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Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:46 pm

Hey guys, im about a week away from completion on my 74 vw baja bug project.
i just recently took the carpeting and the mats out from the pan (was planning on painting the interior) and guess what i found? rust, of course. anyways so ive spent a few days putting rust remover (btw the aerosol rust remover knock off brand is a scam, doesn't work at all) and have finally just gotten around to getting my wire brush to it. So im cleaning up the drivers side pan and i notice something i haven't seen before, its a metal pipe bent around the pedals that goes from the front of the car to the rear.

anyways i was wondering if theres anyway to remove this pipe while i paint where the mats were on the pan (i have some truck bed liner left over from another project, i was planning on glopping that on there), also, what is this pipe? and how is the pedal assembly removed/is it easy to remove it or should i just truck bed liner around it?

Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:50 pm

Brake line! Don't F it up.

!EDIT!
This is where it connects to the MC

Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:52 pm

I believe that would be your brake line to the rear, goes from MC all the way back.

EDIT: beat me to it. When I did my driver side pan I just very carefully worked around it, wasnt too hard...

Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:54 pm

I was wondering that too. Thanks!

Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:36 pm

On a sorta related topic I have a tube running from somewhere up front, along the passenger side immediately under the lip of the pan and up and around the inside lip of the rear passenger side fender finally ending up somewhere near the external oil cooler. I cannot tell where it goes up front. Any ideas what this is? its flopping around now that I have the fenders off and if I dont need it I want to remove it.
Thanks in advance
Sorry, on a 71 Super

Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:11 pm

74vwbuglove wrote:

I'm concerned because you brake line is running right under where
your heel will be, and I'm worried it may get damaged at that point.
It appears some one has moved it out of it's origainal position.
See the photo below, for more correct routing

COLOFIRE wrote:

MoparFreak69 wrote: On a sorta related topic I have a tube running from somewhere up front, along the passenger side immediately under the lip of the pan and up and around the inside lip of the rear passenger side fender finally ending up somewhere near the external oil cooler. I cannot tell where it goes up front. Any ideas what this is? its flopping around now that I have the fenders off and if I dont need it I want to remove it.
Thanks in advance
Sorry, on a 71 Super

Vent line for gas vapor recovery system it runs back to the charcol filter
which should also be mounted under the left rear fender.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:14 pm

Ah ha! Thanks Al. I guess mine is missing. Hmmm..... to remove or not to remove.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:38 pm

oh, its important then! yeah im worried too and it seems really cracked and sort of rusted.
any advice? should i just buy a small tube bender (and return it when im done with it) and redo it or just leave it be?

oh and i removed the charcoal filter under the fenders during the baja process of my car, now it just vents to.... well actually im not sure.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:52 pm

might as well replace it while you are there. It's a lot harder once you have carpet.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:03 pm

not putting down carpet, just a coat of paint of some sort to fight the rust.

also were would i find a 1974 vw bug front to rear brake line? everywhere i look doesn't have the small parts i need.

Fri Nov 06, 2009 4:49 am

Almost any VW parts places will have that brakeline, just order it. You won't need a tubing bender, you can do it with your hands.

Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:29 pm

Quote: Almost any VW parts places will have that brakeline, just order it. You won't need a tubing bender, you can do it with your hands.
Be careful if bending with your hands. Go slow and don't try to make the bends too sharp, the line is easy to kink. Most good part stores will ahve various length lines and even a roll of the line and various ends, but you would have to make your own flares.

Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:32 pm

ach60 is that your pans and frame that's been restored? Nice job, I'm doing mine now. Hope they turn out just close to yours. Where did you get all your parts from?

Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:09 pm

okay so my current plan is to take apart the tube and go to pep boys and buy a couple feet of the metal tube and just bend it by hand.

is there anything i need to do to the ends to be able to attach it? also should i bleed the brakes before doing this? and how easy it to remove the pedal assembly (clean whats under it) and put it back without having to reset the clutch and brake, trying to have this thing done by thanksgiving weekend

Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:57 am

I can't address the tube issue... what, you're going to replace a section of brake line? Shouldn't be too bad to replace this one section (or splice into it if that's what you're planning). Just have to be careful to bleed the air out of the line after its replaced. You'll certainly need to add the proper connection fitting & flare the ends if you're getting naked tubing. If I was doing it, I'd just order the long line that has the proper connections already made (don't know if you take the line off if they can do it for you at the store or fix you up with a proper line already made up... you may have to take it in to let them see it)
As far as taking out the pedal cluster goes, I removed mine this summer to clean up the same area you're going to work on... best to get it out of the way. Isn't hard. Should disconnect the clutch cable at rear (take off the big wing nut) because the clutch pedal lever is attached. Also will need to disconnect the accelerator cable. If you're not replacing either, just disconnect them from the cluster connection points but don't remove them. Don't pull either cable out too far or you'll have to feed them back in their tunnels. Are only 2 bolts holding the pedal cluster in. Brake push rod will pull right out of the rubber boot so no problem there.
Might as well clean up the cluster while you have it out. Not a bad job.
When I cleaned the rust away from the pans, I used a wire wheel on the end of a drill, then sprayed it with phosphoric acid & let it set for a while. Rinse it off. I then used 2 coats of Master Series primer & 1 coat of Master Series chassis black (looks the same as POR 15). I believe you need the silver primer coats to really seal & kill any remaining rust.
Have fun...