TheSamba.com :: View topic - What did you do to your Beetle this week?

Wed Aug 06, 2025 9:26 pm

After my buddy Steve completed the 12 V conversion earlier this summer I thought I’d drive my ‘66 to the Nor Cal Treffen in Concord. Lovely location!

Sat Aug 09, 2025 2:30 pm

I've actually been driving it, like a real car! I retired from UPS this past January and started at a part time job 20 minutes from my house. Been "commuting" with it a few days a week. :D :D

Sat Aug 09, 2025 3:23 pm

Pretty exciting time for me. I pulled the 2276 out of the buggy, pulled the cylinders and added spacers to drop the compression. Now it's going back together with a turbo! :twisted:

Tue Aug 12, 2025 10:52 pm

My 1961 Pearl White Rag Top Beetle had an romantic moonlight evening date at the Mosel River.

... but with an inapppropiately younger 2003 Acuarius Blue Ultima Edicion!

Because she was feeling so much younger and stronger after that, on the next day, I raced her on the Spa Francorchamps Circuit.

Wed Aug 13, 2025 1:31 pm

Cradle robber! :)

This is USA slang for an older person dating an much younger person, in case you haven't heard the term before.

Is there a German equivalent?

Wed Aug 13, 2025 1:42 pm

EverettB wrote: Cradle robber! :)

This is USA slang for an older person dating an much younger person, in case you haven't heard the term before.

Is there a German equivalent?
German word for "Catfish", "Wels." :wink:

Wed Aug 13, 2025 7:06 pm

alex857 wrote: My 1961 Pearl White Rag Top Beetle had an romantic moonlight evening date at the Mosel River.

... but with an inapppropiately younger 2003 Acuarius Blue Ultima Edicion!

Because it was feeling so much younger and stronger after that, on the next day, I raced her on the Spa Francorchamps Circuit.

Kemmel straight or is that the run to Pouhon?

Wed Aug 13, 2025 11:00 pm

EverettB wrote: Cradle robber! :)

This is USA slang for an older person dating an much younger person, in case you haven't heard the term before.

Is there a German equivalent?

Indeed: The exact equivalent is "Wiegenräuber"
cradle = Wiege; robber = Räuber.

However, although the Última Edición is 42 years younger than my 61, it is already 22 years old and therefore by far no minor any more :lol:

And yes, it is Kemmel Straight!

Tue Aug 19, 2025 11:51 am

Got my baja back from the shop and I wanted to fix something that always bugged me, the cancel ring did not sit quite right on the Moon eyes wheel. So I printed a spaced, which I like a lot more.

-Joe

Wed Aug 20, 2025 11:59 am

I just installed the rear and side glass. Finishing up the interior this week!

Mon Aug 25, 2025 11:44 am

I've had this project car for nearly 18 years. It was supposed to be a cosmetic restore, but before I even got it on the road, the engine overheated and destroyed itself, turning it into a motor rebuild project. I was excited at first, but it was slow and I didn't know what I was doing. Thanks to the Bug Me videos and John Muir, I got it rebuilt. There were hiccups along the way, and I would walk away for awhile. Finally it was done but something was wrong, and the engine wouldn't even turn. I took a LONG walk away.

This summer some friends on their own decided they were going to make sure I get this done so I can get back to the original place of making the car look good.

Anyway, that's a long way to get to what I did this week...

Mon Aug 25, 2025 11:57 am

In the process of getting my '62 started, I built this remote start box.

I used a small plastic ammo box. The cables unplug from the box and are stored inside.

Added red and green LEDs to replicate the dash lights.

Mon Aug 25, 2025 8:07 pm

@grandemadaca that is cool!

I finally replaced my speedometer, I am not sure why I put up with the bouncy speedo needle for the past 2 years.

Full pics and instructions here: https://robonza.com/beetle/index.php/2025/08/26/replacing-the-speedometer-cable-in-a-vw-beetle/

-Joe

Wed Aug 27, 2025 12:27 pm

I printed a copy of Uniwerks vent window Cool Stik. I did not see a beetle version on his site, so I feel it is ok.

-Joe

Tue Sep 02, 2025 5:53 pm

I FINALLY got my hood to close on the first try, everytime! It used to take me 4 or 5 times to close it. I've been dealing with this for years but was always afraid I'd make it worse.

Thu Sep 04, 2025 9:22 am

I have LED blinkers, a 12v upgrade and wiring from... who knows. My in speedometer indicator bulb was not working. I solved this with a much too complicated Arduino. But I decided to fix it using regular car parts. I used a Grote solid state relay and a plastic bulb holder from a later beetle and now have it working. Plus I added emergency lights.

-Joe

Mon Sep 22, 2025 6:57 pm

Prepping for a front brake upgrade on the ‘58 with an EMPI disc brake kit.

Sun Oct 05, 2025 7:04 pm

Fixed my fuel tanks sending unit so my gauge now works, and added the oil pressure sending unit, so the oil pressure gauge now works. Little things make me happy, now if I would fix the wondering suspension.

Sun Oct 05, 2025 7:51 pm

Replaced the fuel filter and soft lines next to the transmission.

Mon Oct 06, 2025 11:42 am

Installed a new muffler on my '62 with fresh air heat. Stripped and repainted with VHT primer and aluminum paint.

I could NOT get one bolt started in the threaded hole of one of the Heat exchanger connections. I could get the holes lined up, but I think the gasket was to snug to easily adjust, so it may have been getting in the way. I finally dug up a slightly thinner bolt to pass through and attach with a nut. That seem to do the trick.

The heat exchanger heads lined up with the heater boxes close enough to get the clamps around, but barely. But she sounds nice with the classic "fweem".