TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1955 Bus Gen. Nut / Pulley Question... Help!

Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:34 pm

OK! Im putting it out here! Im putting the finishing touches on a customers June/'55 bus engine and having trouble finding out which gen. nut/pulley is correct! Did VW use the BIG thick nut or the BIG "thin" gen. nut similar to nut that is used to hold the fan on? Is either correct or ???

This engine proved to be the most difficult for me to restore CORRECTLY so any imput based on your experiances would be greatly appreciated! If you have photos, even better!!! Post them here....

Im going to post photos of the engine once its done and test running it in my shop.

HELP!!!

Thanks, Mr. Okrasa

Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:40 pm

What is the VIN number for the bus?

These are scans from the March 55 bus owners manual.
According to progressive refinements, VW switched to the smaller 21mm generator pully nut in August 1955.

Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:41 am

It should have the three piece top pulley with a big nut on a thin slot generator and the thin lipped crank pulley. Although the pic in the handbook shows the deeper lipped generater pulley so i may be wrong. I didnt know that two different 'big' nuts were used, i would also be interested which one is right

Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:03 am

The one shown in the manual is a three piece pulley that has the deep lip. This is the pulley I have on my Feb 55 and I belive was used through July 55.

Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:46 pm

The correct top pulley for a June '55 engine should have the large 36mm nut with the VW stamping,be three part and also have the lip and sometimes a counter weight balance on the pulley.

One more detail question,do you the the right '54-'55 Solex pre 28PCI carb on it??....they are tough to find.

Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:06 am

So when did the top pulley change from thin lipped to large lip? I'm guessing sometime in late 54'? I presume that the fatter nut (if there are two types) goes with the lipped pulley so its easier to get the spanner on it.

Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:18 pm

First of all, Thank You for all your responses I have recieved so far!

I emailed the owner of this engine that im building and he managed to find the build date of his bus, May 12, 1955. The engine number is: -20-1060XX. In light of this new information and the new photos that I just posted today, can anybody shed more info. if the photos of the generator pulley/nut combo is correct? For referrence purposes, I have attached a photo of the Okrasa engine that I built for Gregory Noble's 1955 bus engine serial number: -20-11861XX.

Some people have emailed me saying that the gen. nut should be the "thin" type identical to the nut that is used to hold the fan? Does that sound correct?.......

Again, thanks for all your help and continued support in this customers engine build.

Cheers! Mr. Okrasa www.imageevent.com/mrokrasa

Gregory Noble's 1955 Bus / Okrasa

Santiago's Eng.

Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:27 pm

This post says big nut, thick pulley
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3014863#3014863

I didn't think the thinner nut used on the rear was ever used on the front.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:15 am

I think you should have the thick pulley.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:55 am

Joe - You might want to check out this Thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=179439&highlight=differences

Mon Sep 01, 2008 11:51 am

Hey Joe, here are some photos of what I believe are the correct pulley.

Complete setup including 8 1.5mm shims.

Close-up of inner pulley half.

Close-up of outter pulley half.

Spacer and nut. The spacer and nut are the same as the earlier pulleys.

Close-up of spacer.

Comparison shot between fan pully nut and generator pulley nut. Generator pulley nut is thicker.

Spacer installed.

Inner half installed.

Comparison shot between '55 inner half and the earlier split beetle inner half. '55 left, earlier right.

Everything together.

Tool from stock VW tool roll.

This is installed on my 7L (July 1955) thin slot generator, which is headed into my July '55 bus. Plenty of other stuff to do to make the engine "correct" though....starting with the Brazilian dizzy cap and the later fuel pump. It's a work in progress.

Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:29 pm

here is a pic of the original engine installed on my 1955 oval window:
if it can help.

Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:46 pm

grailoc wrote: here is a pic of the original engine installed on my 1955 oval window:
if it can help.

Can you post more photos? What month are the beetle & engine from?

Mon Sep 01, 2008 2:17 pm

Thick pulley nut info
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=245612

Thick generator pulley nut photos
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=419014
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=419015
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=419016

Mon Sep 01, 2008 2:47 pm

Here it is! Completed and all I have to do is to now is put it through the break-in / testing phases before it goes to the crating company for proper shipping and then to its owner!

I would like to thank everybody that participated in this thread and their imputs. 1955 was a "difficult year" as to what is correct? There were so many changes during this year that not too many people knew without a doubt as to what is correct. Either the VW factory was introducing new designs/styles and putting them on early engines or they were depleting their inventory and using it up on newer engines.......Nevertheless, A BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE!

Cheers! Mr. Okrasa ;-)

Mon Sep 01, 2008 2:51 pm

Mr. Okrasa wrote: Here it is! Completed and all I have to do is to now is put it through the break-in / testing phases before it goes to the crating company for proper shipping and then to its owner!

I would like to thank everybody that participated in this thread and their imputs. 1955 was a "difficult year" as to what is correct? There were so many changes during this year that not too many people knew without a doubt as to what is correct. Either the VW factory was introducing new designs/styles and putting them on early engines or they were depleting their inventory and using it up on newer engines.......Nevertheless, A BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE!

Cheers! Mr. Okrasa ;-)

Awesome!

Better fix that fuel pump before it ships out Joe. It needs one of the "wavy top" ones.

Lets see some more detail shots.....

Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:28 pm

I think I come late :?

Photos from my 55 dirty motor.. sorry the bad quality

(Don't look at my fuel line/red tank hack 8))

Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:34 pm

Nirvana wrote: I think I come late :?

Photos from my 55 dirty motor.. sorry the bad quality

(Don't look at my fuel line/red tank hack 8))

What month production is the bus & engine?

Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:49 pm

campingbox wrote:
What month production is the bus & engine?

Engine Number: 20.116021*

Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:08 pm

Nirvana wrote: campingbox wrote:
What month production is the bus & engine?

Engine Number: 20.116021*

Looks like the coil and air cleaner have been changed.
What date is printed on your generator? It should have a two digit code like 8L or 9L printed near the next of the casing behind the regulator. Interesting that it has the wire clips for the dizzy cap, I would have thought those would have been done by then?