My newest 66

[swhitcomb]

[swhitcomb]

So I pulled the engine today. Ever since I bought it, the starter misses a tooth occasionally. I assumed the starter was going bad. Realized today that it was the flywheel.

I had no idea 6v flywheels aren’t available anymore. Luckily I have a good one. Not sure if I’ll have it resurfaced or go to all the expense of going 12v flywheel. The car is already 12v.

The oil cooler seals were leaking. The engine is covered in oil and debris. The exhaust was completely rotten but I knew that. The baffle was missing from the base of the generator stand. The clutch was completely shot. I don’t know how it wasn’t slipping. The axle boots are hard, and broken. The tar board was falling apart and had red overspray all over it. Both the engine, and firewall seal are shot.

Covered in debris

Exhaust valve for number 3

Clutch

Piston/cylinders

Down to a short black

Flywheel I have laying around. It’ll need to be cleaned up and resurfaced

The entire exhaust is going in the trash. I have better heater boxes and a new muffler. It’s going to be an alternator and the ugly regulator screwed to the shroud is going away. I am powder coating all of the tin. I have a few other things planned for it. Hopefully it goes back together with no issues. The heads seamed to be in decent shape, and the bottom end is as well. So, clean up, reseal, going to do a minor refresh on the heads, and put it back together.
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My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[swhitcomb]

Started cleaning and assessing today. Blasted the cylinder 3/4 head with walnut shells and cleaned it up quite a bit. I’m still going to clean it up some more, but it’s clean enough now to see what needs to be done. I had already ordered exhaust valves for it. Being a non doghouse engine, there’s no way I was going to tear it apart and not replace them. Well, the end of the valve stems it’s pretty worn, so I now have intake valves on the way as well. I ordered a set of rings for it this morning. I’m going to hone the cylinders. The number 3 exhaust valve appears to be burned. That being said, aside from the valves, the heads appear to be in decent shape. The rest of the engine will clean up nicely. There isn’t excessive endplay on it. I managed to clean up the flywheel I dug up with a wire wheel on a drill. I’ll take it and have it resurfaced.

Before I cleaned them. Absolutely covered in oil. The cooler must’ve been leaking for a long time.

After I walnut shells

Good representation of before and after

The flywheel

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My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[Bobs67vwagen]

It's good to see someone willing to keep a 1300 as a 1300 at least for a while. I still think it was the best type 1 motor VW ever built.

[Big Bill]

I have to agree with Bobs67, my first VW was a 66 with a 1300. I played the 6V flywheel /12V electrical game for 2 flywheels, after the second flywheel started acting up decided to go with a 12V flywheel and the related parts to change it over. That was in maybe 1978 or so, learned a lot about VWs from that car wish I had a few photos of that bug.

[wdfifteen]

I had a 12 volt converted car with 6 volt flywheel and starter and 12 volt solenoid for years - probably 60k miles. I always felt like I was living on borrowed time. When it finally did start giving me problems I put in one of these 12 volt starters with 6 volt gears. It's been working great. $267.00 and no more worries that I'm wrecking the flywheel.

BTW, the 66 engine was my least favorite. The seem to pull head studs out of the case worse than the 40 hp. Maybe it was just my experience.

[swhitcomb]

[Bobs67vwagen]

From late 1978 until 1981 I drove a 66 bug all over socal and across country and back. It had a 1300 in it that I bought from a gal that wrecked her car for around $125.00. it was probably the best running VW motor I ever had, and I had had 2 brand new ones in the early 70s. The smoothest setup I had on it was a stock 30 PICT-1 with a German 009, and a cheap extractor exhaust with a quiet pack muffler. With the 66 transaxle gearing it was very responsive on local roads, and as you know a little short on over 65 driving, so I did not exceed that speed. I am interested to see how your 70s bolt on enhancements work out. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing it.

[swhitcomb]

So while I’m waiting on parts, I decided to dig into the engine compartment and cleaning it up a little. Found this mess.

Going to cut it out and replace it.

Also the axle boots are completely shot, but I already knew that.

Removed the engine seal and firewall seal. I have new ones. Kind of dreading putting them in.
_________________
My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[swhitcomb]

Cleaned up the case today. There must’ve been 3/8” or more of oil on almost all of it.

This is a piece of the firewall tarboard that was stuck between cylinder 1 and 2.

_________________
My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[sportin-wood]

With all that sludge cleaned off, it HAS to run cooler, too. Nice job!
_________________
Dave

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1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
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"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[swhitcomb]

Well, I solved the flywheel problem.

As you may remember, the teeth were chewed up on my old one. I had one in my stash, but it needed to be resurfaced. Got it back today.

Before

After I got it back

Heads go to the shop on Thursday. Took the new exhaust to the shop that coated the one on my wife’s Fastback today.

And then there are the minor things. Ordered some stuff from CIP and wasn’t quite at the $99 for free shipping. So I added a new hood emblem. I ordered the trim a few weeks ago and didn’t realize the hood emblem was in such bad shape. Haven’t put the new trim on yet, but I realized the emblem would looks really bad with new trim.

Can’t wait to get the new trim on.
_________________
My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[swhitcomb]

So, last month I bought 2 engines dirt cheap. Didn’t really need them but they were too cheap to pass up. Pulled one of them apart this week. Discovered it had 1300 single port heads in it, opened up for 90.5 pistons. So, I ordered some 88s that slip into the case if the heads are machined for 90.5s. The other engine has a 1500/1600 intake manifold on it. I’ve read you can port the 1300 head and use the later manifold and get more fuel delivery while appearing to be a stock 1300. I’m either going to do that or dual 34s jetted to work with it. Haven’t decided yet.

Anyway, they cleaned up rather nice.

They are going to the same shop that did all the machine work on my wife’s Fastback tomorrow. Going to have new guides, the seats worked, and porting work.


While I’m waiting on parts for the engine, I decided to start installing parts I’ve bought and haven’t put on it yet. Trim looks much better.

Before

After

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My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[swhitcomb]

Continued some clean up work this weekend.

As you may remember, I replaced the bumpers back in the summer. The brackets were ugly and rusted. The bolts were pretty much stuck, and I didn’t want to fight them and end up with the mess of broken bolts during show season.

This weekend I started working on fixing that. I ordered new brackets months ago. Powder coated them and started fitting up the bumpers and making it look better last night. Going to finish it up today.

The old rotten ones.

Freely powder coated. Still have to fit the seal up nicely.

Also decided to go a little different direction on the carburetor. Won’t be ready until after the first of the year though, so gives me time to do a lot of other work to it while I wait.
_________________
My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[swhitcomb]

Well, that’s better. Powder coated, new rear brackets, and new seals.

Also replaced the grab handle while I was waiting for parts to bake

_________________
My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[swhitcomb]

Got some work done on the Bug after work today.

New glove box installed

New firewall seal installed. Needs a little finessing

New running boards. The others I installed, despite being the expensive reproductions, fit like crap. So, at the suggestion of a friend, I ordered the billet black ones. They are very nice. And look great, and more importantly, fit.

_________________
My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[swhitcomb]

Did a little to the Bug today.

Measured the deck height

I ordered a retro sound radio for it, and these speakers and this ugly plywood shelf had to go

Really need to get the new headliner and interior installed. The old stuff looks awful.
_________________
My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[swhitcomb]

Worked on the car for about an hour today.

Installed some 3 way 6x9s

Radio comes next week.

Didn’t want to reuse the ugly fuel metal line, so I made a new one out of stainless steel.

_________________
My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster