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 minigothgirl
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| posted on October 8th, 2012 at 03:00 PM |
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How much is too much?
Hey guys!
I own a beautiful 1969 VW Bug (named Alexander the Beetle) which is in pretty good condition. It has been in the family since new and has been well
looked after. Most of it is still original (the engine, clutch cable, seatbelts, and driver's seat have all been replace, but I think that may be
it...).
Unfortunately I have to move 4hrs away from home for the next two years, but I still want to come back every second weekend or so. Do you think that
8hrs travel along country highways that often would be too much for the beetle? I was considering using my brother's car and leaving the beetle at
home for the time, but I really do love driving my beetle.
I just don't want to over use it =S Or do you think it will be okay?
Also, as a side question, I was wondering if there was a way to hook up an air con to an old beetle. I have looked online and found that there are mod
kits for sale in America, but is there such a thing available in Australia? I have been told that an air con would suck too much power out of the
engine and so is impractical, but I thought I'd ask here before I gave up on it =D
Thanks guys!!
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69bug
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| posted on October 8th, 2012 at 04:39 PM |
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Best year of beetle I say....... Sit just under 60mph, fit a laminated windscreen, some better lights and an oil temp gauge and you should be ok!
1969 1500
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waveman1500
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| posted on October 8th, 2012 at 04:53 PM |
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There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to do long journeys in your car. If it's reliable for short trips then it will be just as reliable for
long ones. The harshest conditions for a Beetle to live in is cold starts, short trips and being stuck in traffic. Flying along the highway won't put
the engine under any stress, you should be able to do the posted speed limit easily and the engine should keep it's cool even on a 40 degree day. No
offence to 69bug, but the idea that you should sit just below 60mph is nonsense. The cars are built to do 70mph+ all day long, they love it. I used to
drive my old 1970 1500cc Beetle at 70-80mph on highway trips and it was perfectly reliable, even though the engine was nearly worn out. Just keep up
the normal maintenance schedule. Oil change every 3000 miles and check your tappets and points and clean the oil screen every 6000 miles. That's all
I ever did to mine. The reason for only cleaning the oil screen every second service was to save wear on the sump plate studs. The sump plate studs
like to strip out of the case, my old 1500 had at least half of them heli-coiled.
Don't worry about an oil temp gauge, if it's a stock engine you shouldn't need it. Driving lights would be kind of nice if you're driving in the
country at night, but they're not necessary either. If your stock headlights have decent reflectors and globes in them they should work fine.
Apparently air con can be done, but I personally wouldn't bother. There isn't a kit, but you could get a compressor and condensor off a small modern
car and make custom brackets and plumbing for it.
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68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
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| posted on October 8th, 2012 at 05:22 PM |
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Hi Waveman1500
Yes, I find that too with the sump nuts.. keep stripping them now & then.. I keep spares and new studs too.
All the Beetles I know with air conditioning are in Queensland
and have been done personally/privately so they are all different
they were an accessory in the USA in the late 60s and 70s..
and are fitted to most beetles in Malaysia and other Asian humid places..
I was always going to do it.. but never got around to it..
I don't usually driver My beetle once it gets over 36C which can be common during hot summers..
the later model compressors are now excellent for smaller engines.. much better than years ago..
Where are You located?? QLD??
Lee
1969 was an excellent year for beetles IMHO.. Lee
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
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Smiley
A.k.a.: Daniel Stephens
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| posted on October 8th, 2012 at 06:02 PM |
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As stated above! All very good points. An aircooled VW can be a very reliable car.
I drive my Baja daily and do anywhere from 6-700km every week on weekdays, plus offroading and driving around on weekends.
Have just been down the Warwick for the VW drags to weeks ago, 800km either way to get there plus racing all weekend. I also drove the 3000km round
trip down the Valla in August this year too.
The can has had some ups and downs but I've done around +95000km in the last two years. I'm sure you wouldn't be as hard on your Beetle as I am on
my Baja so there is absolutely no reason that you shouldn't be driving it! I love driving my aircooled car I wouldn't have it any other way!
Plus as Waveman said you should be able to happily cruise at the speed limit with no issues. Keep the maintenance up to it, ensure your tune is good
and that all of the cooling tinware/seals are in place and correctly fitted.
As for aircon, open the quarter window! 70mph aircon is the best going 
Smiley 
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
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Joel
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| posted on October 8th, 2012 at 06:13 PM |
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A/C is easy in this day and age, any good technician could easily set a system up for you, I'm seeing more and more bugs at shows with it installed
now.
I've had A/C in mine for a few years now and use my bug in summer so much more than my mainstream cars because it.
Quarter windows are good when you're on the move but when your stuck in slow moving traffic on a hot summers day windows open does nothing.
Modern rotary and scroll compressors take sweet FA power to run, a stock VW engine copes fine with them if its all in tune.
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beetleboyjeff
A.k.a.: Jeff Walsh
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| posted on October 8th, 2012 at 08:42 PM |
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Before 100km limits were introduced, I used to travel between 120 - 140kph most of the time (in the 70s) in my 69 bug, and basically only had to keep
up the maintenance. I was in a service club and used to visit other club anual changeovers (of presidents & committee), and in the last 8 months I
had it on the road (it is now in parts in the shed - went to baja it, started, then my girlfriend - now wife - wouldn't let me spend money on it), I
did 42,000km from when I changed to a metric speedo - I didn't take my car every time. :-)
The last 2 years, I have been working away, and when I was working in Orange, I did 600km each way each weekend (1,200km), and when I was in Parkes I
did 700km each way each weekend (1,400km). I kept a pretty good eye on maintenance, and except for a kangaroo problem and a wheel bearing problem, I
didn't have too many hassles.
I am working back in Port Macquarie now, and damn I miss my long drives in the bug. :-(
From your ole' mate Jeff
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minigothgirl
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| posted on October 8th, 2012 at 08:49 PM |
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Thanks guys I really appreciate the advice! I'm so happy you all think it will be fine for the long driving =D
68AutoBug I'm from north-west Victoria, but now I'm thinking I might just try out this summer without the AC and see if I can handle it heh
I need to get the brakes looked at anyway (as they are starting to squeak a bit) so I can ask them to check my lights and do an oil change too, maybe
teach me how to do it for next time =P
By the way, as I'm not really a very um.. knowledgable mechanic... Does anyone have a suggestion as to whom I should take it to? The guy who replaced
my seat belts didn't know much about bugs so I was a bit nervous at letting him do much to the car, and I'd much rather take it to someone who
appreciates beetles =) Somewhere near Melbourne is fine, I'd prefer on the north/ north-west ish side of the city though, if there are any
recommendations there =D |
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68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
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| posted on October 8th, 2012 at 09:05 PM |
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Hi
there aren't many mechanics these days who know anything about older cars.. Older cars are just so different.. very basic..
so, a normal mechanic these days never ever touches selt belt bolts unless He is replacing the belts.. or works at a car wrecker or smash repairer.
opening the 1/4 vents work extremely well until the temperature reaches about 32C and after 35C its just too HOT..
its 35C outside and inside.. even worse at 40C..
Hopefully it won't be a very hot summer like We had a few years ago.. many people then were talking about air conditioning...
Your beetle probably has an engine lid with NO vents..
these do cause Your beetle engine to get very hot.
You can get accessories that open the top of the engine lid about 50-75mm which makes a big difference to the heat in the engine bay..
Your beetle will have disc brakes at the front,, You may need new pads which aren;t that expensive.. under $50 approx
cheers
LEE
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
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