are early and late flywheels same size?

[nybugguy]

I'm trying to find out if the early 1962 flywheels are smaller than the later 1973 era. I think the flywheel on my 1973, 1600 is to big to fit my 1962 transmission housing.Do they make a smaller flywheel for the earlier bugs?

[Dale M.]

Early (6V) are 180mm, later (12V) are 200mm (also starter & bushing issues that need to be addressed too)...

You can relieve some areas of early trans bellhousing enough for clearance of later flywheel.... Its a "common" practice... All it takes is a little time and some rotary files..... Keep work area scrupulously clean, case/bellhousing dust can go "poof".... Its a real surprize when its in your lap....

Dale
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[nybugguy]

are you saying that I can file it or grind it bigger.you say this has been done before....how would you suggest I do that and what starter and bushing issues will I have to deal with?

[Russ Wolfe]

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ACC-C10-5765
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[BL3Manx]

Lots of how to threads in archives

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=176016

6volt starter won't fit a 12volt flywheel.

You can use 12 volt flywheel and clearance bell housing and replace pressure plate and starter with 12v, and replace bushing in bellhousing, and convert entire buggy to 12v

or

Put 6 volt flywheel on new engine and convert buggy to 12v and keep everything the same. You could put flywheel on yourself but you'd need manual and special tools. You should probably find somebody to do it for you. Put a new main oil seal on while the flywheel is off.

[Yessong]

I just did this last month - I put a 1968 engine in a 1966 tranny -

I used the advise and photos I found on this site to grind down the bell housing and used a starter for an auto stick - all went fine but there was a bit of in and out with the engine till I got all the high spots ground down to clearance the larger fly wheel.

What I did about the dust as I ground the bell housing down is I wedged a shop vac hose near where the grinding was happening and watched as the dust got sucked in - no worries.

I am not much of a mechanic but there is so much on the web about this process that I had no fear tackling it myself. One month since the process and hundereds of miles later all is well.

[nybugguy]

Quick question...when you start to shave the inside of the bell housing are you basically taking off the slight hump where the mounting holes are or are you taking them and then some?

[Lo Cash John]

Try and install the motor. As you shove it in, the teeth of the flywheel will mark the parts of the bellhousing that need work. Pull the motor, clearance accordingly and try the motor again. Repeat as needed.
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[Yessong]

Yeah - what John said - in addition - I did a web search under Grinding Beetle Transmission Bell Housing and found a few photos of where to grind. What I found was not a "be-all and end-all" of how much or where but it did allow me to start the grinding process before I ever test fit the engine so that when I finally did test fit I did not have that much more to grind down. All in all I probably took the engine in and out...maybe 6-8 times before all was good.

Yes, the major grinding happens around the area of the studs and, thus, I did it slow so that I did not take off too much and compromise the holes for the studs - there are a couple of other spots that will become clear once you start test fitting and the fly wheel scores those spots for you to grind.

Take a few minutes to poke around the web and this site and you will find all the info and pics you need