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New bug owner questions
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Aircooledgeek
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 7:35 pm    Post subject: New bug owner questions Reply with quote

I have the following problems with my bug:

1. the speedometer doesnt work
2. no tach
3. the head light switch and the wiper switch are those annoying turn knobs
4. The OEM seats dont scoot forward, they dont have those rails
5. Door locks don't work

Do you guys know where I can get all the goodies I need to restore my interior?

Also, if I was to restore the bug myself (its got a C grade resto, it will work for a daily while I am using in that capacity, but its not a show looker)- is taking a bug down for restoration a nightmare or a piece of cake compared to most other cars? I can take it apart myself no problem, I am mostly concerned with the cost of getting stuff repainted and the like.

Thanks everyone.
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doc1369
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All the things you listed are easy fixes, If you don't know how specify one and you'll get a answer here. Parts are plentifull and cheaper than most cars on the road. If you have a screwdriver set, bottle jack, 10 and 13mm wrench, ou can strip the car down.
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Aircooledgeek
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 7:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

doc1369 wrote:
All the things you listed are easy fixes, If you don't know how specify one and you'll get a answer here. Parts are plentifull and cheaper than most cars on the road. If you have a screwdriver set, bottle jack, 10 and 13mm wrench, ou can strip the car down.


How much would it cost you think to do a GOOD restoration (assuming I do assembly and paint and stripping and the like done by a shop)
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doc1369
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My best friend is a painter by trade. If I stripped the bodywork off and gutted the interior it would have cost me 2500 for a show quality paint job. Thats my best friend, but SHOW quality. Macco would be about 400. All depends what your looking for. Also remember the digger you dig the more problems you'll find.
ine turned into a driver really really quick Laughing . I hit a tumble weed as big as the front of my 68 today, hit both headlights. I got to laugh about it because it's a driver with shotty paint. Very Happy
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jhicken
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

1. Could be the speedo itself, or it could be the cable
2. VW's never came wiht a tach
3. Why are you so "annoyed" by these? Are you a push button kind of guy?
4. The seats should move forward unless you have really short legs.
5. The door locks are probably just gummed up, take them apart, clean and lube and they will probably work fine.

You can get interior parts from most of your typical retailers [wolfsburg west, mid-america, CIP, JBugs, etc.]. If you want the best, call Lenny Copp.

As for the cost of repainting, it all depends on how picky you are. You could spend anywhere from $1000 to $15000 on paint. Show quality paint could easily take 300-400 hours of labor.

-jeffrey
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spotco2
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aircooledgeek wrote:
How much would it cost you think to do a GOOD restoration (assuming I do assembly and paint and stripping and the like done by a shop)


There's no real way to answer that question without seeing the vehicle.

I've redone these cars for under $1,000 and I've redone these cars and ended up with over $20,000 in them.
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spotco2
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:33 pm    Post subject: Re: New bug owner questions Reply with quote

Aircooledgeek wrote:
I have the following problems with my bug:

1. the speedometer doesnt work
2. no tach
3. the head light switch and the wiper switch are those annoying turn knobs
4. The OEM seats dont scoot forward, they dont have those rails
5. Door locks don't work

Do you guys know where I can get all the goodies I need to restore my interior?


I am assuming this is the 72 that you posted about earlier...

Speedo - could be the cable, could be the cap on the front drum, could be the speedo itself. Does the cable poke out the drum on the front left? Does it spin when the drum spins? Disconnect it from the speedo with the front left tire off the ground, kick the tire over a few revolutions and see of the cable spins with the tire. Chuck up the end that goes in teh drum into your favorite variable speed drill and pull the trgger, does the speedo needle move?

Tach - It wern't standard so that ain't no telling. They are simple to install though and should have a wire running off of the coil.

Knobs - Yeah, they're supposed to be that way. Have you considered a Honda maybe?

Seats - How are they attached to the floor? If they are the original seats, they're probably just stuck but I can not see them from here.

Locks - What don't work? Key no turn? Key yes turn but nothing happen? Are you sure you have the correct key for the door?

Interior - Good-n-Cheap kits are available from every major distributor that sells parts. TMI stuff ain't half bad, looks pretty good actually and is very affordable.
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Flame
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:35 pm    Post subject: Re: New bug owner questions Reply with quote

Aircooledgeek wrote:

Do you guys know where I can get all the goodies I need to restore my interior?


If not here at the samba classifieds then try http://www.mamotorworks.com/ they have almost everything only bad thing is you have to pay for shipping Rolling Eyes
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Aircooledgeek
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:52 pm    Post subject: Re: New bug owner questions Reply with quote

spotco2 wrote:
Aircooledgeek wrote:
I have the following problems with my bug:

1. the speedometer doesnt work
2. no tach
3. the head light switch and the wiper switch are those annoying turn knobs
4. The OEM seats dont scoot forward, they dont have those rails
5. Door locks don't work

Do you guys know where I can get all the goodies I need to restore my interior?


I am assuming this is the 72 that you posted about earlier...

Speedo - could be the cable, could be the cap on the front drum, could be the speedo itself. Does the cable poke out the drum on the front left? Does it spin when the drum spins? Disconnect it from the speedo with the front left tire off the ground, kick the tire over a few revolutions and see of the cable spins with the tire. Chuck up the end that goes in teh drum into your favorite variable speed drill and pull the trgger, does the speedo needle move?

Tach - It wern't standard so that ain't no telling. They are simple to install though and should have a wire running off of the coil.

Knobs - Yeah, they're supposed to be that way. Have you considered a Honda maybe?

Seats - How are they attached to the floor? If they are the original seats, they're probably just stuck but I can not see them from here.

Locks - What don't work? Key no turn? Key yes turn but nothing happen? Are you sure you have the correct key for the door?

Interior - Good-n-Cheap kits are available from every major distributor that sells parts. TMI stuff ain't half bad, looks pretty good actually and is very affordable.


I just learned about the tach, and I WAS a honda person, theres a reason I am in VWs now.
I ended up with a 70, the 72 was a POS.
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Aircooledgeek
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

as far as the paint goes, think new car, not trailer queen. I dont want to drive something I paranoid about chipping or some craziness.

Best comparison in quality, no lie, my honda when it was new, not some uber high shimmer looks like its wet shined to all hell.

I am getting more at odds about this thing everyday.

In the beginning, drag machine, after I realized how much work its going to be and my love for driving it, its turned into something more mild
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spotco2
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a blow-n-go paint job with very minor body work should run between $1000 - $2000. Body work is where the money is. Honestly for a daily driver, I wouldn't worry a lot about getting it perfect, just all one color because it's going to get chipped and dinged up anyways.

Check out Mid America, West Coast Metric, J-Bugs, etc and you can find carpet for under $150, door panels for about $100 and seat covers for around $130. Figure $500 to cover new clips, padding, misc crap and you can do your complete interior and not have to worry about taking your shoes off before you get in or dropping a greasy french fry in the floor.
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Aircooledgeek
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spotco2 wrote:
Just a blow-n-go paint job with very minor body work should run between $1000 - $2000. Body work is where the money is. Honestly for a daily driver, I wouldn't worry a lot about getting it perfect, just all one color because it's going to get chipped and dinged up anyways.

Check out Mid America, West Coast Metric, J-Bugs, etc and you can find carpet for under $150, door panels for about $100 and seat covers for around $130. Figure $500 to cover new clips, padding, misc crap and you can do your complete interior and not have to worry about taking your shoes off before you get in or dropping a greasy french fry in the floor.


I'm lucky it was restored before, albeit not the best, it was done. There is NO rust that I can see or dents.
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doc1369
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 10:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To have the color to match the interior your looking at quite bill. If the paint is withing the last 10 years your better of having it polished.
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Aircooledgeek
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 3:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

doc1369 wrote:
To have the color to match the interior your looking at quite bill. If the paint is withing the last 10 years your better of having it polished.

With the interior, I just want to go with an OEM one.

The restoration that was done to that car was crappy work.
So no point in keeping it.
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Aircooledgeek
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just out of curiosity, how hard is it to take the body off the pan/chassis thing?
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 9:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aircooledgeek wrote:
Just out of curiosity, how hard is it to take the body off the pan/chassis thing?

Not too hard. You might want to invest in the Bug Me Video to see the process and get a better overall understanding of what is involved before you start loosening bolts.

Volume 6 covers the body.
http://www.bugmevideo.com/frame/volume6.htm

They have a series of dvds covering all of the different systems on a VW. For starters, get yourself volume 1 for general maintenance and a Bentley manual.

http://www.bugmevideo.com/

Shameless plug:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=929979

Of course there is a lot of information right here on this site, but I prefer learning visually to reading.
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Aircooledgeek
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 9:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

alright.

I am really confused about the direction to take my beetle in.

Ive been thinking that stock with a bit of engine/suspension/brake/tranny work along with maybe a few minor changes in the interior- any thoughts?
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