Home Built Project Beetle (Full video build)

[Home Built by Jeff]

I will be looking further into it next week, but I have a feeling that the fuel pressure is now just too low, so that the carby was very slowly overrunning supply. Eventually it ran dry. It is my theory anyway..

[Tim Donahoe]

Jeff, although I enjoy your videos, and you obviously know a lot about cars, I can see that you don’t really do much research before going into this or that project on your bug.

Get an orange Bentley. A Haynes Maunal will also help you understand all the little in’s and out’s with these little buggers. For instance, you removed the wheels before removing the rear axel nut; so you had to reinstall the wheels. This would have worked if you had had a 4-ft. length of angle iron (with two holes drilled in it to fit on two lug nuts), or if you had purchased a pre-made Buddy Bar (which also holds the bare drum for nut removal).

Research on this forum would have told you that you needed a 3/4 inch breaker bar, as well as a host of other how to’s on that nut removal—the knowledge of which would have saved you from breaking your 1/2 inch tool.

Threads (or simply advice) here, or on this site VW Resource, will tell you the exact length your fuel pump push rod should be, according to whether it’s a pump for an alternator-style (100mm) pump, or a generator-style (108mm) pump.

Your videos are entertaining, but they should also show success. Hit and miss, trial and error? Why bother with that when you have all the information you need beforehand? No VW owner should have to walk home .

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Home Built by Jeff]

Haha, I should absolutely do more research before hand and often do. I have John Muirs book which is great. With the brakes, it was (supposed to be) such a simple job I didn't bother, so that is definitely my fault.
I now have much heavier duty 3/4" impact gun to try and we will see how that goes. I also have a couple of other methods I can try if that doesn't work.
I don't really plan ahead like I should, which is a problem. As I am working on 2 different cars, and flying forward with them, I often make things harder than they need to be. At least I hope it makes for entertaining viewing, particularly if it shows people what NOT to do

[Tim Donahoe]

Jeff, well said.

I have enjoyed all your videos that relate to your bug. And Mrs. Jeff ain’t hard to look at, either. I wouldn’t have mentioned your issues when working on the Bug, but I thought a frank message as in order so that you could have an easier time of it.

The videos are articulate and informative to those who may want information on how to work on their VW’s. I just thought you might want to prime the pump a little better before jumping in.

I mentioned VW Resource. Rob (who is an Aussie, by the way) and Dave run the site. It has an alphabetical index, or you can just use their search function (like “rear brakes”). These guys are usually spot on, concerning procedure, as well as discussion.

I love John Muir’s Idiot book, but a lot of his methods were written for the “thrifty” crowd, as well as for the “Complete Idiot”. It makes for great reading for the novice, in particular, and should be read by any new acvw owner; however, sometimes his methods are a bit too thrifty for today’s owners who are not so strapped for cash, as in the old days. Most of us can actually afford to buy a socket, instead of using a hammer and chisel to remove a rear axel nut, for instance. The illustrations are worth their weight in gold, regardless.

Bentley and Haynes have been my go-go bibles, however. If one of them doesn’t work for you, the other one will. And sometimes, neither will do, so I come here and ask, or VW Resource.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Dark Earth]

Since you have an alternator, maybe it would be a good idea to get a '73-'74 Beetle angled fuel pump ( 113127025G ) and a 100 mm / 3.937" fuel pump pushrod ( 113127307A ) .

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My Build: '69 Baja - Dark Earth Version

~I'm almost done. I just lack finishing up.~

[joey1320]

So Jeff, you have a Porsche 911, Datsun 240z and a '71 bug? Nice collection

That's 3 of my 5 "own before I die" list of cars. I'm currently on one. Although the bug was any year, not necessarily '71.
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**1971 Super Project
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[Home Built by Jeff]

[Home Built by Jeff]

This week first job was to work out why the car was breaking down on me, and then there is the issue of that super tight hub nut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlxVK8N03N8

[Tim Donahoe]

Jeff, rather than grinding the fuel-pump rod, it’s standard practice to stack additional gaskets between the fuel-pump flange and the fuel pump. That way, if you stack too many and your fuel pressure is too low, then you just remove a gasket or two, until you get it correct. No grinding or lengthening of the fuel-pump rod. If you continue to have issues with the fuel, you might want to check out your carb float for leakage, or the check valve above it for the proper gasket (there are two to choose from, according to which carb you have). The check valve itself may be sticking and allowing too much fuel in.

Also, when the engine is just warm, only press on the gas pedal a little. When the engine is hot, floor and hold the gas pedal.

Instead of a 36 mm socket, you can also use a Standard SAE 1 7/16 socket. However I don’t know if SAE sizes are used in Australia .

Unless your metal fuel line was actually resting on your lower manifold by the left head, vapor lock is not very common in these bugs—unless the engine is running very, very hot, because of poor timing, etc.

I mentioned previously about drilling two suitably-spaced holes (large enough for 2 lug nuts to pass through) into a 4-ft. length of angle iron. Removing the wheel completely and attaching this angle iron to the drum—via the lug nuts—will hold your rear wheel from turning ... no matter what torque you are applying. The end of the angle iron—without the lug-nut holes—will contact the ground, of course. Then you can apply your torque on the long cheater all you want: the wheel will not turn.

By the way, I hope you installed a new cotter pin at each axel nut; otherwise, those nuts will come loose and you’ll strip your drums.

Angle iron is cheap. I, on the other hand, bought a pre-made VW Buddy Bar for $24 dollars (U.S.). This bar has a rather large and strange-shaped head with a large hole in its center (for the axel nut—or, additionally, the flywheel gland nut). The various holes are pre-measured and drilled to accommodate a VW rear axel nut, or the flywheel gland nut—which is, by the way, also tightened to 253 ft. lbs.

Later,

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Home Built by Jeff]

Thanks Tim.

I did read that extra gaskets were what is recommended, but in the end I think I took off about 5mm from the rod, so that would be far too many gaskets stacked. It seems to be going well now so we will see.

I do have some angle iron sitting there that I could have used for that, which is what I would have gone to next if I had too, but I am stubborn and once I start trying something one way, I just keep going at it. Like the fuel pump, which I actually have a fuel pressure regulator sitting here I could put into it, but I didn't want to be beaten! Haha.

[veedweeb]

Hi Jeff,

I've been enjoying your videos, and I see you've sorted it now, but with the rear hub nuts I just carefully cut them off and use a new one. They're not expensive and it saves a hell of a lot of swearing and aggro! Just be careful not to cut into the stub axle itself.

Steve

[Home Built by Jeff]

This week I attempt to stop the infuriating squealing brakes, and then bleed them all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=outEp1p91hc&feature=youtu.be

[Home Built by Jeff]

I am in the final stretch with the Beetle build now and this week I got stuck into tidying up the froot.

https://youtu.be/K8QTcO_IqVU

[Tim Donahoe]

Good job on the trunk.

How did you like reinstalling those bonnet hinges?

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Home Built by Jeff]

Haha, yep they were a pain in the butt, but I got them on ok.

[Home Built by Jeff]

My Beetle's rolling resto phase has come to an end. This week I have stripped the entire car down to prepare it for paint.


Link

[TDCTDI]

Jeff, great job digging in & gutting the beast. Do a bit of research on "death foam" & go ahead & extract that before sending it to paint... just in case some of the metal is already rotted.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[vamram]

[Home Built by Jeff]

[TDCTDI]

You can reach some of it through the cavity at the top corners on either side of the engine bay & the pockets at the top corners above/behind the rear door panel openings. With a coat hanger you can practice your technique for your own back alley abortion clinic.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.