Rust Bullet: Do
you have a secret rusty spot on your Beetle that you hate to look at?
Mine did. The floor pan under the back seat in my car was a mess. Years
of neglect combined with battery acid, dirt and a nice coating of rust
had
made it an area that I kept well hidden. When I first got my Beetle
I gave the floor a good clean up and sprayed it with a coating of a
well known "rust paint". This spring when I was putting the
battery back in my car I noticed that the rust paint had flaked off
and the surface rust was continuing to eat away at the floor pan. This
had to stop. So I ordered Rust Bullet and applied it to the inside of the floor pan. PRESTO! It looked good as new and all it took was a little bit of elbow grease! Definitely worth the time and effort!
Rust Bullet Coatings offer more effective and long lasting solution to the vehicle rust problem. One company, General Motors, has been using Rust Bullet as their choice of undercoating for their vehicles, with these long lasting results. Rust Bullet can be applied directly over rusted and clean metal requiring little or NO surface preparation prior to application. Rust Bullet Products can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed over clean or rusted metal, as well as, many other substrates. No additional products such as etching primers or UV resistant topcoats are required as Rust Bullet has excellent adhesive properties and is UV Resistant.
The surface protected with Rust Bullet will be scratch resistant, chip resistant, and chemical resistant. If the finished surface becomes chipped, rust will not spread and a simple touch up will re-seal the chip, providing fast, easy, low-cost maintenance, and continued protection. Rust Bullet's versatility provides exceptional protection from the damaging effects of extreme weather conditions, abrasive objects, harsh chemicals, and other destructive elements. Rust Bullet protects various metals, as well as, other substrates including concrete, wood, and fiberglass making it the ideal coating for everything from metal roofs to concrete floors. Rust Bullet should not be confused with rust converters or rust encapsulator; Rust Bullet's unique, superior, patented coating kills rust permanently!
If I was putting new floor pans in my Beetle I would coat them first and never have to worry about rust again. Rust Bullet is an outstanding product that does exactly what it says.
www.RustBullet.com
(800) 245-1600
The
Beetle-Keith Seume's celebration of the world's favorite car: Don't
let the picture on the cover fool you. Of the 416 pages in this post
card sized book only 29 of them are about the New Beetle. The rest of
them feature some of the most amazing photos of the classic Beetle dating
back to the 1934 NSU Prototype. Some of the vehicles that appear in
the book are owned by Volkswagen AG and others by some fortunate collectors
from around the world. The NSU Prototype, of which only three where
ever built, is only one of the ultra rare vehicles that you can read
about in The Beetle. I thought that I had heard of ever variation of
VW until I read about the 1952 Stoll Coupe. This custom made one-off
coupe that was produced for a wealthy customer that wanted his VW to
stand out in the crowd. Although this unique hump backed coupe never
gained factory recognition like the Hebmuller or the beautifully styled
Rometsch, it is still an outstanding example of the love that people
had for their Beetles back in the 1950's.
The book also covers in great detail the Kubelwagen, Schwimmwagen, Type 2 Kombi and Karmann Ghia. Type 3 and 4 owners I'm sorry to say will be disappointed that they are not even mentioned. I got his book from a friend and you might have a hard time finding a copy because I believe that it is out of print. I found some new and used copies for sale by searching the title on the Internet. So if you'd like an excellent little book with fantastic pictures it's worth hunting for.
The Beetle - Keith Seume's celebration of the World's favorite car - Keith Seume
Getting
the bugs out-The rise, fall, and comeback of Volkswagen in America:
I met the author, David Kiley,
at the Michigan Vintage Volkswagen show in May. After a few words I
picked up a copy of his new book to read and review at 
the
site. I started reading and enjoying another rendition of the Beetle's
History. Kiley follows
the Beetle from its birth up until the introduction of the New Beetle
and at that point goes back in time to show everything that went wrong
with Volkswagen as a company in America.
Covered in great detail is the famous DDB advertising that started in the 1960's. I have always loved those ads and everyone remembers the world famous "Lemon" ad that won Volkswagen praise (and lots of new customers) from around the world. The relationship between VW and the DDB agency was a very special one, and it was interesting to find out that VW eventually had to replace them in America as part of the turn around that was needed to keep the company on US shores.
Not everyone knows just how close VW came to pulling out of North America altogether. Reading this book makes you feel like an insider at Volkswagen and you can almost feel the tension in the boardroom as the management of Volkswagen tries to get this huge company back on track. "Visionary. Conceited aristocrat. Obsessive. Driven to extremes. Dangerous. Ultrafocused. Chauvinist. Rottweiler of the motor world. Belligerent street fighter". These are all possible descriptions of VW chairman Dr. Ferdinand Piëch states Kiley. Piëch runs VWAG with a passion, "Getting the bugs out" puts you at his side. I loved this book and once you get into it you won't be able to put it down.
Getting the Bugs Out - David Kiley
bug-The
Strange Mutations of the World's Most Famous Automobile: Think
you know a lot about the history of the VW Beetle? Think again. This
new book by Phil Patton covers every detail from the Beetles inception,
up to the New Beetle and beyond. I would call this book a "thinking-persons
biography on the Beetle". Rather than just covering the facts pertaining
to the World's Most Famous Automobile, Patton discusses in great detail
the effect that the Bug has had on the world and the effect that the
world has had on the bug. We all take for granted the fact that the
Volkswagen Beetle was the "peoples car." But there were in
fact several peoples cars, and only one of them was made by Volkswagen.
The author spins
quite an intellectual tale, connecting the Beetle to Bauhaus design,
Coca-Cola, the Austin Mini, Henry Ford and of course the Concept One.
It's interesting to note that the New Beetle design that came out of
North America and stopped VW from pulling out of the US market, was
not widely accepted back in Germany. In North America the New Beetle
reminded people of the fun and carefree 60's, while overseas that era
was something that was best left in the past. Meanwhile back home in
Germany VW went to great efforts to raise the visibility of all Volkswagen
product by opening a theme park called "Autostadt" (similar
to Niketown in the USA) in Wolfsburg - "to stand as a testament
to the way that the company had changed: how VW had discovered the cult
of the brand" the book states. A very enjoyable book that challenges
you to think about all the different ways that the bug has changed our
world.
Progress
Motors: When I
brought my Super back from British Columbia I needed it checked out
to see where I stood mechanically. The
dealership where I work used to be a Volkswagen dealer and we still
have a few of the technicians working for us. One of them left years
ago to start his own garage called Progress Motors. Emilio is what I
refer to as an honest mechanic. I'm not saying that most aren't, it's
just that I know him and would recommend him to anyone. If he tells
you that your cars needs something believe me it does. He doesn't advertise
his shop and all his customers come via word of mouth recommendation.
As a factory trained VW technician he has worked on AIr-Cooled Beetles
for years and rebuilt the engine and replaced the clutch on my car.
A couple of weeks ago I took the Super to him after an oil change that I did at home because it was leaking oil. I gave him the keys, asked him to fix the oil leak and to give the car the once over and fix what ever was required. When I came back to pick up the car a few hour later Emilio told me how the treads in the block and come out and the stud (that had already been replaced by a 6mm to 8mm step stud) would not stay in. Emilio installed a helicoil in the block and solved the problem. As for the rest of the car he told me "there's nothing here for me to fix here" and handed me the keys. If you're located in the GTA and want excellent service for any car, not just your VW, give him a call (416) 781-7088 ...tell him Wayne sent you!
K&N Filter Charger Air Filter: The filter on my Super Beetle wasn't very dirty but I'd heard so many good things about K&N filters I figured it was about time to find out for myself. I called the local jobber and ordered the correct one for my car
which
happened to be part number #33-2001 for the 1975 fuel injected Super Beetle.
It was about twice the price of the original stock VW filter but it also
comes with a million mile warranty. Most filters don't come with any warranty
at all. If you take the time and go to their web site you'll find tons
of information and realize that air filtration is a real science to them.
Paper filters are made from compressed fibers. The spaces between these fibers provide microscopic holes the air must pass through. One by one, these holes become plugged with dirt and dust particles. Once a hole becomes plugged, the air must find an alternate route through the medium. This process is known as surface loading. As the surface of the filter collects more dirt, its resistance to air flow increases because there are fewer and fewer holes left open and as restriction goes up, horsepower and fuel economy go down. The way that dirt collects or loads on the K&N filter is very different. A paper filter exhibits "surface loading" which means dust collects only on the surface of the media. In contrast, K&N filters exhibit "depth loading". The multiple layers of cotton fibers provide many levels of dust retention. This characteristic allows the K&N filter to hold many times more dirt per square inch of media than the average paper filter.
The filter fit perfectly and I noticed that my Super Beetle had more pep and improved fuel economy as well. When you add up all the facts about the K&N product and that this will likely be the last air filter that you will ever buy for your car I think its a great deal. When it gets dirty you simply wash, re-oil it, then reinstall it and you're good to go.
Covercraft's
Front End Mask: Protecting the front
end of your Beetle is an important job so trusting it to just any product
would be foolish. There are a lot of different front end mask manufactures
out there all producing bras that are supposed to do the same job. But
there is a bit more to it than that. Covercraft has been producing automotive
products since 1965 and has over 500 members on staff supplying demand
worldwide. I noticed that the fit and finish on the full bra that I
purchased was perfect. When installed there were no sags and it fit
the hood snugly. This is important as you don't want the bra "flapping"
in the wind and damaging the paint. The bra is lined with a white non-woven
fleece and has a micro-perforated finish on the vinyl. This allows the
mask to "breathe" and permits moisture vapor to evaporate
when the vehicle is driven in wet weather. Still, if a mask becomes
wet and is going to be left sitting in the sun, it is recommended that
it be removed to allow the backing to dry properly.
On a recent trip to Michigan my Covercraft Front End Mask protected the hood of my Beetle for over 370 miles. When I removed it the hood was clean and most importantly chip and "bug" free, excuse the pun. I always use it when going on long trip and don't use it for daily driving but depending on where you live it might be a good idea to leave in on all the time.
VW
Beetle-The Car of the 20th Century: Do we really need another
book about the history of the VW Beetle? After reading this fantastic
book, the answer is a resounding YES! This is the newest book on the
VW Beetle from Veloce 
Publishing
out of the UK. And in my opinion is one of the best on the history of
the Beetle and every model ever produced. The way the book is presented
is one of the most interesting things about it. Richard Copping covers
all aspects of the car from it's inception, right up to the Beetles
that are still rolling off the assembly line in Mexico. While taking
you along this journey the book features beautiful examples of Beetles
from the time period being written about, complete with their own story.
The book contains over 200 mainly colour photographs and illustrations
and has many pages highlighted in blue that explain in detail some of
the controversial issues of the era. I'm sure some of the facts uncovered
for this book will surprise even the most knowledgeable VW enthusiast.
While reading the book I came across the story of the "Stamp Saver"
period that I'm sure most of you are familiar with. During the 2nd World
War German people would send 5DM weekly to pay for their VW which was
yet to be produced. In return for their payment they would get a stamp
to stick in their stamp saver book. Once the book was filled the car
was to be delivered. It's a known fact that none of these cars were
ever received and people sued after the war and eventually were given
a form of restitution. It was thought by some that the money was used
for the war effort by the then ruling Nazi party. But the book states
that all of the money, 280,000,000DM was found in the Bank of German
Labor in Berlin after the war and taken by the Allied Russian forces.
The book winds up with a chapter about the history of the convertible,
and goes into incredible detail covering the Hebmuller and of course
the Karmann Ghia. A very interesting read! ISBN 1-901295-86-9
VW Beetle - The Car of the 20th Century - Richard Copping
Pertronix
Ignitor, Coil and Ignition Wires: The
Volkswagen ignition system hasn't changed much over the years. It
still consists of a set of points, condenser, coil, and ignition wires.
And as the saying goes "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". But
what if you could make it work better? The Pertronix ignitor replaces
the points and condenser. It delivers twice the voltage to the spark plugs
and is supposed to increase fuel economy, horsepower and plug life. But
does it work? I installed the complete Pertronix system including wires,
coil and ignitor on my Super and here's how it went.
The installation was quite easy. The instructions are fairly clear but vary depending on whether your VW has an external ballast resistor or not. Here's a hint during installation. The two wires that run to the coil have a grommet on them. This is a two piece grommet even though it looks like one piece! Be sure to slide one off then feed the wires through the hole in the distributor and put the grommet back on again. I left the condenser on my distributor (without the wire) so it looks totally stock because the ignitor unit fits under the cap.
The
Flame Thrower coil puts out 40,000 volts which delivers an average of
15% more spark energy and voltage. Installs with only two bolts and comes
in stock look black or chrome. I had to add a forth terminal on the positive
side of mine because the fuel injected Super has a whole lot if wires
on the coil. Super easy to install.
The Flame Thrower wires come with a spiral wound stainless steel alloy and a carbon impregnated fiberglass center core for two current paths.They have a lifetime warranty and are heat resistant. Fairly easy to install as long as you do one wire at a time so you don't mix them up. When it came time to slide the wires behind the engine I had to take the boot off to fit them through because it's a tight fit back there. If you are switching from the OEM wires to these, you better keep the screw-on ends for your spark plugs because the wires require them for snapping on.
When
the moment of truth came I turned the key and it fired up pronto, in about
half the cranking time it usually takes. During the test drive the first
thing I noticed was that the car pulled stronger through all the gears
and accelerated onto the highway a lot quicker.
To sum up the results the car ran quicker, smoother, got better gas mileage and started faster. I'm not saying you have to put the complete system in. I think the ignitor would be a good place to start because the benefits justify the cost of the unit. You can always add the other items when it's time to change the old ones. The instructions could be a bit more detailed and include some helpful hints. (E.g.. removing the grommet on the ignitor wire and the height of the magnetic pickup in relation to the ignitor unit). I have spoken to Pertronix about these issues and they are looking into them. But all in all, with no points or condenser to wear out, adjust or replace, I think it's a great idea!
VW
Speedo Watch: When it comes to a unique
gift idea this is one of the coolest I've seen. It's a watch styled to
look like a 1954, 1963, 1967, 1968 or 1971 VW speedometer. It has a leather
strap, a stainless steel case and is water 
resistant
to 3 ATM's. It also comes in a gift tin that would make it the perfect
birthday or Christmas gift for any VW lover. I like a big watch and for
my taste this is a bit small. I found the pictures at the website make
it look bigger than it actually is, the face is only about one inch in
diameter and the graphics are very small and a bit hard to see. It also
has an "Indiglo" type back light that really makes this watch
shine! In fact it looks so much like a speedometer when you push the button
you might find yourself looking at it instead of the real one. The cost
is $70.00 US plus $6.00 US for shipping. The cost of getting one to Canada
would end up being close to $160.00 CDN (Shipping and customs included.)
Not cheap, but very, very nice.
Bug
Me Video VW Repair & Maintenance Video and DVDs: I'm
the kind of Volkswagen guy that knows how to do an oil change, a tune-up
and maybe adjust the brakes. But when it comes to doing some of the
more involved stuff I usually take my Super to my local garage and open
my wallet. Bug Me Video has come the aid of those of us that want to
do more but don't really know where to start. Better than your average
shop manual these videos walk you through such everyday things as an
oil change to a valve adjustment and right up to a complete motor rebuild.
Rick really knows his Volkswagens and these videos are very professionally
done. He comes across as a very friendly guy that you would see on any
of those hot rod or car maintenance shows on television. I know after
watching these videos I will definitely attempt more of the repairs
myself. The good thing is you pick the video that you are interested
in. The titles include, general maintenance, brake maintenance, complete
engine rebuild, pull motor/clutch, transmission replacement and many
more. A good place to start would be the general maintenance video which
covers oil changes, adjusting the brakes, tune up, adjusting the clutch,
setting the timing and lots more. Even if you already work on your VW
I'm sure you could still learn a thing or two from these excellent tapes.
Omega
taillights: I replaced the taillights on my Super Beetle about
a year ago with a pair of universal copies that came from Brazil. They
used a universal rectangular reflector instead of the left/right square
reflector of the original. They looked fine but when it came to using
them at night, they weren't all that bright. The three bulbs (two 1156
and one 1157) that were used inside did not have a shiny metal reflector
behind them and burned a dim red colour.
Mid America Motorworks to the rescue! I told them of the problem that
I was having and he suggested the Omega replacement taillight from, (of
all places) Italy. First of all, this light is as close as you can get
to an OEM VW unit. The only difference that I could spot was the "Omega"
name that is stamped into lenses (and you can hardly notice that). It
even has the original gray base whereas the Brazilian one was black. This
unit uses four 1156 bulbs like the factory VW light, and has full reflectors
inside to get the light out at night.
MAM's replacement lights install in minutes using the original wiring
configuration. These units have a plastic plate that goes between the
base of the light and the rear fender (just like the original). This plate
helps to keep the mud and water away from the wiring and also from the
inside of the light. You can see from the pictures that these lights are
manufactured with a definite left and right side. Here's a tip, in case
you've got the taillights switched on your Beetle, the square reflector
that is part of the lenses, goes to the outside of your rear fender. When
I was halfway through the installation, I lit them up to see how the Omega
light compared to the old Brazilian unit, and I was shocked. The MAM light
was at least twice as bright and made me doubt if you could even see the
brake light in the old ones during the day. If you've got worn out, cracked
or broken taillights on your Beetle, these units will keep your car looking
like new for a fraction of the price of the original.
Classic
Volkswagens: I
really don't want to get into the debate over which years of Volkswagens
are the "Classic" ones. I think
any air cooled Beetle is a classic, but the pictures in this book are
the best that I've ever seen of any Volkswagen! It's subtitled "The
Beetles & other models from 1938" and it has pictures of almost
any Classic VW product you can name and some that I didn't know even existed.
There are some pictures of special bodied Volkswagens like the "Rometsch
Beeskow" and the "Dannenhauser & Stauss Cabrio" that
are possibly the most beautiful cars I've ever seen! It also contains
a very interesting history of Volkswagen that goes into great detail about
the creation of the Beetle. I learned a few things that I never knew,
for example. The name Volkswagen was used in 1932 by Standard Fahrzeugfabrik
for their remarkably Beetle-like car that even had a air-cooled rear engine.
That was two years before Hitler announced that he was going to
support the production of the Deutschen Volkswagen.
Bug
Tales:
I learned 3 things after
reading "Bug tales"; most people "name" their beloved Vw, everybody has
a VW story of some sort to tell and always take a throttle cable with
you where ever you go! This has got to be one of the most interesting
collections of VW stories ever compiled. You never know what is going
to happen next. I laughed, I cried and was always surprised at the things
that can happen in, around and on top of a Beetle! What makes this book
so nice is the author is a VW fanatic like the rest of us and contributes
a couple of pretty wild stories of his own. Like the time the throttle
cable broke on his friends bug. Paul ended up sitting on the back bumper
working the throttle while his buddy yelled "shift!" when he changed gears.
Believe it or not they made it to the repair shop that way! You'll love
this book even if you don't own a VW!
Bug Tales - Paul Klebahn and Gabriella Jacobs
My
Bug: I just
finished reading "My Bug" by Michael J. Rosen. It's a collection of VW
stories and memories by various people including Russell Baker, George
Plimpton and many more. Did you know there were 250 "Herbies" used in
the making of all the "Herbie" movies? The book has hundreds of interesting
photographs and drawings. It's really quite a nice coffee table book.
Some of the stories are really very touching while others are downright
"lyao" funny.
To have your book or product reviewed here please contact us at mail@superbeetles.com