Thanks for the thread Joel. i am going to start my convert in a few months, and i know this will be a lot of help.. Since this site seems to be dead now. not many recent posts. So i will just use your post for my reference and figure out the rest on my own...
Thanks again.!!
Gotta work on the Nut behind the wheel before you start fixing bolts on the Car.
I've been on Aussieveedubbers for 10 years now since day1 except for a break in 04-05, I ain't going anywhere 😂
My gearbox is still working fine but the bearings are really getting noisy in it, but it's been doing that for years before the Subi went in and reverse is not in a good way....again.
I think Working on my reverse 180degree J-turn spins a while back I've chipped some teeth on it which is what happened to it the last time I had it rebuilt back in 2001, it had several chipped teeth.
Lbug reverse gears are abit to fragile to be trying that stuff I've found out.
When I can be arsed pulling it out it's going to get a freshen up with new bearings, a 0.89 4th and if it can be done an Sbug/1500 reverse (much stronger).
Great to hear.
Your post has inspired me to build a Lbug instead of a standard which i was going to convert into a Volksrod. I want to have a bug that i can also take to the track.. I live in US, and there is a great track 20 mins from my house. Thanks again for this thread, and i will probably be asking some questions here in the next couple of months.
Gotta work on the Nut behind the wheel before you start fixing bolts on the Car.
I thought the bug was being abit louder than usual...
Seems muffler #2 picked up some bad habits from muffler #1 god damn it.
The bolts holding the muffler to the cat were abit loose and its also cracked around the support hanger so I'm not sure which caused which but I think I'm gonna have to take the same approach as Paul did with his and run a strap all the way around the muffler to take the weight and possible 2 of them.
Other than that can;t complain about much, EJ25 has now done almost 12,000kms now since it's gone in.
probably could do with an oil change, did it once at 5000kms, but didn't change the filter....oops
If ever I feel the need to sink my bug to the bottom of a fresh water lake........ as you do,
I'm now confident after reading this that it could be fished out 3 months later and would still start first go and drive 20kms back into town....
Anyway, muffler is now fixed, no longer have a bracket welded to the muffler anymore its got a strap running around and bolted to it instead, lets see how long this ones lasts.
I also noticed while I was under there that despite 3 years of being regularly pounded on speed bumps and kerbs my Custom Veedub sump is still looking as good as when it went on minus some paint.
Finally got the bug...1974 1303.. A little ruff on the out side but pan is solid... zero rust..
I was wondering what I have to change in the front suspension to a 1973 so i can get the 5 inch lowering kit from topline? i dont know how to post a pic here.. will figure out later and post one of it..
Upload the pics to TheSamba gallery or photobucket and paste the [img] code.
Actually looks like that one might be a 73 anyway, got the old style non shock bumpers and are they mix and match front seats?
looks like passanger is 73 and driver is 74 on.
the way the front wheels are sitting looks like its 3 bolt too.
If its got the 2 bolt struts you just need to do the same as I did, 3 bolt 71-73 control arms, spindles and get a 3 bolt topline super low kit.
The title says it is a 74.. But I will look at the struts and see if 2 bolt or 3. I might get lucky.. And ya they are mix and may seats it seems. I going to trash them.. They not that nice.. I have it halfway stripped already, took only 3 hours 🙂.. I love how easy it is to deconstruct a bug.....
Gotta work on the Nut behind the wheel before you start fixing bolts on the Car.
The bolts you are needing to check are at the bottom of the strut near the spindle. The 3 bolt is a small triangular plate and the 2 bolt has the bolts one above the other.
Thanks for the info Yogie.
Yeah i just checked And i do have the 3 bolt. So now i just have to get the topline kit and I am good to go with the front suspension.
Gotta work on the Nut behind the wheel before you start fixing bolts on the Car.
As I thought the front track didn't look wide enough to be a 2 bolter.
Some weird stuff going on with it though, it's got the big hole on the strut towers which means it was a 2 bolt body and title says 74 yet its 3 bolt struts and early bumpers.
Might be a late 73 build before they change happened
Is the first numbers of the VIN 133 or 134?
You'll need a Super low kit but they come with versa struts so you'll have to stick with stock wheels.
Joel wrote:When I can be arsed pulling it out it's going to get a freshen up with new bearings, a 0.89 4th and if it can be done an Sbug/1500 reverse (much stronger).
Hi Joel,
I have the Kombi 0.82 4th in my gearbox, with the 3.88 R/P it's a fantastic top gear, prefect for our engines & awesome on the freeway. You have to watch it though, mine likes sitting on 140kph so you have to be alert as it does it very easily.
Not the best gearing for drags or circuit but it's a nice compromise
the VIN starts with 134.
Why would i have to stick with stock rims... 17x7 wont work with the kit?
Or do i also have to get the Maxx struts to change the rims?
Gotta work on the Nut behind the wheel before you start fixing bolts on the Car.
madness726 wrote:the VIN starts with 134.
Why would i have to stick with stock rims... 17x7 wont work with the kit?
Or do i also have to get the Maxx struts to change the rims?
give topline a call , they are a workshop.
😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲
madness726 wrote:the VIN starts with 134.
Why would i have to stick with stock rims... 17x7 wont work with the kit?
Or do i also have to get the Maxx struts to change the rims?
The normal versa struts just use stock springs which don't clear 7" wheels, you need the Maxx springs.
Thats a 74 chassis number and the big strut tower holes means 74 body too,
It's got a 75 and later front hood so it may have had parts swapped to repair an accident.
Joel wrote:When I can be arsed pulling it out it's going to get a freshen up with new bearings, a 0.89 4th and if it can be done an Sbug/1500 reverse (much stronger).
Hi Joel,
I have the Kombi 0.82 4th in my gearbox, with the 3.88 R/P it's a fantastic top gear, prefect for our engines & awesome on the freeway. You have to watch it though, mine likes sitting on 140kph so you have to be alert as it does it very easily.
Not the best gearing for drags or circuit but it's a nice compromise
jak
Gday Jak,
Trying to work out which way to go gearbox wise at the moment.
My stock AT Lbug box is working and shifting fine but the bearings are starting to get a little noisy at certain speeds so its about due for a freshen up.
Trying to weigh up whether to rebuilt the stock AT Lbug box and maybe change to a shorter 3rd and 4th or I also have an AH Sbug box and a DC type 3 box that I could use and just fit the 3.88 R&P to.
I'm just warey of changing the 4th gear about creating too big of a gap between 3rd and 4th.
Although in classic Joel tradition of why leave good enough alone I've recently been kicking around the idea in my head of taking a garden variety EJ20turbo and swapping the DOHC for the later style SOHC EJ20 heads so it fits in a bug without chopping the sides out of the bumper mounts or moving the gearbox forward.
That is my biggest dislike of the DOHC engines
I just have to play around with some dead engines at the subi joint and see what works and fits.
Leaving my newly rebuilt engine alone now that it's run in would just be too boring and sensible.
Joel wrote:Although in classic Joel tradition of why leave good enough alone I've recently been kicking around the idea in my head of taking a garden variety EJ20turbo and swapping the DOHC for the later style SOHC EJ20 heads so it fits in a bug without chopping the sides out of the bumper mounts or moving the gearbox forward.
I'm pretty sure thats what this guy has done & it gets along OK😂 I'm sure I have seen a website showing details of a turboe'd twin cam 2.2L engine.
The thing is, the germans are aware that there is no speed limit on some highways. So people stay out of the fast lane, and they first look good before they go switch lane. That being said, I do think the highway was a little bit busy for such speeds in that video. He must have excellent brakes..
Of course there only has to be one idiot...
Here in the Netherlands there is a speed limit of 120 km/h (130 on 2 or three, but they are an exception). So, driving that fast over here is much more dangerous, because poeple don't expect it.
Brilliant video, btw, his other video's are pretty fast too. I subscribed.. 🙂
Also do i have to buy the super low kit then buy the maxx struts also to run 17x7 rims. Or can I just buy the maxx stuts and lower it and run the rims?
Gotta work on the Nut behind the wheel before you start fixing bolts on the Car.
Thanks for the thread, it certainly clears up alot of questions and Ive been studying your thread quite a bit doing my own conversion. Is there any reason why you sent the exhaust around the back of the motor instead of just pointing it toward the back of the car?
