My 66 Bug Project Thread.

Might be neat on the rear speaker shelf inside the rear window.....

speedbuggy wrote:

Might be neat on the rear speaker shelf inside the rear window.....

Yah, I thought of doing that too. Just need to make the speaker shelf! LOL

Ok, got my flashers to work and also installed the flasher unit a bit better then the PO had it.

Before,


After,


I also got my glove box tab today!! It is so much easier to open the glove box now!!




Yesterday we started on the brakes and found that the master cylinder is history. So todays project is to R&R the mc and then hopefully I will be able to stop. Then we can work on getting it to go again. While hubby works on the mc today, I am planning to clean the carb. I hopefully will at least be able to take a test drive tomorrow or Friday. I hope! LOL

And this will be the first test drive? There's nothing like it!

Woohoo for first test drives!

Wow, you actually have a speaker in the dash by the speedo? Very cool.

I found a horn ring there too, but we passed it up because it looked smaller then what should be on my car. I am probably going to be kicking myself for doing that, but here it goes... Do they make different horn rings for earlier years or do they all pretty much interchange? The guy had it marked "60's era" VW.

The horn rings are all the same size as far as I know. The 1960 is different because of the way the horn works. It is a one year only part but will fit other years. It will not work properly though. The horn bar I believe started in late 1963. I could be wrong. Same size and will fit the various wheels but does lack the full ring.

Dann, you are a horn ring.

I am just sayin' what everyone else is thinkin'.

OH SNAP!!??!!

dsimas wrote:

Woohoo for first test drives!

Wow, you actually have a speaker in the dash by the speedo? Very cool.

Yah, first one. If we ever get there! LOL Every time we turn around something else needs to be done! Eventually though.

Yah, the speaker is there, just don't know if it works. It has the original 6 volt radio and I don't have a 6 volt battery to try it out on.

My plan for music is to just have an amp under the seat, speakers in the back behind the rear seat, and an iPod cable to the amp. Don't care so much for the radio so no need for one!

60herbie53 wrote:

I found a horn ring there too, but we passed it up because it looked smaller then what should be on my car. I am probably going to be kicking myself for doing that, but here it goes... Do they make different horn rings for earlier years or do they all pretty much interchange? The guy had it marked "60's era" VW.

The horn rings are all the same size as far as I know. The 1960 is different because of the way the horn works. It is a one year only part but will fit other years. It will not work properly though. The horn bar I believe started in late 1963. I could be wrong. Same size and will fit the various wheels but does lack the full ring.

Poop, lol, wish I would have bought it then! Oh well, maybe next time! Bug O Rama is coming up!

I made a glove box tap for mine too. Makes life so much nicer.....

It's Alive!!!

https://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m247/myhrdly/66%20Bug/?action=view&current=IMG_1736.mp4

We had to clean the carb to get it to idle and so far it seems to be working ok. We also finished the brake and mc job so I can now stop too. LOL I'm not thrilled on where the brake pedal goes down too, but it has been a while since I drove a bug so maybe it is just that I'm not used to it. I am hopefully going to go for a test drive after work tomorrow, so I wil find out more about the pedal when I do that.

I also started my sticker collection!





I dont plan on putting a ton of them on there, like I have on my Bus, but I will be adding more as I find some that I like!!

Well, took her for a test drive today! Just went around the block a couple times, didn't have the bonnet on yet. That and the gas tank still wasn't bolted down.

I had to fix my driver seat in order to do the test drive. I think I did a good job!



Almost done,



All better! LOL



Ok, so it's not the best but it did the job for the test drive! LOL I found out that the clutch needs to be adjusted. It grabs to late. I like it to grab closer to the floor. Also the carb needs some more work. It seems to run fine but when I try to start it back up, I have to floor it till it finally starts to run. Also I think the brakes need some more work. The pedal goes about half way down. It stops, but I think it should be up a little higher.

Once I got done test driving a came home and put the rear seat in!! Looks a lot bettr.

Before



After,




I also found these belts. I'm thinking of going with them instead of the 3 point one's that are currently in the car. Still not positive what I want to do yet though.



At least these will match my eventual color scheme in the car.

Tonight I am hoping to get the clutch and brakes adjusted. I may also pull the carb back off and drop it in some Chem Dip. Either that or I will clean up a different carb and try it.

Duct-Tape...the handymans (or womans) secret weapon! Your brake pedal should only go down about an inch from the top position. Adjust the brakes and then bleed them again after they're adjusted. That should cure the problem if everything is in good shape. Your project is coming together quickly!

speedbuggy wrote:

Duct-Tape...the handymans (or womans) secret weapon! Your brake pedal should only go down about an inch from the top position. Adjust the brakes and then bleed them again after they're adjusted. That should cure the problem if everything is in good shape. Your project is coming together quickly!

We just put on new brakes, new mc, and then adjusted and bled, but I think it needs to be done again.

It's coming together quickly because I am not tearing it down to nothing and re doing everything. I'm wanting a nice daily driver (well almost daily) that looks good, but not pristine. I'm not going to be showing it or anything, just enjoying it. The things that will slow me down is the carpet kit and panels and such. Money will have to be made first and that will take the time.

Today hubby brought these home for me!



They are in a lot better shape then the one's that came with the car. They still need to be worked on a bit, but will be a lot better to work with then the other one's.

I.love.your.project.updates.

I.also.enjoy.your.updates.


Why are we using so many periods?

THERE IS ALSO AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE ROD THAT GOES FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL INTO THE MASTER CYLINDER. OUT OF ALL THE VWS IVE WORKED ON IVE ONLY HAD TO ADJUST MAYBE 3 IN 15 YEARS.

Smogman72 wrote:

THERE IS ALSO AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE ROD THAT GOES FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL INTO THE MASTER CYLINDER. OUT OF ALL THE VWS IVE WORKED ON IVE ONLY HAD TO ADJUST MAYBE 3 IN 15 YEARS.

Hubby mentioned something about that rod today. We are going to adjust it and the clutch tomorrow night. I'm hoping all will go well and all I will need to figure out is why it is so hard to start once it warms up. It starts great when cold, but once it warms up I have to hold the throttle to the floor till it finally starts. Then I get to work on seats so I can actually drive it.

Today we finally got the bonnet on. I went to test it to make sure it latched, it did, but when I went to release it, it didn't! LOL After fighting it for a while we finally got it open. After some adjustments we got it to work great. I am so happy. I can now get gas in it! LOL

I also switched my turn signals from orange to clear. I really like the looks of the clear.

Before,



After,


Tomorrow we are hopefully going to go to DMV and try to get a set of black and yellow plates assigned to it. Wish me luck!! I know it is going to take some time for approval. We had to send our truck reg into the Special Units division of DMV for DP plates. The truck was just over the limit, but the limit had just went up to where the truck could have DP plates. The office couldn't approve it though because the law was that new. So they had to send the app into the SU Division. That was in February. At the time we got a 3 month red tag to drive on. Had to get another one till the end of August. We are going to try to get another one tomorrow when we are there for the bug. I mean this is getting ridiculous. I really think they lost the paperwork. Guess we will find out tomorrow. ANYWAY, LOL it will probably be a few months before I get an official ok to use the plates, if I get an ok!

Clear turn signals are where it is at!



I like them! Good choice..

Finally, we are getting back on the bug!! It is finally on the lift and the axle boots are done!! Hopefully today we will get to the ball joints. Then it can come off the lift and hopefully stay off for a while!!

All I need to do to drive it is get the driver seat reupholstered. Well, actually just need the cover that was on it, re sewn. Then I wil have a comfy more stable seat to do some more test driving in.

Once I figure out if the brake fluid is leaking or not, and also get the carb working better, I hope to start driving it to work and back!!! Kind of excited, but have to take it slow. Need to make sure it is safe to make the 40 mile round trip!!

Oh, I found this on CL today. 9-19-11



So now I have a rack!!

I've been meaning to ask you about this. Glad to see you working on it again.

Yah, it's is coming along slowly! I got the heater thingy's (the round accordian looking things that go between heater boxes and the car) connected today and I was thinking that they (Jack and Bob) were going to work on the ball joints. Nope! Didn't happen, again. Uggghhh. LOL I can't do the ball joints myself. I did tell Bob I could do them if I go and buy the kind that come all together. May have to do that if they don't get on the stick! LOL

I had one just like it once.... it may sing for you

Love the roof rack. Sweet!