1966 Ocressa Beetle

[Bulli Klinik]

[TomSimon]

[Erik G]

yes on the Jokon lights

and yes, it's a reverse switch. Tom brings up two of the common ones, this was the 3rd

[Erik G]

here is the bug version complete with the switch and the little wiring diagram. it feeds off the coil

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2436110

[Bulli Klinik]

Tom, I’m crossing my fingers it’s a 78, 356c rods and the works. Kinda curious what cam is in there. Did Okrasa make their own cams?

Eric, thanks for the info. That’s strong money for a backup light! I have a buddy who I haven’t talked to in a while who has an NOS, Jokon lens. I’m gonna have to look him up and reunite!

It’s crazy how every piece of this car has been modified. Literally everything.
_________________
I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs

[Bulli Klinik]

One thing I find that’s really strange, given the amount of attention this car was lavished with, why didn’t he order it with a 12V system? Pretty sure it was an option back then and it sure would have lit up the roads and made starting a bit easier. Considering all the electrical additions, it would have seemed like a no brainer to me. I know 12V was optional on Buses in 66, so why not this car? Maybe the PO was some kind and of Luddite?
_________________
I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs

[Erik G]

[56samba]

As for the BRM wheels choice, you might want to try to make them look older and more like the original ones.
There were several people that achieved great results with blasting them, applying oven cleaner and other secrets and it's really difficult to tell that they aren't original ones. That would suit your car so well IMHO. Let me know and I'll send you some pics.

[Bulli Klinik]

[Bulli Klinik]

[Bulli Klinik]

Not nearly as exciting as the Okrasa motor, but here’s what’s going in while the Okrasa gets built. New case, 78 stroke Skat crank, old Rimco super rods, 90.5 Mahles, light flywheel, 044’s ported to old Gene Berg manifolds and a smattering of Berg stuff. It won’t be billetized. Working on tin fitment and other details prior to paint. Note to self, don’t leave blasted parts in a box on the shelf for years.

_________________
I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs

[TomSimon]

Thinking more about this car;

I daily drove a 1966 back in the early 1980's, it was only a 15yr old car after all, so I kinda 'get' where this guys head was at...

You also have to remember that information on doing what is common these days, 6v to 12v conversion, was passed down mostly by word of mouth, or magazine articles. No internet forums to exchange ideas on.

The biggest flaw in 6v systems is they rely on higher amperage, without benefit of higher voltage to get the job done. Much like an automotive spark system at 20,000 volts can bridge a 1/2" gap, higher voltage helps 'drive' the electrons past tarnished and corroded spade terminals and internal switch contacts, where 6v systems often can not. One band-aid for a perfectly good 6v car with dim headlights and a slow wiper motor, was to double the amperage, by adding a second 6v battery, which had the effect of brighter headlights (a real problem with 6v automotive systems). The area under the rear seat, driver's side was a perfect location. I did this to a couple early vw's that I daily drove, a big improvement. It also had the benefit of using 6v parts, often cheap at swap meets and wrecking yards.

6v systems were still very common back in the 1970's, and changing over to 12v was a pain in the a$$, if you wanted to do it right. Bulbs were easy, wiper motor, find a huge resister and run it in-line, but with no internet, you had to 'know someone who knew how' of figure it out yourself. There were no 12v alternator kits, those came later.

You could find a 12v Porsche 356 generator that fit into the 1300's 6v generator stand $$$.

You could have your 6v rewound and converted to 12v (not uncommon back then, as people would have a starter or generator rebuilt at shops that specialized in this sort of thing, drop it off Monday, pick it up Thursday, unheard of today). But then you had this 'custom' part, that was undesirable if you were daily driving your VW.

You could source a 12v generator and stand, fan spacer and washer stuff, and voltage regulator from a wrecking yard, but that was an all-day saturday scrounge job and you had to deal with junk yard crooks behind the counter, who priced items unpredictably.

The biggest hurdle was the starter motor. A 6v starter would work, albeit higher rpm, for a while until it burned up internally. Again, you had to know it would work, otherwise you'd never attempt the swap in the first place. In order to change the starter to 12v, you could have the 6v rewound. The right way to convert was to change the flywheel to 12v, figure out how to re-shim for end-play, change the pilot bushing in the trans, grind the trans bell housing open to clear the larger ring gear teeth on the flywheel (I knew guys who insisted the only way to accomplish this was to change the entire transaxle). Oh wait, that Okrasa motor has a matched balanced 6v flywheel and a 200mm clutch! Sounds like a 6v bus flywheel (mid 1960's buses came w/200mm clutches) that has been lightened by the engine builder. It was a great hot rod trick if you were hopping up a 6v 40hp car, you kept 6v but upgraded to 200mm clutch. I'll bet it's match drill 8 doweled to the crank, too.

It's all conjecture of course, but I see why our man left it 6v
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2-time NASA Pro Racing Champion, Bonneville 130 Club and 150 Club Memeber, BRS Pro Gas racer

[Bulli Klinik]

I took a look at the Motorola regulator and it’s 12V. The secondary generator and battery must have been 12V. Maybe it was just for the radio system? Or maybe the driving lights were wired for 12V as well? There is so much added wiring in the car...it’s ridiculous.
_________________
I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs

[Chickensoup]

maybe... it would be worth it to simplify the wiring some i dont know about you but i HATE rats nest and bad wiring. and i dont even have OCD.

[Lingwendil]

[BIGMIKEY]

Wow. Cool thread and very cool car. I googled your black box part number and came up with this.

"Bosch SH / HEN 1 / 12 / 1 B-02 emergency 12V Relay"

"Vintage 12V Bosch SH / HEN 1 / 12 / 1 B-02 emergency relay for Police and Fire department vehicles in good condition. Inside looks all untouched and there are three Bosch 12V relays. The size of the box is 20 x 13 cm and the weight is 1600g. The cover is stamped with “Bosch Germany Importe D Allemagne SH / HEN 1 / 12 / 1 and B-02” and the parts inside are stamped with "12V Bosch". Made in Germany."

https://www.classiccult.com/bosch-sh-hen-1-12v-relay.html

Maybe your man was a police or fireman?

Mike T
_________________
BIGMIKEY

Deserter Series 1 project.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=787047&highlight=

1973 Beetle Driver, Marina Blue.

[Bulli Klinik]

[Bulli Klinik]

_________________
I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs

[Bulli Klinik]

[Big Bill]

Wow nice work on the Breast Plate. I think the one speaker posted earlier was for a Public Address system, dude was a Ham/Short Wave nut.