TheSamba.com :: View topic - Digitalbill's official 73 Super rebuild thread.

Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:16 pm

OK... I just ordered new window cranks (mine are both broken) and rear lap belts from Jbugs.

Slowly but surely.

Sat Apr 06, 2013 2:30 pm

OK... latest update.
I was able to get four new tires mounted and balanced and it was time for a road test.
First, it is not holding an idle anymore once it is warmed up. Hopefully it is just a carb adjustment.
On the highway, it does the "super shake" from 40 to 45 MPH and then smooth's out.
Up to 60 MPH it felt good but I didn't want to push it.
I filled it up with gas (I have no idea how old the fuel in it was) and I think something happened. It is running a bit rougher now. I picked up a new fuel filter and once the motor cools off, I will see if that helps.

Thu Apr 11, 2013 5:49 am

For those who are keeping up with my drama.
I attempted to drive the fat chick to work on Monday and it broke down about half way here.
I was able to get a pull from a guy with a truck (also a bug owner) to the shop.
The analysys was the following:
1: The coil wire was resting on the manifold and as a result, three burn holes in it (probably why I died)

2: The accelrator pump was clogged

3: Jets were partially clogged

4: Points were not gapped properly.

So, after fixing all of that and putting in new fuel lines, I was able to drive it 30 miles to work today without a hitch.
Still a work in progress.....

Fri Apr 26, 2013 6:11 am

Yeah, still no new pictures but, I bought another 73 last night.
It is just a shell and in pretty rough shape but, the doors and, more importantly, the rear quarters are good so now I have parts so when I am ready to tackle the "death foam", I have good panels to weld back in.

$75.00 is totally worth it and, what I don't use will go to the recycle place.
Don't worry too much guys, I am not trashing a perfectly good body. The roof had a tree or something fall on it so it is destroyed and there is enough rust to make it not worth it.

Fri Apr 26, 2013 8:03 pm

Cool thrwad, stumbled on it today. I too am doing a driving slow rebuild of my 69 baja bug for a daily driver. One piece at a time. Keep us posted !

Mon Apr 29, 2013 7:50 am

Ok... latest drama:
Since day 1, the shifting has always been sloppy compared to most of the other manuals I have owned but, I figured that was all part of the VW charm.
Wrong.
Saturday while out in Royal Palm Beach, the shift linkage bushings finally decided it was time to go away.
Basically, I lost first and third gears.
A search on this site showed me what the problem was and, a look under the access cover confirmed it.
One of the rubber "blocks" was completly gone and the other one was "kinda" in there.
I ordered some poly ones from McNab and, once they come in, I will document the replacements with pictures.

Wed May 01, 2013 9:51 am

So, I got my parts car home last night. I will be taking off the rear quarters in the next few weeks and prepping them to install on my daily driver.
In addition, the front and rear window channels are rust free so I can use those also.
The guy tossed in a pair of (I think) centerlines and empi rims.

Wed May 01, 2013 12:56 pm

This is not negative towards you, I'm just shocked at the state of that - Jesus Christ! I've never seen a roof so badly savaged by tinworms. WTF happened to that? Hope the quarters are OK for you man. There's a few salvageable bits on there and with the wheels $75 brings you out ahead I'd say, but jeeeeez it's et by the bastards. Maybe you could sell the rest as art... like a big sieve?

Wed May 01, 2013 1:12 pm

Volks Wagen wrote: This is not negative towards you, I'm just shocked at the state of that - Jesus Christ! I've never seen a roof so badly savaged by tinworms. WTF happened to that? Hope the quarters are OK for you man. There's a few salvageable bits on there and with the wheels $75 brings you out ahead I'd say, but jeeeeez it's et by the bastards. Maybe you could sell the rest as art... like a big sieve?
Oh, the roof is destroyed.
I bought it for the rear quarters (which are almost perfect for some reason) and both doors are in really good shape.
there are also a few other little bits and pieces I can use.
Yeah, the rest will be sold for scrap.
From what I can tell, someone already cleared out the death foam.
As far as the roof goes, my best guess is that someone put a tarp on it to "protect" it and we all know how well water trapped against metal goes.

Wed May 01, 2013 1:22 pm

I had a heck of a time taking my front seats out so, I am hoping this helps.
I kept reading about a "tab"

I finally found it

This is a picture of the pass side (right side in America)
The picture is also kind of upside down so the tab is to the rear of the adjustment bolt.
In the picture, the top is the rear floor.

Here is how I did it.
1: Slide the front seat forward a little bit
2: Take off the spring that connects the seat frame to the slide adjuster thing
3: Take the rod that connects the slide adjuster handle to the pin off
4: Take the adjustment stop pin all the way out.
5: Slide the seat forward just a bit and, with some needle nose pliers, hold that little tab down and slide the seat back
6: Once the seat clears that little tab, the seat will slide all the way back and out of the car.

Wed May 01, 2013 1:32 pm

So, pulling up the rear carpet and tar boards, I could feel the dampness.
Here is what I found

Not horrible so, a wire brush and Por 15 should hopefully resolve the issue on both sides.

Mon May 06, 2013 5:55 am

So, I got my new shift linkage bushings installed.
It was not too horribly bad. My biggest problem is that I started at about 1:30 in the afternoon. By the way, it was about 90 degrees at 100% humidity.
By 2:15, I was wiped out.
A friend came by and finished bolting everything together. What an amazing difference in shifting.

Wed May 15, 2013 10:45 am

So I am watching # 6 of the Bug Me video series.
They are putting in a new floor pan without taking the body off.
I am really excited to do this now.....

Thu May 23, 2013 2:43 pm

I too have recently acquired an SB of '74 vintage with similar brake issues (which is why I come to be reading your post :wink: ). I have an "82 diesel Westy that has educated me about old brake systems :shock: so I've purchased all the brake lines / hoses m/c, wheel cylinders etc... I'm looking forward to following your journey since I'll only be a little behind you.

Wrench on!

Erik

'82 diesel Westy, '91 Vanagon GL, 89 diesel Jetta (mostly lawn ornament)

Thu May 23, 2013 2:47 pm

I hook my Brother up with a boat, he hooks me up with a welder and one of those auto darken helmets.

I know it's not the best equipment but, it should be good for the floors at least (for now)

Thu May 23, 2013 4:02 pm

It may or may not be the best, but you definitely can't practice with NO equipment.

Erik

Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:56 am

So, another update.
I now have a full set of "new" doors donated to me. They are in better shape then my existing ones so I can rebuild them off the car and when I am ready for final paint, go ahead and mount them.
Also, I discovered fuel leaking into the oil so I decided to try a new fuel pump first.
While taking the pump off, I cracked the little plastic rod guide thing so now I am waiting for a new one to come in.