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another newbie
spritle - April 23rd, 2003 at 03:33 PM

hi everyone,

another newbie for the aussieveedubbers :thumb:bounce

and another one from the vwvortex forums :P (hey XXX18T, VDUB2C, h2ocool & bug-racer ;).... and anyone else :P)

so anyway, i've got a '00 Mk4 Golf GL (black like everyone else's)

dad's got a '90 T3 Caravelle GL :thumb... with a few niceties like the Gene Berg kit a chip... and umm... an LPG conversion *shrug*

mum used to have a '72 Type 3 automatic :D but she defected to something else :(

prior to the '90 Caravelle, we used to have a '84 Caravelle (first of the wbx), but that got written off when a dump truck side swiped it :o:(


KOM123 - April 23rd, 2003 at 04:34 PM

Welcome :)


KruizinKombi - April 23rd, 2003 at 04:41 PM

Welcome aboard spritle! :D


Tazzielittle - April 23rd, 2003 at 06:20 PM

Good to see some new blood.
Welcome!
Post away!
:thumb:thumb


Robo - April 23rd, 2003 at 06:38 PM

You have come to the right place man!
The best VW forum in the country, no, THE WORLD, Welcome!
Rob......


slowbug - April 28th, 2003 at 09:20 AM

Hi all,

Just thought I'd tack on to this thread and introduce myself too.

I bought a beetle because I was sick of having no mechanical knowledge and being screwed by mechanics, and I wanted to start on something simple.

So I bought a '69 1500....1 owner and been garaged its entire life. A stepping stone to bigger and better things....

BUT what I didn't know is that these little cars make you fall in love with them!!!

My wife became enamoured also....and insisted on her own kaferwagen....a '64 which had also benefitted from a cosy little garrage to sleep in.

They,ve even got names for christ's sake!!!

Well what i've found is that everybody loves beetles.....kids wave at you, all my mates want to have a drive (and they are secretly looking in in the the trading post for beetles ;) )

So its VW's for me.

The only thing that irks me is that everyone feels they must pass you, no matter how fast you are driving, just because its a beetle. So 1st project...turn slowbug into fastbug:cool: the beetle is the ultimate sleeper: just to surprise a few of these clowns in theit falcons and commodores,

Just have to work through out what every one is on about with regards to power....stroker v 1915...94 v 90.5....SHEEZ

Oh and by the way, I have found that I can service our beetles better myself than the "reputable" mechanics these cars have been going to. I have found tight valves, binding brakes, incorrect timing etc etc etc.......I do't wish to cast dispersions on the owners of these businesses who must be fine mechanics themselves, but maybe their employees have off days huh?

Nevermind, I will show showing off my ignorance in due course:D

Great forum!!

Cheers
Wayne


KOM123 - April 28th, 2003 at 11:04 AM

Welcome Wayne :) Where abouts are you from? Post some pics of your VWs in the Member's Ride section!


pyr0 - April 28th, 2003 at 11:15 AM

welcome guys hope you learn heaps and also dont forget to put some pics of your rides in the members rides section


slowbug - April 28th, 2003 at 03:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by KOM123
Welcome Wayne :) Where abouts are you from? Post some pics of your VWs in the Member's Ride section!


Well at the moment I am in Melbourne but moving back to Perth soon......family over there blah blah blah

And will post some piccies in the members rides as suggested

Cheers Wayne


vdub2c - April 28th, 2003 at 04:07 PM

hey spritle, glad to see you've joined here as well....

That's another sydney sider... now we should start getting cruises together :D

Welcome once again!


aussiebug - April 29th, 2003 at 10:18 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by slowbug
Hi all,

Just thought I'd tack on to this thread and introduce myself too.


Welcome
Quote:

I bought a beetle because I was sick of having no mechanical knowledge and being screwed by mechanics, and I wanted to start on something simple.

So I bought a '69 1500....1 owner and been garaged its entire life. A stepping stone to bigger and better things....

BUT what I didn't know is that these little cars make you fall in love with them!!!



69 is a good year (actually every year is a good year :-). And yes, they are addictive.

Quote:

My wife became enamoured also....and insisted on her own kaferwagen....a '64 which had also benefitted from a cosy little garrage to sleep in.



Sadly my wife has never caught the bug - she'd rather drive around in a Ford with the handling of a wet sponge!
Quote:

They,ve even got names for christ's sake!!!



That's the thing about beetles - they all tell you they have to have a name and they aren't happy until you find one that suits. I have Bertie Beetle (a 1970 bug I bought brand new - yes I'm that old), and Bradley (a 68 with a 71 1600dp engine I bought whilst Bertie is being slowly restored are being squashed by a nasty Ford (no - not my wife's Ford!).
Quote:

Well what i've found is that everybody loves beetles.....kids wave at you, all my mates want to have a drive (and they are secretly looking in in the the trading post for beetles ;) )

So its VW's for me.

The only thing that irks me is that everyone feels they must pass you, no matter how fast you are driving, just because its a beetle. So 1st project...turn slowbug into fastbug:cool: the beetle is the ultimate sleeper: just to surprise a few of these clowns in theit falcons and commodores,

Just have to work through out what every one is on about with regards to power....stroker v 1915...94 v 90.5....SHEEZ



Well - there are lots of choices.

A couple of tips. Stay with the thick walled cylinders, 85.5, 90.5, 94 . They will give you longer life (usually) than the thin walled 87s and 92s (though some folks report good lives from the thin walled types).

Don't try to take the 1969 H series case past 1600cc. The high magnesium content of the older cases means they are more prone to cracking (they get brittle with age), and are best kept stock or at the largest - a set of 1600 P&Cs (my 1970 H series 1500 has these).

The cases with AS21 or AS41 stamped on them have a higher aluminium content and make better cases for upgrades.

You can do a progressive upgrade as money allows. For example, a set of 90.5 P&Cs will work OK with an otherwise stock 1600 (same 34PICT/3 carby and vacuum distributor), and will give you extra torque around town, but not much extra top speed (limited by the carby size), then as money allows you can add twin carbies, good exhaust system, mild cam and so on, and still have a reliable engine.

Just remeber that power costs money - there is just no way around that.

And make sure your brakes and suspension are up to it - it's no good going faster if you can't stop and turn first.

Regards


slowbug - April 29th, 2003 at 09:15 PM

Hi Rob,

thanks for the welcome!!!!

Great tips re engine building....some things i had not considered e.g. '69 case and BRAKES:o hahahahaha

I rarely drive very fast, but must cater to my occasional outbursts of ego...you know; when those bigheaded clowns sneer at your beloved machine:repuke

Actually I have been utilising your fantastic website for the servicing and repair information...very very good...and new info being added all the time.

Sorry to hear about your Bertie...those Fords are recalcitrant brutes...that's why Gertie is excited as the prospect of embarrassing them at the traffic lights :cool:


Cheers
Wayne
:beer


Tazzielittle - April 29th, 2003 at 10:33 PM

Welcome Wayne.
And yes.. the 1916 thread is a big one!


penguin - April 30th, 2003 at 07:50 PM

Hey there,
welcome to the lot of us :D
Its not too bad a board and take a look at all the parts of the forum. There seems to be a lot of experience here for people like me (limited VW knowledge).
Cheers
penguin