China Clipper's Official 1971 Super Beetle Project page!

[Chinaclipper]

After a proper while of living with stock drum brakes, yesterday I got the Topline front disc brake kit installed. Also installed steel brake hoses on rear brakes, as per suggested. Kind of a bee-yotch replacing that junction on the (R) rear, but do-able. With that, it took about 5 hours-soup to nuts.
I had always been torn-stock or disc, and since so many of you her convinced me that the disc brakes were the real only option, well.....

No real issues, no pictures. On the scale of "Pain in the @ss" bug jobs, I'd rate this as a "5". (For reference, rebuilding, welding and repositioning the "Napoleon Hat" portion of the car would rate like a "9")

The biggest PIA is having to be crawling on the darn cold floor so much, and of course knocking over the overflow cup for brake fluid about 3 times...

I rented the bearing race tool at Autozone, so that was good. Had a nice conversation about VW bugs and such with the employee.

Lessons learned: 1st and foremost, a nice lift-heck ANY lift would REALLY have made this job more pleasant. 2) Having the right tools is not crucial, but it sure helps. 3) it is NEVER as easy as the YouTube videos show you-NEVER. 4) Topline makes pretty good parts. 5) Do NOT under ANY circumstances, yell or shout at your helper. She will leave you stranded. GUARENTEED 5) You are NOT 35 years old anymore (ouch! my back!) 6) and finally, disc brakes REALLY do stop the car much better. And so much easier to adjust.

Having done it, I highly recommend them for VW bug front brakes. BTW, someone told me that while technically, they are NOT stock, he says European bugs of this year (1971) DID have disc brakes as an option. So there's that.

As I was testing the brakes on the drive, one guy rolled his window down and said my car was great. And a group of 4 women asked if they could take a picture with my car in it. So that was fun too.

Eid Mubarak for my Muslim friends who are also VW lovers.
My oldest does mehndi designs.....I just had to get something so ...

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China Clippers Official 1971 Super Beetle Project!
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728089&highlight=

[Chinaclipper]

[Buggeee]

[VW_Jimbo]

Glad that you have moved onto the “working on” portion of the fun!

Glad to read that you are enjoying the car! That is good to read after all that learning and test taking you did!

I like the Empi front disc brake kits that have you change the front spindle. They are a great asset to the car and work flawlessly. I always install front discs on my Bugs. However I am contemplating it for the 54, the rest of the ones I have touched all got the Empi front disc brake kits!

Keep the enjoying the Bug updates coming! I love reading that!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[Chinaclipper]

[Marcas]

European supers came with 1300 and 1600 engines. The larger engine models came with discs as standard. I bought a US convertible in Ireland in the early 1990s and rebuilt a set of European brake callipers and axels which bolted straight on. Probably not too many of these around now.

[Chinaclipper]

A Sunday drive, stopping at the airport to watch the airplanes land.

Well, 'tis been a while since I posted on my progress page.
You are never REALLY done with these things are you?
I've had so much fun driving and getting the looks and comments and "What year is that?" and the Cool car!" comments, it's just too fun.

A couple of things....
.
I am now contemplating the front disc brake modification.
I am pretty sure I will go with the Topline series.
Does anyone know if the original 1971 Supers had the disc brakes as an option? Not that I am tooo concerned over losing the "all original" moniker, but I am curious...

Another thing-I noticed a softening of the brakes, in spite of me adjusting them again. It looks like I have a leak in the right rear "distribution block" (dunno what else to call it)
I tried tightening up the right rear brake hose, but no joy. I even loosened and re-tightened, like I read somewhere. No difference. So it looks like I will try another brake hose. Gonna be a beee-otch to get that out and back in with the chassis on (of course), but I think I can manage.

I will save that for a weekend when I have more time.
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China Clippers Official 1971 Super Beetle Project!
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728089&highlight=

[Buggeee]

All true
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Big Time 1988 Vanagon Westy
Release the Krankenwagen! 1966 Sportsmobile Camper
Dr. Kompressor 72 Super Duper
61 Turkis Pile (adopted out)

[Chinaclipper]

[Buggeee]

p.s. ...I drove a bug this color in high school and these finish pictures really brought back some good memories.
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Big Time 1988 Vanagon Westy
Release the Krankenwagen! 1966 Sportsmobile Camper
Dr. Kompressor 72 Super Duper
61 Turkis Pile (adopted out)

[Buggeee]

It's beautiful. What a joy to be driving around in it. That was an epic journey, with more to come. Next season is going to feel so free and relaxing. Enjoy the cruises. Especially enjoy responding to the inquiry "did you build this" with a proud "every nut and bolt!.... paint too!" Lots of nice cars at a cruise-in, very few that are personally built. Welcome to the 1%
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Big Time 1988 Vanagon Westy
Release the Krankenwagen! 1966 Sportsmobile Camper
Dr. Kompressor 72 Super Duper
61 Turkis Pile (adopted out)

[Chinaclipper]

Got the left side visor in already, thanks again for the pictures. What a trip.
Still took about 2 hours to get it in.... Argh. And the worst thing, the little spring and the compression "nut" they put on the aftermarket visor end popped off. Of course, they fell all the way down into the "A" pillar. I can still use the visor from the front to shield the eyes, but if I pull it off the little tab in front to swing it to have the side shielded, the darn visor falls out. The right one I'll do another day.

Then I put the antenna in too. Quickly realized I needed to get it in from the inside-NOT the outside..... that just doesn't work. And be careful NOT to disconnect all the wires that connect on the door switch-or pull off the hoses to the windshield defrost. The things ya have to do.....Radio next? Maybe. I have the Sapphire XV on the bench, tested, cleaned and ready to go. Now where is that speaker?

I should probably do the valves again, and retune, now that I have put on about 250 miles on her since her first drive. Then I suppose I have to think about getting her ready for her winters nap, because this car is NOT an "everyday" driver.

Still loving all the comments, remarks, and waves from people who are driving by or on the street saying how much they "love your car" or "I had one like that" or "what year is that? '72? 71?"

Ahh bugs!
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China Clippers Official 1971 Super Beetle Project!
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728089&highlight=

[DUNGBTL]

[Chinaclipper]

[vamram]

[DUNGBTL]

Your trim and the whole car looks great! Well done!

Here’s my visor/mirror holes in my ‘72 SB…

J.

[Chinaclipper]

OK thanks for all the comments .....You guys are sharp. You don't miss much do ya? Hehehe I lOVE it. I will try to address them as much as possible.

VW_Jimbo: A thousand thanks, I mean it; you've been one that has been with me since yes, POST 1. Pretty cool.
But Jimbo, SELL IT??!?!?! Argh, it's like selling a favorite pet.. Dunno if I can do that...

Jhp212: Another "frequent flyer" on my thread; many thanks.
The charcoal cannister and system has been really stable and helpful-the whole shebang. Learning about it, making my own tubing and connections etc...my biggest mistake was forgetting the gas cap needs a gasket. Once I got that figured out almost ZERO gasoline odors. As far as exhaust: I DID repair the heat exchangers-I wanted to stay with the stock ones, the aftermarket are not very good IMHO. I only repaired the "outer skins", I didn't have to repair the "J tubes" that pass thru. I'd say I have no exhaust odor in the car. I think some of that VW "smell" is old oil burning off on exhaust parts etc that can get in the cabin-but VW owners like us understand that and are OK with it.

An Vamram: Also a frequent flyer, thanks again. Yes. Sharp eyes. The low backrest part is an original 1971. But, as you know, the backrest is two-piece. I did look for an original "headrest" part of the seat, but finally just went with what I had. Someday maybe?

BTW, can someone show me what the holes/placement for the sunshades look like BEFORE they installed the headliner?? I have heard of using a tool to probe/find them, but I'm weary to do that, don't wanna make any unnecessary holes.
_________________
China Clippers Official 1971 Super Beetle Project!
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728089&highlight=

[vamram]

What a great finish! I just saw that you're using the front seat backrests from a ' 68-9 Bug.
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"Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition
to put moral chains upon their own appetites. -Edmund Burke
“If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.”
Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...languishing since 2022.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Jhp212]

The car looks great! You really did a nice job. Have 2 questions 1: how has the charcoal canister worked so far? Are there any gas smells in the garage? 2) How has your heat been working? I know you rebuilt your engine and if I remember correctly you patched a few holes in your heat exchangers and kept them. Just wondering if you’re getting any exhaust odor in the cabin.
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1971 Super Beetle

[VW_Jimbo]

Very nice! Enjoy your hard work! Glad to see that you are close to being finished. Whatever “finished” means to you. For me, it means another Bug, after selling the “finished” one!

Nice job! I have enjoyed your story!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!