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Post by owdlvr on Jan 21, 2024 16:43:22 GMT -8
It dawned on me the other night, "I wonder if this thing still has the original spark plugs" from roughly 70,000mi ago. Oh geesh. Gaps of almost 0.050, half the electrodes worn away. New plugs, new rebuilt carb, fired right up. The carb is built up from a bin of bits, and isn't quite right. There are genuine weber parts, Empi HPMX parts, e-bay copy parts, brand new bits from carbs unlimited. Basically if I've ever found a carb to be damaged or unusable, all the "good bits" (like needles, washers, shafts, etc) end up cleaned and in this bin. Its the "Rancho Gearbox" method for IDF carb rebuilding  Machining tolerances apparently aren't good enough on these, so I had to swap out the air-bypass screws and the idle adjustment screws until I found two that seem to fit better. It's now close enough that I should just accept it until the warmer weather, but not perfect. I won't get to it for a few days, and still have to decide if I want to pull apart the doors to replace the felts and fix the passenger window that always needs a second hand. Hmmm...wonder how Bob is with window regulator adjustments |
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Post by Volktales on Jan 21, 2024 21:31:52 GMT -8
When is the fuel injection coming???
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Post by owdlvr on Jan 22, 2024 14:21:38 GMT -8
It's a $6,400 upgrade to move to fuel injection...and I'm not sure that I would do it to a "sweep the floor" motor. HOWEVER, if I upgrade the family heirloom fuel injection to the $6,400 package...then the Gen3 CB system I have would need a home. At that stage, it might make sense on the '58.
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Post by Volktales on Jan 24, 2024 22:13:34 GMT -8
$6400? Ouchy. Can see why it is not a thing at this time... One of the Corvair channelsbI watch is doing a home brew fuel injection conversion. Interesting...
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Post by owdlvr on Jan 25, 2024 15:50:03 GMT -8
It can absolutely be done cheaper with megasquirt or a home-brew solution. The Holley Sniper system (run as a single carb replacement) has a tonne of potential.
But in my case, it's not one project car I'm trying work on. I need plug-and-play reliabilty...so that means paying for the good kit, that works.
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Post by CrazyBrit on Jan 28, 2024 18:43:24 GMT -8
I saw that Holley Sniper setup on the CB Performance site last week. It looks nice. Certainly a good option to replace carbs with. I wonder how it performs relative to a twin carb setup?
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Post by owdlvr on Feb 1, 2024 10:41:27 GMT -8
The single carb sniper setup that CB is selling is the same sniper kit I'm using on my Ford Falcon. CB has basically taken the Autolite 110 carb replacement (common domestic carb) and made the kit work with Beetles. That isnt the kit I would use on any of my engines. CB has also take the sniper ECU, and matched it up with four separate injectors in their IDF style throttle bodies. It's the best of both worlds: CB's Gen 4 hardware setup, with Holley's sniper ECU and touch screen panel.
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Post by owdlvr on Feb 12, 2024 0:09:38 GMT -8
  Rally bug heater channels are looking pretty good inside...but the bottoms of each were pretty rotten. Bob and I found a couple of spots, and patched them, but when the sandblaster came out...what was left was swiss-cheesey. It would seem both left and right sides were full of sand...from sandblasting the shell 13years ago. That held water/moisture, and rotted out the bottom and some of the running-board sides.    Heater channel bottoms in, door gap on the driver's side fixed, cracked hinge on the driver's side fixed...I mean, this was going to be a quick respray, right? I guess at this stage, we might as well fix everything Well, since we're cutting out sheet metal...I should probably feel guilty.  ...and putting new metal in.    Pedal set has the clutch pedal in line with where it was with the old set, but the pedals are 3" closer to the bulkhead. That should give me enough leg room to compensate for the added height off the floor they will have. Turns out the master cylinders shipped without some needed parts, so this project will have to wait a bit. Brought the Midget in for a new starter...  A rebuilt starter of the factory type (top) is $500usd, while a new chinese unit is $150usd. The internet suggests an Isuzu diesel starter ($30) will fit. So lets give it a shot!?!  Although...it could be that the starter isn't the problem with this car...  The starter also hits the sheet metal of the Midget. Nothing a little clearancing can't solve? I wish I had taken video to share on the British facebook sites...  Almost there...  Worked like a charm!!  ...and now we spend the next week working in my office, or cleaning/prepping the house for my family from the east to visit. No shop time for at least a week  |
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Post by owdlvr on Feb 22, 2024 0:11:23 GMT -8
 With the '58 basically ready to go for the coming season, and the Midget doing runabout service...it is time to get the German Look beetle ready. On its last event/run home it was developing a wheel bearing or CV noise on the right rear, and inspection showed the wheel bearing definitely had some play in it. Pulling the tire off, I also noted some odd wear that suggests the wheel bearing got quite loose or a bad shock is developing. I seem to think I may have tightened the axle nut at one point in Colorado...so I definitely needed to dig deeper. I don't think the video will post here, but feel free to follow the link. The stub axle on that side, which should require a tool to press out / remove, pushed out with my thumb. Eek.  Untitled by Dave Hord, on Flickr The wheel bearings, CV joints and brake pads...which were all brand new when I built the car in 2020...appear as though they are coming off a 30 year old car. Black, dry, and waxy CV grease. Pads about 2/3rds done, wheel bearing grease that is brown/grey not red. Weird. And then I checked the mileage. The car has done just over 90,000mi since I built it. This is all making sense now! Hmmm, perhaps the car needs a little more than just a 'start of year' turn around...  If the rears are showing this much use, the fronts should probably be done as well? They appear to be in much better shape, but will get cleaned and re-greased regardless. The rears, I think I will replace.     KYB recommends 50-80,000mi as the life for their shocks...so I'm thinking I better just swap those out as well. Rear rotors, which were used when I built the car, are getting replaced. The fronts, which were new, still have lots of life. I might replace them anyways and keep this set (and their pads) as a bedded-in swap. I've also yanked the pushrod tubes (and thus the pushrods and rockers) to take care of a couple that were leaking. A smarter man would have pulled the shocks before pulling the valve covers and opening up the engine. Gotta put those parts back in and seal it up before I remove any other bits off the car.  Also waiting for my latest prototype 'center console' to come off the 3D printer...  -Dave |
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Post by owdlvr on Feb 22, 2024 0:21:18 GMT -8
I don't know if I've posted these...   Have I mentioned how much I'm loving the dash in this car? I should probably dig up some photos of it lit up at night. |
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Post by PICTUP on Feb 22, 2024 11:32:59 GMT -8
I don't know if I've posted these... Have I mentioned how much I'm loving the dash in this car? I should probably dig up some photos of it lit up at night. Even in the light, it certainly looks the business!  |
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Post by Volktales on Feb 23, 2024 21:33:55 GMT -8
The Internet: "Old VWs are unreliable and can barely make it to the store for an occasional ice cream."
Dave: "I know this great ice cream place in Florida. Let's hit the road!"
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Post by 52 split on Feb 24, 2024 17:27:05 GMT -8
well have you heard that VW tale that you drive a rollskinhardly. translates to- rolls down one hill and can hardly make it up the next one.
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