A.k.a.: Kim
Custom Title Time!
disfunctionally capable
Posts: 1521
Threads: 84
Registered: December 18th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Sydney, Concord West
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: always bleary
posted on January 18th, 2008 at 03:32 PM
History, log book of my fathers 1954
I hope people find this interesting, a rare insight into the servicing & repairs needed to a 1954 beetle from brand new to what was at the time
considered an old car , only 11 years.
This car was looked after properly, but driven fairly hard, 100’s of miles were on dirt roads & firetrails etc & the car was also frequently
heavily loaded. Remember also that this was 1100 motor . costs have been mostly left out because they are irrelevant due to huge changes in income
etc.
The figures are of course in miles , for km multiply x 0.62
Purchased 27th July 1954
6th Aug 54 250 miles oil change, both engine & transmission
20th Sept 54 1500 miles 2nd dealer service & transmission oil change
12th Oct 54 2150 miles oil change & grease
10th Nov 54 3000 miles rotate tyres
13th Nov 54 3000 miles grease
16th Nov 54 3104 miles oil change
27th Dec 54 4075 miles oil change
1955
4th Jan 55 4300 miles grease
17th Jan 55 Bought fire extinguisher……
29th Jan 55 5220 miles oil change (3.5 pints of oil, 1 pint Redex additive)
14th Feb 55 5300 miles grease
2nd Mar 55 6100 miles 2nd tyre rotation
8th Mar 55 6275 miles oil change
30th Mar 55 6800 miles, bottle of “Deekarb” added to fuel, - in those days fuel formula & oil etc caused the combustion chamber to fill up
with carbon deposits & removing head to do “valve grind & decarb” was a regular service requirement, far more expensive on beetles so
additive use, including Redex was the best solution.
5th Apr 55 windscreen wiper
14th Apr 55 7466 miles oil change
17th May 55 8733 miles oil change
19th May 55 8740 miles clean air cleaner
19th May 55 REPAIR HEATER, & GEARLEVER
28th May 55 8950 miles grease & 3rd tyre rotation
4th Jul 55 9735 miles NEW BATTERY
23rd Jul 55 10153 miles oil change
#### 1st 12 months of ownership 10322 miles , 280 gallons of fuel 36.86 MPG !!
5th Aug 55 10450 miles NEW SPARK PLUGS
18th Aug 55 10786 miles transmission oil change
8th Sept 55 11485 miles oil change & grease
14th Sept 55 12000 miles repack front wheel bearings & 4th tyre rotation
26th Sept 55 12866 miles oil change & grease
7th Oct 55 13361 miles FIT NEW FAN BELT
18th Oct NEW THROTTLE CABLE
4th Nov 55 14150 miles oil change
12th Nov 55 14400 miles grease
13th Dec 55 15500 miles REPAIR HORN & BROKEN CLUTCH RETURN SPRING
& oil change
1956
18th Jan 56 16500 miles NEW POINTS & PLUGS
23rd Jan 56 16623 miles oil change
25th Jan 56 16645 miles Grease
(26th Jan married my mother, so Jan service was for their honeymoon)
4th Mar 56 18900 miles oil change
7th May 56 21064 miles oil change
5th June 56 23478 miles oil change
22thJul 56 25360 miles oil change
4th Aug 56 left front tyre retreaded
8th Aug 56 left rear tyre retreaded
7th Sep 56 26590 miles greased
22nd Sept 56 27100 miles NEW POINTS & PLUGS
9th Nov 56 28800 miles oil change
23rd Dec 56 30280 miles greased
1957
1st Jan 57 31078 miles oil change
27th Jan 57 31861 miles oil change & greased
25th Mar 57 33370 miles oil change
12th Apr 57 35570 miles oil change
29th Apr 57 NEW HEADLIGHT SWITCH
1st June 57 2 x RETREAD TYRES
5th June 57 adjust front wheel bearings ONE NEW FRONT WHEEL BEARING
5th June 57 NEW SPEEDO CABLE
20th Jul 57 37300 miles oil change
2nd Oct 57 40345 miles oil change
15th Oct 57 41500 transmission oil change
16th Nov 1 x RETREAD TYRE
21st Nov 57 42670 miles oil change
1958
2nd Jan 58 43767 miles oil change
17th Feb 58 45350 miles oil change
45550 greased
8th Mar 58 46735 oil change & grease
27th Apr 58 47374 miles oil change & grease
17th Jun 58 48760 miles NEW BATTERY
6th Jul 58 NEW FAN BELT
18thJul 58 49400 miles oil change
END OF 4th YEAR of ownership 49830 miles 1297 gallons of fuel
Incredible overall average of 38.4mpg total cost of running $836 – 2 cents per mile
22nd Sep 58 51170 miles NEW SPARK PLUGS, NEW CONDENSOR, NEW MANIFOLD
1st Nov 58 52330 miles oil change
1959
27th Jan 59 55600 miles NEW GENERATOR BEARINGS, NEW FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS
8th Mar 59 56900 miles oil change
2nd Apr 59 57550 miles oil change NEW CAMSHAFT, NEW POINTS
24th May 59 58798 miles oil change
13th May 59 NEW TYRE & TUBE
26th July 59 60500 miles NEW SPARK PLUGS
END of 5th year of ownership 60500 miles 1568 gallons of petrol
38.5mpg , running costs 2 cents per mile
29th Sept 59 61950 miles (close to 100,000km) oil change NEW OIL COOLER
ADJUST VOLTAGE REGULATOR
1960
7TH Feb 60 66000 miles transmission oil change NEW PLUGS & POINTS
28th Mar 60 67000 miles NEW REAR BRAKE DRUM
30th Mar 60 67185 miles NEW CLUTCH CABLE & NEW WHEEL BEARINGS
18th Jun 60 oil change
END of 6th year ownership 71013 miles , cumulative ave mpg 38.9
9th Mar 61 77500 miles engine died with a big noise!
ENGINE RECONDITIONED AT WARDS MOTORS PENRITH total cost $240.00
21st Mar 61 78000 miles NEW BATTERY
1st May 61 79140 miles oil change
29th May 61 79700 oil change Caltex 10/30
24th Jul 61 NEW SPEEDO CABLE
END 7th year ownership, 80,900 miles overall economy now up to 39mpg
30th Oct 61 82260 miles oil change
1962
8th Jan 62 transmission oil change
4th Mar 62 oil change
May 85900 miles BRAKE RELINE & SKIM DRUMS
25thJul 62 86900 miles 2 x NEW WINTERTREAD TYRES
NEW POINTS & PLUGS
GEARBOX REPAIRS
End 8th Year ownership 87040 miles 38.5mpg
19th Aug 62 87750miles oil change Ampol 10/30
15th Oct 62 Oil change
3rd Nov 62 NEW TYRE & TUBE
1963
4th April Oil change
20th Jul 63 93,000 miles NEW KINGPINS, STEERING WORK & MASTER CYLINDER RUBBER
END 9th year ownership 38 mpg
7th Sep 63 oil change
26th Oct 63 94170 miles NEW POINTS & PLUGS
14th Nov 63 94460 miles NEW CARBIE NEEDLE
1964
25th Jan 64 97000 miles NEW BATTERY
10th Aug 64 98819 miles NEW PLUGS
1965
30th Jan 102,280 miles RETREAD TYRE
4th June 1965 103,883 mile traded in on new Mazda 800
there ya go
for small cars of the time the reliability & economy over 11 years was incredible.
Please, I need drivers side window regulator (winder mechanism) for my '54
Menangler
A.k.a.: Dave Becker
Custom Title Time!
Posts: 1991
Threads: 309
Registered: August 26th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: South Coast NSW
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
posted on January 18th, 2008 at 04:33 PM
Thats great Kim, 6 Volt batteries don't last long do they!!
FAHRVERGNUGEN;
Description of a pleasurable sensation,
Experienced when a car and it's driver are in mutual harmony, A unique driving experience, Pleasure, Satisfaction,
A feeling experienced by Volkswagen Drivers.
vw54
Super Administrator
Always Waiting 4 Friday
Posts: 16723
Threads: 378
Registered: August 26th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Sunny Sydney
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Oval resto ongoing
posted on January 18th, 2008 at 04:42 PM
u have to luv the Retreaded Tyre
i used to used them when i got my first Type 3 wagon a dunlop B7 retreaded yeah har
A.k.a.: Kim
Custom Title Time!
disfunctionally capable
Posts: 1521
Threads: 84
Registered: December 18th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Sydney, Concord West
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: always bleary
posted on January 18th, 2008 at 05:08 PM
I dont know that it was just 6v , I dont think batteries where all that crash hot back in those days & the dirt roads & corrugations were not
good for them either. It was a normal thing to get your tyres retreaded, new tyres were more expensive relative to income than they are now & road
speeds were not as high
Please, I need drivers side window regulator (winder mechanism) for my '54
XXX-1.8T
Bishop of Volkswagenism
Posts: 3113
Threads: 454
Registered: October 9th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Sydney
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Oil Drippin
posted on January 19th, 2008 at 01:23 AM
Quote:
Originally
posted by kombikim
I hope people find this interesting, a rare insight into the servicing & repairs needed to a 1954 beetle from brand new to what was at the time
considered an old car , only 11 years.
This car was looked after properly, but driven fairly hard, 100’s of miles were on dirt roads & firetrails etc & the car was also frequently
heavily loaded. Remember also that this was 1100 motor . costs have been mostly left out because they are irrelevant due to huge changes in income
etc.
The figures are of course in miles , for km multiply x 0.62
Purchased 27th July 1954
6th Aug 54 250 miles oil change, both engine & transmission
20th Sept 54 1500 miles 2nd dealer service & transmission oil change
12th Oct 54 2150 miles oil change & grease
10th Nov 54 3000 miles rotate tyres
13th Nov 54 3000 miles grease
16th Nov 54 3104 miles oil change
27th Dec 54 4075 miles oil change
1955
4th Jan 55 4300 miles grease
17th Jan 55 Bought fire extinguisher……
29th Jan 55 5220 miles oil change (3.5 pints of oil, 1 pint Redex additive)
14th Feb 55 5300 miles grease
2nd Mar 55 6100 miles 2nd tyre rotation
8th Mar 55 6275 miles oil change
30th Mar 55 6800 miles, bottle of “Deekarb” added to fuel, - in those days fuel formula & oil etc caused the combustion chamber to fill up
with carbon deposits & removing head to do “valve grind & decarb” was a regular service requirement, far more expensive on beetles so
additive use, including Redex was the best solution.
5th Apr 55 windscreen wiper
14th Apr 55 7466 miles oil change
17th May 55 8733 miles oil change
19th May 55 8740 miles clean air cleaner
19th May 55 REPAIR HEATER, & GEARLEVER
28th May 55 8950 miles grease & 3rd tyre rotation
4th Jul 55 9735 miles NEW BATTERY
23rd Jul 55 10153 miles oil change
#### 1st 12 months of ownership 10322 miles , 280 gallons of fuel 36.86 MPG !!
5th Aug 55 10450 miles NEW SPARK PLUGS
18th Aug 55 10786 miles transmission oil change
8th Sept 55 11485 miles oil change & grease
14th Sept 55 12000 miles repack front wheel bearings & 4th tyre rotation
26th Sept 55 12866 miles oil change & grease
7th Oct 55 13361 miles FIT NEW FAN BELT
18th Oct NEW THROTTLE CABLE
4th Nov 55 14150 miles oil change
12th Nov 55 14400 miles grease
13th Dec 55 15500 miles REPAIR HORN & BROKEN CLUTCH RETURN SPRING
& oil change
1956
18th Jan 56 16500 miles NEW POINTS & PLUGS
23rd Jan 56 16623 miles oil change
25th Jan 56 16645 miles Grease
(26th Jan married my mother, so Jan service was for their honeymoon)
4th Mar 56 18900 miles oil change
7th May 56 21064 miles oil change
5th June 56 23478 miles oil change
22thJul 56 25360 miles oil change
4th Aug 56 left front tyre retreaded
8th Aug 56 left rear tyre retreaded
7th Sep 56 26590 miles greased
22nd Sept 56 27100 miles NEW POINTS & PLUGS
9th Nov 56 28800 miles oil change
23rd Dec 56 30280 miles greased
1957
1st Jan 57 31078 miles oil change
27th Jan 57 31861 miles oil change & greased
25th Mar 57 33370 miles oil change
12th Apr 57 35570 miles oil change
29th Apr 57 NEW HEADLIGHT SWITCH
1st June 57 2 x RETREAD TYRES
5th June 57 adjust front wheel bearings ONE NEW FRONT WHEEL BEARING
5th June 57 NEW SPEEDO CABLE
20th Jul 57 37300 miles oil change
2nd Oct 57 40345 miles oil change
15th Oct 57 41500 transmission oil change
16th Nov 1 x RETREAD TYRE
21st Nov 57 42670 miles oil change
1958
2nd Jan 58 43767 miles oil change
17th Feb 58 45350 miles oil change
45550 greased
8th Mar 58 46735 oil change & grease
27th Apr 58 47374 miles oil change & grease
17th Jun 58 48760 miles NEW BATTERY
6th Jul 58 NEW FAN BELT
18thJul 58 49400 miles oil change
END OF 4th YEAR of ownership 49830 miles 1297 gallons of fuel
Incredible overall average of 38.4mpg total cost of running $836 – 2 cents per mile
22nd Sep 58 51170 miles NEW SPARK PLUGS, NEW CONDENSOR, NEW MANIFOLD
1st Nov 58 52330 miles oil change
1959
27th Jan 59 55600 miles NEW GENERATOR BEARINGS, NEW FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS
8th Mar 59 56900 miles oil change
2nd Apr 59 57550 miles oil change NEW CAMSHAFT, NEW POINTS
24th May 59 58798 miles oil change
13th May 59 NEW TYRE & TUBE
26th July 59 60500 miles NEW SPARK PLUGS
END of 5th year of ownership 60500 miles 1568 gallons of petrol
38.5mpg , running costs 2 cents per mile
29th Sept 59 61950 miles (close to 100,000km) oil change NEW OIL COOLER
ADJUST VOLTAGE REGULATOR
1960
7TH Feb 60 66000 miles transmission oil change NEW PLUGS & POINTS
28th Mar 60 67000 miles NEW REAR BRAKE DRUM
30th Mar 60 67185 miles NEW CLUTCH CABLE & NEW WHEEL BEARINGS
18th Jun 60 oil change
END of 6th year ownership 71013 miles , cumulative ave mpg 38.9
Wolfsburg Elder
I never said, I could write or spell
Posts: 3913
Threads: 280
Registered: September 11th, 2004
Member Is Offline
Location: Newcastle
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Happy
posted on January 19th, 2008 at 10:13 AM
how many
how many owners of old bugs out there change their oil that regular????????????????????? like they should
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.
kombikim
A.k.a.: Kim
Custom Title Time!
disfunctionally capable
Posts: 1521
Threads: 84
Registered: December 18th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Sydney, Concord West
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: always bleary
posted on January 19th, 2008 at 10:52 AM
the amount of transmission oil changes was amazing.
What I wapould love to know is why it needed a new camshaft at 57000 miles? I was onlyu just over 2 years old then, but dont think it ever stopped,
except when the motor expired big time ony a mile from home, I still remember the noise, it was like somebody shaking gravel in a kerosene tin
Please, I need drivers side window regulator (winder mechanism) for my '54
Menangler
A.k.a.: Dave Becker
Custom Title Time!
Posts: 1991
Threads: 309
Registered: August 26th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: South Coast NSW
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
posted on January 19th, 2008 at 06:53 PM
My Dad's '56 had a cam change too when it wasn't very old, It chewed the teeth off the fibre cam gear, maybe yours did the same.
FAHRVERGNUGEN;
Description of a pleasurable sensation,
Experienced when a car and it's driver are in mutual harmony, A unique driving experience, Pleasure, Satisfaction,
A feeling experienced by Volkswagen Drivers.
kombikim
A.k.a.: Kim
Custom Title Time!
disfunctionally capable
Posts: 1521
Threads: 84
Registered: December 18th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Sydney, Concord West
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: always bleary
posted on January 19th, 2008 at 10:40 PM
thanks, that must have been it, expensive problem, I think it was about 21 pounds ($42) to fix (have book at work) - doesnt sound much but that was a
few weeks pay at the time
Please, I need drivers side window regulator (winder mechanism) for my '54
Craig Torrens
A.k.a.: Craig Torrens
Scirocco Rare
6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion
Posts: 8040
Threads: 347
Registered: January 10th, 2003
Member Is Offline
Location: Sydney
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: Time to go Salt lake racing, and actually achieve a result.
posted on January 19th, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Its great to have that history..................my 68 model has every service recorded from day one right though to 2005, some 170,000miles !
thats amazing that u still have something like that from so long ago
i forgot to show u last year my Lbug still has the glovebox vynil sleve thing with the logbook, instruction manual, maintaince manual, an aussie 1975
VW/audi accessories broshure and even the dealship factory warrantee diagnosis punchcards
ill have to scan them
kombikim
A.k.a.: Kim
Custom Title Time!
disfunctionally capable
Posts: 1521
Threads: 84
Registered: December 18th, 2002
Member Is Offline
Location: Sydney, Concord West
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue ( Default )
Mood: always bleary
posted on January 20th, 2008 at 11:22 PM
yep, it is a good idea to scan them & share with others, I did not think I had this log book but found with a stash of my fathetrs stuf i got
years ago, unfortunately over the last few months we have ben clearing out my mothers house & as of this wek there is absolutely nothing more to
find ever.
Please, I need drivers side window regulator (winder mechanism) for my '54
