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Semi auto bugs

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Abbeyborg Casual Dubber

35 posts · joined May 2013 ·

#965215
How hard is it to convert a auto bug to manual? I was just given a free 1970 semi auto. Is it just the gear box that needs changing?

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#965217
no

there is peddles, shifter and biggest job is a clutch tube

"some" semis had a clutch tube in them

Not easy - but worth it as you get a beam car with IRS
Futue te ipsum!!!

MISS VDUB Administrator Mrs KOMBIBOB

2,565 posts · joined Sep 2005 ·

#965220
If you choose not to keep the semi auto bug, might know someone who may be interested as they can't use a clutch now due to an injury and miss being behind the wheel of a VW.
1963 Single Cab Ute: "El Concreto"
1962 Baja Beetle: "Peanut"
1968 Porsche 912 SWB: "Pip"
1972 Kombi Snail: "The Snail"
2012 Skoda Octavia Scout: "Scout"
2016 Scirocco R: "Rocco"

Abbeyborg Casual Dubber

35 posts · joined May 2013 ·

#965228
MISS VDUB wrote:If you choose not to keep the semi auto bug, might know someone who may be interested as they can't use a clutch now due to an injury and miss being behind the wheel of a VW.
I got it for free and saved it from the crushers. The lady that owned it gave it to her husbands brother to get some work done. It ended up being striped and they broke up and she only got half the car back. It's not a complete car. But I will probably be selling it on someday.

MISS VDUB Administrator Mrs KOMBIBOB

2,565 posts · joined Sep 2005 ·

#965236
Please let me know if you do, i know of a good home.
1963 Single Cab Ute: "El Concreto"
1962 Baja Beetle: "Peanut"
1968 Porsche 912 SWB: "Pip"
1972 Kombi Snail: "The Snail"
2012 Skoda Octavia Scout: "Scout"
2016 Scirocco R: "Rocco"

bajachris88 The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 6

6,661 posts · joined Apr 2005 ·

#965250
Not hard, just time consuming and cost a couple hundred in parts to do yourselfl.

I was an 18 yr old when i did mine, with no trade qualifications and simply did alot of reading. If you aren't using the pan for offroad or hi-perf street applications you should see if you can trade it/swap as the semi auto pans are sort-after in those categories for the irs and front disk brakes.
(ô_!_/ô) (ô_!_/ô)
69' baja: kombi box, thing spindles, irs, disc front, type 3 rear drums, 2 inch lift kit, 31x10 rears. 👍
New engine in process: 94mm p&bs, 74mm C/w chomol Crank, 35.5x39 SP heads, turbo. Wierd combo, hopeful torque monsta!

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#965323
Abbeyborg wrote:I got it for free and saved it from the crushers. The lady that owned it gave it to her husbands brother to get some work done. It ended up being stripped and they broke up and she only got half the car back. It's not a complete car. But I will probably be selling it on someday.
How much of the car do You have?
who stripped it?
not a very nice story..

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 ·

#965326
Bizarre wrote:no

there is peddles, shifter and biggest job is a clutch tube

"some" semis had a clutch tube in them

Not easy - but worth it as you get a beam car with IRS
Plus you need a flywheel, pressure plate and clutch for the motor, new oil pump for the motor, different starter motor, removal of all the oil lines and solenoids for the semi auto, Axles for the manual Gbox as the semi auto has one short one, new gearshift (optional), new shift rod.


Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#965332
detail detail 😢



😂
Futue te ipsum!!!

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 ·

#965333
All easy stuff to find/buy,just a pain if you don't have it all when youre doing the conversion......and Ive probably forgotten stuff too !!


pfillery Insano Dub Head

734 posts · joined Dec 2011 ·

#966143
Don't forget different carby and manifold with vacuum points on it.

I bought one a couple of months back. People knock them but only because they haven't had the fun of driving one (right Lee?). I love mine. You could do worse than resurrect it. But from what I hear they have to be just right in a lot of areas or they just won't drive.

Step one was saving it from the crushers. Now step 2 bring it back to life.

grumble Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,672 posts · joined Jun 2008 ·

#966187
pfillery wrote:People knock them but only because they haven't had the fun of driving one (right Lee?). I love mine. You could do worse than resurrect it. But from what I hear they have to be just right in a lot of areas or they just won't drive.

Step one was saving it from the crushers. Now step 2 bring it back to life.
I agree with pfillery,they are great little cars and when everything is spot on they are fun to drive. We sold a lot to old ladies when they came out and even they could drive them.Don't butcher it, rehabilitate it and enjoy.

pfillery Insano Dub Head

734 posts · joined Dec 2011 ·

#966341
They are just a quirky fun car. Plus the previous owner used to enjoy taking it for things like tyres. Watching them get in, look for a clutch and try to work out how to start it.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#966361
Great car to drive plus I just had an operation on My left knee, so I can still drive it...

well, I have been driving it one legged for about 6 months.. lol

a couple of years ago, I went to get tyres put on My rims and the young P plater tyre fitter wouldn't drive it onto the ramps, as he could only drive automatics... and with a normal looking gear shifter He wasn't driving it... lol

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#966364
Hi

Save it. You can use a semi auto starter in a manual but not visa versa.

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#966398
pfillery wrote:Don't forget different carby and manifold with vacuum points on it.
The extra ports just get capped off.
New carbs have them all anyway as US models use some of them for pollution gear and Kombis use the big port for the brake booster hose.

The biggest problem with trying to keep a semi auto on the road these days is replacement parts, many are non existant now and not many people know how to work on them.

They're not too bad to drive when everything is working right, I wouldn't go as far as saying fun, especially if you've come a manual Beetle (spinning up the torque converter and taking off in what is 2nd gear normally makes them slow off the mark) but they are certainly a novelty in city stop/start traffic.

You can get lucky and find an unused clutch cable tube in most of the 70 onwards ones, just pop up the coupler cover and youll see it next to the throttle cable or a hole for it if its not there.

One with the tube in is a pretty easy conversion.