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Wed Jul 16, 2025 6:39 am

Tahlequah wrote: https://vwparts.aircooled.net/Piston-Cylinder-Set-88mm-x-69mm-Forged-Slip-In-p/mahlet188f.htm
has this kit been discontinued? if not, how do i find it? please help, ive got engine tore down and from best i can tell this i the kit they had in it.
Consider a slip-in 87mm cylinder and piston set; this will have slightly thicker cylinder walls - which some like - and will fit right in.

Sun Jul 20, 2025 12:27 pm

A little help?

What color should I paint the bumpers?

SEM Trim Black (to match body moldings)
or
Seymour Stainless Blast (semi-gloss gray metallic)?

Sun Jul 20, 2025 12:35 pm

BCE56 wrote: A little help?

What color should I paint the bumpers?

SEM Trim Black (to match body moldings)
or
Seymour Stainless Blast (semi-gloss gray metallic)?

My opinion ... black to pick up on the trim and wheels would look sharp.

Maybe post a a survey in this forum?

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=646ca8ae012d090c5c54bcfd7123f7f8

Sun Jul 20, 2025 5:04 pm

OldSchoolVW's wrote:

My opinion ... black to pick up on the trim and wheels would look sharp.

Local survey results: Black wins 6:1.
Proceeding accordingly.

Wed Jul 30, 2025 2:35 am

To change the rubber seals for the vent window/quarterlights in the doors do I need to pull the door apart completley or can I get away with removing the rivet that forms the hinge (for lack of a better word) and lifting the assembly out?

Wed Jul 30, 2025 1:23 pm

whodunititmate wrote: To change the rubber seals for the vent window/quarterlights in the doors do I need to pull the door apart completley or can I get away with removing the rivet that forms the hinge (for lack of a better word) and lifting the assembly out?
That's not a stupid question at all.

However, not detailing what year and whether sedan or convertible keeps that in this category...

And explain "quarterlights" for those in USA please.

Wed Jul 30, 2025 7:17 pm

Cusser wrote: whodunititmate wrote: To change the rubber seals for the vent window/quarterlights in the doors do I need to pull the door apart completley or can I get away with removing the rivet that forms the hinge (for lack of a better word) and lifting the assembly out?
That's not a stupid question at all.

However, not detailing what year and whether sedan or convertible keeps that in this category...

And explain "quarterlights" for those in USA please.

I can see how that bit of info missing would keep it in this category, or the one of smart question/stupid owner. The car is a 72 super sedan. Quarter lights being the push out bits of glass in the doors.

Wed Jul 30, 2025 7:38 pm

Yes you have to remove the door pull, door card and main window glass and then remove the complete vent window. There's a screw at the top rear edge of the vent Window's frame hidden under the felt channel that gets removed, and a bolt at the base of the vent window frame that holds the lower frame to the metal door panel. Remove these then you sort of tilt the vent window frame back and pull it out. It can be fidgety, careful not to damage the scraper. Then you need to remove the vent glass from the frame to remove the old seal and install the new one.

Wed Aug 13, 2025 11:34 am

Hi.
I have a 90's no name single DIN radio in my 76 beetle.
Will I be surprised to find a different connection if I purchase a modern cheapo hands-free bluetooth Pioneer? Or will it be plug and play?
I've read that some stereos come with in-line fuses. Don't know if the one I'm interested in has that. Does it matter?

If I need a special hookup, it'd be good to buy at the same time as the radio.

Thanks in advance!

Wed Aug 13, 2025 11:45 am

Mely wrote: Hi.
I have a 90's no name single DIN radio in my 76 beetle.
Will I be surprised to find a different connection if I purchase a modern cheapo hands-free bluetooth Pioneer? Or will it be plug and play?
I've read that some stereos come with in-line fuses. Don't know if the one I'm interested in has that. Does it matter?

If I need a special hookup, it'd be good to buy at the same time as the radio.

Thanks in advance!

Contact Crutchfield.
https://www.crutchfield.com/
They can put you on the right track.

Thu Aug 14, 2025 3:42 am

BCE56 wrote: Mely wrote: Hi.
I have a 90's no name single DIN radio in my 76 beetle.
Will I be surprised to find a different connection if I purchase a modern cheapo hands-free bluetooth Pioneer? Or will it be plug and play?
I've read that some stereos come with in-line fuses. Don't know if the one I'm interested in has that. Does it matter?

If I need a special hookup, it'd be good to buy at the same time as the radio.

Thanks in advance!

Contact Crutchfield.
https://www.crutchfield.com/
They can put you on the right track.

So just by entering my car info, and choosing what's available from the Crutchfield website, it says, "A wiring harness is not available. You'll need to splice into the factory wires."
That sounds like it won't be plug and play. Anyway, I'll find out soon.
What about inline fuses? Important or not important?
Thanks!

Thu Aug 14, 2025 6:27 am

Mely wrote:
So just by entering my car info, and choosing what's available from the Crutchfield website, it says, "A wiring harness is not available. You'll need to splice into the factory wires."
That sounds like it won't be plug and play. Anyway, I'll find out soon.
What about inline fuses? Important or not important?

"Modern" stereos typically have a red wire with an inline fuse that connects to a fuse box terminal that has power when the ignition is switched on.

And a yellow wire with an inline fuse that attaches to a fuse box terminal which is always powered or "hot". This is so station pre-sets and clock time are remembered.

Modern stereos use LED lighting so any illumination wire connected to the old radio is simply not used.

Then there are speaker wires and their corresponding grounds.

I have installed stereos in both my 1970 and 1971 in this way.

There are little push-on (like Y- or T-connector) terminals commercially available to add a terminal at the fuse box.

Thu Aug 14, 2025 2:41 pm

Cusser wrote: Mely wrote:
So just by entering my car info, and choosing what's available from the Crutchfield website, it says, "A wiring harness is not available. You'll need to splice into the factory wires."
That sounds like it won't be plug and play. Anyway, I'll find out soon.
What about inline fuses? Important or not important?

"Modern" stereos typically have a red wire with an inline fuse that connects to a fuse box terminal that has power when the ignition is switched on.

And a yellow wire with an inline fuse that attaches to a fuse box terminal which is always powered or "hot". This is so station pre-sets and clock time are remembered.

Modern stereos use LED lighting so any illumination wire connected to the old radio is simply not used.

Then there are speaker wires and their corresponding grounds.

I have installed stereos in both my 1970 and 1971 in this way.

There are little push-on (like Y- or T-connector) terminals commercially available to add a terminal at the fuse box.

Funny that I just bookmarked a page stating the wire configuration. (It'll be good to now turn the radio off with the key!)
At first I thought I knew what you meant by push-on terminal... Is there any way you could attach a picture, or link?
Thank you.

Fri Aug 15, 2025 6:44 am

Mely wrote:
At first I thought I knew what you meant by push-on terminal... Is there any way you could attach a picture, or link?
Thank you.
3-Way Quick Disconnect Adapters

https://www.google.com/search?q=double+quick+conne...nt=gws-wiz

Fri Aug 15, 2025 3:24 pm

Cusser wrote: Mely wrote:
At first I thought I knew what you meant by push-on terminal... Is there any way you could attach a picture, or link?
Thank you.
3-Way Quick Disconnect Adapters

https://www.google.com/search?q=double+quick+conne...nt=gws-wiz

Thanks!

Sat Aug 16, 2025 1:26 pm

Mely wrote:
So just by entering my car info, and choosing what's available from the Crutchfield website, it says, "A wiring harness is not available. You'll need to splice into the factory wires."
That sounds like it won't be plug and play. Anyway, I'll find out soon.
What about inline fuses? Important or not important?

You can speak with a tech advisor by calling Crutchfield.
Or you might consult a local installer.

You did not mention any details about your current setup, but it appears an aftermarket single-DIN by P.O. that currently functions.
That suggests power, grounds, speaker connections etc are available.
They should be accessible inside the DIN mounting receptacle.

Wiring instructions provided with the new unit may be adequate to connect to the previously installed wiring. Note the connections of the old unit- those of the new will be the same.

I hope this helps!

..........

FWIW- My Frankenbug arrived with no radio-it was retained by the P.O. An unsightly rectangular hole cut in the dash and some dangling wires were all that remained.
I removed the useless wires and covered the dash hole w/ a homemade delete plate. Also removed the flimsy antenna and installed a filler plug.

I might install a radio later.
...Much later I reckon.

Wed Aug 20, 2025 1:16 pm

BCE56 wrote: Mely wrote:
So just by entering my car info, and choosing what's available from the Crutchfield website, it says, "A wiring harness is not available. You'll need to splice into the factory wires."
That sounds like it won't be plug and play. Anyway, I'll find out soon.
What about inline fuses? Important or not important?

You can speak with a tech advisor by calling Crutchfield.
Or you might consult a local installer.

You did not mention any details about your current setup, but it appears an aftermarket single-DIN by P.O. that currently functions.
That suggests power, grounds, speaker connections etc are available.
They should be accessible inside the DIN mounting receptacle.

Wiring instructions provided with the new unit may be adequate to connect to the previously installed wiring. Note the connections of the old unit- those of the new will be the same.

I hope this helps!

..........

FWIW- My Frankenbug arrived with no radio-it was retained by the P.O. An unsightly rectangular hole cut in the dash and some dangling wires were all that remained.
I removed the useless wires and covered the dash hole w/ a homemade delete plate. Also removed the flimsy antenna and installed a filler plug.

I might install a radio later.
...Much later I reckon.

I didn't want to call a professional, barrage them with questions, and not actually use their services or products. Was trying to get by on the cheap.

Yes, having a working radio already installed was a majority of the work done.
The important wires were identical in the newly purchased radio, but the speakers wires were not.
And there was an additional blue with white stripe that was a power antenna/ system remote control wire. That one threw me at first.
Figured it out though!

Thanks for the help.

Wed Aug 20, 2025 1:53 pm

Quote: I didn't want to call a professional, barrage them with questions, and not actually use their services or products. Was trying to get by on the cheap.

Yes, having a working radio already installed was a majority of the work done.
The important wires were identical in the newly purchased radio, but the speakers wires were not.
And there was an additional blue with white stripe that was a power antenna/ system remote control wire. That one threw me at first.
Figured it out though!

Thanks for the help.

You're welcome, Mely.
I have found many/most service and repair chores are complicated by the need to rectify "fixes" perpetrated by previous owners.
Thank goodness for The Samba community!

Sun Aug 24, 2025 4:44 pm

Can a header sitting right up against the apron and the rear engine tin contribute to a hot-running motor? I have a Thunderbird header on my '74 Super w/dual heat risers. After running for only a minute on a cold start, the rear apron and the rear engine tin are already almost too hot to touch. And w/every tin in place, that heat could transfer to the heads...right?

Sun Aug 24, 2025 5:50 pm

I ran a Thunderbird header with quiet exhaust on my 1970 VW with 1835cc dual port engine and dealer-installed AC in Arizona, and I did have some paint cracking on its apron from heat. You may see some in this photo.

I did not have doghouse cooler, I ran an external oil cooler mounted to the fan shroud (and still do, the engine is now in my 1971 convertible). The 1971 does NOT have AC.