Retrovans 1956 OVAL Beetle is no more -RIP

[retrovan]

.....If the clutch setup is 228 then you need the 2L starter and spacer and the chances that you got a beetle motor with 228mm clutch is very unlikely

Thanks Pierre,
This is why I did not even look at the flywheel, when I got the motor, just presumed it was beetle, and put it in.
When it did not go in, I had a look at the fly wheel, and as the Gearbox that is in the Oval, is a ( Edit ;- it is a AC ...SF) I think, did not confirm yet. ( you can see it in the 1st post, on the fork, thrust, and tube guide)
So yes, I was also stumped, but this is actually better, as now, all my aircooled motors have the same clutch and starter set-up, so swapping motors will be a breeze.

Yes, not making assumptions would have saved me some time as well...

would appear that the box was swapped at some stage, but will run better this way, so now all I have to do, when rebuilding this motor, is to have it all balanced, and touch the heads a bit, and I will have a little old Lady that can lift her skirt and dash......

Will keep you posted.

Herman

[retrovan]

Hi Bugger,
Sorry, did have a look at the gearbox, and it is a ..... AC37...73SF
Think it may be from a 1500 round about 1970 ????????????????
Maybe you can tell me which model and year it is.
Has Late forks, Multi-finger thrust, and guide tube.

Thanks

Herman

[retrovan]

So my toy boxes arrived from all corners of the world.

So now I have a lot of parts to fit, and get this old lady back on the street.

So the engine came out, and I fitted the rear engine compartment rubber seal. early type for the Oval.

Also fitted the double lip engine rubber, as well as the missing back bell housing tin.

Inserted the new accelerator guide tube

And got the starter ready to be fitted.

Due to the bus starter and spacer, will have to fit longer stud and extend the starter "T" bolt in the morning.

Herman

[Bugger]

Is that a Type 1 or Type 4 motor you got for the Oval can not see so nice on the pics?

[retrovan]

Is that a Type 1 or Type 4 motor you got for the Oval can not see so nice on the pics?

Its a plain Type 1 motor with "original tins and all and all"....

Think the motor was run in a Late Bay, after the Type 4 was removed.

Well got the exhausts fitted today, and the last of the engine tins.

Fitted the Bus starter and made up new starter bolt, and replaced the short stud for a longer one, to overcome the extra 10 mm.

Started the motor and ran it for a few minutes, just with temporary wiring, as I still have to sort out this abortion of modified wires and connections.
Think I will have to make-up or buy a new wiring harness for this old girl, as she is sure to flip and burn her self out due to the neglect of the old wires.

The motor is not running bad and is not smoking, but very sluggish, so I replaced the old distributor with my spare electronic one, and run her for a time to get her hot.

Drained the oil, and left her dripping for the night, want to do valves in the morning, and then refill her with oil.

Will be fitting new plugs as well, and doing a bit of a tune-up just to get her to run more crisp.

Hoping to remember to take pic's tomorrow,

Herman

[retrovan]

Well been busy today.

Had the Oval with her backside in the air, and her skirt up the whole weekend.

Here is the lifting system that I have used for all my VW's today as well as way back.
I call it my VW "wunderbar" ...



Changed the sludge out the engine, and cleaned the oil strainer,
Removed the tappet covers and set the valves,
Refilled with nice new oil,
Funny, every time I fill the Type 1 with oil, I think to my self, that for all the years the Germans made this engine, they never thought to make the oil filler more horizontal.

I digress,

Then I reset the timing and started her up again..







As can be seen, still running her with temporary electrical connections. Hand ignition switch, and touch plugs for starting.

So wail she was in the air, I replaced her gearbox drive shaft boots at the same time., need to do gearbox oil still.

Also fitted new brake pipes to the disk brakes, and cleaned the Brake fluid reservoir from rust, and rust converted it, then etch primed it.
Ready to black top coat when dry.

As I had the Brake fluid reservoir out, I decided to de-rust its bolt position and ready that by cleaning and priming as well.

Hopefully we will have the Oval ready for a road test in the next week or so.

Till then, thanks for reading.

Herman

[retrovan]

Today started with the normal shopping list, of small items to get from the likes of Midas, Goldwargen, and others.

Installed the new Master Cylinder for the Oval.

Fitted the tie rod ends onto the tie rods, and had to cut the long adjustable leg shorter, to fit the eye for the steering shock.

From the loud chant of the purists, I hear you all sing in one voice, "the Oval did not have a steering shock" and you know what, you all quit right

But as this is a driving Oval, with full 1600 sp motor, and 1500 gearbox, I want to be safe in it, that is why I fitted Disk brakes up front.

The Body may be Oval, and look like till its full restoration, but the mechanical will be perfect, 100% working condition, with no cent spared.

So the steering shock went in, the new brake hoses are in, and the MC adjuster arm was adjusted.
The steering box has been cleaned re-oiled and also adjusted, so now there is no play on the steering wheel, Man does that feel good.

Started bleeding the brakes and found that the rubber bush seal on the inlet of the MC leaks, and no one in town has one. So now I will have to wait till Monday to go to my little hidden Brake Shop and get one.

So as I had with the distributor last week, and had to fit my spare electronic distributor, I decided to overhaul the old one.

Striped it right down to the centrifugal weights, serviced it with Nical Slip and rebuilt it with new points, condenser, rotor and cap.

Started her, and set timing, runs well, now when the brakes are working, maybe I can hit the road for a test.

Get some pic's in tomorrows post.

Herman

[Bugger]

HI
Pls post me some Pics of the Inside of the bonnet as I have a OVAL Shell to paint and need to see the where the hinge braket is situated on the body pls

[retrovan]

As promised yesterday, here are some pic's of the last few days work.









Herman

[retrovan]

HI
Pls post me some Pics of the Inside of the bonnet as I have a OVAL Shell to paint and need to see the where the hinge braket is situated on the body pls

Not sure what you want me to focus on, but here a few, let me know if you need something more closeup.









Herman

[Bugger]

Thanks the pics did the trick to guide me If I need more I will let you know thanks

[retrovan]

So we wanted to test drive the Oval but due to no brakes, i went about bleeding the system.

Well with new Disks, and new pipe, and new MC one would understand that it will take time to purge the air out, and develop pressure into the system.

So after along time, of bleeding, and still getting air, i got pissed off.closed all the bleeds, and pressing the pedal with the hand, wail thinking, I hears a faint suck of air.

Thinking the reservoir is empty, I headed to the front, no the fluid level was good, looking to the MC, I see faint bubbles.

Dam, the inlet rubber is shot, so a run around town followed. but no Rubber, even not in the box of new MC over the counter.



Finally found a Bigger pipe rubber, but the supply pipe is too small, so off to the Brake hose shop, and have a larger diameter braised on.


Well tonight, I fitted my little creation, and Hey ! Presto, it works, no air being sucked in any more.



So this weekend we will bleed again.........Ha Ha Ha Ha ........

Herman

[vw59beetle]

Good luck Herman. The joy of play with these classic cars. The funny thing is that it is worth every sweat, blood and tear.

Wernher

[retrovan]

Good luck Herman. The joy of play with these classic cars. The funny thing is that it is worth every sweat, blood and tear.

Wernher

Thanks, yes it is fun, but i tend to do things backwards.
But still very enjoyable.

Herman

[retrovan]

Right so now the brakes work, the car in its entirety has been road tested, all critical parts work and are usable.

Will now complete the paper work, do the strip down, and rebuild to new condition as much as possible.

Has to be done, so on with it .................................

Herman