Spooky gets a makeover

[slayer61]

I'm paying attention to your sump repair as I have the same round oil spot on my garage floor. Keep up the good work!
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[SteveM.]

Nice work as usual!

[joemama]

Thanks, Steve! If you are bored, and want another thread to look at, I did another build a while ago, called Pepe the offroad bug. Its on the offroad forum.

[SteveM.]

[joemama]

Finished wiring for license plate lights, and back up lights. On a stock bug, you get power for the back up lights from the positive side of the coil, and run an inline fuse. This gives you a switched power source. I did something different, and got my power from the B+ connector at the alternator, and ran an inline fuse on that line. I shrink wrapped the new line to the line coming off the alternator, but the shrink tubing I had was a little small, so I stretched it.

And it fit.

It actually pretty much relaxes back to its original size, and shrinks like before.

All done. I am thinking that this will allow me to use my back up lights as an area light, or if I want the buggy to be visible, but the ignition wont have to be on. Also, the back up lights are LED, and draw very little. If later I decide I made a mistake, it will be easily changed.
Back on July 1st, I ordered from Seatbelt Planet, retractable seat and shoulder belts for the front, and a couple of non-retractable lap belts for the back of the buggy. They are a veteran owned business, and were very helpful in helping me figure out what I wanted. Unfortunately, due to supply chain issues with the retractors (must be made in China), I have not received my belts, and I have been told maybe in September. I do have some old belts I can throw in there if I get it running before the new belts get to me.

[joemama]

I think Slayer61 was wondering if my sump repairs helped. I no longer get any dripping with the car just sitting there. Have not had it running, so dont know about that. But it used to always have oil dripping off all 6 nuts. Not anymore.
I have an issue with my tail lights.
Im using this type of LED trailer lights

with this connector

there are 3 wires that feed it. Ground, running lights, and one wire that does both the turn signal and brake. Everything works individually
BUT - with the turn signals flashing, if I step on the brake, the brake comes on, but the flashing stops. Same on both lights.
I have been running this type of light since day 1, looks the same, same connector, same wiring. Never had a problem with the old lights, wish I hadnt thrown them away. Im thinking that there most be some kind of internal circuitry that allows both stop and turn to work off the same wire. I may try a light from a different vendor.
Any ideas? Also posted this in the '68 and up bug forum.
I cleaned up the wiring coming out of the drivers side of the dash, and to the headlight and turn signal, and brake master.

[oprn]

First off, thanks for the ideas on how to wire in reverse and licence tag tights. That is the next job I need to do on mine.

VWs ran separate brake and signal light bulbs. In order to run the brake light and signal on the same bulb you need to buy and install a trailer converter. These were designed to enable foreign cars that run separate bulbs to power trailer tail lights that typically (here in north America) run on the same bulb.

Also, I found that by changing to LED lights the flasher did not have enough load and flashed way too fast. I had to add a resistor to the tail light circuit to get the flashing to slow down.
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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[y2kbaja]

I'm running the same taillights but have a separate non-vw/hot rod turn signal switch. But as ^^ said, need a 5->3 wire converter to make them work. May also need the resistor to get the flasher to work.

[joemama]

Thanks guys. I run an electronic flasher that works well for LED, flashes normal.
I get the use of a converter, but the thing is, that I only have one wire going back for turn/brakes, have never used a converter. Im beginning to think that my previous lights had a "converter" built in. Originally, the lights came with the used body I bought 20 years ago. One was cracked, so I bought a 2nd one from a semitruck accessories store. They were a little different from the ones I have now, in that they used 3 screws to bolt on, and I do remember they were thicker going back, and had cooling slots cut into them. But, I replaced those with ones that look exactly like the ones I have now, and those worked fine. Obviously something is different. Its next to impossible to talk to anyone selling online, but I just looked up a local semitruck accessories store, and may pay them a visit to see if they have some info.

[oprn]

The newest converter I bought says it works for LEDs so perhaps the older ones don't. Take a look at your wiring up front and maybe you will find a converter tucked away up there somewhere.
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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[joemama]

I know that I dont have, or have ever had a converter. I wired this buggy from scratch, no premade loom. This is what is driving me crazy. Because I built the buggy completely, I know all that was used, and how. There is one wire per side, going front to back for the brakes/turn signals. The left turn signal wire from the turn signal switch ties to the left wire, the right to the right wire. Downstream from where this happens, each front to back wire gets a diode, that acts as a one way valve. Down stream from that diode, the wires coming from the master cylinder pressure switches ties into the front to back wires. When you apply the brakes, the diode keeps the current from flowing forward to the front turn signals, but allows it to flow back to the stop lights. Normally, when you have a turn signal going, only the other rear light goes bright from the brakes. What is happening is that both rear lights are going bright, so you dont see the turn signal. I really thought that there most be something wrong with the LED lights I bought. LED lights have electronics in them. But I just received a different set, and they do the same thing. So I guess I rule that out. I also tried a different flasher, no difference. If I install a converter, that might do it, but I dont have my buggy wired to use a converter. I wish I still had my old lights, so I could 100% rule out the lights, but I threw them away months ago. For now, Im going to move on with the rest of the buggy, and keep this on the back burner. Keep throwing in ideas, its appreciated.

[MrGoodtunes]

[joemama]

I put an aftermarket one several years ago. I took a light off my boat trailer, and that also does the same thing, so ruling out the lights. I think Im going to have to trace all the wiring, but that probably means removing the loom going back to the rear lights, motor, etc., since it all runs inside some pvc I glassed in, and I made the mistake of taping the wires together every couple of feet to make it neater, but now cant pull out one wire at a time.

[Sedgster]

[joemama]

The Citristrip worked well on the paint, specially if left overnight covered with saranwrap. If it dried, needed to be rewet. It didnt do anything on the Herculiner, for that I had to use the other stuff, and watch it very carefully, wanted it to just soften the Herculiner enough so I could get a chisel or scraper under it. I used the Jasco stuff almost all up, saved a little to try to remove some Monstaliner I spilled on my driveway.

[Sedgster]

[joemama]

Found a ground that was contributing to my issues. When I first built the buggy, I couldnt find a front combo marker light/turn signal, so bought a trailer marker light, and a 2nd maker light, and added the bulb socket from one to the other

The pop rivet that I used to mount the sockets, and provide ground, had loosened up. I replaced it with a screw and nylox nut. That made the ground contact good again.

Still having the same issues, I went ahead and changed my wiring, removing the diodes and wiring that isolated my brake lights from my front turn signals, and added a converter

Unfortunately, that changed nothing. Just added to the complexity of my wiring.
Bouncing ideas off my retired vw mechanic friend, he reminded me that the turn signal indicator light used in the stock speedo is wired the opposite of all the other bulbs and indicators in the stock speedo.

I disconnected the turn signal indicator, and what do you know, now everything worked! Turns out, that its incompatible with my led electronic flasher. Its a one bulb setup, and backfeeds when I apply the brake, sending the brake current to both turn signal bulbs. O.K. No big deal, Ill just add a couple of small, green indicator lights to my instrument cluster, and power those off the same wire that goes to each turn signal.
Now, you and I may be wondering how long this has been this way? Well, when I first built Spooky, I used an aftermarket VDO mechanical speedo and gauges that the guy I bought the body from threw in

At the time, I used separate indicator lights for turn signals, oil, generator, high beam. All was mounted on a 1/4" oak panel. I also had a VDO matching fuel gauge, but the back of the fuel gauge was cracked in several spots, and the mounting for the night light was broken off. I made it work for a while, but eventually it fell apart. At that point I decided I wanted the stock speedo set up. My friend made me a very nice instrument panel out of stainless steel, and off I went. So, its probably been that way since then. I probably tested the individual functions, but not turn/brake at the same time. Thing is, at that same time, I did the gone wrong IRS conversion, so the buggy didnt get driven much since then. Correcting that IRS conversion is part of what I currently did. Anyways. Mystery solved, and I can move on to finishing the buggy.
I also recently received my new seat belts, and will be installing those.

[SteveM.]

Good to hear you got the electrical gremlins sorted.

I'll be doing that soon on my buggy, need to source some front signals, get the fuel gauge and horn working.

Let me know if you'll be in Texas anytime soon and can help...ha!

[joemama]

Thanks, Steve. I hope you are enjoying your buggy. My sons move to Texas has been postponed. When he moves there, I will visit him on a regular basis. Might drive the motorhome and tow the buggy.
I spent about 4 hours drilling 3 holes in my instrument panel, for turn signal and high beam indicators. Man, its hard to drill thru stainless! I used a titanium bit to get a start, switched to a carbide bit used for porcelain tile (worked best), and finished enlarging the hole with some grinding bits.

I got all of the wiring buttoned up, and Im waiting on a new speedo cable to finish the dash. The shorter cable in the pic, is for a standard beetle, but its a pain to hook up to the speedo, have to do it from behind the panel, after its installed. The longer cable is for a super beetle, and 4 or 5 inches longer, it can be hooked up with the panel hanging outside the dash.

I also went ahead and removed the exhaust, in preparation for painting it.

[joemama]

Here is showing how the longer super beetle speedo cable lets the instrument panel hang out to work on.

finding little things I have to correct, had the tach set for 8 cyl

cleaned all the exhaust with dish soap and a scratch brite, and hung it up to paint. The exhaust had a professionally applied ceramic coating that help up OK for about 4 years, but started to show rust.

I mentioned earlier, that I bought 2 cans of this paint at the local Walmart. They had it on closeout for $1.00 per can. I hope I have not wasted my time, but it took 2 cans to fully do 2 coats over the whole exhaust system

here is the exhaust installed, and the motor running to cure the paint.

Instructions are to run then motor for 10 min., cool for 20, run for 20, cool for 20, and run for 30 minutes. Got it all done, and looks good. Time will tell how it holds up.
Also, I had previously used these copper exhaust gaskets, meant to be used without removing the exhaust. You loosen the exhaust up, tear out the old gaskets, and drop these in. Pretty cool, and reusable. Unfortunately, I had to get these at Glamis, years ago, when I blew out 2 stock gaskets (actually my friends teenage daughter did), and the only ones they had were for a bigger exhaust, so they leaked a little at the edges, so I saved them, and went with stock ones. You can see how much bigger the hole was, than stock.