How to Restore Volkswagen Beetle by Jim Tyler

Author:Jim Tyler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Road & motor vehicles: general interest
Publisher: Veloce Publishing Ltd
Published: 2018-12-02T16:00:00+00:00

The fuse box is situated under the dashboard. The colours of the fuses denote their rating. Never replace a fuse with one of a higher rating.

The black polythene item seen here is cut from an old oil container, and sits on top of the underseat electrics so that nothing can drop on the non-insulated terminals and short circuit them.

BATTERY

The battery must be securely held to prevent it tipping (and possibly spilling electrolyte, or the positive terminal touching an earth), so must be of a design with a lip suitable for locating under the battery clamp.

It is good practice to make or buy an insulating cover for the live battery terminal and the live feed clamp.

To check a battery’s condition, remove the filler caps (no smoking or sources of ignition nearby, because the battery can give off explosive fumes) and check the electrolyte levels; the electrolyte should just cover the plates. After checking the electrolyte, check the ability of the battery to take and hold a charge. Fully charged, a 12V battery should produce 13.2 volts, and this is easily checked using a multimeter. If the battery measures under 12 volts, charge it and re-test and, if it still shows under 12 volts, one or more cells have failed and the battery will have to be renewed.

On an original Beetle, the battery terminals should have one live wire and an earth strap only; any additional wires connected to the clamps are there to power after-market electrical accessories, and bypass both the ignition switch and fuse box, so check out the associated circuits very carefully and, if you discover an non-fused circuit, fit an in-line fuse.

LIGHTS

Never be in too much of a hurry to fit wing-mounted lights after spraying the wings. Allow the paint to harden properly, preferably for two weeks.

It is tempting to fit higher wattage headlights, but if you do this then be sure to obtain a light dipping relay that can handle the extra wattage, because the standard relay is prone to arcing across its points if it is asked to handle more power than it was designed for. The arcing causes carbon to build up on the contact points and the unit fails.

Beetle headlights have varied over the years but all are similar in principle. To remove a headlight, first remove the rim fixing set screw, located at the bottom of the rim (the other two are adjusting screws, so leave them alone). It should be possible to prise off the rim with your fingers. Pull the headlight out just far enough to enable you to pull the feed plug off, and the light unit can then be removed. When refitting the rim don’t over-tighten the screw, because old rims are liable to crack if you do. During a restoration, it's as well to renew the cable sleeve, all grommets, and the headlight-to-wing seal.

Use new seals when fitting the rear light clusters, and be careful not to over-tighten the lens fitting screws, because the lenses can be very brittle and crack.

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