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Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:50 pm

Im looking at buying a bug to turn into a baja, im on a high school budget right now but just want to buy a cheap starting bug. Im looking at this bug

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/1541789837.html

My only concern is the AS transmission. I have read the vwar forums for info and such but was wondering if it will be worth it?

Also how labor intensive is replacing a starter?

Thanks

Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:56 pm

Starter is literally like a 15 minute job, complete walk in the park even for a beginner, they truly don't get much easier to replace. The autostick tranny is not a problem, for the price I would grab it myself. a/s trannies are easy to swap out for a standard, if you choose to go that way on down the road.

Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:00 pm

ZARJDR wrote: Starter is literally like a 15 minute job, complete walk in the park even for a beginner, they truly don't get much easier to replace. The autostick tranny is not a problem, for the price I would grab it myself. a/s trannies are easy to swap out for a standard, if you choose to go that way on down the road.

yeah it seems like a steal, i heard a/s starters are hard to find? so would you say go for it?

Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:06 pm

The starter should be available through any good parts house(although they may not have one in stock). For the money it seems like a very good buy. Check the floors for rust, as well as the heater channels(they are the tubes below the doors that run front to back). If there is any serious scaling or rust through try to point it out to the owner and see if they will negotiate the price. But even with bad pans that is a pretty good buy if it will run and drive with the stated repairs.

Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:11 pm

thanks for the help, one last question. the driver door panel needs replacing is that worth the 100 or whatever to replace it or is there a better alternative?

Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:17 pm

Many of the off road guys build panels from aluminum. I wouldn't spend any serious money on one unless I was restoring a vintage bug. Watch Samba classifieds, craigslist, and e-bay. Start buying VW based magazines so you can pore over the ads for price comparisons as well.

Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:26 pm

thanks for the help, any magazines you recommend? i already plan on picking up the building bugs and buggies book

Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:38 pm

I personally buy Hot VW's and Dune Buggies, as well as Sandsport. Yes "THE BOOK" is a must have. Jeff Hibbard should be memorialised for his contributions to so many cars.

Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:40 pm

At worst case on the starter, you can send it to a electrical motor shop and they can rebuild it. I'm up in Seattle and have seen a few better deals than that, but it is a 2 hr haul from here. The train is cheap though

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/pts/1548456609.html
I'm not sure what 'title problems' means, but its a good start for $500

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/1549490660.html
LOTS of work...

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/1545684038.html
better....

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/1540865539.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/1550070841.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/1548298631.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/1539269042.html

Wed Jan 13, 2010 8:32 am

As for the starter, It may be a bad neutral safety switch, and not the starter that is bad.
The AS trans had a switch up on the nose of the trans that prevented the starter from engaging unless it was in neutral.

Wed Jan 13, 2010 2:35 pm

Russ Wolfe wrote: As for the starter, It may be a bad neutral safety switch, and not the starter that is bad.
The AS trans had a switch up on the nose of the trans that prevented the starter from engaging unless it was in neutral.

How could you tell the difference?

Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:29 pm

You can put a jumper wire at the N/S switch, or you can arc across the solenoid. If it rotates the N/S is bad.

Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:35 pm

Arn't the starters used in the A/S trans self supporting and have a little more starter motor HP?

Wed Jan 13, 2010 7:13 pm

Automatic starters are rated at 3/4hp. Manual starters are rated at about 5/8hp.
They also pull more current off the battery.