I have recently purchased my first air cooled VW, which now sits alongside my less stylish but somewhat more frugal 2006 Polo TDi.
Armed only with basic knowledge, the experience of previously owning an '88 LHD camper which threw a clutch and then finally a head around Europe after 6 months, and a torch, I inspected and purchased an original condition blue unloved but registered L Bug for spare change. Then drove it home across Sydney.
It is to be a learning project for myself and also qualifies as a 'push present' for the missus who has always wanted one and just brought our third child into the world.
I imagine a world of pain awaits, but a new passenger floor pan is the first step, along with a professional service from a real mechanic who can tell me what needs doing.
Relocating the fuel filter seems to be a popular early job, any advice on what else I should look into greatly appreciated. An annoying 'feature' is a tendency to stall when slowing down to a stop, which is very concerning at intersections. Thoughts?
Which online part stores are recommended?
Thanks for your time and the great forums, Tim.
Bizarre ·
Sounds like it needs a good service
The stalling could be several things, vac leaks, choke, or just a carb setting to name a few things.
Biggest culprit of L bugs is the front set up.
A new set of front bushings should be looked at.
What year is your L - early 3 bolt strut (73 - 74) 2 bolt (74) or late 2 bolt rack and pinion steering (75)
Where abouts are you?
reverb ·
Thanks - planning a service this coming week with a local shop who appear to know these cars. Muir book in the mail too for future reference.
It's a 75 according to chassis number (76 on rego papers) but the struts appear to have 3 bolts I thought. Will check again in the morning.
I'm in Razorback, just past Camden. Cheers.
1303Steve ·
Hi
Congratulations on purchasing the best model bug.
The closet good VW place is Klaak Motors in Fairfield or a mobile guy called Mountain Mechanics.
I have a friend in Razorback who's VW nut as well.
Steve
Paulc1964au ·
Welcome Tim quite a number of VW enthusiasts live out the south west including myself.
Some good online stores I recommend are vintage Vw they ALS have a store and workshop at Kingsgrove and Vollks.com.au
Can u post some pics would be great to see your new purchase
Joel ·
Was that by chance the harbour blue 75 on Gumtree that had the fibreglass scoop on the rear air vents and SA plates?
That looked like a good base for a resto
Yogie ·
reverb wrote:It's a 75 according to chassis number (76 on rego papers) but the struts appear to have 3 bolts I thought.
Welcome to the forum. The bolts referred to are at the bottom of the strut at the spindle, not where it bolts to the top under the bonnet. You will need to check there to know which strut you have.
Yogie
reverb ·
Joel wrote:Was that by chance the harbour blue 75 on Gumtree that had the fibreglass scoop on the rear air vents and SA plates?
That looked like a good base for a resto
Yep that's the one, I figured I wouldn't have been the only one who spotted it 🙂
Given it runs reasonably well and I've only found the floorpan rust thus far it seems a decent buy.
Bizarre ·
You got the best model if you got a 75 with rack and pinion 👍
reverb ·
Yogie wrote:Welcome to the forum. The bolts referred to are at the bottom of the strut at the spindle, not where it bolts to the top under the bonnet. You will need to check there to know which strut you have.
Yogie
Thanks - obvious n00b here. Very definitely two bolts at the bottom of the struts.
reverb ·
Paulc1964au wrote:Welcome Tim quite a number of VW enthusiasts live out the south west including myself.
Some good online stores I recommend are vintage Vw they ALS have a store and workshop at Kingsgrove and Vollks.com.au
Can u post some pics would be great to see your new purchase
The closet good VW place is Klaak Motors in Fairfield or a mobile guy called Mountain Mechanics.
I have a friend in Razorback who's VW nut as well.
Steve
Thanks for the tips - for initial service Fairfield is a stretch so was planning on Macarthur Grange who seem to know their stuff. If that doesn't end well I'll travel further afar for later work.
If your Razorback mate is nutty enough to want to have a look feel free to get in touch via PM. I'd certainly appreciate the impartial advice.
reverb ·
Finally got the bug back yesterday, floor pan re-welded, and stalling fixed (new coil).
Various other repairs including front lower ball joints, fuel pump replaced, fuel filter relocated, plus a whole pile of little things I'm sure you can all imagine.
I had decided I wanted it roadworthy to drive home, knowing I could improve it from there, so most importantly the blue bug now has a blue slip. This should make it much easier to get one again when I take it back to the same guy at some point in the future ready to actually register it.
Time to clear out the shed and have a good think about what steps to take next. I'm not sure if it will need body off, so probably going to spend some time investigating before deciding. Perhaps fully strip the interior and look around potential dodgy areas.
reverb ·
Gutting interior, peeling back the 39 years of previous ownership. Somewhat surprised that I haven't found any major rust yet. Could be under the very next bolt...
Have cleaned off the engine somewhat so can see what leaks are current. Seems to be a bit of fuel leaking from the "smog vacuum control device" on the RHS of the H30/31 PICT. Rebuild or replace?
Also leaking oil from somewhere near transmission, need to clean that all well to work out where. Happy to pull the motor and make it all like new one day, but would rather this be a bit futher down the ownership path.
Bizarre ·
reverb wrote:Also leaking oil from somewhere near transmission,
Front engine seal??
I would get your hands on a OG 34 Pict and get that rebuilt
Craig Torrens ·
1303Steve wrote:Hi
Congratulations on purchasing the best model bug.
YAWN......🙅
reverb ·
Bizarre wrote:
reverb wrote:Also leaking oil from somewhere near transmission,
Front engine seal??
I would get your hands on a OG 34 Pict and get that rebuilt
Yeah I think it is the front seal, had a good look today and leak is almost definitely coming from between engine and transmission. No simple fix, but well worth doing. I'd guess this motor hasn't been removed for a very long time, was an unloved daily driver before I got it.
I'm going with minimal budget maximum learning approach to start with, so might aim to rebuild the current carb as the first option. But yes 34 is the logical place to go if that fails.
reverb ·
Stripped more interior. Still no rust... (except for surface of course)
It came from SA - well known as good or bad for rust anyone?
Maybe I'm just paranoid?
reverb ·
Craig Torrens wrote:
1303Steve wrote:Hi
Congratulations on purchasing the best model bug.
YAWN......🙅
Each to their own - I'd happily have an older one as well one day, but the relative 'newness' of this seems better for a complete amateur mechinic thus far.
1303Steve ·
Dont worry about Craig, hes likes to heckle like Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets
rickp ·
another westerner.. maybe we should start our own contingent😂
reverb ·
Finally found some rust, in the obligatory behind-dash position. Although from pictures I've seen online I'm getting off pretty lightly.
Next steps: remove fresh air box, remove fuel tank, acquire welder, re-teach self to weld.
I did say this was a project.
Home welding suggestions? Cheap but straightforward please 🙂
1303Steve ·
Hi
I got rid of the vent in the front scuttle panel, water will never get in there again.
Steve
reverb ·
1303Steve wrote:Hi
I got rid of the vent in the front scuttle panel, water will never get in there again.
Steve
Hmmm, interesting approach. I think mine is unlikely to make it to daily driver status so water should be minimal.
Mind you until I fix all air leakage into cabin, new bonnet plus seals etc. I don't really need a fan.
Joel ·
reverb wrote:Finally found some rust, in the obligatory behind-dash position. Although from pictures I've seen online I'm getting off pretty lightly.
If you are talking about my convertible from the dash removal threads it was a pretty severe case from sitting unused in a backyard under trees for many years.
Normally if they rusted much worse than yours the whole car is a rust heap.
As Steve says just fill in the vents, I did the same.
Bizarre ·
I agree - fill in the vents. Especially if daily driver. It isn't so much the water but the dust and leaves etc that fill up the air box and form a layer of silt that corrodes away
When you take the air box cover off you will see the drain point is not the lowest point.
I use to leave the air box cover off so as the fan just draws air in from the boot for the demister
reverb ·
OK I'm hoping someone can give me an interesting history lesson. The chassis number under the back seat is 135214xxxx, which I understand means 1975 model year, but the plate next to the spare wheel with the body number has 136031yyyy, meaning a 1976 model year.
I assume this means the chassis dates somewhere from mid 1974 to 1975 and the body somewhere from mid 1975 to mid 1976?
Does this also mean that they were originally from different cars, or perhaps just towards the end of the run VW AU started to mix and match what they had left?
I believe there is supposed to be a third plate, but mine is missing most likely lost during a respray.
It's definitely not a "1976 Beetle" though (based on non-Super) - it's a got the fat ugly face, struts, discs, etc.
Bizarre ·
The VIN under the rear seat on the chassis is the important one
There are 2 other tags.
The one that is (usually) on the front apron near the hood latch.
That is a compliance plate. That is the one I was talking about in the link you posted above.
The one near the wheel well is a body tag or something.
I have never worried about those.
PS
Give me your R&P ugly bug any day over a 1976 standard
Make no sense at all
PM Joel - he will tall you the facts
Joel ·
reverb wrote:but the plate next to the spare wheel with the body number has 136031yyyy, meaning a 1976 model year.