'73 Super Salvage Project

[vamram]

Thanks for that link Buggee. The thing started working again but is obviously off. I broke down and bought a replacement from one of the samba Speedo rebuilders. I may try rebuilding this one myself after but don't trust myself to not f*k it up. I bought a known bad one a couple years ago to try my hand at rebuilding it....this did not end well. I need this Buggy operational so I bit the bullet.

On another note, for shits n grins I reinstalled the eBay Chinesium carb from a few pages back for my trip back north...runs and idles super smooth, and, if I'm to believe the Waze GPS, I got 32+ MPG between Miami and Sanford. Pretty damn good. time will tell how long the carb will last.

Speaking of "normal" wear on a daily driver,Once back in VA, it's time to replace the front brake pads and inspect the rears. Shoes look good thru the adjusting star holes but in my experience the shoes wear much more at the top half.
_________________
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]

So 18.5k (Give or take....??) I decided it was time for new front brake pads.
This was so easy to do I'm tempted to do a rear disc conversion, even though there's really no need for them on this 1600DP monster. Old pads.

Nice and meaty new ones. I reused the pins and springs.

I may need to replace or rebuild the left caliper though. The right side pads were evenly worn and down to about 3mm. The driver side however were 2x as fat, frankly didn't even need to be changed but I did it anyway. I had never noticed any issue w/the braking, but paid closer attention during the post-change test drive and there's definitely a slight pull to the right.

Perhaps they just need to be bled? Or rebuilt? I've never rebuilt one of these before, may be time for a new learning experience.

Funny, three days ago everyone in the neighborhood was thanking me for bring the hot weather w/me as the temps reached 80*. Today, it was 20* at 7 a.m. and my neighbors are asking why I bothered to come back! I too was asking myself this.

I have the replacement dash fan but did not get to that today, too cold. I also have a rebuilt speedo w/a known properly rebuilt odometer (per the seller), but again too cold to tackle that today. Enough w/the brakes.
_________________
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]

Got my birth certificate! Took less than a month!

_________________
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!!

[sb001]

[vamram]

Well.. it's a bit pricey, I think it was 129.00 Euros...but what the heck, I love this car and have put a lot into it, and ya only need the certificate once, right?
_________________
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]

Installed the "New" rebuilt speedo. Always fun to do while keeping the connections correct holding two speedos up against each other, your arms and the steering column & dash while avoiding disconnecting wires while reaching almost blindly thru the various dash openings.

I should've had the restorer set it to 19k, since I had no odometer for the first two tankfulls of gas anyway.

I also think these old mechanical odometers are a toss up. The speedo is almost spot on for mph w/the GPS, but the odomoter read 5.0 miles on "5" mile test run while the GPS read 5.51. So...not as off as the old odometer, but guess I'll just have to live w/it.

The "new" gas gauge seems to work, zips right up to full where I left the tank a day ago. It is more active than the previous one in that it seems to fluctuate more readily w/the sloshing of the gas in the tank as I drive around turns and up and down hill.

Next on the maintenance list:
- replace the dash fan
- rebuild left front caliper (rebuild kit ordered from Topline today)
- replace bad right side hood hinge
- fix trunk hood nose - rust problem, will require cutting and welding a tip edge
_________________
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!!

[Tim Donahoe]

Victor, my speedometer is right on, too, but my odometer is about 20% off. Very weird, especially since the unit is a VDO, bought new (yes, you could still buy new ones in the mid 2000’s) by the previous owner.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[J-Gaz.]

[vamram]

165/80/15, nexen SB802. Front at 22psi, rear 28.
_________________
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!!

[Tim Donahoe]

I also run the same size tires as a Vamram, and, weird as it seems, the odometer reading is, in fact, inaccurate; however, the speedometer is spot on. My VDO is stock, but a brand new (when it was purchased) replacement for the original.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[vamram]

I've given up on odometer accuracy at this point. I suppose I could go crazy and put 155/r15 Bias ply tires on it...but nope.

Moving on to the daily driver update. Yesterday I flushed the brake system, replacing the fluid by bleeding all four corners. After two years, the rear wasn't too discolored, the fronts much more so. I guess that's due to most of the braking happing w/the front disc brakes. Anyway, great pedal, stops on a dime. I also received the caliper rebuild kit from topline. Maybe later this week I'll take a crack at that.
_________________
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]

Crappy day at the supermarket parking lot.

_________________
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!!

[VW_Jimbo]

That sucks. Sorry man.

I can see the fender and bumper have damage. Any inner wheel housing buckling?
_________________
Jimbo

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

[vamram]

Apron looks fine. Might have to straighten the bracket. I think I can get it mostly out, then I'll take it to the same guy who painted it.
_________________
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!!

[VW_Jimbo]

EZ PZ! You could also just take the fender to them. Just a thought.
_________________
Jimbo

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

[Lost69Convertible]

Oh no, what a shame. You have my sympathy.
_________________
1956 Beetle Ragtop: My Father's car
1969 Beetle Convertible: My first car. I loved it, I lost it, and I never got over it.
1979 Super Beetle Convertible

[Maddel]

[vamram]

Managed to pop out most of the dent. I have to remove the bumper to complete the rest - pull the fender forward to try to eliminate the slight kink at the top of the curve, where the blue arrow points, and tap tap tap w/a hammer to pop out the small remaining dent where the red arrow is. This one was not very responsive to the rubber mallet I used and I didn't want to hit it w/the body hammer until I have time to completely remove the fender and replace the wrinkled bracket.

_________________
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!!

[Tim Donahoe]

So, it was a hit and run?

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[vamram]

Yep, could've been at any number of places. I was running around to various supermarkets looking for last minute ingredients for wifey's menu (big list, lots of company, had to do my part...!) and didn't even notice is until later that day. Oh well. I'm just glad it wasn't worse.
_________________
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!!