VWTypeI

=Type I - Beetle=

History
In the 1930s automobile production was a low priority for the German People. The nation was in the middle of a depression of sorts, with high unemployment and rising currency inflation. During this time, Ferdinand Porsche had decided to leave 30 years of corporate work and strike out on his own (at 55), and run a company his way. They housed the new company in Stuttgart at 24 Kronenstrasse, and entered the official register on April 25th, 1931. The new company was called "Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Prosche G.m.b.H, Konstruktionsburo fur Motoren-, Fahrzeug-Luftfahrzeug- und Wasserfahrzeugbau" or "Doctor Engineer honoris causa F.Porsche, Incorporated, Design Office for Motors, Motor Vehicles, Aircraft and Ships".

The chief designer was Karl Rabe (who came from Austrian automaker Steyr). The body designer was Erwin Komenda, and 10 other engineers joined Prosche at this time.

Early on, Wanderer, a German auto-maker commissioned Porsche to design a small sedan... The Type 7. This became the Porsche Wanderer, named the W17/W20 series in 1932. Porsche stayed busy working on other designs for Wanderer and the like. Through it all, Porsche and Rabe nurtured the idea of designing an efficient small car that would put the common man on wheels. Design work began in September 1931.

A motorcycle company, Zundapp, was looking to get into automobiles, so they commissioned a design by Porsche. On the road by mid 1932, this Type 12 was the true forerunner of the Beetle, and it was dubbed the Volksauto - people's car.

Through several other commissions, Porsche was able to bring in some of his more original design ideas and flesh out his efficiency plans. (NSU Type 32) Through Jacob Werlin, Porsche's ideas were pitched to the new chancellor, Adolf Hitler. Hitler's schemes included huge public works, such as an unprecedented highway system, thus creating the autobahns. Corollary to this was Hitler's vision of a mass-produced, German-built, low-priced "people's car". Hitler was sold on Porsche's confidence in his designs, and awarded a state subsidy.

Porsche's goals for the Beetle were as follows:
 * It must be designed to be space-efficient and very durable, even if that meant developing new materials and production methods
 * It must be capable of 100kph (62mph), have the ability to climb hills, and average seven liters of fuel per 100km (~ 40mpg)
 * It should have an air-cooled engine for reliability in all climates, and be very cheap to repair
 * It must accommodate a family of two adults and three children and their luggage
 * Its basic platform should accommodate several uses, including transport vehicles

In 1934, Hitler addressed the Berlin Motor Show: "So long as the motorcar remains only a means of transportation for especially privileged circles, itis with bitter feelings that we see millions of honest, hard-working, and capable fellow men... cut off from the use of a vehicle which would be a special source of yet-unknown happiness to them..." Hitler saw the design for the Type 60 and decided to back it.

The Type 60 was a linear development of the NSU Type 32 project and except for some detail changes, the original Type 60 design was retained in the pre-production car. The Type 60 had a 98.5 inch wheelbase, a 47.3 inch track, and a dry weight of 1,435 punds. An air-cooled 985cc flat-four engine was mounted in the tail.

By 1935, using little more than rudimentary hand tools, the team had turned out two cars: The V1, a sedan, and the V2, a convertible. V was for "Versuch" - experimental.

In 1936, three V3 models were put through rigorous testing on the autobahns, the Black Forest, and the Alps, completing more than 465 miles each day. Problems aside, each car completed its mileage by the end of the year.

In 1937, the company moved producing the VW30 series. These still had no rear windows and suicide doors, until the VW38 series (of which 44 more prototypes were built).

It was time to name the new car. "Volkswagen" had actually been applied formally or informally to several earlier German small cars. The state felt something new was in order. The project was being managed by the recreational and leisure section of the DAF, whose motto was "Kraft durch Freude" (Strength through Joy). So KdF-Wagen it became. Those who scoffed at the odd name scoffed in private. Nobody was willing to tell Hitler it sounded silly. Most civilians simply continued to use Volkswagen, and especially its diminutive VW.

Adapted from | Volkswagen Chronicle

Useful Tools

 * Hydraulic Jack
 * Lug wrench
 * Flashlight
 * Large screwdriver
 * Screwdriver set
 * 3/8" metric socket set
 * Wrenches (7,9,10,11,13 (short and long), 14,17,19, and 21mm)
 * Pocket knife
 * Hammer
 * Test light
 * Fire Extinguisher
 * Dwell meter
 * Metric allen-head wrenches
 * Files
 * Vice Grips
 * Feeler gagues
 * Compression Tester
 * Wire Brush
 * Pliers
 * Tire Gague
 * Tie Wire (Baling Wire)
 * Small Mirror
 * 3ft of 14ga wire
 * Torque Wrench
 * Ratchet and Adapter
 * Magnet

Adapted from | How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive

Check List
(Click headings for in-depth procedures)

Valve Adjustment

 * Remove distributor cap, rotate engine to No. 1.
 * Remove the right valve cover making note of any leaks
 * Rotat engine to Top Dead Center
 * Adjust right front valves
 * Rotate engine 180 degrees counterclockwise
 * Adjust right rear valves, clean and replace valve cover and gasket if needed
 * Rotate engine 180 degrees counter clockwise, remove left valve cover, note leaks
 * Adjust left front valves.
 * Rotate engine 180 degrees counterclockwise
 * Adjust rear valves, clean and replace valve cover. Gasket?

Adjust Points

 * Remove rotor
 * Make sure the nylon rider is on top of the distribvutor lobe
 * Check with feeler gauge for proper gap
 * Check condition of points and other connections in the distributor
 * Loosen hold down screw, put feeler gauge between the contacts and adjust until the proper clearance is reached.
 * Tighten hold down screw
 * Connect Tach-Dwell meter. Red (+) lead to No 1 terminal of coil. Black to ground. Switch meter to 4 cylinder position. Start engine, note dwell. (approx 50 degrees). If the reading is too high, the points are too far closed

Timing

 * Check timing with static or strobe light
 * To change timing, loosen 10mm nut under distributor and...
 * Hook up static or strobe light. Set timing to proper mark

Check Vacuum Advance

 * Take off distributor cap, pull rotor
 * Pull hose from distributor to carburetor
 * Suck on the hose and watch the points plate - the whole plate should move

Change Oil

 * Remove 21mm drain plug or entire sump plate on newer models
 * Remove and clean screen and replace. Remember oil filter
 * Put in oil

Compression Check

 * Have engine at operating temperature
 * Remove spark plug connections then the spark plugs. Check spark plug color
 * Place tester in each hole while a friend turns the engine over six times with the key
 * They should all be over 100 and within 5lbs of each other

Spark Plugs

 * Gap .025" (.6mm)
 * Replate

Coil

 * Pull center wire from distributor cap and hold it 1/8" to 1/4" from a ground: bright blue to white, good. Yellow, OK. Orange, bad.

Adapted from | How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive

Maintenance Schedules
Adapted from | VW Air-cooled engines Tune-Up and Maintenance Guide

VIN and Engine Numbers
From Y.B.D.B.

Engine ID Codes
From Chirco Automotive

Year Approximation By Rear Window
Split Window

Split rear window. 2 triangular pieces of glass with a section of the roof dividing them vertically in the middle.

1938-1953

Oval Window

The center divider was removed and the triangular glass pieces were replaced by a single, oval shaped piece of glass to improve visibility

1953-1957

Small Window "earlies"

These years had a smaller rear window than later models but it was larger than oval windows and shaped more like a curved-cornered rectangle

1958-1964

Big Window

Same as small window, but the glass diameter was about an inch and a half larger all around.

1965-1972(?)

Wiring Diagrams
Vintage Bus' Very complete list of diagrams

Paint Color Codes

 * Karmann Ghia Club of North America's Paint Chip archive
 * Auto Color's library of VW color chips
 * The Samba's paint code page
 * Wolfsburg West's color chart page (incomplete)

Manufacturers and Parts Suppliers
Note: These links are provided as a courtesy, no recommendation of any of these vendors is implied. Do your homework BEFORE you purchase.


 * Low Bugget
 * AirKewld
 * Bugzyla
 * JC Whitney
 * Bughaus
 * BFY Obsolete Parts
 * Chirco Automotive, Tucson AZ
 * Wolfsburg West, Southern California
 * CB Performance, Southern California
 * CIP1, Canada
 * Gene Berg Enterprises, Southern California
 * Flat4, Tokyo JP
 * M&T Manufacturing (re-pop trims and the like)
 * EIS parts
 * Mid American Motorworks
 * Pauter machine, Chula Vista, CA
 * LanD Products, Vancouver, BC, Canada
 * Scat, Socal
 * West Coast Metric

Parts Suppliers, Transmission

 * ATE (AZ Transaxle Exchange) Phoenix, AZ
 * The Wright Gearbox, California
 * Don's Bus Box, Phoenix, AZ
 * Rancho Performance Transaxle, Southern California
 * KCR Transmission, Riverside, CA

Online Resources

 * Chirco Automotive
 * Speedy Jim's Home Page
 * Rob and Dave's Air-cooled VW page
 * Bug Selecta
 * The Samba
 * Old Volks Home
 * Daily Driven Dubz

Clubs

 * DHK Syndicate
 * Low Life VW
 * Dry Heat Panzers
 * Air Cooled Addicts
 * Low Life VW
 * Daily Driven Dubz

Message Boards / Forums
Note: Many online forums have excellent technical resources as well!!
 * The Samba
 * VW Vortex
 * AZ Baja
 * Chirco
 * AllAirCooled
 * Strictly Air VWs
 * Low Life VW
 * Daily Driven Dubz

Arizona

 * Bugtoberfest. Tucson, AZ. Mid October annually archives from previous shows
 * Phoenix Bug-o-Rama, Phoenix, AZ. Late march or early April annually show information
 * Copperstate, Phoenix, AZ. Mid February annually
 * Karl's Custom Show and Shine, Mesa, AZ. Early November Annually
 * Volkswagens on the River, Yuma, AZ. Early November annually

Popular Books

 * | How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive
 * Volkswagen History To Hobby
 * | Volkswagen Chronicle

Magazines

 * Hot VWs
 * VW Trends
 * Ultra VW (UK)