Hey Rs….
I told you you’d find some help here!
Pleae take a moment and send us your car and owner info for our registry. Just click thelink in my signature line.

Yeah, I know I shouldn’t complain about the snow we’ll get in northern NJ.Everybody from southern NJ down to Virginia are really going to get hammered today and tonight.Good luck!

When I built my TD, not only were the heater cables broken, the ends of the tubes were basically frozen shut with crud.
I had to cut off an inch or so, then used a drill bit to get part way through the remaining blockage.
I finally had to resort to a round hack-saw blade (sort of like a 1/8th inch rasp). I cut the hack-saw ends off the blade,…[Read more]

Ed, One quick way to find out. Whether your heated air runs through the tunnel or under the seats, it has to start at the heater boxes. There will be 2.5″ to 3″ tubes coming off the front of the heater boxes. They will either enter the passenger compartment somewhere under your seats or they will be connected into holes cut into the center…[Read more]

Ed,
I’m still curious how the heated air is getting to the footwells.
In a stock VW, the heater channels run up the outside base of the Beetle body, along the rocker panels & door sills. When you remove the Beetle body, you are also removing the heat channels.
Can you tell us what was done to Bridget to replace the heat channels and get warm air…[Read more]

With no drivers or pedestrians, it looks very “Twilight Zone”

Sounds like Richard’s car simply has the same flex tubes running off the heater boxes. But instead of terminating under the seat as mine and Larry’s do, they continue to the front of the foot well. I’d like to see that set up also. Unless the tubes run through the center tunnel, I wouldn’t have muuch foot room up there.Larry and my car sound like…[Read more]

Hi Will.
I do.
Flex tubes from the heat exchangers to holes under the seats. You are correct about the levers on either side of the parking brake. A cable from each runs to a lever on the heat exchange box on the same side of the car. They simple open and close a flapper valve at the outlet of the heat box. You do not need a blower for the heat.…[Read more]

Hi Mike,
I’ve been running a VW powered TD replica for 27 years with no overheating problems. I’ve never raced it, but it’s done 14 hour long highway trips at 65 to 70 and Lord knows how many back road drives at 35. Never a problem.

You’re OK Larry. After all, they are called “grill badges”.

Luck of the draw! That is both the beauty and the risk of ebay!

That’s a great story! Thanks for sharing it Ed!
I guess I’ll go sell my countach now! Ha!

Ed – Most of the ones that cared either way were still annoyed. The few that took an interest, thought the end product was pretty cool. Will, other then normal maintenance, I’ve only done two things. After about ten eyars with the stock VW engine, I built a mild dual carb 1641cc. Has about 85 hp, enough to move it along.And I’ve had to do major…[Read more]

Thanks. I was 24 when I built my Duchess so maybe i didn’t know any better. Instead of giving up where a lot of people probably gave up…I just pushed through.The garage was my dad’s, who had to park outside for nine months. And it really was a single car. The Duchess body parts could not stay in the garage while I worked on the chassis. They…[Read more]

This is great stuff and will be a big help to anyone undertaking the same project.I built my car in 1982. In a single car garage. Alone. In the dark…metaphorically speaking. I had my tools and an assembly manual. Amazingly, after nine months, i fired her up and backed out of the garage. And 27 years later, nothing has fallen off!It was cool…[Read more]

It’s hard to tell, but I do not think the wheel that Washington Will posted is a “zero dish” wheel.
The spokes definitely have a slight bend near the rim. They appear to bend at the center.
“Flat 4” in this case is the manufacturer; not a description of the wheel.
Nice wheel. But if you really need a “zero” Chuck, I would call CIP before I…[Read more]

Yeah I knew that. Thought it was funny anyway.

I’ve never purchased from mid america. But I believe they are on the level.

I checked it out in MAM’s on-line catalogue. Looks pretty good to me. Price is right too!Worst that can happen is you are not satisfied when you open the box and you have to return it.OK, I guess that’s not true. The WORST that can happen is you install it, it delaminates at speed, falls off in your lap and, well you get the picture. But you’ll…[Read more]

Ah those superior British! Such an attitude 🙂
But this time they are right. It is a very elegant solution to hinging/latching the hood. Or should I say bonnet?