I first “qualified” in submarines in 1963 aboard WWII’s USS Croaker SS246.  (Silver Dolphins.)   Was lucky to be accepted into a college program and in ’67, after graduating University on North Carolina (by this time as an E6), attended submarine school as an officer.  (Gold Dolphins.)  Spent my 24 years up and down the east coast on Nuclear Subm…[Read more]

I was in sub school in 1968.  Served on diesel/electric for 4 years active.  Stationed 2 years in Key West and 2 years in Groton (1970 and 1971).  Supply Officer and Weapons Officer.

Ed. For vintage color VW wiring diagrams, go to http://www.thesamba.com and click on the technical tab and then wiring diagrams. They cover type 1, 2, 3, 4, Ghia, Thing  and K70 whatever that was. Hope this helps ya.

I really should have a look at the manual. For some reason, I get off on these little details, and making it to sell gives me another excuse (as if I needed one) to work them out.

Bill and Roy are right, though, it’s the big stuff that really matters: get the engine right, the trans square and tight, all the suspension bits. Bridget is gonna need…[Read more]

Bill,

“but DAMN” for sure.  I’ll see your “but DAMN” and raise you one.  I told Jack that he didn’t need no stinking wiring loom.  Wire it up yourself.  Then I tried to figure out why it was taking Jack so long to wire the TD.  I had explained to him that the originals had only two (as I remember) fuses.  Two; for the whole darn car.  Two! …[Read more]

Ed, your attention to detail would drive me crazy. I understand it as you’re planning on selling it, but DAMN!

Very cool. I got a ride in “Memphis Belle” (the movie version, also a B-17 G, I believe) a few years ago and it was a definite career highlight. I’d love to be able to work on one!

Ed. Nice work on the Spyder. Listen…if you get tired of cars, we have a B-17 at the Warner Robins Museum of Aviation that we’re restoring that could use your sheetmetal work! No prior aircraft or military service required.

Great post Ed — You have become the de facto expert on all things Spyder……..

Sorry to hear about your (out of warranty) lift piston.  But in true Ed fashion, you took the lemons and made lemonade — or was it Por 15? and made a slurry?

I bet the garage will crumble 100 years from now but the lift will still be lifting.

Keep working and…[Read more]

Thanks Ed —   I learned about making the wiring neat and traceable after screwing up on the Bug Eye — after all the wiring was finished, I decided to remove the ammeter and install a vacuum gauge.  The space under the dash was so tight and the wiring so mixed up that it took forever to figure out which wire went where and did what…

On this c…[Read more]

As always, you do neat work, Jack. I wish you were closer so I could somehow rope you into wiring my Spyder.

Update on the Spyder build.

Basically cracking away at things as time permits. We’re getting into paint and final finish now.

Can’t believe I missed this post.

Yeah, man, the shower curtain tonneau is the bomb: super light and keeps out prying eyes and hot sun, at least, if not so much heavy rain!

Here’s a “newer” shot of the wiring panel — I added a baffle above the panel to hide the terminal blocks and wire bundles.

The panel has the heater blower switch, the heater valve knob, a 12 volt outlet, and a dual USB outlet — plus the Dolphins, of course!!

But I have to fess up and tell the truth — the “Dolphins on the Dash” was not…[Read more]