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Wed Dec 15, 2010 3:31 pm

AXAM wrote: My daily driver is my 63 bug, rain or shine, 260 miles round trip Daily from auburn to san francisco

Im surprised I have not seen you driving yet. Im on the 80 everyday. what MPG are you getting and what ratio is the 5 speed (r&p and 4th gear)

Here is a pic of the beater.

What does your ride look like?

Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:40 pm

I use to leave around 3:30 am and get home around 5 pm or later.
the past several months I leave around 1-1:30 pm and get home between 3 & 4 am.
The mileage depends on how you drive it. best is 32mpg worst is 26-27.
The trans fifth gear which is normally your 4th is a .82 with the 4:12 r/p.
my other motor was a 1679 with dual 40idf's got the same mileage (29-31) but had more power over on the grades.

Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:50 pm

AXAM wrote: My daily driver is my 63 bug, rain or shine, 260 miles round trip Daily from auburn to san francisco
12v
1600 sp
berg 5 speed
centerline wheels
two speed wiper motor, heaters work, accessory fan for the 100 degree days
(I even have a swamp cooler for it)
car has been very dependable for the ten years since I been comuting in it. I got a RLR cage in trade and installed that for safety reasons.
overall I can't complain. I driven it to LA and back several times also
years back I also comuted in a 57 bug 150 round trip from santa cruz to san francisco daily.

this sounds like the perfect swetup to me. i love the RLR bolt in cage for these beetles.

Thu Dec 16, 2010 5:30 pm

Here's my '62 Type 34. It's completely stock except for the sapphire radio. She still has the original style pinwheel drums, which are very hard to find. I also have the original Hirschmann keyed antenna, with the original keys in the box they came in.

Now I just drive her to the beach and around town, but I was commuting to school for a year 20 miles each way, 4 days a week on the 405 after I rebuilt the engine.

Thu Dec 16, 2010 8:41 pm

derluftwagen wrote: AXAM wrote: My daily driver is my 63 bug, rain or shine, 260 miles round trip Daily from auburn to san francisco

Im surprised I have not seen you driving yet. Im on the 80 everyday. what MPG are you getting and what ratio is the 5 speed (r&p and 4th gear)

Here is a pic of the beater.

What does your ride look like?

i drove a 57 beetle like this for 6 years 365 days a year 1970-1976 in Wisconsin. got -30 d F some days and over a +100 D F other days. 36hp og engine.

Thu Dec 16, 2010 8:52 pm

camdogg14 wrote: Here's my '62 Type 34. It's completely stock except for the sapphire radio. She still has the original style pinwheel drums, which are very hard to find. I also have the original Hirschmann keyed antenna, with the original keys in the box they came in.

Now I just drive her to the beach and around town, but I was commuting to school for a year 20 miles each way, 4 days a week on the 405 after I rebuilt the engine.

Pretty cool ride. :wink:

Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:05 pm

I have a teenager who is driving with a permit so he will drive my old commuter. This was my chance to get a vert. I purchased it about a year ago. I'm commuting daily now in mine.

1970 Type 1 Convertible
1600 dp stock
stock original trans
stock sized radial tires but chrome 5.5" rims
about 25 - 27 mpg
14 miles round trip
Pretty satisfied...everything works, only gripe is the front shoulder belts don't sit on my shoulders right
wish list: Collect up some german fenders and front apron and respray it Yukon Yellow

Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:11 pm

Thats a nice car. You should do it clementine orange.

Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:39 pm

rustfree1967bug wrote: Thats a nice car. You should do it clementine orange. There was a guy at my mechanics shop with a perfect stock orange 70 convertible.. It looked pretty sweet for a fatty

Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:54 pm

I have a '70 vert that was originally clementine orange and i hope to restore it to original someday so thats why i said it. it is a cool color.

Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:35 pm

rustfree1967bug wrote: Thats a nice car. You should do it clementine orange.

Thanks, it's not bad, a 20 footer right now. Got an aftermarket ill-fitting front apron and hood and the fenders are repops too. The rest of the car is solid. I like Clementine orange too but this one was originally Yukon Yellow. My wife wants me to paint it Diamond Blue. I like 'em all but I think I'd go with what it came from the factory with.

Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:44 pm

Yukon is nice. Not bright and not pastel, pleasant to the eye for sure.

Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:01 am

I drive my '59 Beetle almost everyday around town... especially to school and back (Butte College here in Chico). I get lots of compliments and smiles and thumbs up every time I drive it... and that's here in the land of VW's!!!

When my '71 bus is done, I will probably be driving that more than the Bug, though... but who knows?

Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:00 pm

AXAM wrote: My daily driver is my 63 bug, rain or shine, 260 miles round trip Daily from auburn to san francisco

I'm impressed... the last 10 miles of that route each night are tough in any car; from Rocklin to Auburn, steady climb followed by a true hill. Especially in the summer, traversing 100 miles of valley heat and finishing with steep grade.

Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:20 pm

This is my current daily driver. I just would like more power (100-130 HP) and better highway gears..

Charlie

72'Super
1641cc single port
stock type 1
front 205/40/17 / rear 255/40/17
18-22 mpg
240 plus miles per week
sat lvl 6.5
wish list: 1914cc with dual 44's EFI bigger heads, mild cam, external oil cooler, etc, etc.. sport seats, 4.12 tranny.

Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:48 am

Very nice Charlie.

Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:05 am

Thanks Stu!

I notice that you have Larry Olsens web site listed on your page...

He built and I quote "The strongest and most reliable daily driver engine I have owned yet...Back in high school 93', for my 69'standard. I acually regret selling that motor more then my 69'.." :oops: When it come time to get my 1914 put together, he will be the person i'll call.

Charlie

Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:36 pm

Love this thread.
This is my only means of transportation for about 8 months now. Commute 85% freeway Monday-Saturday 90 miles roundtrip for work. Its fun and feeds my need to to drive aircooled. :shock:

car: 1962 VW Beetle (full professional restoration) the peoples car*

suspension: 5in. narrowed adjustable beam, turned spring plates

engine: 12VOLT 1776cc,042 ported and polished heads, 110 cam, 8
dowel crank, full flow, 009, MSD box, equilizer pully, and Weber 44 IDFs (15,000 miles)

trans: 12V 68 Bug tranny with 4.12 gearing and short axles

tires: 195/50-15 Dunlop SP sport (what I had laying around)

mpg: approx. 20MPG

satisfaction level: very reliable when I change the oild and adjust the valves

wish list: 205/65-15 rears (better freeway gearing), drop spindles with front disc, 12 volt 1200cc stock motor back in for better heat and MPG, maybe stock rims back on with whitewalls again

Sun Dec 19, 2010 5:23 pm

What is that colour called alphaskate69? That's the exact colour i want to re-spray my bug.

Sun Dec 19, 2010 7:04 pm

CLAS73 wrote: Thanks Stu!

I notice that you have Larry Olsens web site listed on your page...

He built and I quote "The strongest and most reliable daily driver engine I have owned yet...Back in high school, for my 69'standard. I'm acually regret selling that motor more then my 69'.." :oops: When it come time to get my 1914 put together, he will be the person i'll call.

Charlie

You're very welcome! Yeah, Larry and his daughter April are good people. Back in the 70's, when my dad and brothers were really into VW's, they used to deal with Bob Olsen (Larry's Uncle) for most of their engine work. My last air cooled VW was in '82. Recently got back into VW's when I purchased my '66 back in August.

Went to Olsens swap meet back in September and just had a brand new 30/31 Pict installed by April a few Saturdays ago. I'll be going back sometime this week for various replacement parts. Larry's warehouse is like a "Vintage VW Candy Store". A seemingly endless supply of blocks, heads, beams, fan shrouds, generators, etc. etc. etc.

Again, nice Type I Charlie! Maybe I'll see ya on the road soon! :wink: