Put on the back wheels tonight. Little red Locktite where the through bolts I’m using as wheels studs go through the drum. Little blue Locktite on the lug nuts holding on the knock-off adaptor. Tops of the fenders cover the tires now.

Thanks, Dale. As per the photo, the bolt did snap off in the nut. But it’s sticking out the other side such that I am confident I can turn it through with a needle-nose vicegrip or similar. The thing lives its life buried in grease after all.

Welcome back, Dave!

Sounds like you did it right. A lot of kits require trimming of various parts t6o get the body together.

Nice job, Dave! Like I always say, “fabrication is FUN!” (Ok, I’ve never said this).

Thanks, guys. It’s the driver’s side. (normal threads). But I only need the pinch bolt. The split nut seems to be undamaged.

Thanks, guys. It’s the driver’s side. (counter-clockwise to tighten). But I only need the pinch bolt. The split nut seems to be undamaged.

Or not enough!

Hey does anyone have one of these bearing adjuster pinch bolts you could mail me? I’d buy two new nuts but the shipping from Cip1 will kill me and I don’t have a long enough shopping list to get to free shipping….

Went to put on the front wheels tonight to get Bridget back to rolling status. Whoops.

Ratza-fratza…

Here’s an interesting observation I hope Roy (he of the vast wire wheel experience) will clear up:

The left (driver’s) side wire wheel hub spins on clockwise (i.e. normal threads). But the bearing keepers on that side spin on counter-clockwise. Hmmm.

Went to put on the front wheels tonight to get Bridget back to rolling status. Whoops.

Ratza-fratza…

Here’s an interesting observation I hope Roy (he of the vast wire wheel experience) will clear up:

The left (driver’s) side wire wheel hub spins on clockwise (i.e. normal threads). But the bearing keepers on that side spin on counter-clockwise. Hmmm.

If it’s icing you’ll know easy. It does happen! I had it happen in Bridget on a sunny July day, and just going round the corner. Also had the idle shut-off solenoid lose its wire once. Had to have a neighbor help push me the last 100 feet up the hill to my driveway.

Well today we have an unexpected milestone.

Yeah, that is paint on my newly-stretched left front fender. But it’s a little misleading…

It’s kind of a “sacrificial” color coat so I can see how mucked-up my smackem putty job is. They say you never see the flaws until you put a shine to it anyway, so…Duplicolor rattle-can, baby!

But…NOT…[Read more]

Yeah should have thought of vacuum leaks. And Roy is also right on. I like both those diagnoses better than my tins theory.

You might even have a bit of extra material on the cover that you could grind off. Sometimes they’re not of consistent thickness. A quarter inch is plenty strong, and some parts of some kits are nearly an inch thick.

Speaking personally I’d move the engine forward.  😆

Seriously though: pushing the engine cover back 3/8 of an inch should not be a horrific thing. Why not shim the hinges for a test fit and see how it looks before deciding how to fill the gap? Remember, the engine cover is taking the place of a fuel tank, which on a TD is strapped to the…[Read more]

Great progress.

Since you’re already past the car rebuild I’m guessing you’ve read the various “how-to-adjust-your-PICT” instructions and are following them pretty much. But in case not, check out http://www.vw-resource.com/30PICT2.html#carb

(and note how different the 30/31 is from the later 34 PICT 3).

–Your idle shut-off valve is good?…[Read more]