Help Diagnose: Clutch Issue?

[Cretodecristo]

I need some help with my ‘67 beetle.

Description: I was at a stop light. When it turned green, I attempted to take off when the beetle made loud bang and the car lunged forward. The sound was not like a backfire but more like something giving way. The engine remained on. I could feel the clutch petal still working, and it seemed to go into gear. However, the engine would not engage the tranny in any gear—including reverse. When I press the gas, I only rev the engine. I cleared the intersection and coasted to a friend’s house.

Current situation: I assumed it was a clutch issue since I could not access any gear. Once the new clutch came in, I took the engine down and removed the clutch. Here it is:

to my eyes, it looks good—almost exactly like the new clutch in the box!
For reference, here are pics of other parts:

Everything in the drive train seems solid. If the clutch is not the problem, what could it be?
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Proud owner of a ‘67 sedan daily driver!

[Cusser]

[mukluk]

Pull your rear drums and see if the splines that engage the axles have stripped out. With a stock open rear differential, it only takes one to strip out for the car to be unable to move under its own power.

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1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[Cusser]

[Cretodecristo]

[gt1953]

Do not purchase drums from rock auto as they more than likely will be out of round. That was my experience with them...just sayin.
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Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[runamoc]

Stripped axle splines has my vote. Shake your clutch plate, if it sounds like a maracas with the springs rattling, you need a new one
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Daily driver: '69 Baja owned 44 yrs - Plan B: '81 Rabbit Diesel LS Deluxe - Plan C: '72 Ghia
Yard Art: 2 Sandrails
Outback: '69 Ghia - '68,'69,'70,'72 Beetle - '84 Scirocco, GTI - Pair of '02 Golfs-
VW Wiring = It's just wires

[Cretodecristo]

I wanted to provide a follow-up to my original post here. The problem was stripped axle splines in my rear drums. Ah well! At least she now has a new clutch!

While she was garaged and off the road, I replaced brakes and drums all the way around. The brake pads did not need it, but I went ahead and replaced them to go with the new drums. It was then that I discovered that the front driver side brakes are a different width than the rest. These are narrow and will not fit the wider brakes found on the other 3 wheels. After replacing the drums, the narrow brakes barely fit inside! To add to my confusion/frustration, even adjusting the cylinder, the brakes grab, making it hard to turn the wheel manually.

Unfortunately, I now have absolutely NO brakes in the pedal! I tried to bleed them, but I broke off the bleeder screw on one of the front cylinders. Each bleeder screw required a different size to bleed the brakes and I got fed up and used pliers to bleed them. (Good thing I already purchased new cylinders!) Like most things I’ve discovered, various parts were used to keep her on the road through the years. I should not be so surprised at discovering just how patched together this car’s systems are! (Did I mention it appears to have been cobbled together?) This is certainly a labor of love!

Follow up questions to my “new” brake issues:
-How would I rule out master cylinder concerns? Would I need to go ahead and replace the cylinders at the brakes then try? I was able to successfully bleed the rear brakes, so SOMETHING works right!
-The front driver’s side brakes are narrow. It will not accommodate the newer, thicker brakes. Will I need to replace the rear face plate to get the new brakes to fit?
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Proud owner of a ‘67 sedan daily driver!