Beetle blog just started, few pics

raysor · 13 August 2007, 10:49

I have started a new blog which hopefully will be an interesting history and more of my Beetle, which I bought a few years ago.

www.t1beetle.blogspot.com

Bookwus · 13 August 2007, 19:18

Hiya ray,

We'll be keeping track of your progress on the 69.

I know that a lot of Brits consider the MOT a royal pain in the arse. From my perspective, here across the pond, it looks like a pretty good idea. Especially after having been on the freeway and being passed by "vehicles" that look as if they were held together by baling wire, chewing gum and spit. There are some really scary looking contraptions out there on US roads.

Best of luck to you on your reconditioning. Oh by the way, check out your grounds (earths in Britspeak) on those headlights.

raysor · 13 August 2007, 21:35

Hi Mike, Thanks for the encouragement.

The MOT is a bit odd over here, although in the main, as you say it is good idea.

A friend of my son's who works for a large Ford garage did a pre-MOT check (all Kosha) which reported a fail on Headlights, welding in front pan around pedals and seat runners, tyres (surprise, surprise, car's been standing on them for 20 odd years), brakes pulling to one side and possibly a few other things.
Put some new lights on (Hella, complete). Called round a welder to look at the floor and he said that a new floorpan had been welded in and if carpets had been down they wouldn't have noticed.

Then took the car to a different place just in case they would pass it!! This was just a week before the Bug JAm at Santa Pod,Near Bedford, UK.in July. We had the crazy notion of driving it the 100 miles or so.

Any way it failed on Lights too dim, silencer rusted, brakes pulling, w/screen wipers not covering windscreen and tyres.

So far put new front discs/bearings on and bought silencer.

I did want to take some pics of the procedure for the discs and wheelbearings. Managed to take pic of old disc on car, disc on driveway showing collection of spiders and cobwebs, then got so engrossed forgot to take any more!!

Anyway it's all great fun and my son is quite keen to help and drive the car about when it's roadworthy.

One of my plans is to take the beetle back to the same places we went on holiday those 30 years ago (like Lostwithiel in the blog). Have you visited the UK? Ever been to Devon or Cornwall, or the West Country as it is known?

Daft I know, but who cares?

Bookwus · 14 August 2007, 08:51

Hiya ray,

I have yet to set foot in the mother country.

My family is originally from Gloustershire (sp?). I believe that's in the west, isn't it?

raysor · 14 August 2007, 16:02

Hi Mike,

Gloucestershire! That is West but a bit higher up than the West Country. It's really South West (the most south-westerly part of England. I suppose it includes the counties Devon, Cornwall and possibly Somerset and Dorset.

Gloucestershire has been having all the flooding lately. Nice part of UK.

Whereabouts are you in the states?

Bookwus · 14 August 2007, 17:19

Hiya ray,

I'm in Portland, Oregon. In the US that's what we call "out west".

As nearly as I can tell (I have done just a bit of genealogy work on my family) my forebearers left England and Ireland about the time of the Great Potato Famine. They wound up settling in the western Pennsylvania area. For some unknown reason, my father decided to move himself out to the Pacific Northwest just after World War II, so here I am.

68autobug · 25 August 2007, 14:41

Well, I used to live in Gloucester in Australia back in 1968 for around 5-6 years
and drove a beetle naturally....

and I bought My 1968 Beetle from Gloucester in 1996...

We have a sort of MOT in some states of Australia...
We have it where i live...
but if the car looks good and is maintained, You don't have any problems.
I've never had any of the lights or wipers tested... or the windscreen washer...

My car is rust free and drives like a new one...

Naturally, it does depend on who does the test.....
I did see one Mechanic test the rear window washer and wiper on a car..
I think thats going a bit too far..

They place a sensor on the brake pedal, and drive your car, and hit the brakes
and the pressure needed to stop the car is recorded on a peice of paper..
You need that piece of paper to get Your car registered for the road..

Some of the states in Australia that don't have MOTs , You can be pulled over at any time by MOT experts who go over your car with a fine tooth comb...

so I feel its better to have Your car tested each year...

Lee

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug