TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:43 pm

Everyone says I got a steal on this one. I paid $3k for this restored bug. The only problems I can find so far is it has a low lobing kind of idle and the generator light flickers. There is a soft spot in the pedal when pressed firmly it wants to bog down unless given more push on the pedal then it has plenty of pull. Also I smell gas while driving but cant find any leaks of any kind anywhere. I would like to upgrade the exhaust for the most performance I can possibly get while maintaining a low profile. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions seeing as how I am a newbie to this type of vehicle. Im looking for custom parts like wings and body kit. Also it seems to be getting very poor gas mileage.

Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:48 pm

congrats on the bug. :D. do a tune up. that might help. get a non merged header and a muffler of your choice (remember non merged muffler for a non merged header). lower it and no bodykit/wing IMO :) .

Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:49 pm

Kolage wrote: Im looking for custom parts like wings and body
kit..

Umm....OK. 8)

Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:53 pm

wing being a rear spoiler cover for the engine vents to prevent rain from entering and nice look, and a front sun shield to go across the windshield on the outside.

Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:01 pm

I wouldn't worry about rain getting into the engine compartment. It's not going to hurt anything. Baja bug's run without any engine covering, and they don't have issues.

Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:42 pm

A spoller an wing wOOd look KOOL! Rite now I am running dis one on my '76SB.

I am planning on getting a graphix kit when I save up enuff $$$! My momz might be kicking in a little though!

Good luck with the BUG!!!

Thu Feb 22, 2007 8:16 am

congrats....welcome to fatchick ownership :wink:

Thu Feb 22, 2007 8:41 am

My buddies bug had a horrible gas smell when he first got it. Make sure you have clamps on all of the gas hoses going from the gas flap to the tank. There are multiple hoses for "breathing" by the tank. Make sure these are all in good shape and clamped. Hopefully that'll help. The fuel gauge sender could be leaking too. It's on the tank with a wire coming off it.

Thu Feb 22, 2007 9:44 am

When you say bogging down/soft spot in the pedal, do you mean hesitation when accelerating? If so, I would suggest you check out which combination of carb/distributor you have. Turns out that not every carb that fits a bug engine works great with every dizzy. Do a search on this site and you'll see lots of discussions. There's references to oldvolkshome.com which has some good charts and stuff, and be on the lookout for posts by Glenn, he's the dizzy master and has done extensive testing on which combinations work and has good advice on what to use. I say this because I found out the hard way that the carb that my car has, and the dizzy the PO put in (009), don't match real well, bogs down all the time. I will be replacing the dizzy before the spring driving season starts.

As for doing work on the car, get yourself some good manuals. Bently manual, John Muir's Idiot book, both are staples for DIY people.

Do searches on this forum, probably one of the best resources you'll ever find on fixing, maintaining, customizing your beautiful new family member :-)