My 1970 bug

Discussion in 'Restorations' started by Zebedee, Sep 9, 2011.

  1. Its nearly 20 years since i didn't have a VW on the road. Feels kinda odd. Check for £106.25 road tax refund doesn't hurt though. :)
     
  2. Not managed to get anything done on the bug recently as i trapped a nerve in my lower back on wednesday so have barely been able to move for the past few days.
    Easing off a bit now but don't fancy lying under the car incase i fook it again.
     
  3. Wishing you a speedy recovery fella
     
  4. +1
     
  5. Cheers. :thumbsup:
    Its been nearly a week now and i've got back to being able to get up from a seat without wincing.

    Got a couple of bits and bobs done yesterday before the cold in the garage got to me.
    Back seat is back in place. I'll renew the HRW relay after the MOT as i still haven't managed to find the replacement spare relay for it.
    Heat exchanger on drivers side removed so i can have enough space to get both hands into the space under the boot floor to bend the tinware so the seal fits properly. Didn't attempt to go under the car too far as knowing my luck i'd do my back in and get stuck. :oops:

    Replaced all but one of the sump plate nuts but the last one started turning the stud out with it and i didn't fancy a sump of oil escaping through the stud hole. I'll replace it at the next oil change when its empty.

    Door still not right, as it still just catches the B pillar. I think i need to get a bit more brutal with it and just repaint anything i chip. Bonnet still needs painting anyway but the temperature is getting colder so not ideal. Fran complains if i use all the fan heaters in the garage at once as she can watch the smart meter rise. :rolleyes:
     
    vinnyboy likes this.
  6. Got the tinware over the bellhousing manipulated enough to get the seal to sit over it and bolted the heat exchanger back on.
    Decided while it was up on axle stands i might as well fit the towbar.
    2019-10-31 16.11.21.jpg

    It doesn't actually sit under the bumper as it looks like in the piccy but is about 70mm behind it.
    Its sitting about 40mm low at the moment as the bolts are all still slack. I still need to make the support bracket that bolts to the bumper mounts as it was missing. I also need to fit the wiring plug onto the new cable.
     
  7. Tightened up all the bolts and it lifted it about 2". Side view shows the height better. Its about an inch lower than the hitch on the Westfakia trailer i made.
    _20191101_135021.JPG

    Wired up the socket and cable tied the wires to the side of the towbar.
    Theres about 4.5" of ground clearance.
    2019-11-01 15.00.24.jpg
     
    nicktuft, Valveandy and paradox like this.
  8. Looks very smart!
     
  9. Cheers.
    Gonna bleed the brakes next, put some fuel in the tank (and hope the outlet is tight enough for it not to leak out) and see about starting the engine. :eek:
     
    JamesLey and paradox like this.
  10. Brakes now bled. Managed to knock the jar of brake fluid over on the floor though.

    I think the electrics in this beetle are cursed. No working hazards or indicators when i checked today. Checked all the fuses and wiring terminals and nowt loose or missing. Tried them again and it all worked as it should, but back to not working again now though. :( Not sure if its just the damp weather. It was reading 97% humidity today.

    Connected the oil pressure guage and the oil light to the sender in the engine bay. Turned the key but oil temperature gauge went full scale. It didn't do that before today. Now when the ignition is turned on it still goes full scale. :mad:
    Tried the start position and starter turns engine over OK.
     
    Rez and F_Pantos like this.
  11. I found VDO gauges go to full scale if the sender connection is open circuit.
     
  12. The pressure gauge did that when the wire was broken. Haven't found a broken wire though, or one disconnected.

    The temperature gauge was working fine before i turned the engine over with the starter.
    VDO dipstick sender has a wire from the G terminal on gauge and a terminal with a wire to earth.
     
  13. Turns out to be a couple of crossed wires. A yellow wire and a greeny yellow wire look sort of the same colour under fluoro lights and even more so when they're slightly grubby from being pulled through the grommets in the car. :rolleyes:

    Still no idea about the hazards and indicators though.
    Its wired like this but i'm not sure where to start.
    flash7.gif

    Theres an earth connection on the side of the hazard switch. If this wire was off would it stop the hazards and indicators from working? :confused:
    Hazard switch.jpg
     
  14. Working from memory, but isn't the circuit live all the time and you just switch in the ground when you pull out the hazard switch, likewise the stalk completes ground to whichever side needs to flash?
     
  15. Not sure. Sound right but i've never looked inside a switch so see what its like.
    The flasher relay makes no sound, its easy to access and theres only 4 wires so i'm gonna look at that first.
     
  16. Problem identified if not solved. It was a loose terminal on the flasher relay. Waggling the + terminal sticking out of the casing causes the hazards to stop. Seems like its loose internally but i haven't cracked the casing open to investigate as i'm not sure i could do it without damaging it.

    Buttoned up the last of the wires in the engine bay. Needs the ignition timing setting and some fuel now.
    74604410_10157253705165100_6719033871356133376_n.jpg
     
    Valveandy likes this.
  17. Made the support bracket for the tow bar that attaches to the rear bumper.
    Its 2.5mm steel as i don't think it'd be possible to bend 4mm without an oxy torch.
    2019-11-06 16.01.53.jpg
     
  18. Gave the tow bar support its first coat of bloss black. I'll give it another coat tomorow.
    2019-11-08 14.24.13.jpg

    Warmed the garage up with a couple of heaters and gave the bonnet and edge of the front wings a few coats of paint. Got some massive orange peel in places but theres enough paint on there that it should sand flat OK.
    2019-11-08 15.05.26.jpg
     
    Valveandy likes this.
  19. Gave the tow bar support another coat of gloss black today.
    I was planning on heading up to the Honister slate mine for the hillclimb but the weather was cold and wet so i decided not to.

    Managed to get a massive drip on the bonnet when i painted it yesterday as i hadn't tightened the paint cup on the gun tight enough. It was in the final coat so i decided to leave it and sand it back later instead of wiping it off and risking damage to the previous coats. Hopefully it should flat out OK. If not i'll just need to apply another couple of coats over that area.
     
    JamesLey likes this.
  20. Tow bars support bracket bolted to the rear bumper.
    2019-11-10 09.51.48.jpg
     

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