TheSamba.com :: View topic - Need help please... grandfather / grandson project

Tue Jan 12, 2021 7:21 am

unclebilly wrote: Awesome resurrection of this family built classic.

What did you use to clean up the aluminium? Some type of etching product, polish, elbow grease or some combination there of?

The burro looks great!

Thanks, much appreciated!

The buggy appears to be skinned with both aluminum (floor) and stainless steel on the top and sides. It’s been a process of trial and error to knock some of the grime off of it.

We first tried Star Brite Aluminum Cleaner/ Restorer and a power washer on all of the metal. It had great foaming action on the floor, but didn’t work so well on the rest.

Next, my uncle told me back in the day he used rubbing compound to polish it up. We tried “3m Super Duty Rubbing Compound” and a power buffer. It worked fairly well but still showed lots of staining.

Finally, we found that using light pressure with an SOS soap pad worked great (following the grain of the metal). After that, a final buffing with Mothers Aluminum Paste gave it a little shine.

My grandchildren and I like the battle scars, bumps, and bruises that still show in the metal. Part of the history of this old buggy.

Tue Jan 12, 2021 4:08 pm

wow what big buggy bumpers you have.
what fun you must be having resurrecting grandpa's old gal.

Tue Jan 12, 2021 5:53 pm

stevebaz wrote: wow what big buggy bumpers you have.
what fun you must be having resurrecting grandpa's old gal.

Haha, yes, the bumper is off an early forties Pontiac with a section cut out of the middle.

Tue Jan 26, 2021 7:38 am

dustymojave wrote: The brake shoes must be adjusted well and the cables must be in good condition and the brakes properly installed. I've seen issues like the crossbar not installed or installed incorrectly, or the cables too loose so the handle needs to be pulled very high, or the shoes simply not adjusted (many folks who are accustomed to working on more modern cars and disc brakes are often not aware that old VW Bug brakes need to be manually adjusted initially and regularly).

We adjusted the brake shoes and everything works pretty well but seem a little spongy now. Ordered a brake residual pressure valve to install and see if that helps.

With the type wheels we have, the front brakes can be adjusted with the wheels on. The back wheels had to be removed. Thinking about drilling holes in the backing plate for adjustment, what do you think?

Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:49 am

With wide 5 wheels you adjust the brakes through the front of the drums. You'll have to pull off the wheel and possibly the adaptor to access the adjuster hole.

Tue Jan 26, 2021 12:16 pm

Daddy o's 67 wrote: With wide 5 wheels you adjust the brakes through the front of the drums. You'll have to pull off the wheel and possibly the adaptor to access the adjuster hole.

Thanks

I'm looking for the other widened (original) rear wide 5 wheel circled in the pic. Haven't located it yet but we believe it's on my uncle's property somewhere. I'm thinking the 295/50R15 mounted on the Weld wheels are a little too heavy for our buggy (67.5 lbs. with tires, lug nuts, and adaptor). They sure are purty but may sell those.

The OE wheel and tire weighs 42.5 lbs.

Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:33 pm

I just bought an early 70's Hot Rod Magazine VW yearbook with a couple of Burro pics that I will copy and post soon.

Wed Jan 27, 2021 7:20 am

rayjay wrote: I just bought an early 70's Hot Rod Magazine VW yearbook with a couple of Burro pics that I will copy and post soon.

Thanks :D

Wed Jan 27, 2021 3:43 pm

this is what a Burro is supposed to look like !!! :) Supposed to be in Baja !!

Wed Jan 27, 2021 6:10 pm

I like it!

Thu Jan 28, 2021 3:31 pm

Purchased a 2 lb. residual brake pressure valve from a fellow forum member that arrived today.

Installed it in the rear brake line at the master cylinder and it made a big difference. It's better now than it was before the hydraulic turning brake install, no more spongy brakes.

Fri Jan 29, 2021 9:03 pm

Found the missing rear wheel (widened 5x205 with OE implement tire) today at my Uncle's place. I'm pretty stoked about it.

They have large valve stem holes for tubes, so I need to find out how to correct that for tubeless tires. Any ideas?

Now, I need to find two smoothies for the front and get all of them powder coated.

Still don't know what color yet.

Sat Jan 30, 2021 1:22 pm

Was wondering why the original wheels only weighed in at 20 lbs. each, I didn’t pay close enough attention. Figured out they are 14 in. x 10 in. with a 2" backspace (not a 15-inch 5x205). The Atco farm implement tire is a 11L-14 - 29.6 x 10.6 inches.

The buggy originally had 14” rims on the rear and 5x4.75-14 Cragar SS rims on the front using an adaptor. So, back to the drawing board for me.

Looking to find some 14” smoothies, maybe for a bus?? to use on the front.

Thu Feb 18, 2021 12:59 pm

Posting an update. Purchased a 14” bus rim from a fellow forum member to use as a spare, if the backspace will work without rubbing. Searched the forum to try and find the answer between the offset of bus vs bug rims and found conflicting responses. Not sure if it’s going to work, but I was hoping one of you who reads this will.

I’m not finding a tire that will work with the widened 14” rear rims, except for the implement tire. It worked well back in the day for off-road but not so good on pavement.

Polishing up one of the nasty 14” Cragars that the car came with. It’s not going to come out like new, but good enough. So, I have the option of using it as a spare as well. I may weld on a hitch tube and fab up a spare tire carrier that will slide in. Oh well, nothing better to do, snowed in for now.

Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:10 pm

maybe this will help some.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1172589

Thu Feb 18, 2021 6:53 pm

stevebaz wrote: maybe this will help some.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1172589

Those look awesome!

Sun Mar 14, 2021 1:40 pm

My first attempt to perform a front-end alignment on the Burro went surprisingly well.

When standing back from the Burro in the front, it was easy to see that the toe was different from side to side. Used jack stands and a string as explained by others in the forum to do some adjusting. It may not be in perfect alignment specs but it looks and drives better.

Wed Mar 17, 2021 3:39 pm

Had another go at fitting up the Quick Shifter. This time I got it installed and it's working really nice. Like it so far.

Installed a rear view mirror.

Uh-oh, noticed a transaxle leak on the shop floor this morning. Have no idea where it's coming from yet. Saved it for another day.

Thu Mar 18, 2021 12:20 pm

VW Bobby wrote: My first attempt to perform a front-end alignment on the Burro went surprisingly well.

When standing back from the Burro in the front, it was easy to see that the toe was different from side to side. Used jack stands and a string as explained by others in the forum to do some adjusting. It may not be in perfect alignment specs but it looks and drives better.

Can you share the method with jackstands?

Thu Mar 18, 2021 3:28 pm

I searched the forums for "beetle front end alignment" and found lots of DIY string methods.

This one is thorough, Post #4 drscope on this link https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=295861

The toe was the only thing I was concerned with and I copied this method. My rear tires are wider than the front. A string was stretched around both back tires (in the center horizontally) past the front wheel on each side, about 10' in front of the car and tied to jack stands. Adjust the jack stands so the string touches the rear of back tire and barely clears the front side. With the steering wheel turned straight you can immediately see if the toe is out one way or another.

Using the string to measure off of, measure the front side and back side of the front rim which gives you a measurement to work with.

The front measurement from the string to the rim should be about an 1/8" further in than the back side of the rim.

For example, if the back side of the front wheel is 2-1/2" the front side should measure 2-3/8". I'm not claiming it to be perfect, but good enough for my Burro.