Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2019 i dune buggies and hotVWs

What an incredible VW event season so far! We went to a variety of fun shows this year and I imagine many readers did the same, joining the festivities with many V-Dub friends and family members. During the first and second weekends of June, Southern California became once again what many consider the “greatest Volkswagen wonderland ever” – some call it the Mecca of the air-cooled scene. For 10 days, we enjoyed six major VW events along with many open houses and parties hosted by local businesses and local clubs. We feel fortunate to be part of such a wonderful VW week, sharing our passion with many friends. On May 31st, it was truly exciting to see the DKP Cruise Night return as the kickoff event of the So Cal…

If you read my column a few months back about the 356 Speedster that I helped a friend with, you hopefully tucked the info deep in your mind about hauling an air-cooled VW with the nose high in the air and the problems that it can cause. For a quick recap, if the fuel tank is higher than the carburetor, there is a chance of the fuel filling up the float bowl and working its way into the cylinders, and perhaps even into the crankcase itself. It doesn’t happen all the time, but if everything is lined up just the right way, it can occur… and the reason I am bringing it up again in this month’s column, is that it just happened this morning on a Beetle that is…

Volkswagen expands Silicon Valley expertise with new IECC; marks 20 years of innovation with “Type 20” concept vehicle. Volkswagen Group of America announced a new name and expanded role for the former Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) today, and unveiled a unique vehicle concept that combines Volkswagen heritage with futuristic technology. The new Innovation and Engineering Center California (IECC) will be the largest Volkswagen vehicle research facility outside Germany, and serve as the heart of an expansion of Volkswagen’s North American engineering resources, driving greater innovation in vehicle technologies closer to the U.S. customer. The former ERL served as the Volkswagen Group’s research and innovation hub in Silicon Valley for more than 20 years. It grew from just three employees when it was founded in 1998, to more than 180 engineers,…

THIS PICKUP TRUCK RUNNING A 2058CC MOTOR WITH WEBER 44IDFS DELIVERS 128 HP 1972 BOLER CAMPING TRAILER PERFECTLY MATCHES THE PALM GREEN / SAND GREEN Living in Lake Havasu City, Arizona for over twenty years, Ronnie's air-cooled life started back in the early 1970s, when he cruised around in a 1969 Bay Window camper. Yet, his professional career began with another German automobile brand, Porsche, thanks to his restoration shop located in Costa Mesa, California – VWs represented only a small portion of his business back then. However, Volkswagens saved Ronnie later on, as the Porsche market started to shrink in the 1980s, hence Vee Dubs became more prevalent. He has been working on VWs ever since, running Bustoration, a shop set in Lake Havasu for 20 years. He is…

BACK IN 2003, A NEW DRAG RACING class called Unlimited Street created quite a buzz within the Volkswagen community. It involved a bunch of air-cooled VW-powered vehicles, based on the West Coast, running some wild engine combinations. Rules were purposely kept simple: Minimum weight, muffler and two front seats required, functioning headlights and taillights, no wheelie bars… Participants also needed to prove their “street cred” by completing a 20-plus-mile road cruise prior to the event. Spectators loved the spectacle, thanks to competitors such as Kris Lauffer for instance. Who remembers his ’66 Beetle convertible, which ran 9.33 at 150mph courtesy of a 633-horse turbo/nitrous 2442cc? SQUEEZING 245/55-15 M&H REAR TIRES UNDER THE KARMANN GHIA’S BODY REQUIRED SOME WORK Unlimited Street is still alive; in fact, we recently featured one of…

Buses were first manufactured in Wolfsburg in 1950, and they were built to be rebuilt. If one of them was in a collision or had been gnawed away by the rust demons, it was possible to buy the individual body panels to be replaced by welding them to the shell. If it was really bad, VW could supply a bare primered shell for rebodying a Bus. There was a Beetle reconditioning line in the Wolfsburg factory in the late 1940s. Porsche also rebodied wrecked cars. It's been rumored that in the early '50s, a badly damaged Bus could be sent to the factory for rebodying. I have no direct evidence of the factory doing this for Type 2s, but I am sure that it could be done at least on…

What is an emulsion tube and why do I care? The definition of the word emulsion is to mix. This is a tube found in a carburetor that mixes fuel and air for the main circuit. I will be talking about the tubes found in the Weber IDF carbs that are most commonly used. The theory here will apply to other carbs as well. The nice thing about the tubes in the IDF and some other carbs is they are changeable. So after this article you might want to think about changing them or simply look at what you have and know you have the right tube for what I am doing. The tube sits in what I call a well. It sits in a tube so to speak that…

Dual Port End Castings CB Performance offers these stock-style Dual Port End Castings with bosses for 14mm O-ring style fuel injectors (sold separately). Featuring a stock-style 1-1/2" opening, and split runner design, they work with all after-market fuel injection systems. Made in the USA from 356 Aluminum. For more information, go to cbperformance.com Sway Bar Mounting Kit High Quality; it secures the sway bar to the axle beam. Includes clamps, bushings, lock plates and hardware for both sides. Fits through 1967 Bus. Made by Wolfsburg West. For more information, go to www.wolfsburgwest.com Complete & Bare Cylinder Head for Vanagon EMPI now carries AMC early-and late-model Cylinder Heads. Complete heads available for 1980-83 and 83-91 Vanagons. Bare heads available for 83-91 Vanagon. For more information contact local EMPI dealers. More Vintage…

This section allows Volkswagen enthusiasts to make special VW tools. Volkswagen used to publish this fascinating information using blueprints, in case you couldn’t source a VW special tool locally – you could therefore make your own. Construction Detail for VW 641 1. Cut the sheet metal parts to the specifications of the parts list. 2. Work the tray (1) as shown in the drawing (flange the tray and bend the flange) 3. Bend the foot (2) as shown in the drawing. 4. Gas-weld or spot-weld the foot (2) to the tray (1). 5. Paint the oil tray in the prevailing color of equipment and machinery in the shop.…

Reproductions are a heatedly discussed topic. If somebody is reproducing a much needed steering box for early Bay Window Buses, nobody is complaining, because the new steering box helps retaining the value of the van. But if somebody is remaking EMPI Sprint Star wheels for example, the owners of genuine wheels will moan, as suddenly these rims don’t seem that exclusive anymore. In the old days, you had to do a lot of searching to get a set of vintage wheels. Today, “repops” are just a mouse click away. In simple words, let’s put it this way: Reproductions of rare accessories translate into “bad”; remakes of sheet metal and wear parts translate into “good”… correct? Well, not really. The past 20 years saw some improvements in sheet metal quality, which…

After its multi-generational run as a brand mainstay and global automotive phenomenon, the Volkswagen Beetle ended production. The final car produced by Volkswagen de Mexico’s Puebla plant – a Stonewashed Blue coupe – will live on display at Volkswagen’s local museum in Puebla as a lasting tribute to the automobile’s rich and storied heritage. “It’s impossible to imagine where Volkswagen would be without the Beetle,” said Scott Keogh, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “From its first import in 1949 to today’s retro-inspired design, it has showcased our company’s ability to fit round pegs into square holes of the automotive industry. While its time has come, the role it has played in the evolution of our brand will be forever cherished.” Introduced to America as the Type 1, Volkswagen…

It all started over 100 years ago. The Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show) was founded in 1907, becoming one of the most influential and best-attended auto shows in the world. The venue, the L.A. Convention Center, spans more than 1,000,000 square feet. Each fall, show organizers gather the major auto industry players to unveil the future of mobility in the automobile culture capital of the World. BUMBLEBEE @ LA AUTO SHOW To deliver worldwide media exposure, global industry networking and experiential marketing, an event called AutoMobility LA welcomed over 26,500 auto industry decision-makers and influencers, including 4,400 media representatives. Following AutoMobility LA, the show opened its doors to the public as the LA Auto Show, where hundreds of thousands of car shoppers and automobile enthusiasts came together for…

DAD THE AND FAMILY SON ENJOY 'S '68 BOUGHT 37 YEARS AGO This project started out in 1982 when my oldest son Rodney turned 16. I heard about a ’68 Beetle that had been drag raced and was pretty much gutted of as much weight as possible. It had fiberglass fenders and decklid, and two fiberglass bucket seats. The engine was a 1904cc with dual 300cfm Holley carbs, while the trans featured close ratio third and fourth gears. I was told that it ran in the 12s. We pulled it in the garage before he even drove it, and pulled the body off the pan. While Rod sandblasted the pan, I added a few patch panels to the body. With that done I thought we'd try chopping the top. It…

Installing a flywheel involves a few technical aspects you should be aware of. Getting the numbers right will add reliability, longevity, and quiet operation to your rotating system. Flywheel end play is basically the space between your flywheel and the flanged number one main bearing. This bearing is visible when you remove the flywheel, oil seal, and the three shims resting against t he bea r i n g f l a n ge. Three thin shims act as both a bearing surface and a space adjuster. Too little end play and the engine may lock up the bearing, while too much end play will damage the number one bear-i n g w i t h constant pounding. Driving a car with far too much end play can be quite…