1970 Beetle...

OK, so casual conversation with one of the guys I work with today ends up with cars. He says he has a 70 bug, I say cool I've always thought I'd end up with a bug sometime. He goes on to say he's going to sell it because it's at his old house which is almost sold. Says it was his 2nd car, paid $500 for it. Parked it in the garage at his old house 15 years ago. Tells me he's going to ask $300 for it but will be happy with $200. I said don't do a thing with it til I get to see it this weekend. Now I start asking questions. Turns out he parked it because it needed a battery and was starting to "sling oil". Says it's "not that rusty". Store with gas in tank. About 5 years ago his dad was going to fix it, but found rear wheels locked up even w/ clutch in and gave up.

Here's where you guys come in because I know very little about bugs other than I just like them. Never had one or worked on one. So it sounds to me like the flywheel and clutch disc rusted together and I'm thinking this may not be too hard to get up and running for fun, fuel efficient (compared to my DD Jeep) beater. So I'm going Saturday to check it out. What should I look out for and anyone got an idea what "slingin' oil" might mean to a bug? Thanks.

Check the floors, battery tray, and rockers for rust. If the oil leak is a just a drop every now and then from under the engine I wouldn't worry. That could just be a bad seal or a usual vw leak. I have a 1964 Karmann Ghia and it also does that. If it is throwing oil from behind the pulley it could be worn rings or the oil pressure relief piston could be filled with gunk. If you do get the beetle check out the samba.

The locked up rear wheel thing could be as easy as the brake shoes frozen to the drums.

There is absolutely nothing mechanical that would make this a deal-breaker for $200. It is simply a matter of how much rust repair you are willing to take on.

'70 is a pretty good year for bugs. Last year before the Super Beetle was introduced. 1600 single port motor. The only thing that might scare me off would be the auto-stick transmission.

Buy the car, buy John Muir's book, budget under a grand for a cool part-time driver.

www.volksrods.com

Do you honestly expect anyone on this board to dissuade you from buying a $200 car?!

Woodyhfd wrote: Do you honestly expect anyone on this board to dissuade you from buying a $200 car?!

Especially a VW. DO IT!

I love my 70 beetle. I miss it its getting a new floor. With the rear wheal lock'd up some times they will do that if they have been sitting for long amount of time. The same thing happen with73 when I was moving it from my parents house and when I pass the car on to pupbuggers. The oil sling yay my 70 dose that to. no biggie its done that sence I bought it back in 02. This car is my dd and normally gets around 24mpg city/hwy. O'yay I'd jump on the beetle.

The clutch disc can stick to the flywheel due to rust. Just takes some force to break it loose. To see if this is the issue, install a battery, put it in a gear that will send the car in a safe direction and try to start it.

I had this happen with a 914 once, and simply started it, drove off with the clutch in, gave it a few violent throttle gerks and it broke free.

Get it... and a nerf ball for defrosting purposes. No streaks :)

If you pass, call ME !!

About the only rust issue with any Beetle (non-Super) that could be a deal killer is if the front frame horn where the beam attaches is rusted. I do not think that part is available in the aftermarket.

Either the pressure plate is rusted in place or the drums could be rusted to the shoes. On a Beetle you need a (I think, best to check me on this) 31 mm to remove the axle nut to get at the rear brakes, and it is on there with obscene amounts of torque. Plenty of places sell a tool to remove it with a hammer.

Get the Muir book as noted above, and put me in line for the car if everybody else passes. Although I prefer '67 and earlier T1's, a '70 ain't bad.

mel_horn wrote:

Woodyhfd wrote: Do you honestly expect anyone on this board to dissuade you from buying a $200 car?!

Especially a VW. DO IT!

Offer him $180 .. but do it!

Even if you just part it out

Buy it and double your money by selling it to me. ;-)

If by "sling oil" you mean throwing oil off the crank pulley, that is an indication of too much crank case pressure (there is no seal there, just a corkscrew pattern as I remember). It could be as simple as a blocked crank case vent.

My Ghia did that years ago and it took me a hell of a long time to figure it out. Turns out the aftermarket oil filler pipe that I had when tightened in had the vent tube pointed down, creating a U that would fill with oil and block the vent.

If the oil is from behind the crank pulley running vented valve covers will act as a quick fix until you figure out why it is throwing the oil.

Wow, thanks for all the replies! I'm psyched to hear that the oil slinging may be an easy fix, I hope so. I'm excited to go check this one out but I'm stuck in Washington DC for work for three days. I'm planning on going to see it Saturday and yea it's going to take a lot of bad to talk me out of it. I know I could turn it for parts but I'm more interested in a budget manual trans fuel efficient beater. I'm sick of driving the automatic in my Liberty (yea I listened to my wife when I bought... hard lesson).

No I know no one here is going to try and talk me out of it... I came for the support cause all my friends and family think I'm nuts for stuff like this.

And yea, I love those VolksRods.... So cool.

Thanks for the tip on the book... I'm off to check that out and cruise Samba

Thanks

To fix the throwing oil I would drain the oil and then pull the oil pressure relief piston or pistons from under the engine then clean them. This will allow the release of oil pressure and should stop the problem. These can get stuck in position from sitting.

I say you go ahead and pay for it, and bring a trailer. Don't let a good deal get away.

You can part it out for more than $200. Samba is your friend...

sounds like a great score.

btw.. if the engine in the bug is fried..

should probably replace it with

I'd say that's the right thing to do.

Wow- those are mandrel bends the hard way.

Well, went and checked out the Bug today..,. gonna have to think about it a bit more. "Not too rusty" turned out to be pretty darn rusty. Gonna need a whole new pan and has been pretty hacked up. Brake pedal is on the floor and won't come up. Gas pedal won't move. No passenger seat, interior is crap with old house carpet holding the floor boards together. On the plus side it comes with a ton of parts, including a spare transaxle, wheel adapters for a 5 bolt pattern, chrome valve covers, new brake shoes, and a bunch of other stuff. Still I was hoping for a driveable project, don't know if I have time or space for this. Gonna think on it for a while and check out pan costs.

floor pan half are about $80.-$139. each. Heating channels normally for about $139. you can also buy the heating chanels in pices. You could also GRM the floor. Pretty much the floor is flat so some thick steel or fiber grass! would work. the pedal assembly can go for about $79-94. driving a beetle compared to an SUV will be a breth of fresh air.

P.S you can find most interior parts pretty cheap as well.

ignorant wrote: sounds like a great score. btw.. if the engine in the bug is fried.. should probably replace it with

so......how long will that motor run with out valve covers on it

Volksroddin wrote: floor pan half are about $80.-$139. each. Heating channels normally for about $139. you can also buy the heating chanels in pices. You could also GRM the floor. Pretty much the floor is flat so some thick steel or fiber grass! would work. the pedal assembly can go for about $79-94. driving a beetle compared to an SUV will be a breth of fresh air. P.S you can find most interior parts pretty cheap as well.

Yea, I've started investigating the costs and am going back for a closer look. The biggest problem is I wanted a rolling project not a complete rebuild. I need to do some more research to see how deep I'd be getting into it.