New project, questions...

[Brandon]

Hello all,
So I basically gave up on my 74 beetles bodywork as its just too far gone in many areas
Then today a friend offered to sell me a complete 57 body for a VERY good price. So the plan now
is to pull the body off the 74 and use its pan. I might convert to standard, I might not I'm not sure. Point is I dont know if this will work
with the autostick components. Is it is as simple as as mounting the control cylinder thats usually beside the engine onto the firewall of the 57? Or is there some huge step I'm not thinking of here? Either way this is probably happening, ill be sure to take a pic of the world first (?) 1957 A/S Beetle

[volkenstein]

Brandon,
           IIRC the bumper mounts are different, so that may be a knotty problem for you due to the Vac and ATF tank brackets. I'm also unfamiliar with a 57's engine bay, but I reckon you could fit the tanks and CV up. Judicious drilling of spot welds on your '74 body will free the CV bracket.

Tell you what...why not make a paper trace/cutting of the ATF side engine wall from the '74 and see if it transfers into the same space on the '57? Ditto for the Vac tank...

HTH
Sean

[Brandon]

Hmm, then it looks like I might end up having to do the standard swap. After searching thesamba, a 57's engine bay can just barely fit the 1600cc, so I dont know if it will accomodate the Control Valve. Also I hadnt considered the mounts for the ATF/Vac tanks. If anyone has any Standard conversion stuff laying around and needs some good autostick stuff let me know, I'll have a full working A/S setup + an extra A/S Transmission. Have a standard transmission here already...

[Triker Walt]

Brandon

Where are you located? And what would you be wanting for the 3 A/S setups you have?  I maybe interested.


Triker Walt

[Brandon]

Hi,
Im in B.C., Canada. Its only 1 autostick setup (the one thats on the car) plus an extra transmission. Since this has turned into almost a sales thread could mods move it to the appropriate area, I dont want to get in trouble

[volkenstein]

Brandon,
           Search for a post by AUTO or AutomaticSamba, Phil went with an aolder body on A-S pan. You do have to chop the rear body to chassis mounts off and reweld. I included pics for Phil.

A 1600 may just fit, but there is more to engine bay that just a cutout that the engine fit's into. It's the side pieces (inner wheel well part) you need to consider. Also, a doghouse shroud may/may not be problematic. Again, I don't have this knowledge. Someone on STF or TheSamba would (not about the A-S necessarily, just fitting a doghouse 1600 into an early engine bay and how much room is left. Like how much butchering for 48 IDA's etc will be a good fitment guide.

If you are going to toast the body, please take ATF hole dimension/location measurements as well as the CV mount and the captive nut stuff for Triker Walt. You'd be doing him a fatter favour than I have managed thus far. I do honestly believe my wife helped me clean up the shed just a little too much .


Regards
Sean

[68autobug]

Brandon,
           IIRC the bumper mounts are different, so that may be a knotty problem for you due to the Vac and ATF tank brackets. I'm also unfamiliar with a 57's engine bay, but I reckon you could fit the tanks and CV up. Judicious drilling of spot welds on your '74 body will free the CV bracket.

Tell you what...why not make a paper trace/cutting of the ATF side engine wall from the '74 and see if it transfers into the same space on the '57? Ditto for the Vac tank...

HTH
Sean

Yes,
even with the correct brackets etc...
that ATF tank is nearly impossible to bolt to the bumper brackets..
took Me a few years to get more than one bolt in there...
fingers used to get sore from trying to thread the bolt into place..
maybe a long bolt from the other side??

A removeable rear valance would make all work much much easier...
many people cut holes etc to fit the twin carburetors..

remember nothing is impossible..
just a darn sight Harder....  very harder...

Karmann Ghias had different shaped tanks...  just a thought..
placing the ATF & Vacuum tanks in the original place would be a headache.. IMHO..

Best of Luck

LEE