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scottyhoffo
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2004
Posts: 253
Location: San Diego, CA USA
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 Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:58 pm Post subject: "Good Idea To Have" items for eventual road trip.. |
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Hello again,
One day in the perhaps distant future, I plan to take my '61 Beetle sedan on a long road trip - from California to my home in Indiana. I would like to begin planning as soon as possible, what difficult to obtain parts would be a good idea to bring.
It's never too early to start planning ahead - I know the obvious tools and a belt or two... what about a spare genny?
She's all original - 6V electrics and 1200cc 40hp. Stock tires/rims - not lowered at all.
Thank you for your help.
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Scott Hoffman
1961 Beetle sedan
"You've been Volkswagened- passed by 40 hp!" |
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Migit
Banned
Joined: July 09, 2004
Posts: 831
Location: Central Illinois
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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Tire repair kit, make sure your spare is up to snuff, tune-up parts, oil, genny, extra bulbs, road snacks, navigator ( helps if this one is the opposite sex than you) Aircooled rescue squad list ( I forget the website but it is a list of all the aircooled guys that can help you all over the US) map, extra gas guage sender/guage. More that I cannot think of but try to prepare for EVERYTHING that could go wrong.
Someone else will chime in with more or less
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Looking for a 58 euro hardtop! |
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bill's 63
Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2006
Posts: 49
Location: wyndmoor, PA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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Hello Scott
I'm taking a stock '63 down from Philadelphia, PA to Knoxville, TN leaving this Friday. I'm taking the Skyline Drive - Blue Ridge Parkway route. I've done this trip on a motorcycle but it's the first time with bias ply tires and 40 horses. I took today off so the car could be thoroughly gone over. Fresh tune up. Changed the oil , air in the tires ; that sort of thing. I am taking tools, (Muir's list is a good start), oil, gaskets, a belt and the parts for a tune up. I also felt I should take this or that on the journey. Once I started to think what could go wrong; the list seemed an endless list of possibilities. Then I started losing sleep! 
I keep the car running smoothly, clean and waxed but it is no trailer queen. Machines are meant too be used. I guess other than tools and the simple maintenance stuff a couple of non maxed credit cards will make you feel more secure. For me the best thing I'm bring is an understanding wife. 
Enjoy your trip and happy motoring. BILL |
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59kustom
Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2006
Posts: 136
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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| a few spare cables! esp accellerator cables |
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mdredige
Samba Member
Joined: February 01, 2006
Posts: 91
Location: Ventura Co., CA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Migit wrote: |
| Aircooled rescue squad list ( I forget the website but it is a list of all the aircooled guys that can help you all over the US) |
Here it is
-= Mark =-
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1967 Zenith Blue Beetle
Chard's Carbs German Solex 30-PICT-1
Pertronix Ignitor #1849 |
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scottyhoffo
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2004
Posts: 253
Location: San Diego, CA USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:06 am Post subject: Road trips and tires and such... |
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Hey thank you all for your help - I'll get a few more essentials set aside but keep Murphy's Law in mind. 
| bill's 63 wrote: |
Hello Scott
I'm taking a stock '63 down from Philadelphia, PA to Knoxville, TN leaving this Friday. I'm taking the Skyline Drive - Blue Ridge Parkway route. I've done this trip on a motorcycle but it's the first time with bias ply tires and 40 horses. |
That sounds like a gorgeous drive! On that subject... of tires - I want to get whitewalls for mine but want to stray from original and get steel-belted radial ones, as mine is pretty much going to be a daily driver on the highways of sunny Southern California. How do bias ply hold up? Should I even consider them?
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Scott Hoffman
1961 Beetle sedan
"You've been Volkswagened- passed by 40 hp!" |
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67jason
Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2005
Posts: 4741
Location: behind my back feet - Pittsburg CA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:35 am Post subject: |
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what kind of shape is the car in? will it barley get you there by the skin of your teeth or is it a decent daily driver that most everything works properly and has been subjected to regular and proper maintance?
if the latter, then 1 quart of oil, fan belt (and tools to change it), and tire jack and lug wrench is about all you should need. give the car a good tune up and inspect and replace as necessary common wear items (belts, fuel lines, points, genny brushes, throttle and clutch cables, wireing connections etc) before leaving. inspect the suspension, brakes and tires to make sure all is working as it should.
if the car is in poor shape and only by the grace of god and vice grips will you make your destination, then start repairing/replacing all items in need of attention before leaving.
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67 bug x3
67 ghia
64 bug |
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RareAir
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Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 14577
Location: 18 miles North of the border
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KPottorff
Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2006
Posts: 429
Location: Texhoma
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:31 am Post subject: |
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Hey scottyhoffo,
Bias ply tires were made for years in the U.S. Up until the '70s they were pretty much the only tire you could get for a car. Anyone remember the Firestone "721"? That was supposed to be the height of bias ply design.
The main reason radials came to dominate the market is their better corner grip and lower rolling resistance.
You can still get bias ply tires, but I think that the price for a similar sized radial is probably less and more readily available.
165 x 15 radials work just fine for a stock wheel. |
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L572
Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2002
Posts: 704
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:46 am Post subject: |
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...got a Cell Phone? This would give me great peace of mind assuming you have coverage along your route. I also carry a fully assembled distributor in a zip-lock baggy. Someone over on the Vintage Bus or Type2 site had a list of "essentials" for a road trip... I'll see if I can find it....
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L572 |
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scottyhoffo
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2004
Posts: 253
Location: San Diego, CA USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:05 am Post subject: Of Beetles and long trips... |
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I can't thank you all enough for your help. I am now in the process of gathering these together - it may be some time before my trip but at least I'll have peace of mind. Well, of what little bit I haven't lost yet. 
I do have a cell phone and won't leave anywhere without it - just to have that link in the event help is required... T-Mobile has good coverage from my experience.
| RareAir wrote: |
| Scotty- So you finally got your car back from New Mexico? |
Sort of... Yes and no. My buddy is from there, so he spoke with some of his relatives there and they were able to pick the car up for me and keep it in a safe place until I'm able to get there to bring her back to San Diego. The engine (the 1200) and some "...other parts..." are apparently in Camp Verde with Jose's ex-wife. I emailed him again to see what the deal was but he's not gotten back to me. I'll call him tomorrow and if I don't hear back I'll have to get the police involved again.
At least my Walti is back in good hands!
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Scott Hoffman
1961 Beetle sedan
"You've been Volkswagened- passed by 40 hp!" |
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scottyhoffo
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2004
Posts: 253
Location: San Diego, CA USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:24 am Post subject: Da Bug |
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| 67jason wrote: |
| what kind of shape is the car in? will it barley get you there by the skin of your teeth or is it a decent daily driver that most everything works properly and has been subjected to regular and proper maintance? |
She's just been "restored" - I have to go pick her up from my buddy's relative's place in NM and bring her back to San Diego before I can go through and see what I'm going to need... but most everything should be decent. There wasn't a whole lot of rust to begin with... mechanically she was sound - should be no trouble at all but I'll still bring plenty of spares.
She'll be a daily driver so until the trip I'll have time to iron out any small issues which might arise.
What about a battery? She's a 6V and I intend to run an Optima - should I bring an extra one just in case?
Tires... I want to put Firestone whitewall radials on - I've heard about Coker tire - are there any other places y'all would recommend who would have a good deal? ...specifically in the SoCal / San Diego area?
Thanks again for your help, everyone! I can't wait to get my Waltraud back on the road again to start hitting up the shows!
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Scott Hoffman
1961 Beetle sedan
"You've been Volkswagened- passed by 40 hp!" |
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67jason
Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2005
Posts: 4741
Location: behind my back feet - Pittsburg CA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:34 am Post subject: |
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a brand new battery (optima no less) should last you 5+ years. why do you think you should bring a spare?
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67 bug x3
67 ghia
64 bug |
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scottyhoffo
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2004
Posts: 253
Location: San Diego, CA USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 2:19 am Post subject: Spares and such... |
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| 67jason wrote: |
| a brand new battery (optima no less) should last you 5+ years. why do you think you should bring a spare? |
You have a point - The only thing I don't want is to be stuck for a jump when pretty much most everyone has 12V... but yeah that's pretty silly eh... Especially as this trip will be quite a while after I've been driving her every day working out the kinks.
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Scott Hoffman
1961 Beetle sedan
"You've been Volkswagened- passed by 40 hp!" |
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luckystiff
Samba Member
Joined: September 28, 2005
Posts: 2252
Location: hickory,nc
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:52 am Post subject: |
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go to Diamondback tires for your whitewall radials. Coker is nothing but a headache. i don't know a single person that got a GOOD set of 4 tires from them all at once. to many stories of out of round tires and shipping problems. never heard anything but praises for Diamondback and have talked with them several times at shows good folks. just do a web search for diamondback tires and you'll get it. they are out of south carolina but ship all over all the time...ken....
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ITMC
Secret Service |
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53 0val
Samba Professor
Joined: July 03, 2003
Posts: 11396
Location: Irvine, CA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 11:44 am Post subject: |
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AAA card.
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"What a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away." Dobee, Dobee, Do |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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billy1ear
Samba Member
Joined: December 24, 2005
Posts: 95
Location: Houston, TX
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| Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:31 am Post subject: |
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| The Muir Idiot book had a list of tools to pack in various stages of minimal to everything you might need. |
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65 SlugBug
Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2006
Posts: 17
Location: Everett, WA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:59 am Post subject: |
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This has been a good topic for me to follow. Thank you! I am not planning on any trips anytime soon but I did learn alot from this forum. The VW Rescue Site is great!! I did not know this existed and when I get my 65 up and running I will be sure to print this page off and keep it in the glove box.
Good luck on your trip. You should post some pictures once you start your journey. 
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1965 Bug (Under Construction) |
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IRGreg
Samba Member
Joined: November 03, 2005
Posts: 97
Location: Victoria BC Canada
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| Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:41 am Post subject: |
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A week a go I did a road trip in my bug. Victoria BC to Grand Prairie AB and back. 3000km, All that happened was I blew a spark plug out of the head.
My suggestion. The tap and Helicoil to fix a blown out plug.
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04 Ram w/ trailer hitch for haulin the VWs home
03 TDI Wagon
86 Westy - 2003 TDI swap. 7.25L/100km @ 110km/h
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