pics of my 67 Sunroof Sedan

[amchair67]

2160cc efi turbo by Pat Downs

[amchair67]

Carbon fiber hood, deck lid, fenders, running boards. Bentley Peacock paint by Buddy Hale, split window trim and bumpers.

[Eric Harris]

Wolf whistle!  That looks fantastic!  What do you mean by split window trim?

Eric

[amchair67]

Thanks-finally getting to the end of it-7 years.  Having probs getting the EFI sorted out, but that should be done soon.  I used the beltline trim and bumpers from a Split Window Bug-which are grooved. Buddy Hale painted the groove body color.

[bowen71]

67, 73, 90 air cooled VWS, 05 CTS-V

90 aircooled?

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

7 years???  Isnt it more like 10?

Glad to see it getting close.  A couple more years and you should have it ready!  =P

[amchair67]

Hey hey, Corny-as soon as I saw you replied to this, I KNEW I was in for it! Hey-you'd fall in love with the place that's doing the final tuning on it. They do mainly Porsche stuff, although the owner is a VW guy as well (his Vanagon has a 911 drivetrain in it)

Yeah, a '90 Mexican made Bug-it's my daily ride, back and forth to my shop. It's kind of a beater, with 137,000 miles on it, but it's still going just fine.

[Garrett]

What's taking so long?   Giggle-giggle.......

[David Ward]

Good things come to those that wait??

[bowen71]

Yeah, a '90 Mexican made Bug-it's my daily ride, back and forth to my shop. It's kind of a beater, with 137,000 miles on it, but it's still going just fine.

How did you get it registered in the USA? I tried to get a mexibeetle a few years back and unless I did some illigal stuff I couldnt get it done.

[amchair67]

Thanks David. Don't forget Garrett, I did pretty get a Bus together in under a year too pal : )

I bought it off of a used car lot in a suburb of Chicago back in '02. It had been traded in by  Mexican guy who purchased it new. It had a clean, Illinois title when I got the car. It has the correct VIN and original floor pan. I had no problems registering it or insuring it. My insurance agents have had to add several "0"s as a prefix to the VIN as it is too short for their computer to process-otherwise, no issues. And I have had this with 3 insurance companies (Geico, a 'no name', and my current American Family).

I have had issues, of course, getting it to pass emissions. Beetles did not receive fuel injection until mid '92, and a catalytic converter at the same time. I did take it in to emissions testing, where it failed. No amount of tuning could get it to pass. I imagine a car of my vintage, with the FI/cat equipped later engine, would pass easily-my understanding is that those cars were as clean as similar year water cooled cars, but do not have OBD2 for testing (required on, I think, '96 and up cars).  I am lucky enough to have relatives who live in Wisconsin-who allowed me the use of their address for registration. The area they are in is small and does not require emissions testing. And a Wisconsin title was just as easy to get as the Illinois one.

Funny enough, Illinois no longer requires emissions testing on pre '96 cars, so I may be able to register it to where I live, in Chicago, and be ok.

When I got the car, it had 30,000 miles on it and was almost like new. Since then, I have put over 105,000 miles on it-very hard miles at that. I use it daily year round, and did the same when I lived in Arizona. I've driven the car back from AZ when I lived there. Drove it to SoCal several times from there. Used to take it on some very very rough terrain when I lived out west-places where the only other vehicles besides me were Jeeps and motor bikes.  Those who say the Mexican built cars are "crap" have never owned one. I flog the crap out of this thing, and it's been very good-the heads have never been off of it.

[amchair67]

Bowen, I didn't notice where you live. But I should add that neither Illinois or Wisconsin require a visual vehicle inspection.  When registering my cars in Arizona, I learned they do require a visual inspection. I have to say, that I left my car registered in Illinois (this was before I transferred it to WI), as I had rental property in Chicago even when I lived out west. I was a little afraid that once they did the visual and checked everything, and learned that these things were not sold in the USA in 1990, I'd have to foot it home. I did see Mexican Bugs with Mexican plates on them from time to time there.  And there are  a number of Mexican Beetles here, although mine is the only one I know of personally that has not had a pan swap.

[amchair67]

Finally picked up the car from Perfect Power yesterday. Seems to have lots of power and runs pretty well! This car and I have a long, love-hate relationship. It's left me with empty pockets, sore feet, high stress, and even a nickname thanks to Mr. Conklin. Some concerns I have to work out like high engine temps and low oil pressure, it seems, but it made a 30 mile drive home, which is quite a feat since it's never been able to make it 30 blocks with out freaking out and breaking down lol. Just ordered some odds and ends detail parts, but it's about there. I was stuck in some pretty major traffic for over an hour and saw engine temps of 300 degrees at the end. Hoping installing the rear engine tin will bring that down, and have to look into the oil pressure. My gauge was reading below 4psi at idle near the end of my ride, and the idiot light was on anytime it was at or just above idle. Kind of scary. I felt like I was riding a wild horse that was going to throw me off, or in this case, leave me stranded and frustrated, but for once, it did not.

[martin]

What kind of oil are you using? Do you have an external oil cooler? What about the plungers, is the bore ok and not leaking around the plunger? Are you using the stock springs or the heavy duty ones? Temp sounds high if that's oil temp.

[amchair67]

I'm using a Bergmann 911 cooling system-yeah yeah I know about the uh,  mixed reviews, with a Kymco cooler.  Running Brad Penn 50 weight as recommended by Pat Downs who built it.  I've got to look into the oil pressure issue. I am thinking the missing rear tin is causing the high temps. I need to see if the old one will fit (my turbo piping was revised since the engine was built) or if a new one needs to be fabricated. The exhaust etc is right there and I would think the fan could surely pull a lot of that hot air in.

[martin]

What I'm learning is that the motor has 2 areas to watch. One is the head temp and the other is the oil temp. Each has its own problems. If the heads are getting too hot you can get problems with sealing, valve seats moving, when the heat builds up due to inefficient chambers, or not enough fan cooling. If the oil is too hot, that means the case is overheating too which can cause the head studs to pull out of the case, and hot oil won't lube the bearings properly. With an external oil cooler, it should be possible to get the oil temp lower. Where do you have the oil temp sensor? My engine has the sensor that replaces the oil bypass plunger plug and we thought that 250 on the gauge was too hot.

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

If you dont have the tin in place over the exhaust, then this would be a likely cause for the high temps.  The oil being that hot may be contributing to your low oil pressure too. I would fix that and then see how the car does.

FWIW, this latest motor in my 67 has always had terrible oil pressure at idle.  Whenever it is warm, it turns on the low pressure light which can be very disconcerting.  It has been that way for years.  I know it isnt "right" but when I had it apart last, the bearings looked fine, so I guess its ok.

[amchair67]

Thanks guys. I am hoping to get a chance to look into some of these things this week. I have only driven the car twice-once was the day I brought it home, the second was yesterday. Seems like when it gets hot, it does not want to idle. I am going to get the rear tin in place, and also check to make sure the cooling fan is working. Yesterday, my oil pressure gauge was reading like 50 psi at idle so there seems to be an issue with the gauge. No oil light on except after it was warm, when the car was struggling to idle.

I'm happy to have this thing actually on the road, even if it's not perfect yet. I'm used to my stockers which idle all day in traffic and pretty much just run well all the time. I have to remind myself  that this car is very far from stock-it has 6 times the power as it did new. It would be as if my CTS-V had 2400bhp-I imagine it'd run a bit hot too!

[amchair67]

Did a  little playing around-let the engine get to 240, and the Kymco fan never came on. So between that and the missing tin, I think I have two causes for this thing running so hot. That's oil temperature. And I do need to see what is up with the oil pressure. Even when fully warmed up, the gauge was reading over 40psi at idle. I did crank up the idle just slightly as the day before it was struggling to stay on.

[Eric Harris]

Armchair,
Do you happen to be using VDO electric oil temp and press gauges?  I recently chased a similar problem (high temp/low pressure)...turns out it was bad gauges, and caused a lot of colorful language on my part.  Ended up hooking up a mechanical pressure gauge directly to the case to check it at idle (checked good), and using one of those infrared temp guns (like the HVAC guys use) to check temps (oil filter, sump, dipstick, heads, etc) that were all within normal range.  Also hooked up a Berg dipstick gauge and never had it illuminate the idiot light even after the POS VDO gauge was saying it was over 300 F.

Good luck!

Eric   
 

[amchair67]

I am planning to check it using an infared thermometer (I am a plumbing contractor so I have one on my truck) but I gotta say, it sure feels hot. I am running SEM gauges.

[John P]

Congrats on getting it done - I thought that you and Richard Roth were competing for the Longest Running Unseen Project award, but he clearly beat you. It looks awesome, although I still think that you should have gone with green engine tin.  

I wouldn't worry about the oil temperature and pressure issues until you replace the engine tin and test the oil cooler fan.

- If you're running straight 50 weight oil, you will definitely get sky high pressure upon start up. Be careful not to beat on it until it warms up or you could launch your filter across the state

- I've had mixed success as well with electric gauges, and always compare them to the readings I get with a mechanical gauge (screwed into the pressure sending unit) and candy thermometer (in place of the stock oil dipstick). I simply have a Berg dipstick that I calibrated (in boiling water) to flicker at 210 degrees F.

- If you truly were seeing 300F on your oil temp, then it's understandable that your oil pressure light was going on at idle. Hell, the original owner's manuals stated that it wasn't unusual for the light to flicker on a hot day (after a long drive on the highway). They weren't concerned, as long as it went out when you revved it a bit above idle. The Beetle's ancestors, 356s and 911s, are the same.

Congrats again - it must feel good to have it "done."

My 1.5 cents.

JP

[amchair67]

Thanks JP. I am hoping to tackle those items next week. Once I get the tin and fan in place and a few miles of seat time I'd like to put it up against something to see how quick it is. It feels fast-it certainly FEELS faster than my CTS-V, but then 75 mph in a Bug also feels like 105mph in most other cars : ). I'm thinking about running it against the V on a pretty abandoned street near me, but the V is a tricky car to launch. It's a 13 second car-13 flat to 13.4 depending on who you listen to, stock.  I spec'ed the Bug to be an 11 second car, and hopefully it is. My dad has an S600 which is a mid 13 second car, have to see if I can talk him into running me. I'd rather have some idea before bringing it to a track. We'll see-I don't street race much these days (not real smart).  It DOES feel good. Now I can finally just hammer out the details instead of breaking down two blocks from leaving my garage or leaving an oil screen behind me. If it wasn't for you guys giving me crap, I would have given up looong ago.  Never too late for a hipo green engine-I have a Super Beetle project coming up. Body and paint are done, and guess what color it is!

[The Ideaman]

I remember dragging that thing from Matt Howard's house after he did some welding with Buddy in '03.  Sure has come a long way.

[amchair67]

Cool-yeah it's been a slow road but it's about done. I had that car trucked to Arizona to Buddy and Matt. Picked it up and trailered it home to Chicago.  Towed it out there again when I moved to Arizona in early 2005. Had it trucked back to Chicago when I moved back here in late 2006.  A lot of miles on it, not a one under it's own power. The welding that was done was having a sunroof clip welded in from my '67 body that I sent there, into a clean '66 body that Buddy supplied. Buddy/Matt's paint has held up well over 8 years.

[Chuck Fryer]

The paint has held up, 'cause it's never seen the light of day!!!!

[amchair67]

Watch it buddy! OK, you might actually have a point there.

[amchair67]

Well sadly this engine had a failure today. Pretty sure it is a thrown rod. About sixty miles on this CB Performance built paperweight. GRRRRR!

[David Ward]

Sorry to hear this.  The heat problem may have been a contributing factor or a symptom of a problem.  Bummer.

Build an old school IDA motor now.  

[amchair67]

Yes I do agree. I've had problems getting this thing right from the very beginning. Time to keep er simple.

[John P]

PLEASE tell me you're kidding? 

Man, do I feel for you - all the time, effort and $$$$$. It has got to be hard to keep your head up.

My condolences.

[amchair67]

Thanks brother. Well, in my younger days, I would have probably smashed the whole car with a sledgehammer, or left it where it stopped, with the keys in it and a signed title on the seat. While I am pretty bummed about it, at least I know where I am at, pretty much. The FI system took a LOT to get working right, and I was always nervous about making it back home. I think the lesson i did learn is to keep it simple-meaning, VW cooling system so I don't have to rely on a remote cooler and fan. Now the decision is, do I keep it fuel injected or not. The guys at Perfect Power did a very good job of getting this system to work-although in all honesty,they replaced most of it with their own. One of their guys custom builds injection systems for Porsche race cars (Corny would drool if he saw the stuff in this shop). Thanks to Chuck, Garrett, and Mike, however, I do have in my hands a 150bhp engine that will go in shortly until I figure out the best way to get ten seconds out of this crate.

[Eric Harris]

Oh man, sorry to hear this.

Eric

[John P]

I admire your attitude. I'm with David - keep it simple.

[amchair67]

Thanks dude. If it wasn't for friends-and yeah you are included, I would have never even attempted this car. When I started this car, my goal was to be able to run a 911 Turbo in the quarter. The goal is the same, though now that car is a ten second car out of the box, so the game will be more simplified but more powerful.