TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Sep 29, 2021 4:44 pm

It lives!

Hasn’t run in over 20 years according to the guy I bought it from. Cleaned and gaped the points, hooked it up to my tractors battery, and it fired right it. This is the first start.

Fri Oct 01, 2021 6:50 am

With it running I decided to clean and rebuild the carb. Got a gas tank on the way so I can get it to run for more than a few seconds at a time.

Sun Oct 03, 2021 12:49 pm

So I posted that I needed a tank to get it running for more than a few seconds on Facebook. I have a VW friend who is a pilot who lives about 100 miles away. He text me that he had a tank and would fly it up to me. I live about 2 miles from a regional airport. Today he flew it in and I met him, and we came back to my house so I could show him the new car (the 66).

Sun Oct 03, 2021 2:24 pm

Now that's service!!

Sat Oct 09, 2021 7:30 pm

https://youtube.com/shorts/e9O2XyeOcD8?feature=share

Got it to run and idle. Also starting floating dents out of the fenders.

Sun Oct 10, 2021 5:46 pm

Got some pedals and a few other odds and ends from a friend today. Going to powder coat and rebuild the pedals before I put them in the car. Probably going to replace the patched pan too.

Sun Oct 17, 2021 6:00 pm

Been playing with the 66 a little here and there this week. Started connecting some wires that the PO had disconnected. Got the dash lights working. Put together a US spec front bumper, and after over a year of living in my new house, I finally ran an outlet for my powder coating oven. Started powder coating some stuff right away, starting with the pedals. While parts were baking, I pulled the valve covers and adjusted the valves like I should’ve done weeks ago. I couldn’t put the ugly valve covers back on, so I blasted them and will powder coat them too.

This is before I blasted them. Forgot to get an after pic

Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:36 am

Nice job getting that fender straight. Good looking car.

Mon Oct 18, 2021 8:10 am

aaronr25 wrote: Nice job getting that fender straight. Good looking car.

Thanks! I’m trying to figure out how to paint them and make the patina match the rest of the car.

Thu Oct 21, 2021 4:08 pm

We have a rear bumper. I also painted the tail light red. Trying to figure out how best to age it.

Sun Oct 24, 2021 7:02 pm

Got some work done on the 66 today.

Pedals are powder coated and rebuilt

Powder coated the wiper arms

Started powder coating headlight parts

Powder coated the ebrake and shifter

And went to replace the ebrake cable and ended up tearing the whole rear brake system apart. 10 years ago when I did the brakes on my wife’s Thing I bought all the parts locally. This time not a single one was available locally. So, CIP to the rescue. Ordered all the parts to rebuild the rear brakes. When I get some more money to spend on VWs I’ll order a front disc kit. I’m also going to upgrade to a dual circuit master.

Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:12 am

Haven’t posted an update in a while. Pulled all 4 drums off and pulled the brake system apart.

Started blasting the backing plates, and ordered all the parts to rebuild the system. The drums appear to be original, so I found a local guy who is turning them for me. Eventually I’ll swap the front drums for disc, but in the meantime I want the car to be drivable, so I’m cleaning up and rebuilding the drum system.

Tue Nov 02, 2021 4:41 pm

Powder coated some parts. Eastwood semi gloss black. Trying to make it a color close to stock. Normally I do high gloss black because I like it shiny, but the car being so original, I wanted a semi and not a high gloss.

Tue Nov 02, 2021 7:27 pm

Looks good so far! I love powdercoated stuff but taking all the nickel and dime parts to the shop gets really expensive really fast, and when it's all back together it looks like you never even did anything.. lol.
I noticed on the pedal casting, your powder doesn't have any offgassing pock marks.. did you preheat it before powder?
I see you have the Horrible Fright ultrasonic tank too. That thing is indispensable for carburetors and distributor parts.. I heat up some water in an electric tea kettle and start my cycles already around 140F with a little purple power.

Wed Nov 03, 2021 4:32 pm

Yes, I outgas anything that had grease on it before I coat it. Usually bake it at least 20 mins.

Yes the HF ultrasonic cleaner is great. I’m usually a fan of purple power, but I use the purple simple green in it. It doesn’t tend to discolor aluminum parts like purple power does.

My brake parts finally came.

Tue Nov 09, 2021 5:30 pm

Haven’t posted an update in a bit. Worked on the car this weekend and hung out with a few VW friends.

Pulled the generator pulley, blasted and powder coated it. Wanted to get an idea of how close the Eastwood semi gloss black would match the stock black. I’m pretty happy with it. Going to pull the engine and do all the tin.

Then I started putting the brakes back together. Took the drums to have them turned. First guy couldn’t find the arbor adapter to center up the rear. He did get the fronts done for me. So I took them to a machine shop this morning and had them done.

The pins that hold down the shoes are too long. Got to fix that before the rear drum goes back on. Then I start the other side.

Mon Nov 15, 2021 11:58 am

Got some work done on the 66 yesterday. Pulled the drivers side brakes off and powder coated the backing plates and hardware.

Mon Nov 22, 2021 3:58 pm

Got some parts today. Let the fun begin.

Mon Nov 22, 2021 4:57 pm

swhitcomb wrote: ...took the drums to have them turned. First guy couldn’t find the arbor adapter to center up the rear. He did get the fronts done for me. So I took them to a machine shop this morning and had them done.
Yep, the rear drums are very different. It took some ebay hunting to find a set for my drum lathe, they are p/n 5796. The only set currently listed on eBay is $150+. I bought my brake lathe specifically for my 1967 bug just because of how poorly all the available brake drums appear

Tue Nov 23, 2021 5:34 pm

scrivyscriv wrote: swhitcomb wrote: ...took the drums to have them turned. First guy couldn’t find the arbor adapter to center up the rear. He did get the fronts done for me. So I took them to a machine shop this morning and had them done.
Yep, the rear drums are very different. It took some ebay hunting to find a set for my drum lathe, they are p/n 5796. The only set currently listed on eBay is $150+. I bought my brake lathe specifically for my 1967 bug just because of how poorly all the available brake drums appear

Yeah, I’m glad I was able to get them turned. Also turns out the machine shop is less than a mile from me and I had no clue. Good to know, because I just bought this too. Was planning on flipping it, but might decide to keep it. Either way, it needs to stop, so I’ll have the drums and rotors turned on it too.

It’s been sitting since some time in the mid 90s. Completely original. 1 respray in the factory color, otherwise 100% original.