'69 Autostick Beetle

VWGirl · « **Reply #45 on:** April 11, 2007, 09:40:06 AM »

i have no clue what you are talking about on this one

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #46 on:** April 11, 2007, 10:37:42 AM »

Ok , I will let this go on for a little while. This blew through the VW family so fast that a lot of old techs even forgot about it. I thought it might be interesting to know that even back in the air-cooled days the great almighty VW-AG could lay a rather large egg. I was BIGGG egg :lol: :lol:

« **Reply #47 on:** April 11, 2007, 11:45:39 AM »

Well, this resembles the Riverside Dealership owned by Joe Vittone in California. Back in '56 when he made replaceable valve guides and modified engine packages such as the GTV that he warrantied from his dealerships, he had went to Germany to have a Forged crank that wouldn't break Volkkswagen didn't like what he was doing as fixing the ever breaking VW engine put the service side of VW down. I think the engine displacement was 1300cc that he offered.

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #48 on:** April 11, 2007, 04:37:29 PM »

Is this not the same Joe Vittone that started EMPI ? I remember a lot of 36 HP cranks breaking even after I got into my VW dealership career which was in July 1964. There was a ton of old ovals and split-window bugs running around here. We would service about 90-120 cars a day at Southland VW which was a heck of a lot of cars for the size of the town of Chattanooga.
As I remember the 36 HP crank would break through the counter -balance between #3 full circle main brg and #3 rod brg journal. It made a hell of a lot racket ,but would keep running for a long time. I bought a '56 vert. with a broken crank from a customer who lived about 30 miles from me and I drove the dang thing home with a Buddy trailing along behind in his Bug. He said he could hear all the clanging and banging as we cruised at about 30-MPH in 3rd gear. I just turned the radio volumn up really loud. We had to wash his car when we got home because of the oil running down his hood. The oil was coming out from behind the crank pulley due to the crankshaft flopping around.
Dang ! Would I do something like that again ? I don't think so :lol:

« **Reply #49 on:** April 11, 2007, 06:59:45 PM »

Yep, the old 36hp motors were known for breaking cranks and still running, and in 1957 Joe went to Germany to have a forged crank made, it was too expensive in the states and he had also owned a Porsche dealership too. He used some Porsche parts and changed the 1131cc to a 1300cc engine. At his dealership Economotors he offered the upgrade with the EMPI crank for only $200 more. In 1954 he was the one that also started a business to make valve guides that you could have replaced at the local machine shops, before you would just throw away the whole head and put a new one on. Vw really frowned on this because they were looking forward at the expense people had to go through every 20,000-25,000 miles. Joe started EMPI as we know it today!
Big Joe

VWGirl · « **Reply #50 on:** April 12, 2007, 02:43:04 PM »

so retbugtech, i am in town permanently now... you still wanna take a look at the mexi? i am free the next couple of days... especially tomorrow...

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #51 on:** April 12, 2007, 03:35:45 PM »

Sure . Friday would work as long as its around 11:00 or 12:00 . I have a Doctors appt. at 1:30. I don't think its going to rain until Sat.

certdubtech · « **Reply #52 on:** April 12, 2007, 10:26:31 PM »

If you're stopping by the Godfather's place, you'll be near my work. I'm just a few minutes away. I'll toss your steering wheel in the car so it will be with me if you get a chance, stop by.
Rick

Bugnut · « **Reply #53 on:** April 13, 2007, 08:27:34 AM »

Steering wheels are overated. :lol:

« **Reply #54 on:** April 13, 2007, 09:30:48 AM »

Quote from: "67bugnut"

Steering wheels are overated. :lol:

Vise Grips work fine! :lol:

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #55 on:** April 13, 2007, 09:51:19 AM »

I think vice-grips are great. The only problem I have had is keeping the horn ring duct-taped on

certdubtech · « **Reply #56 on:** April 13, 2007, 09:48:54 PM »

That's why you need to get one of those stickers....you know the one I'm talking about....

"Horn Broken, watch for finger"

« **Reply #57 on:** April 14, 2007, 09:31:20 AM »

Horns are over-rated!
The only reason horns are in bugs are to implie the "finger", if you were honking to avoid a collision, your brakes are under-rated too. Don't worry, they'll hear the crunch, even if they don't feel it! :lol:
Big Joe

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #58 on:** April 14, 2007, 10:24:47 AM »

About 15 years I witnessed an accident between a '70 Bug and a mid-70s Caddy Float but I heard the Bug horn Beep just before contact. The Caddy was trying to beat the light while pulling out from a shopping mall and was leaning over pretty good when the Bug ,with the horn honking and the brakes locked down(if you can belive that) stuffed the hood and front fenders under the drivers door of the Caddy flipping the Caddy clear over on its top. Have you ever heard a BIG V-8 running wide open upside down ? Smoke and stuff going everwhere. Nobody was hurt but the owner was a little perplexed as to why a VW BUG could do so much damage to his Float. After the Bug owner declined a tow truck and performed some adjustments to the front fenders and had a "Chit-chat" with the police and the Caddy owner, drove the thing off. I wished I had my camera with me. The locals around here know that the roads in and out of Eastgate would bounce you up and down if you were hauling Butt.
Thats what happened to the big Caddy. It bounced up and the Bug drove under him. :lol: :lol:

« **Reply #59 on:** April 14, 2007, 12:12:34 PM »

HOLY S%#T, You gotta be kidding? The gas tank is up front............NO WAY!!!! I don't know what to say on that!
I was driving down the road one day when a wet newspaper flew out in front of me while I was driving my bug down the road, and it crushed the whole front end of me Dub in! .............No not really, but that's how I always thought of them :? GEEZ

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Topic: '69 Autostick Beetle (Read 25036 times)

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'69 Autostick Beetle

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'69 Autostick Beetle

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'69 Autostick Beetle

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'69 Autostick Beetle

Ret.Bugtech

'69 Autostick Beetle

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'69 Autostick Beetle

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'69 Autostick Beetle

Gehackt

'69 Autostick Beetle

Ret.Bugtech

'69 Autostick Beetle

certdubtech

'69 Autostick Beetle

Gehackt

'69 Autostick Beetle

Ret.Bugtech

'69 Autostick Beetle

Gehackt

'69 Autostick Beetle

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