Brown Truck Came Again!

My heat exchangers have seen better days, I think that a flap on one of them is stuck or rusted closed so it was time for replacements. I also ordered new cables and hardware for the heat exchangers. While I had the heat exchangers and exhaust off, I decided I wanted to replace the exhaust system as well. I hate bolting up old rusty parts back on especially if they bolt onto the new parts I just installed! So I also ordered an Empi GT twin pipe exhaust system with the polished coating. Not only does the polished coating look cool it helps the car to run a little cooler too! I'll be away for a week but hope to be installing this stuff when I get back. Winter's around the corner so I need to get my heat in proper working order soon!

Fuel System Overhaul - Part 5 - FINISHED!

I finished up the fuel system last Sunday afternoon, and got her fired up. Obviously from the previous post you can see that I got the Bug runnin' and already out drivin'. I put the finishing touches to the tank this evening, and took the finished photo. I replaced the tire pressure specifications sticker on the fuel tank next to the filler neck and put in the soft gasket that goes around the bottom of the fuel tank flange to keep the

flange from rubbing on the trunk floor. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and it's all operating nicely. All in all not a bad job that you can do yourself.

Cruisin' the Church Parkin' Lot...

Gary shot out an email to the Air Cooled Addicts informing everyone that there was going to be a local car show at Lanier Church of God in Buford. He and Herbie were heading over to check it out. Since it was literally only a couple miles from my house and the weather was absolutely beautiful - I thought this was as good an excuse as any to bust out my '67 Bug and head over to meet up with Gary and anyone else that might drop in.

After meeting up with Gary and some of the gang from AirCooled Addicts up at Fox Pizza Den in Lawrenceville, Gary gave me a used set of points for me to swap in place of the worn out ones giving my Bug some driveability issues. Today was a good day for a test run and the points I swapped in made a difference.

This is Harold's 1974 Super Beetle Convertible. This Bug was really clean. I think Harold has had the car less than a year so far and is out in it havin' fun with the top down.

And here's Herbie!!! Gary came in with Harold shortly after I arrived. Herbie attracted a lot of attention not only from the kids but the kids-at-heart! Gary's done a great job personalizing his Herbie with a low front drop, and satin L87 pearl white paint.

2009 Sugar Hill, GA Fall Fest VW & Classic Car Show

Although I couldn't get the Beetle ready in time we still went and checked out the 2009 Fall Festival and VW & Classic Car Show. It was about 48 degrees and rainy but still a lot of fun to go and check out the aircooled V-dubs. Click on the link below to see the slideshow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43100116@N03/sets/72157622620266876/show/

Fuel System Overhaul - Part 4

I haven't posted up here in a few days because the Bug has been soaking up a lot of time. I missed my goal of having it ready for the local Fall Festival VW and Classic Car show this past Saturday. I should have listened to my instincts and used the laquer acrylic based paint from the beginning! I tried the Rustoleum enamel and had problems with the paint lifting especially when I applied the clear - YIKES. So I had to strip the top of the tank down to bare metal again. The bottom painted up nice, didn't spend as much time on making it as smooth and perfect since you won't see it anyways. So to recap the project, to this point here's what I've replaced and restored in the fuel system.

- Restored the fuel tank. Sims Radiator cleaned and coated the inside.

- Stripped the fuel tank exterior down to the metal, etch primed and painted gloss black.

- All the fuel hoses were replaced with the correct replacement braided fuel hose purchased from Wolfsburg West.

- Ran compressed air through the metal fuel fuel line in the chassis and cleaned the metal real fuel line behind the doghouse. Flow was perfect, no clogs or rust in the lines.

- Replaced the old clear fuel filter and upgraded to an inline metal filter.

- Relocated the new fuel filter near the transmission, for increased safety against possible fire hazzards.

- Replaced the fuel pump.

- Screen filter in the fuel tank was initially missing so I purchased and installed a screen and O-ring inside the tank.

- Bought all new stainless hose clamps. I installed these at the ends of each fuel hose. Overkill maybe, but again, increased safety.

I did finally get everything just about buttoned up yesterday. After blowing a little compressed air in the fuel tank at the filler neck, I was able to force the fuel up and into the fuel pump to get the Bug started. After about a minute the Bug smoothed out and was running better than ever! I will take the last few photos tonite showing what I did including some of the improvements I made relocating the filter and the fuel hose clamps.

Meanbugs.com

Meanbugs focuses on Volkswagens from 1967 and earlier, with the “right” and cool low look to them. A perfect paint job or shiny chrome isn't necessary or even preferred. Meanbugs loves cars with a rusty paint job that shows age on the car. That with a lowered suspension and shiny polished wheels is what they feel really sets their aircooled rides off! Why have a shiny car like everyone else, when you can have a car with an unique patina-look by mother nature? Dare to be different, that's what MeanBugs is all about!

Meanbugs website has a free forum you can sign up for, news updates, and even a store selling unique aircooled lifestyle apparel and even skateboards! Not only do these guys have a website but they got a shop too. If you're in Sweden and wanna check these guys out stop by. OK, so enough talkin, start clickin' and check these guys out.

http://www.meanbugs.com/

Parts came from Wolfsburg West

Just received the gas tank screen, screen O-ring, fuel filters, and braided fuel line. Just waiting on 2 parts from Cip1 which should be here day after tomorrow.

Fuel System Overhaul - Part 3

I picked up my gas tank for the Bug from Sim’s Radiator Service in Lawrenceville today. From what I can see inside the tank it looks coated pretty well. They also took the bottom fuel line fitting out before coating and then put it back on for me so it didn’t get lost. For the most part they did an OK job. I could see down the fuel neck, and there seems to be a piece of grass or debris that got into the coating on the inside? I’ll try to pick it out. They also painted the outside of the tank (I was on the fence whether I should have opted out and told them not to and that I could do that part) which I was less than impressed with. Not only did they use a brush to apply the Rustoleum paint but there were very thick runs in the paint! I also found more pieces of debris and grass stuck to the outside paint. I just didn’t feel right in putting that back in the Bug like that even though the carpeting covers the tank.

For the bottom, there didn’t seem to be as thick a paint job on the bottom so I just sanded it with the orbital sander, and then used a soft sanding block and sponge with some sand paper by hand. I’ll prime and sand it a couple times to get it to look pretty clean and then just paint it.

For the top of the tank though I decided to strip the paint down to the metal. The runs and paint were really thick and I really wanted this to look extra clean and smooth. Plus there was still painted over gasket material around the sending unit opening that I wanted to remove. I used industrial strength aircraft paint stripped. This is the easiest way but man that stuff is nasty to work with. Use caution and gloves with this stuff – and do it outside.

I ran out of time and had to head out later in the evening but managed to get the bulk of the paint removal and sanding done. With a little more time, some primer, and a bit more sanding the tank will be ready for final paint. My fuel screen, fuel lines, and sending unit gasket/hardware should be here today from Wolfsburg West. My steering damper will be here Wednesday and I have to install it before I mount the tank back in. So hopefully Wednesday night the steering damper, tank, sending unit, and fuel tank to fuel line should be installed. First though I will need to clean out the fuel line running through the chassis tunnel.