New to VW, New to Vintage Mechanics. 1974 Super Beetle

[SBD]

That's where I left my needle-nose Vise-Grips!
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"Just $99 down and $64 a month for 36 months buys you a brand new Volkswagen Beetle!"

[ToughBug]

[JCrimson]

[Cusser]

[Tim Donahoe]

It takes a few moments to remove the big flexible tube that attaches your heat exchanger to the Bakelite tube that transfers heated air into your cabin. Take off the one on the side where you have heat leaking into the footwell heater vent. After doing this, you can actually see inside the heat exchanger. Is the little flap closed all the way in there? If not, do as Cusser mentioned and adjust the barrel nut, and end of the cable.

Perhaps the little door is damaged around the edges and is not sealing; although I doubt this. Those little red-edged flaps are pretty sturdy. But look, anyway.

It's not normal for your car to buck as you try to accelerate. Sounds like you may have an issue with your distributor advance; but more likely, an issue with your carburetor's accelerator-pump adjustment. Does it seem as if you have a "flat spot" when pressing down on the gas pedal?

I would take my '74 Super Beetle on a four-hour trip. But I have pretty much restored it, spent a lot of time and money, and feel very confident with its ability to mimic a newer car's reliability. I also have owned a great many Volkswagens in the past, and I've made a great many learning mistakes, which you have not--yet. I've had a recent compression check that makes me feel very comfortable. I've replaced brakes, cables, purchased the best German stock carburetor (Volkzbitz), know exactly how hot my oil gets, ect., etc.

The above "etc's include an extremely long, expensive list of items, by the way.

I guess what I'm getting at is this: maybe you should wait a bit longer for the long trips until you've spent a bit more time, money, effort on your bug.

But if you have AAA, disregard the warning above .

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[JCrimson]

[Tim Donahoe]

Get back under the car and squirt some spray CRC grease onto all the moving parts of the heat-exchanger linkage. It's a maintenance item that should be done every couple years. And replace that missing spring.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[JCrimson]

[Tim Donahoe]

Yes, you have a 34 pict 3. At least, it looks like one in your pictures. It came stock with that in 1974. The left side of the float bowl should have 34 Pict 3 on it. Made in Western Germany.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[JCrimson]

I finally delved into the wiper motor to try and work out why it wouldn't work. It turns out, the wiper motor wasn't the issue, but something in the steering column is. The windshield wipers don't work, and neither do the brights. I was going to dig into this, but sadly I'm all out of 27mm sockets, so it'll be on hold until probably Friday.
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1974 Super Beetle

[JCrimson]

Lately I've really been enjoying working on the Beetle. Yesterday I managed to cruise the Beetle a little ways out of town to help a friend load some of his stuff into a truck, to move back into town. Today, I managed to get the antenna tightened down, I shortened the aftermarket center console that came with the car, and I waxed the entire vehicle. I still need to hit the chrome, and buff the paint.

I also stumbled upon this door sticker a while back. In 1994 the Beetle had an oil change at 46,669 miles. Today the Beetle has 49,777 miles. Since 1994, 22 years, the Beetle has only driven 3,108 miles. That's like 141 miles a year! Just thought it was cool.

Before and After, same side.

I did also manage to get the windshield wipers working again, no idea how, but while pulling into work I bumped the lever and they turned on... then promptly broke the plastic gear that the metal pole attaches to (that rotates to move the wiper mechanism). This happened due to me setting the wipers lower than they should have been and when engaging the motor, they tried to go much further down under the window, resulting in the break. I've got to pull the gear and the metal rod out, then try and epoxy them to get the motor to rotate without breaking.
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1974 Super Beetle

[Tim Donahoe]

Are you talking about the screw gear that engages the plastic wheel inside the wiper motor? If that's broken, I think a new (good used, that is) part is necessary. Samba Classifieds ....

After taking a wiper system apart, it's necessary that the small arm that connects to the wiper assembly is oriented properly. Sometimes this takes a few tries until the blades rest in the proper position.

Also, when testing, don't put the blades on. Instead, put a little bubble gum on the ends of the wiper shafts where the blades would go. Then place a toothpick in the gum, where you think the blade would point. In essence, the toothpicks are mock-up miniature wiper blades. After turning on the wiper motor, watch where the toothpicks point--and end up after shutting off the wiper motor. Reposition them in the gum as needed.

This method saves the scraping paint off your cowl, as well as breaking parts. The toothpicks point where the blades would, but won't damage anything if they're positioned incorrectly.

By the way, I don't use gum. I use a blue, tacky poster-hanging material that looks almost like Play-doh. It's ised for hanging posters in, say a kid's room, etc. I think 3-M makes it. But bubble gum will do in a pinch--and it's cheaper. Just make sure to chew it first so it's very sticky. And be sure to remove it from your wiper shaft when you have your set-up correct.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[JCrimson]

Not that exact screw gear, but the metal shaft that the wiper mechanism bracket presses onto. It's placed in the middle of the plastic wheel and then exits towards the cowl slots to connect with the mechanism. Thanks for the tip with the gum, when messing with it after the rod broke loose from its area, I was troubleshooting with the wipers in the up position. It would rotate at that point, but as soon as the wipers hard friction against the glass, the motor would engage the plastic wheel and the plastic wheel would spin independently of spinning the metal rod.
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1974 Super Beetle

[JCrimson]

Its been a long time since posting. Still living in Indianapolis, the Beetle handles 70mph just fine on the interstate. I'll post some pictures of what i have been up to lately.

I should probably also mention that the VW bug bit, hard and I picked up a 2015 VW Passat Tsi Wolfsburg

But... what made me think of asking another question on the forum, I finally hooked up my Hella off-road lights, and they work! But while doing so, I noticed a mysterious relay behind the fuse panel plastic, and I noticed my number 2 fuse keeps blowing. Earlier, it was even smoking while i was sitting inside of the Beetle, attempting to turn on the wiper motor which I have removed and re-installed again... does anyone know what could be causing this?

The relay is connected to the ignition, with a white/red wire
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1974 Super Beetle

[JCrimson]

Well, my girlfriend and I have signed up to compete in something called the LeMons Rally which takes place in California, and is a race from Monterey, CA to Bremerton, WA, then back down to Monterey, CA.

We're considering driving the Beetle, and I've been contemplating what all I should do to it before the trip, what spares I should carry, and generally if i should be confident in the vehicle making it. I'm half tempted to tow the bug there with a dolly, via my Jeep. But a trip across the country in the Beetle sounds like quite the adventure.

Its not 100% just yet that we will be taking the bug, but its definitely in the cards.
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1974 Super Beetle

[Tim Donahoe]

A long road trip in a beetle would be a great adventure. Check out Globespotter's video of his road trip from California to Ontario, Canada. They rode a lot of the way on Route 66 and apparently had a nice time doing so.

I would do it, but I've rebuilt so many moving items on my bug that I feel pretty confident. I could make a list, but it would be extremely long. So it would suffice to say that most of what moves is rebuilt, or restored.

So, how adventurous are you? Are you up for a Route 66 throwback tour? Radiator Springs? All that?

It would be cool. But how confident are you with your car? Tires and brakes in great shape? Have you done a compression check to see what condition your motor is in? Transmission shifting well? If so, just do it. Lots of people are nowadays. That's one reason why buses are going up so high in price, I suspect. I've made the trip several times, but that was in the seventies. I'm ready for another go, but the wife isn't interested. Maybe when she retires in two years, she'll loosen up.

Yep, check out your car from top to bottom, then check out some of the road-trip threads on this forum for what to bring if something goes wrong with your bug.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Buggeee]

[JCrimson]

Well, it's been a while guys! My girlfriend and I went on our trip to California to compete in the LeMons Rally. We built our 1996 Ford Escort, and 250 miles into the ship, near Springfield, IL, we smashed into a deer going 70. (Luckily we weren't in the Beetle). We ended up missing the rally, but went on vacation and drove around 6,000 miles in my girlfriends 2017 Mazda6. Went to the Winchester Mansion in San Jose, an old Spanish Mission in San Juan Bautista, Grand Canyon, Roswell, the Cadillac Ranch! It was a hell of a trip.

But i'm posting here because I finally got the Beetle back. My brother has been driving it daily for the last couple of months due to my mothers car being broken, and her driving his Jeep. I've also moved and it is now in our driveway waiting for the garage to be cleaned to be tucked in for some work on the brakes and the seats!

I also picked up some 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Seats to swap in. I'm a taller, bigger guy, and I'll be keeping the Beetle and driving it as much as possible and I've wanted to swap in some more adjustable, cloth seats, for longer trips.

Anyways, hello again!

and a photo of us, after the accident, in the Mazda restarting the trip.

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1974 Super Beetle

[Eric&Barb]

That brake line going into the body needs a grommet there in the hole. Otherwise any road debris and water when driving wet roads will get into there causing rust.

The rust bubbles below the rear side windows is probably "Death Foam" caused. Do a search for that and the sooner fixed the less time it will take to repair.

Have you checked the transaxle gear oil level or better yet changed it? That could be causing your reverse problem and of course be ruining the transaxle prematurely if not kept full enough.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[JCrimson]

Well, I still own the Beetle and it's doing well!

In the past year or so I've repaired some stuff on it, including a new mechanical fuel pump and new brake shoes and lines. The brakes still aren'y 100% but they'll do for now.

I've also swapped steering wheels with a grant wheel and i bought a Wolfsburg shift knob at the Indianapolis Volkstoberfest.

Currently I'm working on installing aftermarket seats, which is why i thought i should come back to the forum and check in.

Does anyone have a line on a build thread involving the 3 point seat installs?

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1974 Super Beetle