Shorty's 1969 Kombi

Ok .....I'm having spaghetti for tea again tonight ....what are you having arcane?

I've been having a tinker this evening for as long as I could brave the cold!

I've removed the late bay headlights and fitted RHD US spec early bay lights.. These are domed like they should be and have the chrome ring around the outside, whereas the late bay ones are flat and chromeless..

Late bay:





Early Bay - USA spec





And the finished job, including the indicators fitted:

I think you need to get that badge fitted up Squire!

I need to get some work done by a specialist before I can do that dude

Mr Scoops wrote:

I think you need to get that badge fitted up Squire!

badge should always go on last

I kinda think the same Stef...

It's not much, but it's progress all the same... I've never built up an engine before so I'm reading the instructions very carefully and taking it slowly and steadily...

After a dusting down this is what I started with.. it's a 'new' refurbished 1641 long block..



This evening I installed the oil cooler, removed the repro dizzy and installed a Bosch 009 with pertronix ignition fitted and fitted the fuel pump:

Good stuff! Your gonna have fun!

Just looking at your build up of the engine.

The deflector plates you have added between the barrels at the top, these should be at the bottom if my memory serves me correctly. Installed at the bottom they guide the airflow around underneath. If you keep them where they are installed the barrels are not getting airflow from the fan housing and will run toooooooo hot.

You're right

I guess that's why it's good to share stuff on a knowledgable forum!!

If you have to take the tubes off (and heads) to fit the deflector plates, take a little time to stretch out the tubes again from their compressed fitted state. If you want to help seal the pushrod tube seals a little more effectively you can always try a product called Stag Wellseal on the surfaces you put together (quick look on fleabay - 140960612310 - Wellseal Gasket Jointing Compound 100ml - £9.99 - Non-flammable, Non-hardening, Easy-partability - www.wellseal.co.uk ). Got mine in a tube same as this, it's brown very sticky and extremely messy, looks like treacle but works a treat for oily parts. I use an old fine artists brush, dip into top of tube (keep tube upright, old jam jar helps, it tends to run out if laid flat with the top off) and then paint it on the required surfaces.

Good luck with your build-up.

Nice tip Dude

I'm hoping that as the engine was bought in a built state with the push rod tubes in place, then these deflectors will already be there..... I quick trip out to my garage this evening and I will soon know..!

As Scoops said.. great tip.. thanks

Quick question about your tin wear.

Have you painted it?

I would perform a dry build up first of ALL the tin wear to make sure all the holes line up before painting. That way you are not having to make adjustments on any freshly painted parts. So frustrating when the screw holes don't line up when assembling parts. Also make sure it fits together well to avoid too much air leakage. Take care around the oil cooler not to damage the foam strip. This will make cooling so much more efficient. Prolonging the life of the engine.

On the fan housing, don't forget to take your time threading the flap operating rod through the correct holes, etc. for the bellows that attach to the lower part of the sump. I've done it wrong before and it takes precious time putting it right. Also make sure the flaps operate freely. Not sure if they have a return spring somewhere. They should be shut when cold and when the bellows open they push the rod up to open when warm/hot (guys correct me if I'm wrong).
This may also be linked to the cooling deflector plates, I'm not sure if one or both have a slot in them for the rod, make sure if there is only one plate with a slot it's on the correct side.

More stuff from the vaults.

my tinware is a complete - previously all screwed together - set that I have already had powder coated.. a bit of a gamble because as you rightly say, a dry assembly first may have been the best idea... It's a gamble...

The flaps you speak of, are they the ones that would send warm air to the stock air filter operating as you say, on bellows that expand....

I won't be running a stock air filter or carb - going with twin Dell 36's.. so would I be right in thinking I won;t have these to install...

As I said previously, this is my first stab at this, so ALL your comments and anyone else's really are appreciated..

I've got the manuals to steer me in the right direction so I shouldn't completely cock it up, but you can't beat people telling you stuff in a way they know you'll understand on a forum such as this....

Thank god for that! The deflector plates were installed during the engine build so nothing for me to stress about on that score!!

The flaps are supposed to regulate the airflow around the engine at start up until warm.

They have nothing to do with the air filters.

They are to limit the airflow over the cylinders, less air until warm, that's my understanding.
If you want to see how they are installed check out this youtube vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cy1fEq_VQM

I have just realised (since watching these videos) that the rod goes down though part of the cylinder head, sorry my mistake. See it's ages since I've messed with engines.

This shows a pic of the mech at the rear of fan shroud (to the front of engine), with a description:
http://www.coolairvw.co.uk/Category/0/Shop_by_Product~Engine_Products~Air_Cooling_System~Thermostat_and_Flaps.html
Extract from page:
The engines fanshroud flaps are located in the lower part of the main fan shroud. They are operated by a thermostat and rod which opens and closes the flaps when the engine requires cooling. Their default position without a thermostat is 'open' so that if the thermostat fails then the engine will not over heat. When you start a cold engine the thermostat closes the flaps allowing the engine to warm up quicker and as the engine reaches optimum temperature the flaps will open and stay open. (The bellows expand to allow the rod to move up, so with the mech on the rear is spring loaded putting the FLAPS in the 'OPEN' position from the description above)

The youtube video is actually taken from this set of videos, which if you watch all 16 should go some way to helping you understand all the stuff you read in books but are not quite sure about. I sometimes find it difficult to translate a book into a practical working experience and the best way to learn is have someone show you with hands on approach. It worked for me 35 years ago when I f**ked my dissy position up and my mate came over and reset it by ear, (before I could read I think) and did the same with my mums Maxi but that was a little more complicated. I could never set them up to run as sweet as my mate does even when I'm using the right gear. Some people have talent.

http://aircooledvwvideos.com/part-1-how-install-type-1-vw-air-cooled-engine-tin-introduction

I've not looked at them all but I wish they'd been around when I first rebuilt my 1300 into a 1600 engine in 1980.

I'm going to watch them all as I've got to take the Wizards engine out and rebuild the top half as it drops oil wherever I park it. Those damn pushrod tubes, I never built it in the first place so it should be fun seeing what someone else has done.



If you need to make a HOOVER part as described in the part 4 video, there is a link on the VZI site:
http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=748805
With several posted links.
(seems the www.type2.com links don't work anymore)
For sale here but not cheap:
http://www.deimosaircooled.com/products/engine/cooling/hoover-bits/de-117-003-s

I have never seen those black plates before on top of the cylinders, always seen them below to direct air around the lower part of the cylinders.( 2 TYPRES TYPE 1 AND TYPE 3)
that looks like a massive problem for cooling as it wont allow air around the central fins of the cylinders.


andy

Already removed Andy, my mistake!

Prepared a solid side window ready for fitting later this week (hopefully...)

Meh

(Based on the tape)

I did think that when I unintentionally wrote it.. Is it now cool as feck and worth 3 times as much!

Or you could say it is simply self appreciating and loves it's self!

Or it just knows its been a cunt all night!

(Loves you really KSK!)

manuals are good, but you can't beat a video so you can watch someone else do it first... I've just watched this full series of short videos about how to install the tinware on a VW engine..

posting it here for future reference by others.... and myself!

https://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5F64A01FA2D7E128&search_query=awesome+powdercoat