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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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Joseph DR
Samba Member
Joined: December 20, 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Texas
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 Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 5:16 pm Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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 Lots of fun reading your Super Bug adventures: Fires, wrecks, engine pulls... Congrats on baby Elijah.
Makes me miss my 72 Super. It was my first car back in high school. I had lotsa fun with it until a drunk driver rear ended me. 
Good thing was, with the insurance money, I was able to get my current ride: a 64 bug (currently under resto/mod). 
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1964 Beetle |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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| Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:16 pm Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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I got new front tires last weekend (my front were excessively worn due to the suspension issues and poor alignment) and decided to go with 175/65R15, as I wanted to have a common size and be able to fit under the front fender once lowered. They fit perfect, and are a great stock replacement for the front, I was previously running 185/65R15. Rear is still 205/65R15.
After working 21 days straight I finally got a few days off, and decided to finally tackle the front end.
The old bushings were softer than bubblegum, and one actually fell right out of the sleeve of the control arm 
One of the steel sleeves was seized to the control arm, but I was able to grind it off enough to chisel it off. Interestingly, the clamp bushings for the sway bar looked great. Everything else came apart just fine. I was able to press the old bushing sleeves out with a 30mm socket, and after using some Superlube to get everything ready, easily pressed the new urethane bushings in. The sway bar bushings dropped right in, and are meant to be compressed when bolted up, so they were even easier. All the ball joints were still in great shape, as was the idler bushing. I do need new boots for the tie rod ends soon, however.
I picked up some lowering struts from Vamram last summer, and with the help of 67Jason was able to get the struts apart to swap the springs and upper mounts to the lowering struts. I went with the second notch down for about 2" drop. Other than the spring compressors being a colossal pain in the ass, it wasn't terribly difficult. Everything bolted back up easily, and I started on the AC industries disc brakes. Jason prepped the inner bearings and grease seals, and I grabbed the 30mm socket and pressed in the outer races, and did the install. This kit went together perfectly and did not require any shims or washers to center the caliper over the rotor. It just plain worked properly, which was refreshing. I also decided to use the stainless hoses from Topline, which also were well made and a perfect fit.
The brakes were allowed to drip-bleed for a little while while I finished cleaning up, and getting the wheels back on. With the help of my cousin who stopped by, we got the brakes bled with a perfect pedal in about fifteen minutes 
Got it out on the street, gave it a shakedown test up and down the block, and when parked the car sat exactly where I wanted it to, and in my opinion looks great!
A couple days later I took it in for an alignment, and I am very happy to say that the brakes are working excellent! The car tracks straight and true even under hard braking, the steering wheel is centered, and it handles much better and more comfortable than before, and no more shakes!
I do love how it drives, but I will say it is stiffer than before, mainly due to the KYB inserts that are in the struts, but it actually has less body roll and road noise than before. there is more noticeable noise on hard bumps, but it is perfectly acceptable for me, as the car was pretty floppy and noisy before.
The lowering of the front helped the stability on windy roads a ton, and it seems to me that it takes less throttle to maintain the same speed 
I know that a strut tower brace is in the near future, as well as an upgraded sway bar with the castor-fix bushings, as the alignment guys mentioned the castor was off, and that was to be expected. I also would like to add a rear sway bar, as on my 71 super it made a huge difference in hand with the same work I did on that car. The front camber is maxed out at the adjustment, and can only get to .4 degrees negative, rather than the neutral to slightly positive (half degree or so) expected, so I'm contemplating getting the extra range adjusters, although most everyone is telling me not to worry about it
All in, a very productive day of work on the car.
_________________
73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!
Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884
Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087! |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 8:19 pm Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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Installed a cast iron bosch 36 horse SVDA, the mechanical curve is exactly the same as the 019, and the vacuum curve works for around 8~12° of advance. Much better and sportier than the crap 009 I was running since my last SVDA died. Performance and gas mileage has improved for the better.
Ran some wiring while bored at work- I've got four wires coming from the engine bay and up through the roof (along the dome light channel) into the trunk, and up to the dash. This should give me enough lines to run future gauges, and I'm currently planning on a tachometer, oil pressure, oil temperature, and possibly a clock only because I already have a nice VDO one on hand  . I also ran a few wires up from behind the dash for battery, ignition hot, and ground. I ran out of colors but will run another light for illumination from the stock dash lights as well.
And, after driving around, it has settled out perfectly, this is exactly the height I wanted.
_________________
73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!
Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884
Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087! |
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Beetlebaum
Samba Member
Joined: December 04, 2008
Posts: 2181
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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| Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 5:54 pm Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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Found a warm air intake tube (the "stovepipe") and drilled out my rear tin to fit it with a 2 1/16" hole saw. I tapped a bit of muffler/heater box pipe (the ones that you attach the heater hoses onto a stock muffler with) over the end to extend it up through the tin, and finally hooked up my warm air intake. My exhaust doesn't have heat riser connections, but this should still help out with cold mornings for sure. I also relocated my TFI module to the firewall where the test jack originally was.
_________________
73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!
Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884
Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087! |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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Tim Donahoe
Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2012
Posts: 11740
Location: Redding, CA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 8:29 pm Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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I just went through all the pages. A good read. Did you finally get the Topline camber-fix bushings? I got them and my camber (due to a slightly bent control arm) ended up where it should be.
Great work!
Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!
Richard O'Brien |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 8:41 pm Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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I have them on hand, but they are for the 7/8" front bar that is on backorder, so once the front bar comes in I'll install it all together. I've also got a rear sway bar kit ready to go so I'll be doing it all at once. My main thing on this car that I wish to greatly reduce is body roll, and the uprated front with added rear was exactly the ticket on my 71 super.
As of now it rides great, although I sort of wish for a bit stiffer rear end on some bumps- hitting hard bumps and potholes seems much floppier in the rear of the car than the front. I'm running basic Classic shocks from Autozone (Gabriel by Monroe supposedly) out back with KYB Excel-G up front, and wish for a little more stiffness in the rear. I might try a set of "heavy duty" shocks or maybe some Excel-G's out back. I don't mid it stiff, so long as it isn't harsh. The front is stiffer than stock, but not at all harsh, just "sporty" and solid.
The car has been doing great! I recently had a day where it was running really weird and too hot- turned out that my distributor hold-down had come loose and allowed the timing to drift 20 degrees retarded! Got that fixed and it's running great, even in this terrible heat wave we've been having. Still getting just at 30MPG with the crappy Bocar carb.
_________________
73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!
Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884
Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087! |
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Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 9637
Location: Pearl River, NY
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| Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 4:02 am Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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Kads will look very good with the fresh paint. Consider painting the metal side covers in flat or semi-gloss black, to give a visual separation from all that silver. You can try it on one cover while both carbs and air filters are back on the engine, to see if you like the effect.
Steve at VW Performance coached me how to do the vacuum pipe modification on a set of Kads I have about 7 yrs ago; I have them now on my '77 Beetle's 1600 engine with an OG Bosch 034 SVDA. They run well. |
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icelancer
Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2014
Posts: 149
Location: Square Bernardino, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:56 pm Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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Wow your car is really coming along. I havent checked on it in a while and I really like how the front end came out. I have been thinking about putting front disc on my super, but it seems to stop well enough even from 80 for now. It is a really big difference from the drum? Floppy and noisy sounds about right 
_________________
71 squareback (1904 A/T)
71 super beetle (1904 M/T)
B5.5 wagon M/T daily driver
SB for squareback or san bernardino....who knows. |
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dagen_1
Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2017
Posts: 77
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2017 9:40 am Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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great read! nice super!
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74 Super Beetle |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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| Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:50 am Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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| icelancer wrote: |
| Wow your car is really coming along. I havent checked on it in a while and I really like how the front end came out. I have been thinking about putting front disc on my super, but it seems to stop well enough even from 80 for now. It is a really big difference from the drum? Floppy and noisy sounds about right |
Very much an improvement in feel and function, but not a deal breaker. I drive my car as much as 200 miles a day on occasion, so for me it was a must, especially in commute hours stop-and-go traffic. For loafing around town I would still want it, but wouldn't make it my number one priority. That having been said, if you need to overhaul your front brakes anyway, or will be tearing the front end apart to lower it anyway, it's very easy to just convert it while it's all apart.
Still driving this thing every day!
I've put 35,000 miles on it since I bought it 
I have noticed a pretty irritating oil leak that seems to be coming from the oil cooler area, so it's likely seals or the cooler itself, so hopefully I can deal with it this week on my day off.
_________________
73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!
Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884
Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087! |
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MCCCIIIS
Samba Member
Joined: December 26, 2015
Posts: 2
Location: Norway
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| Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 12:14 pm Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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| Lingwendil wrote: |
I have them on hand, but they are for the 7/8" front bar that is on backorder, so once the front bar comes in I'll install it all together. I've also got a rear sway bar kit ready to go so I'll be doing it all at once. My main thing on this car that I wish to greatly reduce is body roll, and the uprated front with added rear was exactly the ticket on my 71 super.
As of now it rides great, although I sort of wish for a bit stiffer rear end on some bumps- hitting hard bumps and potholes seems much floppier in the rear of the car than the front. I'm running basic Classic shocks from Autozone (Gabriel by Monroe supposedly) out back with KYB Excel-G up front, and wish for a little more stiffness in the rear. I might try a set of "heavy duty" shocks or maybe some Excel-G's out back. I don't mid it stiff, so long as it isn't harsh. The front is stiffer than stock, but not at all harsh, just "sporty" and solid.
The car has been doing great! I recently had a day where it was running really weird and too hot- turned out that my distributor hold-down had come loose and allowed the timing to drift 20 degrees retarded! Got that fixed and it's running great, even in this terrible heat wave we've been having. Still getting just at 30MPG with the crappy Bocar carb. |
Have you changed the 4 torsionbushings?If floppy in the rear,that can be the answer.Red or yellow Koni's are great shocks performancewise.I dont think you
need the 7/8"front swaybar,even the kafercup racers use the original one,but a swaybar in the rear is the best upgrade. |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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| Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 1:09 pm Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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Holy shit! Lingwendil is still alive?!
Simple update-
A little backstory. Christmas 2018 the beater engine in the super seized on the way home from work. Oil light never came on, but while climbing a hill on the freeway the car started smoking and losing power drastically, pulled over to see what was wrong to find the oil pressure sender disconnected and a steady stream of oil quickly dribbling out of from behind the crank pulley. Before I could get to the ignition to cut the power the engine locked up hard. the car was towed home, during hookup the tow truck guy wrapped a chain around the front bumper, partially crushing it (I was inside the cab of the tow truck waiting since the location was unsafe) while I was on the phone with family making arrangements for a ride to Christmas dinner.
After giving the car a once-over the next day I decided to cut my losses and pick up a beater civic from a family member to commute in. The whole situation sort of burnt me out on the car, so it wasn't a financial priority for a guy that supports four people on one paycheck. I meant to pull the engine to see how bad it was, but never got around to it.
Now- we have two incomes, and a bit of cash to spend that we previously did not. not much, but enough to finish this engine slowly. I'm tired of not being able to drive this car. I'm going to try to make it a priority again. I already remember how much I loved this car just from refreshing myself on things the last few days, and now I've got a fire lit under me to drive it again. Twisted Evil
So this weekend I got the old, tired, locked up 1600 out-
Clutch pressure plate looks like the fingers arent all sitting level, my gut tells me it's toast-
Disc looks ~ okay-ish...
Muffler is cracked all around the driver's side tailpipe 
Fuel pump pushrod got chewed up, but the pump looks fine inside-
Chamber on 1/2 is acceptable, 3/4 is totally muffed. Pistons look crunchy, cylinders all heavily scored and tossed in the trash-
Sump plate is where the fun begins 
Number 4 rod bearing is totally gone, here's the first chunk of it-
I'll be stripping the flywheel and gears off of the crank but haven't yet. I'm writing the rods and crank themselves off as a loss due to the amount of metal everywhere. Case looks fine, but will need the galleys cleaned out for the brave soul that want to attempt to use it for a new build.
This was a $150 mystery longblock that I knew was on borrowed time. I feel the most likely failure was debris in the oil that blocked a galley causing it to cook the rod bearing.
_________________
73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!
Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884
Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087! |
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vamram 
Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2012
Posts: 7298
Location: NOVA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:22 am Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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The heads look to be toast, if I'm seeing multiple cracks around the spark plug holes and between the valves.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!
'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!! |
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Lingwendil
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:28 am Post subject: Re: New Kansas beige 73 super |
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Yup. That head went straight in the trash. Other head looks usable so is set aside for later so I can take a look after a cleanup.
New heads have been ordered for the 1776 build from Performance Workshop in SoCal
Picked up this old school decklid rack on friday locally, just need to make some mounting brackets
It'll need to be cleaned up a bit, but I love it. I'll load it with fishing/camping gear when I take my kids out on the weekends. 
_________________
73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!
Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884
Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087!
Last edited by Lingwendil on Fri Sep 11, 2020 10:17 am; edited 1 time in total |
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