TheSamba.com :: View topic - Is the Idiot's book really that valuable?

Wed May 05, 2021 10:36 am

Abscate wrote: harrymarlin wrote: amishman wrote: The John Muir Idiots Tape was a fun listen. I sold my tape long ago but it was a cool find at the time. Made this quick video showing the tape running at the time.

And if you want to listen to the accompanying engine sounds, someone is selling a tape in the classifieds:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1780418

Ill make a copy of mine for $1.75 vs the $175 if anyone wants this.

Grifter.

8-track will cost you more.

You can listen to it for free online at the Ratwell site.

https://www.ratwell.com/mirror/Muir/Muir.html

With the diagnostic chart

https://www.ratwell.com/mirror/Muir/closing.wav

Wed May 05, 2021 10:41 am

Who.Me? wrote:

You can listen to it for free online at the Ratwell site.
https://www.ratwell.com/mirror/Muir/Muir.html
With the diagnostic chart

2D: "Is your Engine Missing?" Is that a typo, because, if not, that should probably be the *first* question asked.

Wed May 05, 2021 10:45 am

harrymarlin wrote: Who.Me? wrote:

You can listen to it for free online at the Ratwell site.
https://www.ratwell.com/mirror/Muir/Muir.html
With the diagnostic chart

2D: "Is your Engine Missing?" Is that a typo, because, if not, that should probably be the *first* question asked.

and the next Block would be...

Its in the back.

Wed May 05, 2021 2:31 pm

harrymarlin wrote: 2D: "Is your Engine Missing?" Is that a typo, because, if not, that should probably be the *first* question asked.
The question is asking about missing as in experiencing misfires, not if the engine cannot be located. :lol:

Wed May 05, 2021 4:53 pm

mukluk wrote: harrymarlin wrote: 2D: "Is your Engine Missing?" Is that a typo, because, if not, that should probably be the *first* question asked.
The question is asking about missing as in experiencing misfires, not if the engine cannot be located. :lol:

I missed that.

Wed May 05, 2021 7:58 pm

Abscate wrote: mukluk wrote: harrymarlin wrote: 2D: "Is your Engine Missing?" Is that a typo, because, if not, that should probably be the *first* question asked.
The question is asking about missing as in experiencing misfires, not if the engine cannot be located. :lol:

I missed that.

:wink:

Wed May 05, 2021 8:18 pm

I still think the book has value because of its gentle nature in recommending different levels of involvement. I did not start wrenching on ACVW, I started on Mopar V-8's. My first ACVW ( 64 Bus), looked so alien to me I had a hard time knowing what did what. The Muir book really helped me understand what and how stuff worked.

Then I bought a Bentley .

I always give a copy to new customers when I sell an engine or car.

The value needs to be measured in terms beyond the cover price or speculated gains.

Wed May 05, 2021 8:33 pm

As I said above, I use mine to get my teen daughter interested into the concepts involved. The artwork keeps her engaged. I can correct anything that isn't appropriate as we work on the cars.

Thu May 06, 2021 2:06 am

DurocShark wrote: As I said above, I use mine to get my teen daughter interested into the concepts involved. The artwork keeps her engaged. I can correct anything that isn't appropriate as we work on the cars.

+1000 points.

My kids were the only ones in high school who knew how to jump a car or change a tire. The rest called Dad/AAA. Hades,most of them couldn’t open the hood.

Abby once got one home with a low coolant light, popped the hood,checked the reservoir, and told her she could drive home watching the temp gauge closely and became a legend.

Thu May 06, 2021 6:04 am

harrymarlin wrote: Who.Me? wrote:

You can listen to it for free online at the Ratwell site.
https://www.ratwell.com/mirror/Muir/Muir.html
With the diagnostic chart

2D: "Is your Engine Missing?" Is that a typo, because, if not, that should probably be the *first* question asked.

Well one time my baja didn't start, it wasn't the engine that was missing it was the carbs...gone.

Fri May 07, 2021 5:31 pm

I have a small collection of other books from Muir publishing. There are idiot books for Subaru, Toyota, Honda and Datsun. Also VW Rabbits.

Muir helped this idiot with his first bug back in the 80's. I still have some copies laying around. It was a fun read at the time, with good basic info.

Fri May 07, 2021 6:28 pm

Ive seen the books but never figured they were for me.....I still dont. but for those who might....get 3 of them just encase.

Sat May 08, 2021 4:19 am

I have the Rabbit one, I didn't realize there were others too.

One thing I have come to realize as I grow older is that I don't know everything. When I was 16 I did! Now I find that even idiots sometimes can teach me something!

Sat May 08, 2021 5:25 am

mark tucker wrote: Ive seen the books but never figured they were for me.....I still dont. but for those who might....get 3 of them just encase.
Some folks are too smart for the Idiot book and dive right into the Moron's Manual. :lol:

Sat May 08, 2021 7:23 am

I am kind a new to this VW stuff. Since I have 3 now, I try to get as many books as I can. I saw Glenns VW repair on page 2 and had to have. Looks like it will be helpful even though my vws are a little newer.

Sat May 08, 2021 10:51 am

iowegian wrote: mark tucker wrote: Ive seen the books but never figured they were for me.....I still dont. but for those who might....get 3 of them just encase.
Some folks are too smart for the Idiot book and dive right into the Moron's Manual. :lol: you got that right,I see lots of them. there quite eazy to spot too, they dont know a vw engine is just another engine....and for that matter so is the car...just another car. and they try to build them like a .....and then the car& parts end up at the swap meet for another exspurt to try their handy work on. Ive picked up some good deals there, and saw some totaly reparable junk too. always know what your looking at and your ability to repair whatever is afu. like the carrage head 3/8 galvinized head studs...you cant fix stupid...but I reckon it worked untill it didnt.

Sat May 08, 2021 3:43 pm

oprn wrote: I have the Rabbit one, I didn't realize there were others too.

One thing I have come to realize as I grow older is that I don't know everything. When I was 16 I did! Now I find that even idiots sometimes can teach me something!

I find I am always new to every experience because even if I did it before... that before may have been 5 years ago!

I barely remember yesterday and I supposed to remember 5 years ago. haha.

I have to watch videos and maybe read before every project and that is fine, as I am no mechanics and just a shadetree mechanic with a screwdriver and a crescent wrench but not afraid to try.

TJ

Sun May 09, 2021 9:26 am

working on a vw or anything should be done like a CSI lab.if you havent a clue whats rong and dont look at it then how do you intend to fix it....just throwing $ at it usualy dont work.unless you just happen to replace the offending part with a good one by axadent. but then you could just replace the entire car/bus/ghia/thingy with a new toyota and probably be better off....with a lot less headaches to all involved.

Sun May 09, 2021 6:43 pm

Ok I'll bite. I really don't see why there is such dislike out there for the Idiot Manual, yeah it's not perfect but it's still better than nothing! When I got my first VW, I ended up getting the latest edition of the book to read through and it was pretty funny. I really enjoyed his simple to understand instructions and Peter's hilarious illustrations. With that said, some parts still make me shudder to this day (taking a chisel to the rear axle and flywheel nuts? No thanks!)

But as you can see, I also have been collecting other VW maintenance books as well. And it goes without saying this forum is pretty much the best out there, and if you can learn to use the search function I believe you could fully restore any air cooled VW out there using nothing more than this site (as long as you have some good wading boots on standby :wink: ).

And finally - yes, I also have a signed copy of his Velvet Monkey Wrench. I barely made it through the first ten pages before I couldn't take it anymore and stopped reading it. But for some reason I still hang onto it. Maybe because I think books are awesome? I don't know.

It's interesting, if you notice the first book says $6.50 and the second book says $12.50. No price is noted on the third book, just an edition notice.

From top to bottom, the printing date is 1975, 1983, and 2009. The Monkey Wrench was printed 1973.

The last two books aren't maintenance related, but I like them so much I just had to include them. I don't know how accurate Small Wonder is, but it was the first VW history book I ever got and it's a great read. And then the Hand Tools book is just plain funny. It was printed by General Motors during WWII for use by the armed forces to help train mechanics, and it shows all the right and wrong ways to use hand tools. Of course to us god-level mechanics the information inside is pure kindergarten stuff, but for a greenhorn mechanic that has never even held a flat blade screwdriver it would be very informative.

Sun May 09, 2021 7:33 pm

I'd gather all my books, but they're scattered throughout the house and garage.

I found the most useful one to be the pocket service manual. Has all the torque specs and stuff, and not much else.