as we speak and everything reinforced by a mechanical engineer just to be safe! The sandblasting to prep for that also uncovered some nasties bogged up so a trip to see if my bug passed RWC turned into a pan up resto! A blessing in disguise really, even tucked away & covered up in my shed here I'm only about 1km from the ocean, so in a year or so that unseen rust would have snapped my old girl in half as the heater channels disappear..
Will post some before and afters when I get a chance.
1972 VW Super Beetle Convertible - "Gretchen"
1967 SS180 Vespa-"Sophia"
1966 150 Super Custom Vespa -"Francesca"
2009 GTS300ie Vespa-"Arabella"

vduboy Insano Dub Head

702 posts · joined Oct 2012 ·

#1004597
Crap. Not what you wanted to hear I bet.. that f$#%ing cancer killed my first car, a chop top bug too... hope yours is in better state than mine was! Good luck with the resto!
It will all be OK in the end, if it's not OK it's not the end!

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#1004658
Hi

Choptop bugs are notorious for rust, they often rust from the inside out. Fish oil should now be your cars best friend

Steve