Kick Azz 1975 LaGrande Super Rebuild

[RottenApple]

What an engine, what a build and what an epic dad you are. Loving all the work keep it up and it sounds sweet.

[Gonzo1970]

Now THATS an Engine!

-Gonz
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Sometimes the lights all shining on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me
What a long, strange trip it's been

[Nate M.]

I want to thank Brent and Ethan for allowing me the privilege to assist them in the planning and build of this motor. I had a great time with you all as this motor came together. An epic week for sure. Ethan did a fantastic job building this engine!! Even with 3-piece push rod tubes, a deep sump and bolt-on valve covers, it didn't leak a single drop of oil!! Not too shabby for a first engine build

Thanks also to Mario (www.thedubshop.net) for coming out to ProVolks and working his MS magic and making the roar of this beast a reality. Man, am I glad you're local!!
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Regards,

Nate M.

Squarsche build
Heavy Metal Affliction feature

For heaven's sake, put a type4 and a Porsche 5-speed in there. . . It's the right thing to do!!

[baxsie]

I found this in an old box. I used to keep it in the glove box of my bug for emergencies. Maybe I'll pass it down from father to son like the family heirloom it is.

Image of Royze No. 64112 engine rebuild kit
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1975 LaGrande Super Beetle Build Log / Farm boy hinge pin puller / Farm Boy Chassis Rotisserie
"I'm not getting older, I'm getting bitter."

[Hyperspace]

That on is for the 1500sp...
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If you can't fix it with a hammer, it is an electrical fault.

Photo's http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_author=Hyperspace&show_results=summary

[baxsie]

We finished the test assembly of the chassis:

Rolled it into the other bay of the barn and placed the body onto it:

There seems to be an infinite number of pan bolts involved. All lovingly wire wheeled and anti-seized by my son. Body washers bead blasted, DP-90 2k Epoxy Primer and Industrial enamel:

We have a lot of plans for the largely empty area above and to the sides of the transmission. To check out the fit of things, we installed the transmission and did some test fitting.

Test fitting the ICE AC condenser:

We will use two 400 CFM Derale Tornado 7" fans on the condenser to push/pull air through it:

The CB Atomic Cool oil cooler also has a Derale fan. I loves my matching. We think it will fit OK on the other side:

We may be able to get some ground effect with all those fans running
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1975 LaGrande Super Beetle Build Log / Farm boy hinge pin puller / Farm Boy Chassis Rotisserie
"I'm not getting older, I'm getting bitter."

[baxsie]

Thanks to all of you (RottenApple, Gonzo1970, Nate M., chicagovw, Mavelotta, JayO, Geoffffreak, Roark_8, mfergel, Hyperspace to name just a few) that have passed on encouraging words. And to anyone else who has taken the time to look at this thread
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1975 LaGrande Super Beetle Build Log / Farm boy hinge pin puller / Farm Boy Chassis Rotisserie
"I'm not getting older, I'm getting bitter."

[baxsie]

My son installed the Metra 44-UA40 Antenna today.

This is an amplified antenna, so to use it with a regular old stereo, you also need a antenna adapter that supplies power to the antenna's amplifier.

You need a 14.5mm square hole. He cut it with the Dremel. He did a great job, nice and straight, with a very close fit that keeps the antenna square and sturdy:

This antenna has a nice 90 degree cable exit:

Looking good:

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1975 LaGrande Super Beetle Build Log / Farm boy hinge pin puller / Farm Boy Chassis Rotisserie
"I'm not getting older, I'm getting bitter."

[baxsie]

If you are a purist, you probably have not made it very far in this thread. But just in case you made it here anyway there is VW blasphemy ahead. Fair warning . . . .

I always felt ripped off that neither of my bugs had a Wolfsburg crest. Then this 1975 super comes along and it does not even have a VW logo on the hood.

Well, it is our car, we can do what we want . . . and we did:

The trim is the "wide" style, in stainless. Part of that is because we like the look, the other part is that this body has been "dechromed" and te wider trim can take a little pressure off the body folks there. We put the VW logo back in its rightful place:

And planted a wolfsburg crest right where it should be:

We got two Wolfsburg crests (from Wolfsburg West of course), one was low cost, the other is supposedly a "real" one. Here is a compare from the front:

Here is a compare from the side. The real one fits the hood brilliantly, snugging down over the body ridge:

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1975 LaGrande Super Beetle Build Log / Farm boy hinge pin puller / Farm Boy Chassis Rotisserie
"I'm not getting older, I'm getting bitter."

[baxsie]

We put the front fenders and tires on. Here is a pic from the side. We ballasted the trunk with 200 lbs of sand in an attempt to make up for so much stuff not installed on the car:

A shot from the front shows that the tire is outside of the fenders:

Confirmed from the rear:

Lining up carefully from the top shows that the drivers side sticks out ~3/4 inch, the passenger side ~3/8 inch. We know that the passenger side metal is tweaked, which probably accounts for that difference.

We messed with the camber on the drivers side, finally got it to be "not crazy out of spec". We are just using a level and a digital degree meter, so I would not claim to be close, but we are probably within 2 degrees.

We can tweak the camber in slightly more if we use the TopLine race bolts (they are slightly smaller, and allow the spindle to be shifted on the strut) we can get the camber right on, and the wheel does not look so bad, but by then the tire is rubbing on the spring.

Turning the wheels stop-to-stop, things are DAMN close, but do not quite rub.

So we are not too far in, but we cannot go any farther in, that is for sure.

So I am not sure what to do:

1) let the gravel spray

2) skinnier tires (these are 215)

3) skinnier tires, combined with a deeper offset wheel.

4) wider fenders (is there such a thing?)

Suggestions?
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1975 LaGrande Super Beetle Build Log / Farm boy hinge pin puller / Farm Boy Chassis Rotisserie
"I'm not getting older, I'm getting bitter."

[RottenApple]

I would personally in ths build go with wider fenders the kafer cup ones would look ideal on your build e.g this rather tasty number

Or u can widen them yourself, i'm sure a few on here have done before or can post u a link to guy doing it near me.

[cortexgunner92]

Picked a Hurst shifter out of one of the Super Beetles at the local pull and save for six bucks , all the parts appear to be here, the plastic is cracked a bit but I don't think it's much a problem.

-just a little update for those keeping score-

Also, test fitted the seats, man they're comfy..pics to come m8s.

[Maddel]

Just a quick link - there are other resources for sure:
Widened front fenders: http://www.creativecarcraft.com/super.htm
The pre '67 headlight version allows you to fit Porsche 911 headlights too.

[baxsie]

==== REPLIES ====================================================

[Jamies74sb]

[baxsie]

[baxsie]

My 1972 flat window super 1302 had the gas door release inside the cabin, which was good. The 1973 - 1975 (and probably more) have spring loaded doors that you just open with your finger. Since the door does not protect from theft, locking gas caps are needed for those years. Locking gas caps suck.

So we took on teh project of adding the remote release gas door back to the 1975. We got a donor door and release pin. We removed the hinge and latch from the donor and placed them on the 1975 door:

The latch and hinge welded on. Still can't get the hang of making consistent welds. One good, 18 crappy:

Sins of welding forgiven with penance of grinder, sander, and bead blaster:

Latch located in the body:

Tracks of the pin on the latch show good alignment:

Finished gas door.

Still need to run a control cable to a handle somewhere in the cabin. Another project for another day.
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1975 LaGrande Super Beetle Build Log / Farm boy hinge pin puller / Farm Boy Chassis Rotisserie
"I'm not getting older, I'm getting bitter."

[baxsie]

We have the CB Oil Thermostat, which appears to be a Derale part. We also have a CB fan thermostat. It bothered me that these two parts are not combined, making the system more bulky and less reliable. Plus, the fan thermostat fitting is tapped all the way through for the switch's mounting stud, which could block flow and potentially leak.

The Fan Thermostat has a threaded 6-32 stud, so we drilled and threaded a blind hole in the body of the oil thermostat to accept the fan thermostat stud. We also had to clearance the arrow a bit so it set flush:

Here it is installed:

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1975 LaGrande Super Beetle Build Log / Farm boy hinge pin puller / Farm Boy Chassis Rotisserie
"I'm not getting older, I'm getting bitter."

[Bashr52]

[baxsie]