New Build- Baby Blue

[Sloanstavern]

Howdy all I thought I would get my build thread started this morning. Last spring I picked up a non-running 74 super beetle. The motor was out and much was missing but the body was laser straight and rust free even though it was hidden in several layers of what appeared to be house paint.

This is not my first air cooled, I restored a 69 bay window with my daughter and had a nice surviving type III square pack. But both were mechanically sound so this is my first full restoration. I finished the bodywork and paint last spring before I left for the summer and now I’m going to work on the motor and interior- more to follow.

[Kennys72bug]

Paint job looks real nice !!! Did you paint it yourself? My bug needs a paint job.

[Sloanstavern]

[ECDriver]

Really nice looking. Where did you find the beautiful series 45 Toyota Troop carrier? Looks great also!

[Sloanstavern]

Thank you, I picked up the Troopy from Saudi Arabia five years ago. And spent two years doing a full nut and bold restoration now she’s just a fun driver.

[Sloanstavern]

Just finished the engine tear down and rebuild. This is my first attempt with an air cooled engine, and what a delight. Such a beautiful and simple little machine. Before the tear down, I managed to do a compression check using a high torque drill on the flywheel nut Cylinders three and four were 90 psi and cylinders one and two were 30 psi. Upon tear down I found rust and corrosion on the problematic cylinder bank. I decided to go with the top and rebuild kit from AA performance with new heads, cylinders and pistons.

The reassembly was a blast and I think I’ve got everything back where it should go. I’m taking a break before I start the wiring as I think I need to replace the harness. On other restorations, I’ve used the painless wiring system with good success so I may try one of their universal kits.

[Buggeee]

I like that color alot
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1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764

[scrivyscriv]

Looks really good so far! I’ve been using summit paint for a while now, but I’ve noticed the color tends to chip easily. Both the red and the black single stage do it, but the epoxy and urethane high builds don’t! Have you run in to that at all?
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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[Sloanstavern]

[Sloanstavern]

[Sloanstavern]

Well, I can’t put it off any longer time to tackle the electrical work. I was hoping to find a complete new harness, but no luck. I could find a main harness from the engine compartment forward, but that wiring is actually pretty straightforward. It is the rats nest under the dash that’s got me Worried. Anyway, I got the engine of fire and idle nicely now I need to get to work on this stuff slowly I’m figuring it out but I came across this duck, and I think it may be interrupting the circuit between the key and the starter do you guys know what this thing does?

I don’t seem to be getting any juice out, going to the starter as I turn the key

[cjsuner]

Glad to see you back!

That relay on the fuse block is the seatbelt lock relay, that orginally prevents the car from being started if the seatbelt is not clicked in. This has generally been bypassed by lots of PO's, which probably includes yours.
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71' Super Convertible (Orange)
74 Super Beetle (Red)

[Sloanstavern]

Thanks, It looks like it is still in service.

The more I tear into this the more I realize - I wont be able to sleep at night if I run that old harness. Since no '74 Super beetle front end harness is available, I will go to my 2nd choice. A painless 21 circuit universal harness (P/N 10102).

I used this on my FJ45 and it did the trick, very high quality and detailed instructions . Given the rear motor it may be close for some of the engine circuits, but it should be OK

[vamram]

Love the color. What equipment did you use to paint it? And did it take a lot sanding and polishing after the fact?
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Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Sloanstavern]

Thank you very much. No I have not cut or buffed the finish and truth be told it definitely looks like an amateur did it but I’m happy because it’s one color and kind of shiny.

The gun set up I have is from Eastwood. It’s their brand called concourse and I got a set that has a large and small gun with three different orifice sizes. The gun works great. In my opinion the biggest challenge is getting the gun set up properly that’s half the battle. Then just use good lighting And watch the paint go on.

If you have never done it, I encourage you to give it a shot like anything else just takes some practice and to be honest with you I’d rather pay 300 bucks for me to do a mediocre paint job than 5000 for a pro no offense

[Rome]

Good work with the DiY paint job, and with the engine assembly. Will you remove those plugs from the fan shroud fresh air outlets to connect those outlets to the heater box inlets with the big hoses and allow the air to flow through them? Did you remember to install the air deflector tins under each pair of cylinders before putting the pushrod tubes on?

Your original cylinder heads have been machined to a "semi-hemi" style combustion chamber. That type of machining will lower your compression ratio due to removing head material from the "ceiling" of the chamber. Do you know the volume of the chambers in your new heads? Helpful to know so you can determine the compression ratio.

I also made an attempt to paint a car; was a '62 Beetle that was originally anthracite grey. I chose a nice bright blue similar to the one you ended up with; was the same color as my dad's then-new Audi Fox, named Miami Blue. That was in 1976, using Martin Senour acrylic enamel, a rented air compressor and spray gun; working outside. Nowadays I'd have kept the original grey color because in the meantime it's become one of my fave classic colors.

[Sloanstavern]

Thanks,
Yes I have the flex tube for the air intakes ( It is rather delecate so I am waiting to install. I did get a full tin set up ( Some I had the rest I replaced.

I did not measure the head space ( this rebuild was OJT so Im sure i missed alot - just happy it was running so well!)

I painting my first vehicle in 1977, same way rented compressor, out side with a borrowed gun!

[Busstom]

[Sloanstavern]

Well, there is no turning back now. I’ve decided to go forward with the new painless, wiring harness. While removing the factory harness, the good news is, it was not all cut up by previous owners, the bad news, however, is all the vinyl and connectors were severely deteriorated and crack in my hands plus all the connections were heavily corroded. The removal went fine until I had to pass the rear harness over the wheel arch. As my dear uncle Allen would say there is a special place in hell for the guy who designed that access. In that vinyl conduit were multiple connectors that made it impossible to pull the wires through , and that foam insulation was not gonna budge. Finally, I got it out and left the old vinyl conduit in place to run my new wires through.

The painless kit I purchased is a universal that is suitable for SUVs and trucks so it does have a lot of wire length, However, since I’m trying to make it fit a rear
engine vehicle, I’ll have to get creative. The harness brakes into three main categories, front interior and rear. Then the subcategories from there, I laid it all out to see if I can mount the fuse box up in the foot well and still reach the engine. Some wires will make it, but a few are too short if I move the fuse box further back in the vehicle to solve that problem, then the wires for the instrument panel will be too short. Since there’s fewer wires going to the engine and some of them do actually reach I think I will mount it in the foot wheel upfront and simply add on wiring to the back to finish layout today and maybe start install tomorrow

[slayer61]

^^^ Good for you! I used a similar kit to do my buggy. A little planning, a little time, and, for me it worked out perfectly. No troubleshooting in the end. It just worked. After all, it's just a big adult version of "connect-the-dots"

You will have a better idea of how your car works, and you'll know exactly what to do to remedy it if it does let you down somewhere.



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