Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible
| We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible [message #215220] |
Sun, 21 July 2013 13:16  |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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At a time in our life when most of our friends and relatives are downsizing and moving to retirement homes in warmer climates, my wife and I just bought a 1978 Volkswagen Super Beetle Convertible.
As we announced our purchase to various family and friends, we received responses ranging from "you guys really are nuts" to "how cool!"
We're pretty comfortable with it's condition. It has a new top and interior. Mechanicals are OK, but it will need new tires. We've known the owner for over 40 years. She's a good friend of ours and has taken pretty good care of the bug for the 15 years that she's owned it.
I know we are in for some interesting times fixing it as it breaks down. Some of the VW forums I've visited have comments from people like " I had a 73 super beetle and I spent more time keeping that thing going than any car I have had before or since. " But I wonder how can that be any different than what we we've been doing with our GMC for the past 15 years.
The plan is to use it as a towed for our GMC. While I am somewhat familiar with VWs (a friend and I bought a new one in 1969, picked it up from the factory in Wolfsburg and drove it around Europe for a year) I know little about towing them.
Anyway, I'd like some advice on what to get for towing from the other VW owners who tow behind GMCs.
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.
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| Re: [GMCnet] We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible [message #215227 is a reply to message #215220] |
Sun, 21 July 2013 15:11  |
Jerry Wheeler
Messages: 246
Registered: January 2013
Karma: 2
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Richard,
There are two tow bars made for VW bugs; one for the 1970 and earlier VWs
and one for the Mcpherson strut front end VWs. I have both as I have towed
both types of beetles. I towed my daughter's 79 VW from NC to Oregon in
2005. The tow bar I used for that tow was kind of flimsy in my opinion.
Where it hooked to the 79 beetle looked like it could break the beetle's
connection weld very easily and I added more chains to assure that the
vehicle would not totally detach should that weld break. I experienced a
wild swing of the front steering wheel, from one steering wheel stop to
the other stop, several times when I passed over a railroad track or
pulling out of a shopping center driveway onto the highway; really banging
side to side. I had to stop and proceed very slowly to get it to stop. I
think a bungee cord attached to the steering wheel and the front seat may
have prevented that. I'm surprised there was not any damage. The towing
bar you need, I ordered from one of the VW suppliers; don't remember which
one now.
JR Wheeler 78 Royale NC/OR
On Sun, Jul 21, 2013 at 2:16 PM, RJW <mygmc@palmbeachgmc.com> wrote:
>
>
> At a time in our life when most of our friends and relatives are
> downsizing and moving to retirement homes in warmer climates, my wife and I
> just bought a 1978 Volkswagen Super Beetle Convertible.
>
> As we announced our purchase to various family and friends, we received
> responses ranging from "you guys really are nuts" to "how cool!"
>
> We're pretty comfortable with it's condition. It has a new top and
> interior. Mechanicals are OK, but it will need new tires. We've known the
> owner for over 40 years. She's a good friend of ours and has taken pretty
> good care of the bug for the 15 years that she's owned it.
>
> I know we are in for some interesting times fixing it as it breaks down.
> Some of the VW forums I've visited have comments from people like " I had a
> 73 super beetle and I spent more time keeping that thing going than any car
> I have had before or since. " But I wonder how can that be any different
> than what we we've been doing with our GMC for the past 15 years.
>
> The plan is to use it as a towed for our GMC. While I am somewhat familiar
> with VWs (a friend and I bought a new one in 1969, picked it up from the
> factory in Wolfsburg and drove it around Europe for a year) I know little
> about towing them.
>
> Anyway, I'd like some advice on what to get for towing from the other VW
> owners who tow behind GMCs.
>
>
> --
> Richard
> 76 Palm Beach
> SE Michigan
> www.PalmBeachGMC.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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| Re: We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible [message #215258 is a reply to message #215220] |
Sun, 21 July 2013 18:58 |
gbarrow2
Messages: 765
Registered: February 2004
Location: Lake Almanor, Ca./ Red Bl...
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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Richard,
I towed a '73 standard beetle for several years. I would still be towing it if it had air conditioning for my wife.
Only problem I ever had was caused by the loose nut between the stick and the seat (pilot error).
I forgot to unlock the bug steering wheel- made a right turn and tweaked the towbar a bit. All the connections were still sound and the bug tracked properly; so I continued to use the bent bar till I sold the bug some time later.
I didn't wire the bug lights into the GMC system. I used towing lights with magnetic bases plugged into the trailer wiring receptacle on the GMC. Placed them on the rear bumper.
Cheap and easy- available at Mal Wart and other fine retailers.
Gene Barrow
Lake Almanor, Ca.
1976 Palm Beach
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| Re: We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible [message #215273 is a reply to message #215220] |
Sun, 21 July 2013 21:11 |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Old air cooled Vw's are the same as our GMC's.
take care of them, and fix what needs to be fixed with good parts, they will not let you down.
Being that they are old, I am sure there are a few things that might need to be addressed, but you can find lots of information to get it fixed and running correctly.
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
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| Re: We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible [message #215438 is a reply to message #215220] |
Tue, 23 July 2013 11:29 |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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Well it seems that we will have joined a rather exclusive subset of GMCers, those that tow VWs. Even though we've been satisfied not having a tow car for the past 15 years, we are starting to camp more in our GMC with trips of 2-3 weeks, where before we mostly took it out for only weekends. Now we camp for 4-5 days at a time in a campsite and it would be nice to be able to travel further away from the parked coach than is practical via bicycle.
We don't have the VW in our possession yet, just a hand shake that we will pick it up next month. I've already started to lurk in a couple of the VW forums as suggested by Dan Gregg.
Turns out there is a VW parts place, partsplaceinc.com, that has its brick and mortar store just a few miles from my house. They have a tow bar for $119.95. That and some chains might be all I need? Compared to GMC parts, that seems really cheap. Is that a good place to buy VW stuff?
How about supplemental Brakes? Seems I would need that too. What do you guys use for brakes?
Thanks for all the advice so far.
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.
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| Re: [GMCnet] We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible [message #215447 is a reply to message #215438] |
Tue, 23 July 2013 12:21 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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Well, if you want a >treally< exclusive club, them of us as tows unturbocharged Diesel Jettas. I think I'm the only member thereof. More folks towing Things that Stones. I look on it like a lifeboat back there... and I haven't needed brakes on it when towing yet.
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 7/23/13, RJW <mygmc@palmbeachgmc.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Date: Tuesday, July 23, 2013, 4:29 PM
Well it seems that we will have joined a rather exclusive
subset of GMCers, those that tow VWs. Even though we've been
satisfied not having a tow car for the past 15 years, we are
starting to camp more in our GMC with trips of 2-3 weeks,
where before we mostly took it out for only weekends. Now we
camp for 4-5 days at a time in a campsite and it would be
nice to be able to travel further away from the parked coach
than is practical via bicycle.
We don't have the VW in our possession yet, just a hand
shake that we will pick it up next month. I've already
started to lurk in a couple of the VW forums as suggested by
Dan Gregg.
Turns out there is a VW parts place, partsplaceinc.com, that
has its brick and mortar store just a few miles from my
house. They have a tow bar for $119.95. That and some
chains might be all I need? Compared to GMC parts, that
seems really cheap. Is that a good place to buy VW stuff?
How about supplemental Brakes? Seems I would need that too.
What do you guys use for brakes?
Thanks for all the advice so far.
--
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: [GMCnet] We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible [message #215448 is a reply to message #215438] |
Tue, 23 July 2013 12:21 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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Well, if you want a >treally< exclusive club, them of us as tows unturbocharged Diesel Jettas. I think I'm the only member thereof. More folks towing Things that Stones. I look on it like a lifeboat back there... and I haven't needed brakes on it when towing yet.
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 7/23/13, RJW <mygmc@palmbeachgmc.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Date: Tuesday, July 23, 2013, 4:29 PM
Well it seems that we will have joined a rather exclusive
subset of GMCers, those that tow VWs. Even though we've been
satisfied not having a tow car for the past 15 years, we are
starting to camp more in our GMC with trips of 2-3 weeks,
where before we mostly took it out for only weekends. Now we
camp for 4-5 days at a time in a campsite and it would be
nice to be able to travel further away from the parked coach
than is practical via bicycle.
We don't have the VW in our possession yet, just a hand
shake that we will pick it up next month. I've already
started to lurk in a couple of the VW forums as suggested by
Dan Gregg.
Turns out there is a VW parts place, partsplaceinc.com, that
has its brick and mortar store just a few miles from my
house. They have a tow bar for $119.95. That and some
chains might be all I need? Compared to GMC parts, that
seems really cheap. Is that a good place to buy VW stuff?
How about supplemental Brakes? Seems I would need that too.
What do you guys use for brakes?
Thanks for all the advice so far.
--
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: [GMCnet] We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible [message #215452 is a reply to message #215448] |
Tue, 23 July 2013 12:40 |
Russell Mehlenbacher
Messages: 128
Registered: June 2010
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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http://partsplaceinc.com/ has been good for years, but I think Jack grows
tired of being undercut by the internet. (sound familiar?)
I was just there a week ago or so... and wonder when he will just put all
the used parts in a truck and drive to the scrap yard.
On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 1:21 PM, Johnny Bridges <jhbridges@ymail.com> wrote:
> Well, if you want a >treally< exclusive club, them of us as tows
> unturbocharged Diesel Jettas. I think I'm the only member thereof. More
> folks towing Things that Stones. I look on it like a lifeboat back
> there... and I haven't needed brakes on it when towing yet.
>
> --johnny
> '76 23' transmode norris
> '76 palm beach
>
> --------------------------------------------
> On Tue, 7/23/13, RJW <mygmc@palmbeachgmc.com> wrote:
>
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super
> Beetle Convertible
> To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
> Date: Tuesday, July 23, 2013, 4:29 PM
>
>
>
> Well it seems that we will have joined a rather exclusive
> subset of GMCers, those that tow VWs. Even though we've been
> satisfied not having a tow car for the past 15 years, we are
> starting to camp more in our GMC with trips of 2-3 weeks,
> where before we mostly took it out for only weekends. Now we
> camp for 4-5 days at a time in a campsite and it would be
> nice to be able to travel further away from the parked coach
> than is practical via bicycle.
>
> We don't have the VW in our possession yet, just a hand
> shake that we will pick it up next month. I've already
> started to lurk in a couple of the VW forums as suggested by
> Dan Gregg.
>
> Turns out there is a VW parts place, partsplaceinc.com, that
> has its brick and mortar store just a few miles from my
> house. They have a tow bar for $119.95. That and some
> chains might be all I need? Compared to GMC parts, that
> seems really cheap. Is that a good place to buy VW stuff?
>
> How about supplemental Brakes? Seems I would need that too.
> What do you guys use for brakes?
>
> Thanks for all the advice so far.
> --
> Richard
> 76 Palm Beach
> SE Michigan
> www.PalmBeachGMC.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Russ & Linda Mehlenbacher
Rochester Hills, MI
'74 X-Sequoia
'76 Eleganza
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Russ & Linda Mehlenbacher
Rochester Hills, Michigan
'76 Eleganza
'74 Sequoia
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| Re: [GMCnet] We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible [message #215538 is a reply to message #215452] |
Wed, 24 July 2013 09:34 |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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| Russell Mehlenbacher wrote on Tue, 23 July 2013 13:40 |
http://partsplaceinc.com/ has been good for years, but I think Jack grows
tired of being undercut by the internet. (sound familiar?)
I was just there a week ago or so... and wonder when he will just put all
the used parts in a truck and drive to the scrap yard.
|
It looks like I better pay them a visit and see what's up over there before he changes his business model.
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.
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| Re: We really are NUTs, we just bought a VW Super Beetle Convertible [message #215539 is a reply to message #215443] |
Wed, 24 July 2013 09:38 |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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| WD0AFQ wrote on Tue, 23 July 2013 13:03 |
Make sure you get the Super Beetle tow bar.
Any supplimental brake will work.
Dan
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I looked at some braking systems. They are pricey! Some in excess of $1500 by the time you get all the various bits. I had no idea.
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.
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