Hi there,
I have just recently bought myself a squareback and since this will be my first summer with it (or any volksie for that matter) I thought I'd better ask a few heat related questions.
Firstly, are these cars prone to overheating? And if so how could you tell, seeing there is no temp gauge?

Also inside the car, does anyone have any good methods for keeping relatively cool? I'm guessing theres no way you could hook up any air conditioning and I'm also guessing that the vents probably drift out hot air from the engine...
So what do you do to keep it cool?

Also, does anyone have a dashboard that isn't cracked

Pete

Not as bad as a Type 1.Make sure the rear bellows are coupled up and A1.I blanked off the two heater outlets from the fan cover to help.You can get aftermarket temp guages.Normally reading from heads or sump.Should be no trouble down the far South.

I have seen a few Type3's with Air Con (Mostly in the US) Seems there was a dealer option for it. I also think I have seen a few photos of "modified" units mounted to the motor. So it can be done. However don't forget that water based cars seem to run a lot hotter with the air con switched on.
As for heat and the motor, Make sure you have all the tin, engine in good tune, bellows hare intact and connected (as said above
Are you running extractors or stock exhaust?
If stock make sure the outlets on the fan shroud are connected to the heater boxes.
If you don't have the heater boxes then block off the fan shroud outlets. For a temporary fix you can use the lids from spray cans and large hose clamps. You may be able to get something a little more sturdy from your local hardware store.

I was driving my notchback in 30+ heat the other day up big long highway hills, faiirly hard with no problems at all.
And it has a crappy monza exhuast which probably makes it run hotter.
So that whole thing about Type 3's running hot is just crap.

thanks guys,
I've just had a few problems with older cars overheating and i guess the fact that there is no temp gauge kinda worries me (because this is my first vw). But if there is generally not much of an issue, then thats good news! I guess now i only have to worry about overheating myself in it
Personally I prefer the windows option to AC.
As for the engine/exhaust I am pretty sure its all standard.

Also make sure it is well tuned, if anything to run slightly rich because VW engines run cooler rich (any engine does i think)

The biggest precaution with Type 3s is making sure the big rubber bellow thingy from the body to the engine is secure. It is held on with very long hose clamps and if they come loose, the bellows can can fall off and block the fan and overheat the engine.

Other than that, no real worries as long as everything is 'factory' and working correctly

never had any probs with overheating, as said before make sure its tuned right and everythings hooked up.
And I have a crack free dash from a 68 that will have to be pried from my cold dead hands. Took me 10 cars to buy to find one and the loss of a 77 baywindow , i have another which only has one crack but you have to buy the car to get it (73 scruffy but very solid wagon)

My brother is a vw mechanic, he mentioned to me last night in this weather it is best to use premium unleaded fuel. I was going to ask him why this helps but he had to go, so once I find out I will let you all know.

Keep cool

I think premium unleaded is just better for your engine all round, apparatly you also get more miles per gallon but I'm not sure. I don't know how it goes with the lead replacement?

I've run my car on premium unleaded without an additive for over 3 years now and have never had a problem.
And i do ALOT of miles!

Cool, so it might actually be ok to skip the additive? Provided you go with premium?
I would much prefer to do that.

I always run my KG on Premium with FlashLube from BP.
Always goes great

I've found that aircooled VWs don't mind the summer heat, the engine runs hotter than watercooled anyway, you can't boil the radiator! Keep the engine clean (dirt and oil build up), and replace the fuel lines to avoid fire.

bloody hell, I hit the clear field button instead of reply.

we ran Danielles car for a long way in hot weather- was fine.

premium is a good idea in all cars designed for use with leaded fuels due to the higher octane - regular unleaded may cause preignition and engine failure.

valve saver may not be needed in japanese or euro cars from the seventies, because they went to unleaded well before australia.

my original post was alot more detailed, but I lost it and CBF writing it all again.