How to: Fitting the crested Beetle horn button in your Bay

[HoboBus]

So the horn button in my 73 was kinda crappy, just scratched and plain.

I like the nice crested glossy Beetle button, but getting one of those for a Bay is expensive, like over $50 with overseas shipping, long wait, etc, and the cheap Beetle one doesnt fit the Bay.

They looked pretty close in size to me, so I took the dive. You can buy the Beetle one for anywhere $8 to $15. I think with shipping it cost me around $20. I'm sure they can be had cheaper at a swap.

The Beetle button plastic pilot diameter is bigger than the Bay button, so you need to remove plastic from the Beetle button.

But the wall thickness of the plastic pilot diameter is only like .040". And you need to remove like .030" of that wall thickness to get it to fit the Bay steering wheel.

So I got some JB Weld, for like $4 or whatever it was. Mix it up, and spread it evenly to increase the wall thickness on the ID of the button pilot diameter.

Then, grind, sand, file, whatever, on the OD of the pilot diameter. I used a small little hobby bench grinder that I have, that has a nice sharp-edged grinding wheel. And it's a Toastmaster.

Be careful!!!! Go slow and take your time and revolve the button and grind, and don't slip or you'll ruin the knob. The knob has an edge that you want to keep.

I didn't use any of the retention springs that the knobs use - I just ground and sanded till the button was a nice light press fit into the boss on the wheel.

Looks great, and was a fun cheap mod.
Hobo

_________________
Salt air it ain't thin, it'll stick right to your skin,
it'll make you feel fine. Makes you feel fine.
And I wanna be there. -- Jimmy Buffett

Just a beach-oriented camping Hobo with a bus.

[ImAddicted]

Nice! Though if I did that, it would be the nicest piece of my bus:)
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1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR

[78BusGA]

While it looks nice, It feels off, being that its the Wolfsburg crest. I'd have to have one with the Hannover crest.
_________________
Few will understand the passion and majesty, among the nuts and grease.

Tom H.

My '74 Super 1303 thread - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764902&start=60

My '78 Kombi Bus thread - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=769385&highlight=

'72 Superbeetle (retired), '78 Bus Kombi 2.0FI, '74 1303 Superbeetle

[TomWesty]

[Opossum]