Volks Chronicles #1: Overhauling Your Volkswagen Beetle

When I first bought my bug, an orange 1972 Volkswagen Beetle that shall henceforth be referred to as Mo, it was in good running condition. It was being used as a daily car, and was thus maintained lovingly. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned (I got laid off, I was broke, and I was stupid) and therefore the poor bug was stuck for three years. In the course of those three years, the problems piled up and can thus be divided into three major categories: Mechanical Problems (general engine and mechanical problems), Aesthetic Problems (body work, upholstery, and other problems that have to do with looks), and Paper Problems (transfer of ownership and renewal of registration).

Starting with the Overhaul

[Disclaimer] Like most first time car owners, I only have a very elementary understanding of what needs to be done, which part goes where, and what does what so forgive any mistakes in this article and rest assured that since I learn as I go, I’d (probably) be better informed next time. [End Disclaimer]

When you have problems like (or as many as) these, it’s always a good idea to ask for advice and to list your problems by priority. In my case, the overhaul won first priority. Cars in general will need a major overhaul if they have not been used for an extended period – or so I’ve been told. Overhauling, as I later learned, is basically the process of taking the engine out, disassembling it/tearing it apart (carefully), cleaning all the parts, and replacing/repairing parts that require replacing/repairing.

My mechanic, Kuya Mancio, showed me a long list of parts that need to be replaced, mainly gaskets, studs, tubes, washers, strainers, valve guides, spark plugs, hoses, and clamps. I also needed a new muffler since my headers (the part that connects the muffler to the engine) had literally fallen off when they lifted the engine.

An initial canvass for the parts netted a total of 18,000 pesos, with an additional 7000 for the muffler. Upon Rem’s advice, I asked around for shops. A friend, Kuya Clark (of VWCP), gave me the number of Kuya Nardo, the owner of a small, unassuming parts shop in Buendia. I gave him the list and got all the parts for 11600 pesos and a silent muffler with headers for 4400 pesos.

The engine itself was taken apart and cleaned, and more problems came up. It needed a new set of cam followers and some of the valves needed to be fabricated in a machine shop. ‘Machining’ means they’ll make a part from scratch and in my case, partS needed to be made from scratch: cylinder heads, intake valve guides, exhaust valve guides, ring seats, and valve guide housings. The machine shop bill ran up to 5500.

As of this writing, I still need three things to complete the overhaul, including engine oil, gasket maker and engine oil seal. I’ll write another update once the overhaul is done and the engine is up and running.

Additional Notes

By the way, I learned a couple of things about Mo and about the Volkswagen scene during the course of the overhaul:

• I knew that Mo is an ACVW (air conditioned Volkswagen) and that he had an engine upgrade at some point in his 40 year life, though I didn’t know that he had a Kombi engine on him. Specifically, a Kombi 1600 engine. No wonder he had no problems going uphill on second gear.

• The Philippines has a very healthy Volkswagen scene and you’ll find enthusiasts at the Volkswagen Club of the Philippines (VWCP.org) forums. Volks (boks, veedub) enthusiasts are probably the most helpful people I’ve ever met and all you really need to do is ask at the forums. By far, various people from the club have helped me find a cheaper place to buy parts and find persons who offer services for body work and the papers. Since VWCP members are knowledgeable about VWs in general, you can ask for advice about mechanical, aesthetic, and paper problems, among other things. They’ll be more than happy to help you and welcome you into the fold.