
74 Beetle
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This forum is specifically intended for you to post generic questions related to a repair.
If your question is specific to a project, or your VW please post in your VW's Garage Space.
This forum is specifically intended for you to post generic questions related to a repair.
If your question is specific to a project, or your VW please post in your VW's Garage Space.
- Glenn
- Posts: 3207
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:20 pm
- First Name: Glenn
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Long Island, New York, USA
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
Took the car for a drive... just like new 

Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
-
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:09 pm
- First Name: Audrey
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Ready for a road trip....
Re: 74 Beetle
Boy did you avoid a pile of poop! Barely missed a beat and back on the road.
Keep working at it and it gets done!!
- Glenn
- Posts: 3207
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:20 pm
- First Name: Glenn
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Long Island, New York, USA
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
I can only imagine if it didn't break and I then pulled the engine to find nothing wrong.
I would need to be sedated.
Live is easy when a part is obviously broken. It's when you can't see the problem that you go nuts. That's why I don't work on newer cars.
The clutch system is as basic as you can get, a pedal is connected to a cable which is connected to the arm on the cross shaft and the thow out bearing is on the cross shaft. Step on the pedal and the throw out bearing presses on the pressure plate. Who'd think the weld on a 1/2 shaft would weaken and twist.
I would need to be sedated.
Live is easy when a part is obviously broken. It's when you can't see the problem that you go nuts. That's why I don't work on newer cars.
The clutch system is as basic as you can get, a pedal is connected to a cable which is connected to the arm on the cross shaft and the thow out bearing is on the cross shaft. Step on the pedal and the throw out bearing presses on the pressure plate. Who'd think the weld on a 1/2 shaft would weaken and twist.
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
Re: 74 Beetle
Hey Glenn.....this is totally irrelevant to your recent clutch issues (while at GT you maybe saw our Squareback which is about to get the clutch cable guide tube welded back in place?) but I'm wondering if you have the specs/parts list of your old 1904 online somewhere. I found the ones for the 2180 on your site but not the other engine.
We're about to get a 1904 built and even though I have pretty much all the parts already I'm curious to see what others have used.
We're about to get a 1904 built and even though I have pretty much all the parts already I'm curious to see what others have used.
- Glenn
- Posts: 3207
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:20 pm
- First Name: Glenn
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Long Island, New York, USA
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
Went for a drive and the exhaust sounded pretty loud and obnoxious so I went around the block and parked in front of the house. this is what i found.

After letting it cool down it was a 2 minute fix to replace the gasket and missing hardware.

After letting it cool down it was a 2 minute fix to replace the gasket and missing hardware.
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
-
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:09 pm
- First Name: Audrey
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Ready for a road trip....
Re: 74 Beetle
I think your "74 is begging for some love!!Glenn wrote:
After letting it cool down it was a 2 minute fix to replace the gasket and missing hardware.
Keep working at it and it gets done!!
- Glenn
- Posts: 3207
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:20 pm
- First Name: Glenn
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Long Island, New York, USA
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
So it's jealous of the bike?AoT wrote:I think your "74 is begging for some love!!Glenn wrote:
After letting it cool down it was a 2 minute fix to replace the gasket and missing hardware.
I have 400 miles on the bike, less than half of that on the Beetle.
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
- Glenn
- Posts: 3207
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:20 pm
- First Name: Glenn
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Long Island, New York, USA
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
Back on the road...
I moved the left carb to the side, replaced the #3 spark plug wire and reinstalled the carb.
It fired right up.
I moved the left carb to the side, replaced the #3 spark plug wire and reinstalled the carb.
It fired right up.
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
Re: 74 Beetle
Glenn wrote:Back on the road...
I moved the left carb to the side, replaced the #3 spark plug wire and reinstalled the carb.
It fired right up.
bad wire?
Glenn wrote:I have to say, this "gruppe" is so much more than just a car club.
MrBreeze wrote: This is the DVG board. The threads flow as they flow.
Deal with it.
- Glenn
- Posts: 3207
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:20 pm
- First Name: Glenn
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Long Island, New York, USA
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
Yup.
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
-
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:09 pm
- First Name: Audrey
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Ready for a road trip....
Re: 74 Beetle
See a little love changes everything!!Glenn wrote:So it's jealous of the bike?AoT wrote:I think your "74 is begging for some love!!Glenn wrote:
After letting it cool down it was a 2 minute fix to replace the gasket and missing hardware.
Keep working at it and it gets done!!
- Glenn
- Posts: 3207
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:20 pm
- First Name: Glenn
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Long Island, New York, USA
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
This is no April Fool's joke.

Even got the expired inspection taken care of.


Even got the expired inspection taken care of.

Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
- Glenn
- Posts: 3207
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:20 pm
- First Name: Glenn
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Long Island, New York, USA
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
Should i go black? I'll explain.
The weld between the two mufflers on my car has cracked so I'm getting it repaired. They have to grind off the ceramic coating to do it so I have to get it recoated. As it turns out I have another muffler system that has a small dent, so I put it on so I can drive the car. It's bare metal but looks almost black. So since i'm getting the old one recoated, I can change it from high luster silver to black.
So should I??


The weld between the two mufflers on my car has cracked so I'm getting it repaired. They have to grind off the ceramic coating to do it so I have to get it recoated. As it turns out I have another muffler system that has a small dent, so I put it on so I can drive the car. It's bare metal but looks almost black. So since i'm getting the old one recoated, I can change it from high luster silver to black.
So should I??


Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
-
- Posts: 763
- Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2008 12:25 pm
- First Name: ED
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Not Listed
- Location: East of Glenn West of Jimbo
Re: 74 Beetle
It's what's on the inside that counts Glenn! I think the sliver blends better with the rear bumper. So 1 vote for sliver.
Still Monkeying Around. Not afraid to tell you how I really feel.
- ObnoxiousBlue
- Site Admin
- Posts: 1422
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:23 pm
- First Name: Mike
- Vehicle Year: 1964
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Above ground...
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
I vote black...
You know what they say:
No, but really. The appeal of your car, to me has always been that it comes across as completely subdued and stock.
The silver draws the eye back there and kind of alerts the guy next you that something isn't quite right.
The black will be muted, and disappear under the car.
There's enough silver on the car.
You know what they say:
No, but really. The appeal of your car, to me has always been that it comes across as completely subdued and stock.
The silver draws the eye back there and kind of alerts the guy next you that something isn't quite right.
The black will be muted, and disappear under the car.
There's enough silver on the car.
-
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:09 pm
- First Name: Audrey
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Ready for a road trip....
Re: 74 Beetle
I vote black. Silver makes it look like your ass is dragging. Unless that's what you want.


Keep working at it and it gets done!!
Re: 74 Beetle
I like the silver, but both will look good.
Glenn wrote:I have to say, this "gruppe" is so much more than just a car club.
MrBreeze wrote: This is the DVG board. The threads flow as they flow.
Deal with it.
- MrBreeze
- Posts: 1863
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:21 pm
- Vehicle Year: 1977
- Model: Bus
- Location: Lin-den-hoist, Lawn Guyland
Re: 74 Beetle
Black, like my men.
This is the DVG forum. We do not tell people how to post here. Go play in the kiddie pool if you don't like it.
- Glenn
- Posts: 3207
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:20 pm
- First Name: Glenn
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Long Island, New York, USA
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
You never know....
So I took a friend for a ride and on a back road I put my foot into it. Held first to 6500, shifted second and held it to 6500.. we were doing over 60mph. I went to throw third and felt something so I backed off. While in 3rd I pressed on the gas and knew i dropped a cylinder. I wasn't far from home so I just dove home and backed it into the garage.
I lifted the decklid and immediately saw the problem.... the spark plug wire on #4 came off. I snapped it back on and the engine fired right up and was running on all 4.
Decided to order a new set of wires since the wire would not snap on the plug securely enough.
So I took a friend for a ride and on a back road I put my foot into it. Held first to 6500, shifted second and held it to 6500.. we were doing over 60mph. I went to throw third and felt something so I backed off. While in 3rd I pressed on the gas and knew i dropped a cylinder. I wasn't far from home so I just dove home and backed it into the garage.
I lifted the decklid and immediately saw the problem.... the spark plug wire on #4 came off. I snapped it back on and the engine fired right up and was running on all 4.
Decided to order a new set of wires since the wire would not snap on the plug securely enough.
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
- Glenn
- Posts: 3207
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:20 pm
- First Name: Glenn
- Vehicle Year: 1974
- Model: Beetle
- Location: Long Island, New York, USA
- Contact:
Re: 74 Beetle
Got some feedback from the Cal Look guys. They feel black is a classic look. But one guy, who owns a VW business told me when they ceramic coat black, there's a base layer of silver that's 3 mill thick with a 1 mil black layer. If it scratches you can see the silver underneath. Also the silver cleans up with mag wheel polish and/or a scotchbrite pad. The black does not.
Looks like i'll stick with silver.
Looks like i'll stick with silver.
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
- gotboost79
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:01 pm
- First Name: Marc
- Location: Exit 9, NJTPK!
Re: 74 Beetle
Glenn,
My friends shop uses NIC products, and I can tell you the blacks and greys go on bare metal, nothing underneath. They also don't require ultra high temp curing like the metallics.
http://www.cerakotehightemp.com/
My friends shop uses NIC products, and I can tell you the blacks and greys go on bare metal, nothing underneath. They also don't require ultra high temp curing like the metallics.
http://www.cerakotehightemp.com/