Official whine about Late Model/Super and parts for sale

[vamram]

I remember when I discovered thesamba back in late 2011. I was amazed by the pages and pages of the New Vehicles link on the home page - I think there were like 5-7 pages of cars advertised on any given day. Guess I got back into the hobby just in time. Sad that today it's barely over a page...
_________________
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!!

[creative native]

[Busstom]

No crime in being ridiculous

rear power convertible. Price: $35000

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2608702

_________________
My name's Steve and it's pronounced "Bust 'em" (cuz people think I'm Tom) 😏

[APPLEGREENVW]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/12657800...c2bc2b0758
_________________
Parts for sale https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php?username=APPLEGREENVW

02/76 Beetle sedan

[mikeonthebike]

[george4888]

China made distributors.. You know they cost less than rebuilt Bosch
ones. To save money on some of the engines, I build, I do use the
China produced distributors. Now, that said, let me share with you
what problems I have found. These are most interesting. The old saying
is that you get what you pay for parts, is true.

On most of the China brands of distributors, the condenser will not last very
long. I have seem some fail when installing the distributor in the engine, upon
first start up. Other, fail after only a few months. The fix for this constant
problem is to install the Bosch condenser before you put in the China
distributor. Recently, a new weird problems showed up on the China brand
I put on an engine. I tried to start up the engine on my test stand and found
there was no spark. The coil was tested and found to be good. I had checked
the gap on the points and you must lube all the China brand of distributors
as they seem to come with no lube on the shaft. So, I put the proper grease
on the shaft to lube the rubbing piece which opens the points and add thin
oil in the other areas of the distributor. This one was more interesting, in that,
after only 10 minutes of run time, the engine was hard to start up. I checked
the gap on the points and found it closed. Okay, thought the hold-down screw
was loose and I missed checking that before insulation. No, the screw was tight. I tried to re-adjust the gap on the points and could not move the points. The China people had cut the slot to adjust the points wrong, so impossible to move it, to set the gap. I tossed the points in trash. Still engine
would not start up. More checking of the new rotor in the distributor showed it also went bad after only a few minutes of use. Tossed it in the trash. My
solution if you want to save money and use the China made distributors is to
install new Bosch points, conderner and rotor in them. Then, they work okay
but check the advance timing degrees. Many of the China ones do not have
enough advance built into them and must be set at idle at 20 degrees on the Crankshaft, not 8-10 degrees, like on the German 009. To get full advance
one needs to be sure of the 30-degree needed for full advance of the engine.
I only use timing lights which have a knob on them to set the timing number, you want to use. Great device to observe if the China distributor has the correct amound of full advance and see what number shows up at idle. A number at idle of 20-degrees will be okay and not cause problems. All this
if you want to stay with ponts and condenser, which I really like to use. I hope this helps anyone who wants to save money on the new distributor, they
want to install on their engines.
_________________
Home of Karacostas Car ( VW) Repair
"Keeping old VW's running like New!"
Past NHRA and IHRA drag racer
www.bayareavwclub.com
1969 Beetle, 2007cc engine

"Life is hard, but it's harder when you are stupid."

[vamram]

Double-post from my never-ending '73 salvage thread, but figured this was a public service announcement for all late-model fans out there.

Very pissed this morning. Just spent hours completing the e-brake cable replacement on my '73 Super, using WBW cables sold by CIP1. Part number seems correct. BUT THEY'RE TOO LONG AND NEW ARE AT THE END OF THEIR ADJUSTMENT LIMITS!!

Any idea who sells e-brake cables that are TRULY CORRECT for a curved windshield Super??

Btw, I tried cable shorteners w/the old cables which are sold for buggies, they held for about a month, then the left popped and I had no choice but to install new ones.
_________________
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!!

[george4888]

On the parking brake cables for the 74 SB. You might have gotten the
car with the wrong length rubber coated cables someone replaced
on the rear brakes. There are different lengths on those park brake
cable housings. Or, you need to check the hardware and see that is it
installed correctly on the rear brakes. Always, adjust the rear brake
shoes, NOT, the park brake. And, there is a chance you need new
rear brake shoes. As they wear down, people seem to be lazy and not
adjust the rear shoes as it is more easy to adjust the park brake cables,
to have the park brake work okay. Check the insulation of the housings
of the park brakes. Another possible problem is the cables you bought
from CIP1 or Jbugs were packed wrong. Wrong size in the correct bag or
boxed container. Sometimes, this happens.

In the photo, you do have the wrong jam nuts on the park brake threaded
ends of the cables. Those will make no difference on the length, but if someone replaced the park brake handle with an aftermarket one, it could be
that the location for the attachment of the cables is in the wrong place, on the handle. All these things, I have found when doing brake work. i find
so many wrong parts installed which are new parts, by other so-called
professional VW repair shops.
One more thing to check. IF the rear brake drums were turned down and that
is a NO-NO in most cases, if past the noted wear limits, neither the brake shoes of the park brake will ever adjust correctly. You might want to measure
the Inside Diameter of the rear drums to be sure, they are within specs.
_________________
Home of Karacostas Car ( VW) Repair
"Keeping old VW's running like New!"
Past NHRA and IHRA drag racer
www.bayareavwclub.com
1969 Beetle, 2007cc engine

"Life is hard, but it's harder when you are stupid."

[Maddel]

[vamram]

I know what you mean because my '74 car has these still. But I don't have those on this one, probably lost long ago. I repurposed the 10mm ones you see from a couple of different tailpipe clamp kits.

Headed to HD for a porch paint and a couple of sleave washers to extend these.
_________________
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!!

[george4888]

I finally woke up and recall the cables come with the rubber coated housings
already on them. One way to adjust the problem of the brake cable being
too long is to slide washers over the metal round tube part on the rubber
coated housings. There is room enough to put about four or five large
enough ID washers to space out the cable. That would get the threaded
tip of the brake cable down more for better adjustments. Lots of work, but
when changing out the cables, I look at all the possible ways to have it
line up the best way. I do not suggest this, but you can put a small piece
of round tube metal between the metal plate which fits on the brake handle
and the two nuts, to grab more threads for adjustment. That still puts the
threads too far out and might be hard cover it up with the boot.
_________________
Home of Karacostas Car ( VW) Repair
"Keeping old VW's running like New!"
Past NHRA and IHRA drag racer
www.bayareavwclub.com
1969 Beetle, 2007cc engine

"Life is hard, but it's harder when you are stupid."

[vamram]

Good Idea...here's what I ended up doing.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10070557#10070557
_________________
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!!

[vamram]

Looks like Rock Auto is "sun-setting" what Super Beetle parts they carry....

https://www.rockauto.com/RSS/vehiclefeeds.php?carcode=1370180&m=wc&l=en&html=true
_________________
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!!

[mikeonthebike]

[vamram]

[3foldfolly]

What supercharger?
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2633262

[vamram]

Looks to me like basically a Nexen SB802 w/painted white walls.

https://www2.cip1.com/acc-c10-6655-wh/
_________________
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!!

[stagewex]

Definitely not "whining" about the cost of at least these particular parts. but questions about the necessity of the last two (2).

I’m rounding the corner on full front-end replacement/upgrade after some extensive cutting & welding and repairs. Assume most of you with Supers have gone down this road before.
New Bushings all-around, Tie-rods, Idler-Arm Bushing, Steering Damper, Steering Shaft/U-Joints (I have not installed this yet).

I’m at the very last component, the steering box. It’s leaking but not profusely like dripping on the floor. Rather it is just shiny all-around after years of leakage.
As far as operation goes it seems fine. There are so few and inexpensive topical rebuild parts that I’m certainly going to try just a rebuild rather than replace.
Especially after seeing that a new aftermarket replacement is near north or south of $654.00. So sticking with my 50 year old German Box first.

Ordered the following:

Some new mounting hardware just in case I bust the originals $5.25
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113415060


Steering Roller-Shaft Seal $5.50
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113415297


Steering Worm Seal $6.60
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113415277


Steering Box Cover Gasket $4.95. This is probably the culprit where it is leaking?
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113415135


Steering Box Cover Plug $12.00 for two (2)
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=311415133


Question- since I’m in the area and still need to install the “steering shaft/U-joints” anyway, should I also change the following?
Estimating everything on this car is 50 years old. What’s your opinion?:

Lower Steering Column Bushing
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113415531X


Lower Steering Column Grommet
https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113415607B

[lmar]

Death knell for restorations due to price increases?

I've been collecting VW parts for 10 years for my standard beetle.

Have to put way more time into it than it is worth. But the idea is to save a bug and keep it on the road. It is labour intensive, so relatively cheap parts allowed for the restoration of bugs that would go the way of the crusher.

This bug needed a rear parcel tray.
5 years ago I purchased one for $280.00 CDN

Wasn't happy about the price but there was too much rust that the partial patch panels wouldn't cover.

Fast forward to 2023. My daughter's 1978 VW Convertible needs the same part.

I go onto the website - WTF? Same part is now just shy of $1100.00 CDN.

Not going to happen.

I am thinking of taking my 10 year part collection and using what I can on the convertible and then abandoning the standard bug.

Will sell those parts to keep someone else' projects going.

Hope I can find a donor car for the rear package shelf - or maybe a VW pickup.

When prices were reasonable I could see trying to save my standard bug. Not worth it anymore? Trying to decide what to do.

Not happy that I'm forced to make this choice.

L

[Tim Donahoe]

Ima, contact Daniel Swirvin Irving on Facebook. He would probably have the shelf you need for the vert. Tell him Tim Donahoe sent you.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien