Bella- my 1958 Australian Import Beetle.

[Shamrockez]

Hopefully!!!

[tred]

I hope you get this resolved soon and get her through her MOT :) Wish I could say more than that, but I didn't understand anything after "However the front beam and the dropped spindles were the worst culprits"...which is why I have a new one not an old one ;) :laughing:

Good luck though :cuddle:

[Shamrockez]

Just nod and smile and pretend you understand -worked for me for years :D

[tred]

Just nod and smile and pretend you understand -worked for me for years :D

:lol: I do that with hubby and his motorbikes :laughing:

[Shamrockez]

i would do the same! :D

[Shamrockez]

Not much has happened lately... waiting for the bushes to arrive before we can do anything else really.
But look at all the shiny new toys Bella has got! :eek: :D
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0104yu.jpg

[Shamrockez]

Righty - since we're not gonna be able to make Plymouth Volksfest (unless we can go down just for the day), I've decided I'm gonna spend a bit of time on Bella.
So... I has a new list! ;)
* Remove inner beam bushes
* Fit new bushes
* Refit trailing arms and adjust kings
* Grease kings
* Fit new front wheel bearings
* Fit (another) new master cylinder
* Replace rear hub gaskets
* Fit shiny new hubs all round
* Replace rear shoes on one side
* Adjust brakes
* Rebleed brakes
* Remove engine
* Replace clutch
* Refit engine

[Dub-Diva]

Well... that's the morning taken care of - what you going to do for the rest of the weekend? lol

[Shamrockez]

:lol: I could always start on one of the others if I got bored :lol:

[Shamrockez]

I'm doing well so far! :D I've managed to push the inner beam bearing things in far enough to get the new bushes in :D Courtesty of a big enough socket, 2 extension bars and a lump hammer :D

And now my arms really hurt :o lol

[Shamrockez]

Old Vs New bushes:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0014yu-1.jpg
I set out with my good friends, Mr Hammer and Mr Socket-on-a-stick and knocked the inner bearings back a bit... and fitted the new bushes:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0015yu.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0016yu-1.jpg
Then I set up the links again, and removed the hub so I could fit the new one. New inner bearings and seal:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0017yu.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0019yu.jpg

[Shamrockez]

Ok, so I've not posted since May, but I have been doing stuff to Bella now and again, so I thought I'd update this.
I replaced the rear hub seal in the pass side rear because it was leaking. This also meant I had to put new shoes in because they were contaminated - which was annoying as they'd only covered 1 mile under their own steam! I then put new hubs on all round because most of the threads were stripped:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0022yu.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0023yu.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0024yu.jpg
We replaced the master cylinder and put some shorter flexi lines in due to the narrowed beam. I'm sure we did more stuff, but I can't remember what they were lol.
Then the weekend before her MOT was booked, we were adjusting the pass side door and I noticed a crack at the bottom of the B pillar - I poked it (as you do) and it got bigger, and bigger and bigger.... oops!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/image2io-1.jpg
So Steve made me up a patch and I started to weld it in.... half way through there was a lot of smoke... and it was coming out of everywhere - out of the decklid, the rear vents, semaphore, bonnet etc etc.... so we waited for the welding to cool down, and the smoke just got worse.... I felt where I'd welded and it was now cold, but there was a rather hot spot a couple inches above it.... so a bit of digging behind the rear door card and this was revealed:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/image-0io.jpg
Which continued to smoke for the next 20mins till we watered it with the watering can lol.
So I finished the welding:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/image-42io.jpg

And she still stinks of smoke!
Then I spent 5... yes, five... hours fishing the bit that you screw into for the bottom hinge on the pass side door.... the strap of metal that normally holds it in the right place has gone awol, and trying to keep it in the right place was a nightmare! It was also impossible to keep in the right place and get the hinge in place... so I had to weld it onto the A pillar so I could fix the door on securely! I'll redo the A pillar with a hookeys panel at some point.
Anyways - off she went to Invader for her MOT. Failed on 9 things, but all pretty easily fixable (or at least I think so), so I wasn't dissapointed. 3 of those things were because I'd forgotten to tighten bolts up :o oops!
The rest was (off memory), the link pins need adjusting to get rid of play, the steering is too tight, there's play in the rear spring plates (hopefully just needs new bushes), the bit which connects the round disk thing to the steering column is slipping and one of the rear brake pipes touches the shock, so that just needs to be bent out.
So all in all, a good result I think. She's not failed on anything which isn't fixable.
Pic of her when I dropped her off at the garage:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0332io.jpg

[Tofufi]

She looks ace in that piccy :)

[Shamrockez]

yeah i like it :D

[1958 Harry]

Cool - she's nearly on the road!!!

If she is all roadworthy by then, you gonna bring her to the Xmas cruise?

I need to get my arse in gear now Hattys (almost) sorted and get Harrys new engine fitted!

[Shamrockez]

yeah if she's all ready and the weather is ok - and 2 of us can go in her without her sitting on the floor lol

[Tofufi]

yeah if she's all ready and the weather is ok - and 2 of us can go in her without her sitting on the floor lol

That sounds like an awful lot of 'ifs' :p

Need your opinions at some point on finding a route ;) - I'll catch you on MSN sometime :)

[Shamrockez]

Bella likes 'ifs'... :p

Ok... pick a route I know - I won't get lost then :o :D

[Tofufi]

:D


MOTd yet? :p

[Shamrockez]

don't be silly :p

[1958 Harry]

I reckon Bella will be back on the road before Harry now :(

[Shamrockez]

I wouldn't hold your breath - she was supposed to be MOTd in 2005 :lol:

[Shamrockez]

righty, Steve and I spent a couple hours with Bella yesterday and made some progress! We sorted the slipping steering column problem, adjusted the links to remove the play, adjusted the wheel bearing on driver's side front and tightened the driver's side shock.

We started to adjust the steering box - following Moby's instructions... loosen the bolt, then undo the screw.... ok....erm... no bolt.... :lol: no idea where that's escaped to! But on adjusting it the steering felt much more free, so that's good. We've both got some time off next week so hopefully we should be able to fit the rear doughnut things, move the brake line, finish adjusting the box and tighten the front shock on the other side and then she *fingers crossed* should be done :)

[Shamrockez]

Been working on Bella again today. Started taking the driver's side rear suspension apart to replace the donuts - what I thought would be a 2hr job max.... I thought wrong!

I found that they were very, very worn! No wonder she handled so badly! But the new ones don't seem to be the same as the old ones....

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0349as.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0350as.jpg

Outer on the left, inner in the middle and new inner on the right.

Now, as you can see, the 2 I've removed are both perfectly wrong with no nobbly bits - is this how they should be? Or have they/one of them worn so much that the nobbles have totally gone?

I can't seem to find new versions of the outer one - all I can find is smooth ones for 60 onwards, but some sites say they fit all, and some sites say use the right inner for the left outer (with nobbly bits) and vice versa.... I'm confused!


Also I tried to fit the nobbly one and it seemed massive - I gave up trying to fit it :o is this normal? Is there a trick to getting them in?

[1958 Harry]

I dunno, but when we had Hatty raised the donuts looked like the ones on the left, not the new one :)

Do they fit?

[Shamrockez]

No, I have to get 2 of the smooth ones apparently. Gonna see if Karmann Konnection have them - if not, I'll have to try America!

[Shamrockez]

Righty - I ordered the bushes from KK yesterday and they arrived today so I fitted them!

Drivers side done:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0003as.jpg

Old vs new:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0001as.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0002as.jpg

Then we turned her round....
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0004as.jpg

Started on the other side...
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0005as.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0008as.jpg

Old vs new:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0010as.jpg

All done - except she thought it would be fun to leak a load of gearbox fluid....
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0011as.jpg

[Kitten]

What a fantastic bug :D :D :D

Goodness you are soooo clever :D :D

I wish I wasnt such a no hoper with mechanics and things. :o My son would love to get a bug and do it up himself over the next few years so that it would be ready for him when he's 17. But we really wouldnt know where to start. I'd love to encourage him and support him in his project as I think its a brilliant idea :D

[1958 Harry]

Lookin good hun!

Whens her MOT?

Harrys is out now - I'd best get him running again! :lol:

[Shamrockez]

What a fantastic bug :D :D :D

Goodness you are soooo clever :D :D

I wish I wasnt such a no hoper with mechanics and things. :o My son would love to get a bug and do it up himself over the next few years so that it would be ready for him when he's 17. But we really wouldnt know where to start. I'd love to encourage him and support him in his project as I think its a brilliant idea :D

Oooh, you should do it! We didn't know anything when we bought our Splitty - we learnt as we went along :) they're really not that hard - it's just like a giant jigsaw! Your lad would learn so much :)



Lookin good hun!

Whens her MOT?

Harrys is out now - I'd best get him running again! :lol:

Erm, God knows lol - gotta check the bank balance first methinks.....

Race ya ;)

[1958 Harry]

Lol! You're on - I think you might win this time tho!

[Shamrockez]

I never win :(

[Shamrockez]

Today I decided to take Bella's engine out to change the clutch and the flywheel oil seal. The clutch has always been dodgy, so waaaay back in about April I bought a new kit.

Once the engine was oil and the clutch was out, it was obvious that it had been wearing oddly:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0032as.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0033as.jpg

Once the flywheel was off, I found a lot of oil!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0036as.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0035as.jpg


But looked much better once all cleaned up:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0037as.jpg


Not sure what the brown stuff is tho?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0038as.jpg

[Kitten]

You are doing an amazing job :D Bella is going to be gorgeous :D

[Shamrockez]

not so sure 'gorgeous' is the right way to describe her lol!
Not the most interesting update... but here we go anway lol.

I decided to replace the whole clutch assembly - including the release bearing - when I took that off I realised it was quite oily under there, so decided to replace thew gearbox seal too:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0040as.jpg

Ok, the old one didn't look that mullered to begin with - but it appears to be impossible to get them out without killing them lol.

So I fitted it, then gave the gearbox a clean up:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0041as.jpg

And as I was on a role, I thought it would be wise to fit the flywheel and clutch to the engine... flywheel went on fine, but disaster struck when tightening up the bolts which hold the clutch to the flywheel.... poo :( so off it came again! In case you can't see, it's the ones at about 2o'clock and 7o'clock:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0045as.jpg

I also tried to fit the new release bearing, but it didn't go on instantly so I gave up lol.

Anyways - today I decided to give the engine bay a lick of POR-15 whilst the engine was out. I know it's 'normal' to have this body coloured, but I'd rather have it protected as I've seen people have to replace this panel, and no one's said it was fun lol.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0047as.jpg

[1958 Harry]

Looking good hun!

Theres a knack to getting the release bearing clips on :)

Put the bearing in and slot one side on, then you need to push the other side on with the tang bit underneath, then using pliars twist it around into position :)

Did nothing on Harry this weekend (despite now having everything to get him running again, did you know VW Heritage sell brand new 30PICT1 carbs, not the Brosol ones, but the right carb for a 1200 :D ) as I have a bad cold/cough and MRSA in my ears :(

[Shamrockez]

I hoped the knack of getting them on was to get Steve to do it! :D He did Joeys lol.

Ooh - do you have one? How much are they?

Hope you feel better soon, Hun!

[1958 Harry]

Yep got one - cheaper than the Brosol one as well - £90 delivered :)

Dunno if its any good yet tho, but it is correct for a 1200, even down to the round shape of it, not square like the Brosol ones!

[Shamrockez]

that's not too bad - lemme know how you get on with it when you've fitted it :)

[Shamrockez]

I managed to get the broken bolts out of the flywheel worryingly easily after advice from Moby:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0049as.jpg

Painted the rear tinware:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0050as.jpg

Refitted the flywheel and clutch:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0051as.jpg

And fitted the firewall, engine bay seal and routed the wires so they were in the right places:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0052as.jpg

[Tofufi]

:D

Told you those bolts would be easy to get out :p

[Shamrockez]

I didn't think they'd be quite 'that' easy....

[Shamrockez]

Thankfully the clutch bolts came out really easily when tapped with a screw driver - so the flywheel went back on and the new clutch was refitted - this time without breaking any bolts!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0049as.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0051as.jpg

Then I put some POR-15 on the over gearbox tin:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0050as.jpg

Fitted the firewall and engine seals, and tidied up all the wiring.... went from this ('scuse the crap pic):
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0043as.jpg

To this:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0052as.jpg

Bolted the rear tin on:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0053as.jpg

Finally got the release bearing on, and fitted new rear mounts:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0054as.jpg

Next I looked at the decklid. It's never shut very well, and always been a bit wobbly.... and now I know why!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0059as.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0060as.jpg

Not quite sure how this happened, as the rest of the decklid is straight and rust free... odd! The other side was the same, except it has a long late pop rivited over it.

So I welded the hinge on - not the best of jobs, and I couldn't finish welding up the stress crack because it was heating up the lid and burning the paint on the outside, which I didn't really want to do - but it's now it's not all wobbly!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0014as.jpg

Then with Steve's help we refitted the decklid complete with spring which I haven't refitted since I took it off not long after I bought her, so the decklid has been held up with a broom or some string tied from the roofrack!..... however, Bella didn't want it and took a chunk out of my thumb in anger! :( so we gave up for a while, then when I (stupidly) went back for more, she took another chunk! :( there was some crying, things got thrown (at her), ebay was threatened.... at which point Steve came in to help and we managed to fight her and win! :D I'm never taking the decklid off again, and now my thumb really hurts! But still - look at how pretty it looks holding itself up!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0061as.jpg

I'm a little worried that she likes the taste of my blood... I always seem to end up bleeding when I work on her... devil car!

Anyway - she's ready for me to fit the engine back in once Steve is feeling better (man flu!). I daren't attempt this on my own - if she can eat my thumb with her decklid, I don't want to think about what she can do with an engine! :eek:

[Kitten]

Good luck with re-fitting the engine....maybe a dart gun with some sedative kept handy if she starts getting viscious again???!!!! :laughing: :laughing:

That deck lid looks stunning :D :D

[Shamrockez]

perhaps I should invite a scrap man to come over just to stare at her, to make sure she behaves and doesn't end up going home with him! :D

[Jono]

keep a wooden stake to hand just in case the vampire tendencies appear again :)

J

[Shamrockez]

and onions? Ooh, perhaps this is where I'm going wrong - I used to use a wooden broom to hold the decklid up! Now I've replaced it with a spring, she's free to attack me! :eek:

[Jono]

and onions? Ooh, perhaps this is where I'm going wrong - I used to use a wooden broom to hold the decklid up! Now I've replaced it with a spring, she's free to attack me! :eek:

don't you mean garlic :) or do onions have special powers down in zumerset!?

J

[1958 Harry]

Have you changed the Flywheel Gland nut Luce???

I've discovered Harrys clutch judder was because the roller bearing in the Gland nut is fooked meaning the gearbox input shaft judders around when taking drive.

If you haven't changed it I'd do it now before you refit the engine :)

The bad news is discovering this means I can't refit Harrys engine and get him MOT'd and to the cruise :( on the plus side I have successfully Helicoiled and afaik fixed the head :D

[Shamrockez]

Jono - is it garlic? :o

Lukey - not changed the nut. I'll have a looksie to make sure it's ok before we put the engine back in tho.

Glad you've fixed the head - but it's a shame he won't be on the cruise :(

[Shamrockez]

Ever since I've owned Bella, she's had 'issues' with closing her doors. They would only ever do the first click, and refuse to do the second one needed to secure them properly. Infact, it was so bad when I first got her than when I took her for a drive around the lanes where the garage was at the old house, the passenger door would actually fly open each time I selected second gear! As you can imagine, this wasn't ideal!

After a lot of faffing around with the help of friends adjusting the hinges and catches, the driver's door gave in and started to go to the second click, but the passenger door remained defiant. We could get it to go to the second click after adjusting the catch, but if you opened the door and tried again, you'd be back to square one, and unless I wanted to carry screwdrivers around with me and adjust the door each time someone got in or out, or wanted to keep it permanently locked, something needed to be done!

When trying to adjust the door we noticed that the gaps were.... well... you could see though them into the inside! And the hinges had some damage which indicated that at some point the door had swung open too far and bent the area around the hinges.

How on earth was I going to get round this? My door was too short! Tugging on it didn't make any difference, and I didn't want to get a replacement door because otherwise this door is good, and I'd never be able to match the paint on the new door!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0062as.jpg

At the bottom the gap was fine, but there was a large gap at the top:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0063as.jpg

I measured this gap at 10mm!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0064as.jpg

Here you can see the metal behind the bent hinge is creased:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0065as.jpg

And a close gap all the way down:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0069as.jpg




So I asked in tech, and Moby came to the rescue with what sounded like the scariest plan in the world - I had to trap some wood in the top hinge, then shut the door with it in there.... *gulp* this would then bend the hinges back in the right direction and pull the door closer to the B pillar.

I left it a day or so to build up some 'brave' and went out armed with my block of 20mm wood.... took off the catch on the body and took a deep breath..... closed my eyes and slammed the door.... there was a big crunch from the block of wood... or at least, I hoped it was the block of wood! Opening one eye at a time I peered at the door gap... and it was smaller! It had worked! Another couple of slams of the door and the gap was about right:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0075as.jpg

Remember this was a 10mm gap before?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0076as.jpg

That's more like it!

Gap's a little bigger at this end now, but I can live with that as the 'lesser' of 2 evils.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0077as.jpg

And for the first time since I've had her, both doors now shut to the second click! :D

[1958 Harry]

Wow! Sorted!!! :D

[Shamrockez]

Yes :D only taken me... 3.5yrs to get her door to shut! :lol: :o

[Kitten]

It may have taken that long but at least its now right :p :laughing:

You are very clever AND brave :laughing: :laughing:

[Shamrockez]

lol, I hope it stays that way! :D


Well I've not done any work on Bella this weekend.... so she decided to go for a swim instead!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/New%20House/DSC_0074as.jpg

Her engine also went for a swim!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/New%20House/DSC_0079as.jpg





Yep - we got flooded :( Bella looked a bit shocked to see this strange liquid stuff around her.... she's not seen water for at least 3.5yrs! Then she had to sit outside in the rain whilst we cleared all the flood water from the garage and saved our new kitchen which had been in there waiting for us to fit it!

I'm hoping I can save the engine - it looks like the water only got into the exhaust.

[Kitten]

Hopefully the engine will be salvageable :D What a mess though, thank goodness it wasnt any worse :D

:ghug:

[Shamrockez]

yeah the neighbours woke us up at just the right time (just after 5... tired now lol) - the water was starting to bank up on the front garage door and I got it open just in time to save the kitchen.

[Kitten]

To be honest it was probably lucky you had the pit in the garage, cos all the water that filled the pit would've had to have gone somewhere!!! I'm so glad you are all ok :ghug:

[Shamrockez]

yeah deffo - it took most of the water away from stuff. We recon there was about 1000 litres in it!

[Kitten]

yeah deffo - it took most of the water away from stuff. We recon there was about 1000 litres in it!

Good Grief !!!!! 1000 litres.....!!!! EEK !!!:eek: :eek:

[Shamrockez]

yeah - a lot of water!

[Charlotte]

I love this bug, its well yummy! I haven't seen her in the flesh yet, you taking her to any shows this year? love to have a look :D

[1958 Harry]

Is she MOT'd yet Luce??? I cant remember what day you said her MOT was booked!

I reckon she'll be MOT'd before Harry this year! :lol:

[Shamrockez]

I love this bug, its well yummy! I haven't seen her in the flesh yet, you taking her to any shows this year? love to have a look :D

You should have popped round when she lived round the corner - that would have been the quickest way to see her :lol:

I'm hoping to take her to CTTP if I can get her on the road in time. Might take her to Bristol Volksfest - not sure if I'm taking her or Herbie yet.

Is she MOT'd yet Luce??? I cant remember what day you said her MOT was booked!

I reckon she'll be MOT'd before Harry this year! :lol:

it was Wednesday.... and :mad: :mad: :mad: failed on play in the front beam again :mad: so I've asked the chap for a refund on it and I'm taking it off her tomorrow to send back. Dirty Dave from DBS is going to narrow my 3.5in original beam down to 5in and make shock towers etc for it.

The semaphores also packed in on the way there :rolleyes: so I'm going to buy her some 12v ones so I don't have to worry about burning them out etc.

[Duggy]

Still not finished? :p :D

[Shamrockez]

would have been by now if I'd had a beam that was MOTable :(

[Shamrockez]

I'm getting Bella a new set of 12v semaphores so I don't have to worry about leaving them on and burning them out. I'm also going to convert her to dual circuit with a Volvo resovoir as I keep knocking the pipe from the reservoir to the master cylinder out... which a) wouldn't be safe if it happened whilst I was driving and b) strips all the paint off my framehead! Plus dual is much safer, which is nice! ;)

I've also ordered her a new gearshift coupling wotsit. She doesn't like to go into 2nd and as far as I can see it's not been replaced before, so it might as well get done now!

[1958 Harry]

How do you keep knocking the pipe off the reservoir?

Also if the pipe did come off whilst driving you would still stop as theres still all fluid in the master cylinder and brake lines ;)

But Dual Circuit is a much safer bet.

Why not use a 70's bug reservoir tho?

[Shamrockez]

Fiddling around with the track rods! Yeah there would be a bit in the cylinder, but it just comes out too easily for my liking!

I could use a 70s resovoir but I'd have to weld in a bracket for it to sit somewhere. The Volvo one goes straight on the top of the reservoir so neater and safer because there won't be a pipe from res to master.

[1958 Harry]

Yeah the 70's reservoirs are the same, metal tubes with a bit of fuel line type stuff holding them together - V easy to pull apart! Also a 70's bug has a hole in the body for them to pass through, I don't think a 50's bug has that hole, so you might need to drill Bella to fit a 70's reservoir. So yeah the Ovlov one sounds a good idea :D

Wont it be difficult to see the fluid levels tho, hidden under the front there, esp with Bella so looooowwwww?

[Shamrockez]

I'll just have to jack her up and turn the wheel/take it off to check it, so not the end of the world :)

I think most people weld a bracket in on the bulkhead area so they don't have to drill a hole for the pipes....

My coupling just arrived! :D

[1958 Harry]

Cool! Let me know how you get on fitting it :)

[Shamrockez]

I recieved a new gear coupler for Bella today from Heritage and thought I'd get round to replacing it. Now I have the new clutch in, she moves nicely and doesn't slip - she can also get up the drive under her own power now :D But selecting 2nd is a bit hit and miss. Sometimes it goes in, but most of the time I get a horrible grinding noise.

So I went out to the garage to replace it - spent a while trying to get the carpet out of the way so I could undo the 2 13mm bolts holding the gearstick on. Then that was removed and I noted the location of the lock plate:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0039sd.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0040sd.jpg

Then went to the coupling:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0041sd.jpg

Removed the wire and undid the 2 bolts.... and that's when it all went horribly wrong! The gearbox end came off easily - no suprise as I've had the gearbox out before so I knew it would be ok. Then set to the other side of the coupling.... it was a bit stiff, so I went and found my trusty hammer to try and persuade it to come out... that didn't help....

So I cleaned it up and bit and found that the Aussie bodger had got there before me! And welded the rod to the coupling.... if you look hard enough you can see it:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0043sd.jpg



Not quite sure what to do now. I'm guessing I can't get the shifter rod out with the coupling still on it because it won't go though the bracket near the gearstick... so I either have to hope that adjusting it will cure the selecting problem, or that I can find another one and then saw the old one up to get it out....

Why is nothing ever simple?!

[Charlotte]

Thats a huge boooooo Lucy, sorry I have no ideas on that :mad:
Hope you can sort it, nothings ever simple especaily when theres bodgers about.

[1958 Harry]

I'm sure that coupling looks completely different to Harrys??? His just looks like two rubber discs held together by wire! It might be my imagination :lol:, his definately pulls apart a few mm in the middle tho, time to get a new coupling I think!

[1958 Harry]

Oh, is there any way you can grind the welds off? I would guess tho the fact its already been welded might mean the end of the rod is fooked anyway :(

[Shamrockez]

yeah you need to replace it if it pulls apart - my new one certainly doesn't!


Yep bodgers are annoying :mad: I'm not sure why anyone would want to weld it in? It's not as if they lost the screw and had to weld it up to keep it together because the screw was still there!

I think I'm going to have to (somehow) cut it and buy a new one. They're under £30 from Heritage so not the end of the world if it comes to that.

[1958 Harry]

Yeah, probably easier to just fit a new one, at least it will hopefully be right then :D

Can you get an angle grinder in there to cut it?
I'll deffo order a new coupling methinks, it pulling apart deffo aint right, and the fact I dont think it even looks like that one probably doesn't bode wel! :lol:

[Shamrockez]

yeah that's never a good sign :lol:

I don't think I'd be able to get the grinder down there to grind the welds down unfortunatly. Still - at least you can still get the part to change it! I was worried that it would be impossible to find a new one.

[Shamrockez]

My new gear sift rod thing has arrived!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0088sd.jpg

Also got some new rubbers for the pedals. I've bought these before, but the garage pixies have run off with them it seems!

[Graham]

Nice socks :laughing:

[Shamrockez]

thank you! :D

[Tofufi]

You just know those socks belong to Steve :D

Is the gearshift rod meant to be bent?

Good luck fitting it ;)

[Kitten]

You are doing a blooming good job there. :D and aye nice socks :laughing: :laughing:

[Shamrockez]

erm, I'm not sure to be honest! It doesn't look like it's been bent by mistake and the box it came on was about 50 times it's size and undamaged, so I guess it's supposed to be like that!

[Shamrockez]

It does!

After trying to use a junior hacksaw for what seemed like hours on Friday, I managed to get a small indent into the rod... I couldn't really get the saw in to cut it properly, so Jim suggested I used a different type of saw, which I got today and set it to work:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0089sd.jpg

After ages of sawing, I finally cut through it:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0093sd.jpg

Yep it wasn't going to bend or rust away, was it?!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0091sd.jpg

Looks like she's smoking a pipe lol:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0090sd.jpg

That's as far as I got as I need to take the bumper off and move the Split out the way to get it out, and the Split's up on axel stands so hopefully he'll be moving tomorrow :)

[Shamrockez]

Joey Bus went for his MOT retest today so I had the chance to remove the old shift rod (he was in the way before) and get the new one fitted. Steve helped me fit the new one as it's tricky to do it on your own without 'go go gadget' arms.

Anyway, got that fitted and started looking for the new selector plate that I bought at Dubfreeze...... hmmm looks a little different to the old one....
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0105sd.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0108sd.jpg

Yep, that's right - there's a chunk missing where it's worn through and there's a massive crack in it, so I could pull it apart with my fingers!

What on earth has happened to this Beetle?! First of all the gearbox was lose and moving around because the threads for the front mount had been snapped off, then the coupling was welded to the rod and now this plate!

[Shamrockez]

Right, well we fitted the new shift rod, did the coupling up, fitted new shifter plate and..... only managed to get 2 gears :( after asking on the tech forum, I came to the conclusion that it was the wrong year, so pulled it out to check.... you can see the obvious differences!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0110sd.jpg

The original one is the one which is in 2 bits lol.

My other parts arrived on Friday - 12v semaphores and new dual circuit master cylinder. I also got a Volvo 240 reservoir.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0109sd.jpg

On my way home from uni today I stopped off at Jim's (Tofufi) house to collect some grub screws for the adjusters (thanks Jim!) and then onto Dirty Dave's house to collect her original beam... those of you who've followed this thread for longer know Tom took 3.5in out of it and removed the shock towers - Dave has narrowed it another 1.5in and fitted shock towers - thanks Dave!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0111sd.jpg

And with a bit of POR-15:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0113sd.jpg

We mocked it up and it appears to fit like a glove! :D

[yellowbug]

oooooh!

[Shamrockez]

isn't it pretty?! :D

Megabug have got the gear shift rod thing that I need too :D woo hoo!

[1958 Harry]

Cool! She'll be MOT'd by CTTP then? ;)

I'll have to post an update on Harry soon, he goes into Marks next weekend :D

[Vickie]

Oooh this is looking good Luc! I can't wait to see her out and about either!

Hopefully Petal will be back out to play some point this summer, as soon as she's had all her work done! :laughing:

[Shamrockez]

Well you never know - miracles might happen and she might decide she actually wants to pass! Hopefully the new gear rod will arrive today and we can fit that and the beam and the master cylinder over the next few days and she'll be pretty much there!

Would be nice to see Petal, Bella and Harry out playing together :D

[1958 Harry]

Yeah would be very cool to see all three bugs out! Its gonna be cool just seeing Harry out, he's not seen daylight for 9 months! :lol:

[Shamrockez]

make sure it's not too sunny when you first take him out then - it might hurt his eyes!

[gareth]

Looking very very good, doing up an old bug, not envious in the least, honest:D

Haven't got the room or the money yet but when I do I know what i'll be buying :cool:

[Shamrockez]

you're always welcome to come and play with Bella if you like - but be warned, she likes to draw blood! ;)


New beam is in (sorry for the terrible pic):
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0140sd.jpg

Hubs are on. Dual circuit is plumbed in and bled. Steering box is fitted.

Just gotta connect the track rods, brake light wiring to the mc, wheels and then fiddle about with the gear rod until we have all the gears and she's good to go! :D

[Graham]

Looking good for CTTP then ?!

[Shamrockez]

hopefully! Depends if I can convince her to pass an MOT, then get her registered in time.

[1958 Harry]

Cool!!! Fingers crossed Bella and Harry will actually make it to CTTP this year! Harrys off to Marks for his spring spruce up and MOT this weekend then he'll be good to go hopefully as well!!!

[Shamrockez]

good luck for the MOT :D altho I doubt you'll need it with Harry!

[1958 Harry]

Cheers hun! Good luck with Bella as well! :D

[Shamrockez]

ta! :D

[Shamrockez]

As some of you know, Bella went to her first show this weekend - Volksworld! Unfortunatly there wasn't enough time to get her MOTd and registered so we had to trailer her up with Widget. Friday morning started with Steve going to work for a few hours and then coming home with the trailer. When he got home we got Bella out of the garage and loaded up ready to go:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/PIC_0164sd.jpg

Once she was strapped down and Widget was loaded up, we set off up the A303 to Sandown. We made good time and arrived whilst it was still nice and light:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/PIC_0166sd.jpg

Got her off the trailer and gave her a quick bath to remove the spray she'd picked up from the journey. The colour of the sponge made it quite obvious that we've never washed her - it was black!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/PIC_0168sd.jpg

Added a bit of Poorboy's tyre shine and parked her up:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/PIC_0173sd.jpg

The stand was assembled on Saturday morning, with her sat next to Ben's Country Buggy - wonder if they'd ever met before back in Oz?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/PIC_0182sd.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/PIC_0200sd.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/PIC_0202sd.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSC_0156sd.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/IMG_0038sd.jpg

I think she quite enjoyed being at a show - she got lots of people stroking her paint and asking questions about her, and taking pics - which makes a change from being at home where she's shouted at and kicked!

Still got a few niggles to sort out on her. As anyone who was there when we left on Sunday may have noticed - she won't turn left! Resulting in a 300 point turn trying to get her off the club stand! She also started running quite fast for some reason at this point and wouldn't calm down.... anyway - a rather hairy ride across the showground, and we were back to the trailer:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/IMG_0040sd.jpg


On on our way home. Now, up to this point she'd been very well behaved, and I made the mistake of saying so! So, true to form, when we got home she decided to act up! Half way through getting her off the trailer she started running very strangely and cut out. She didn't want to start again, so we ended up having to push her up the road and into the garage. Luckily our neighbour was just getting home at the same time so he helped us push her in. I'm hoping it's just fuel related, but the weird noise she was making (as if she didn't have an exhaust) is worrying me.


Anyway - thanks to the Restowagen guys for asking us to put her on the stand, we were honoured! Thanks to everyone for their nice comments and hello to all the new people we met! And thanks to Steve for towing her there and back and putting up with us! :D

[Graham]

Looking good Luce - you do know you are never going to live down Bella being a trailer queen now though ?! :laughing:

[Shamrockez]

she liked being a trailer queen! :D :lol: she didn't want to come off it when we got home!

[1958 Harry]

Wow she finally made it to a show!!! :lol: Looking good! :D

What was the noise she was making? Have you checked she's got compression?

[Shamrockez]

yeah probably the only one for a while :lol:


She sounded like the exhaust was blowing. I haven't checked anything yet cos I've got coursework due in tomorrow, but I'll have a look on Thursday.

[1958 Harry]

Ah cool, hopefully its something non serious! I'm off Thurs/Fri so if you're really stuck let me know and I can give you a hand :) I got Marks bus running absolutely spot on this weekend ;)

[Shamrockez]

Cheers :) I might get time to have a quick look at her later. She hasn't dropped any oil and I can't see anything obvious from a quick peek in the decklid, altho it was in the dark lol.

[Vickie]

Wooo! Go Bella! She is one cool looking bug... v. happy for ya Luc! x

[Shamrockez]

Cheers Vic :D

[Kitten]

Wow, Bella looks gorgeous :D Well done for getting to the show, it sounds like fun :ghug:

[Shamrockez]

cheers :D

[Jono]

couple more pics of the.....'trailer queen' ;)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3436/3401467959_ea5f843b33.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3463/3402265706_bc6097aa09.jpg

J

[Shamrockez]

I think she's more trailer trash than trailer queen :lol:


Yet more awesome pics tho! Wish I'd polished that wheel now :o

[Shamrockez]

Righty, running problems she developed coming off the trailer have been sorted!

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0216sd.jpg


Ooops! The rockers worked loose and 2 of the push rods had escaped. I popped them back in and tightened it all up and hey presto - one fully working engine again! :D

[1958 Harry]

Cool! Glad it was something simple!!!

[Shamrockez]

and me! I was worried she'd dropped a value or something, but hopefully this hasn't done any damage. She ran perfectly once I'd tightened the bolts back up so I assume it's all ok.

[1958 Harry]

You ought to get a Thermostat and flaps fitted to her :)

[Shamrockez]

I should really... but.... meh.....

[gareth]

Yay !!!

Now if that was a modern engined car that would have been a different story, the joys of the good old simple VW engine :ghug:

[Shamrockez]

Not done much.... er, anything on Bella for a couple of months now. We've had a lot going on with our new shed arriving (it's massive! :D) and new patio, but I've had exams so not had the time (or the space in the garage whilst we've been building the shed) to do anything to her. Anyway, I've got a new steering box for her, which I hope will sort out her issues. At Volksworld I drove her from the club stand to the trailer with Steve as a passenger and even at 1st and 2nd gear speeds she was all over the place and even scared Steve! :eek: so thought I needed to sort her steering out. Plus she would only turn right, which made getting out of our space somewhat difficult :o

So we took the steering box off and found it was full of tight and lose spots which adjustment didn't remove. So I've got a new box ready to fit and hoping that with this fitted I'll have some control over what direction we go in, rather than her deciding!

I've also set a new date for when I want her to be on the road - mid August for Dubs At The Beach in Paignton. It's not too far away and gives me lots of time to get her ready, and pass that illusive MOT test! I'm a bit (lot) skint at the moment so I can't afford to MOT or register her until July, so over June I will be doing lots of work on her to get her ready for her next attempt at the MOT in early July. Not got much to do:
* fit steering box
* fit and adjust steering arms
* file down one of the dropped spindles to stop it fouling the flexi brake line
* refit drivers side hub
* bleed brakes
* make sure all the valve gaps etc are ok after the pushrods escaped
* adjust rear valance to make it fit better.


In theory it shouldn't take long, but this is Bella, and we all know that she doesn't behave very well!

[Doodlebug]

At Volksworld I drove her from the club stand to the trailer with Steve as a passenger and even at 1st and 2nd gear speeds she was all over the place and even scared Steve! :eek: so thought I needed to sort her steering out.


I didnt think anything scared Steve? lol

[Jose Martinho]

Cool, I'll look forward to seeing her there. :cool:

[Shamrockez]

I didnt think anything scared Steve? lol

Nor did I!

[Shamrockez]

Cool, I'll look forward to seeing her there. :cool:
If she gets there! This is about the 6th time I've aimed to get her done for a show..... :rolleyes:

[Shamrockez]

Given the new box and steering arm (thanks to Joker 67 and Nomates) a lick of paint. I found some red oxide primer and some VW Tornado Red (I think my old Polo must have been Tornado Red, otherwise I have no idea where this can of paint came from lol).

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0352sd.jpg

Bit of primer:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0353sd.jpg

And a bit of paint:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0354sd.jpg

Steve filed down the arm on the dropped spindle whilst I was painting, so I gave that a bit of primer too. Need to find where I've put the black paint now...

Steering box and arm all painted up and shiny:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0356sd.jpg

Cut the spike off the arm as it's not needed on a link pin Bug:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0357sd.jpg

Hub has been refitted:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0358sd.jpg

Steering box fitted up:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0359sd.jpg

I tried to fit the shock but I noticed that the arm would hit it quite early on. So I need to redrill a hole for the top of the shock. Not a problem. So I put the steering on full lock and mocked the shock up to where it needs to be - I put it at the point where it just clears the pitman arm. Then I put some tape on it to show you guys where it would go:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0360sd.jpg

Now need to get some decent drill bits methinks....

[Graham]

Tornado red is good - you`ve probably gained 10mph rght there :laughing:

[Shamrockez]

with an asthmatic 1200, I need all the mph I can get :lol:

[Tofufi]

:D Yay we're back!

[Shamrockez]

:D back and bruised already! :rolleyes:

[Shamrockez]

Today we fitted the Mini shocks on Bella. Steve drilled some new holes in the shock tower so that the pitman arm wouldn't hit the shock on full lock. We were a bit worried about drilling through the tower because it's really thick! But with lots of grinding spray, it wasn't actually too bad!

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0388sd.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0391sd.jpg

And I fitted the new pedal rubbers I've had for ages. The brake and the accelerator ones went on easily enough, but I had to soak the one for the clutch in hot water to get it soft enough to fit!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0393sd.jpg

Still, they're on now!

Earlier in the week I attempted to bleed the brakes using my new 'Eezibleed' kit... 3 cartons of brake fluid on the floor later, I admitted defeat! So a couple of days later Steve gave me a hand and it bled the brakes easily and painlessly. Much easier than the normal way, but you still need 2 people... especially if one of those people, is me! So now they're working and she's pretty much ready to have yet another go at her MOT in a couple of weeks time. I've just got to check the valves after the Volksworld incident, and get a new positive lead - as the old one looks like this:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0045sd.jpg

A bit old and broken looking. Plus, it's the last bit of wiring I haven't replaced, so going to be a weak link. I'm also going to wire in a battery cut off switch as I don't trust her not to spontainiously combust or something.... hopefully I'll get that ordered tomorrow :)

[Tofufi]

:D

[1958 Harry]

Ooooh getting there!!! :D

[Shamrockez]

New positive cable is now fitted. I also fitted a battery cut off switch for piece of mind as I don't trust her not to spontaniously combust!

Then I adjusted the valves after the Volksworld fiasco...
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0394sd.jpg

Due to the badly hacked up rear valance by a previous owner, there's always been a bit of a gap at the back of the rear tinware to the valance in some places, and no gaps in others. I couldn't fit a normal seal, so I cut down a bay one and shoe horned that in:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0395sd.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0396sd.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0398sd.jpg

Not ideal, but without fitting a new rear valance, I can't see another way round it.

So then on Thursday, off we trundled to the MOT station. The brakes only seemed to work when you pumped the pedal once, so I asked the garage to give them a quick bleed, hoping that would solve it, and then MOT her. On the way there she ran fine and drove much better than previous times - new beam and new steering box have helped a lot! I also managed to get to 4th gear - something I've never done before in her! I'm pleased to say, that it exists and worked! Woo!

Here she is sat plotting outside the MOT station...
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0418sd.jpg

A couple of hours later, the garage rang to say there was a split in the main brake line which goes from the front of the car to the master cylinder, and back though the interior to the back brakes.... that explains the brake pumping thing then.... so back she came, and we set about the daunting task of replacing the main line....

Which actually wasn't half as hard as I'd feared! :D The old one was removed and the new line was fitted..
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0419sd.jpg

Front:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0422sd.jpg

Middle:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0420sd.jpg

Back:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0424sd.jpg


Just need to bleed the brakes again. MOT rebooked for a week on Tues.

[Shamrockez]

A few weeks ago I officially admitted defeat with Bella. I'm sick of her failing MOTs and taking stuff apart over and over again - so I've booked her into the garage for them to do it instead.

In the meantime, I've been messing about with the pedals. The problems were the brake pedal - it failed the MOT on insufficient reserve movement - so I wanted to remove it and set the rush rod to factory length as the pedals have been removed in the past and I couldn't be sure if it was the right length still.

The next problem was that 'Bodger Bruce' had been working his magic on the accelerator pedal. At some point, it appears that the hinge has broken at some point, so Bruce decided to pop rivet another one on - infront of the original one. He also decided to pop rivet in a brackety thing, and a giant plate to hold that down.... he popped the bolts which hold the other end of the accelerator linkage from the passenger side tunnel in the glove box and forgot about them it seems.

So here's how it was:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0420ds.jpg

You can just see the brackety thing. All this meant that you could only press the pedal down 1cm - which left you with the choice of leaving the cable normally at the carb and only getting to 1/2 throttle when you put your foot down, or pulling the cable through the carb and having 1/2 throttle at idle, and full throttle when you put your foot down. As you can imagine - not ideal.

So with the pedals removed, you can see the new hinge plate, brackety thing and plate...
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0441sd.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0444ds.jpg

Removed:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0448ds.jpg

Thankfully no hidden nasties:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0445ds.jpg

Painted - shiny shiny!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0443ds.jpg

So new hinge fitted, new pedal, spring, everything bolted in this time, and volia:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0468ds.jpg

One working accelerator pedal - got lots of lovely movement so I can get full throttle when I want to, then go down to idle at traffic lights etc.

Just got to fix the semaphores - think it's just a fuse, but haven't checked yet as the battery is on charge, before she goes up to the garage again. Hopefully this time she will come back with a shiny pass certificate!

Not getting my hopes up though, cos I know what she's like....

[1958 Harry]

Fingers crossed for ya Luce!!! She'll do it this time, you need to get her to Oktoberfest!!!!!

I just realised looking at that pic I think Harry's reserve tap should be stone beige, not black - hmmm time to repaint methinks :lol:

[Shamrockez]

Well hopefully.... I'm not getting my hopes up though - been there, done that and got upset!

What colour is your handbrake etc? Mine's the same colour as the tap.

[1958 Harry]

Everythings stone beige except the reserve tap, which was a different one as his was missing when I bought him, time to paint it methinks :)

[Shamrockez]

ah, in that case, it most likely should be beige :D

[Shamrockez]

Semaphores fixed - it was indeed the fuse.

I've also got a new driver's seat base for Bella. The old one had dodgy runners, which meant the only place it locked into place was too far from the pedals for me to reach them, so I had to sit on the edge of the seat and hold onto the wheel for balance, or risk the seat flying backwards when I accelerated (keeping in mind she only has a 1200!), which isn't a great experiance..... plus the padding was worn so that I ended up leaning against the door all the time...

So I got a base from VW Garden in good condition. Today I set about swapping the covers over.

Before:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0488ds.jpg

During - guess which is which!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0492ds.jpg

And finished:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0493ds.jpg


Much more comfortable - I can reach all the pedals easily and I'm not leaning on the door.

Connected her battery and started her up. New accelerator pedal is working lovely - I now have use of the choke and full range of the throttle. Much better!

[lindyloo]

WOW....i'm so very impressed and in complete awe of you. I'd love to have the conviction to get off my bum and learn like you have...even if it's the 'hard way' at times. Bella is AMAZING and I hope that you get that shiny certificate. Look forward to reading on and maybe meeting Bella one day:grin:

[Shamrockez]

The only way is the hard way when it comes to Bella :lol:

I hope she gets a pass cert too! She likes the fail ones - they're red. The pass ones are green, and you know what they say - red and green should never be seen! Perhaps if we tell her we will print a pass cert on red paper she'll behave? :D

[Shamrockez]

A couple weeks ago she went off to the garage for tracking and MOT. They set up the brakes for me as they were unbalanced and the pedal had no reserve movement. Now her brakes feel pretty sharp and the pedal feels nice and firm. As usual in the world of Bella, she was naughty! This time she decided she didn't want to turn left. She didn't mind going right, or straight ahead, but when you turned the wheels left, one went to full lock and the other didn't:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSC_0282_rs.jpg

So back home she came and I pulled the track rods apart again - the steering box wasn't quite centered, so the short rod was hitting the shock and hence not turning all the way. So a bit of fiddling later, and voila!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0510ds.jpg

Much better!

I've had a couple of days off work this week, so I set about doing some 'nice' jobs on her. On Wednesday afternoon I decided to look at why she wasn't charging. The red light didn't come on, so that was the first thing I looked at. No bulb - that's why!

Now the red light is on constantly - perhaps why the bulb was missing ;) So I looked at the wiring on the dynamo - wrong way round - oops! Once that was switched round the red light went out on starting :D another problem fixed!

Next I took her outside onto the drive to sit in the sun for a bit whilst I played with the carb tuning - she was idling nicely and then decided to cut out. I then decided to leave the engine for a while and look at the bonnet.

When I got her she had a random thing to hold down her bonnet:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/3d413bfa.jpg

But when I bought her back from the garage last time, I kinda forgot and it kinda got mangled! So I set about getting her bonnet to lock as it should do. I'd got some 2nd hand lock parts ages ago and they were fitted, but just needed adjustment. A few mins later the bonnet was locking properly and popping open as it should.

Ever since I've had her, the windows haven't gone up and down very well, or hardly at all. So I removed the door card off the passenger side and removed the winder mechanism:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0513ds.jpg

Greased it all up and the runners and put it back together again - goes up and down nicely now! :D By this time I'd got bored of playing with her, so just greased the runners on the driver's side (which made that one go up and down nicely) and hopped in her to reverse her back in the garage.

Now, I should have been suspicious that everything had gone really well...... can you guess what happened next? Yep, she didn't want to start :rolleyes: I swapped the fuel tap over to the reserve and she still didn't want to know. So I had to wait for Steve to come home from work (she likes Steve!). He went to fetch more fuel. Still didn't start... so jumped her and she did - not suprising really considering she hasn't been charging herself.

This is a bit of a boring pic.... but here's the window wound down:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0514ds.jpg


Fast forward to today. Her windscreen washer was always been a bit dodgy. One of the jets washed the screen, whilst the other washed the roof and the car behind :lol: It wouldn't click into the hole in the scuttle so the angle was all wrong, meaning you couldn't adjust it to get both jets on the screen. Today in Halfords I picked up some new washer tube and a new twin jet.

Old one:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0516ds.jpg

New one:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0515ds.jpg

Bolted it into the scuttle and connected the new water pipe I'd bought. Then set about getting it set up correctly so both jets hit the screen.

You can guess what's coming next, can't you? Yep - I put my arm through the window to press the button to wash the screen and got a rather wet face :o after a few minutes of faffing about with adjusting the jets and getting a wet face a few more times, I finally got them both pointing at the screen!

I was quite getting into these nice little fiddly jobs, so I thought I'd takle the under bonnet wiring. It's all a bit off a mess because my supposed RHD loom, was infact a LHD one... but I couldn't be bothered to remove it and send it back, besides I'd already altered a load of wires anyway.

So, before it looked like this:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0400sd.jpg

and after:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0517ds.jpg

I've still got a load of wires to shorted and tidy up, but it's getting there :)


So she's off again to the garage for tracking and yet another MOT attempt - fingers crossed please! Technically all the things she failed on last time have been fixed - but this is Bella!

[froggy3]

I really love treading the threads on "bella" you should write a book and call it bella the naughty beetle & me!, would be a great read! cannot wait for the next adventure!:)

[Shamrockez]

I'm sure I could write a book about her pretty easily! :D

[Shamrockez]

*ahem*
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0518ds.jpg


:D :D yep that's a green one - she's finally passed her MOT!!!!! :D :D :D

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0519ds.jpg

Thanks to the guys at the garage for getting her through and letting me be there with her.

I went down this afternoon to help with her tracking. Sorry for the bad pics - I took my camera but forgot to put batterys in it, so the phone had to do:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/IMG_0079ds.jpg

Pretty spot on:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/IMG_0080ds.jpg

Then she went over to the MOT bay:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/IMG_0081ds.jpg

Got poked and prodded, then brake tested:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/IMG_0083ds.jpg


I'm very, very happy! It's not quite sunk in yet I don't think! Going to pop up to Bristol to register her this week. Knowing my luck they'll want to inspect her and the process will drag on for ages - but never mind, I've got all winter to do that.

[Vickie]

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

I am so chuffed! Massive congrats Luc and Steve, what an achievement :D

[Shamrockez]

cheers Vic! :D

[Nighttrain1974]

Nice one Lucy, feels good doesn't it????? :D

I hate it when they do the brake test, always have to look away.

[Shamrockez]

Yep feels great! :D


:lol: why? The brake test didn't worry me because all components are 100% new and they'd had her in to set them up properly the week before.

[Nighttrain1974]

Just that jump when the car hits the brakes and it all just looks really violent.

It sounds like i'm beeing a wuss doesn't it but the camper really moves but the brakes are 100%, just me i suppose. :lol:

[Shamrockez]

yeah I know what you mean - it's a bit like they've been poked with a cattle prodder or something!

[Tofufi]

:D

[Shamrockez]

Ok, over the last couple of weeks I've been trying to build up my confidence with Bella over a few short runs. The first time I took her out, we did about 10 miles. I was very impressed with her ride quality. I thought it might be harsh and crashy, but she's actually really comfortable and smooth! What wasn't comfortable and smooth was the engine! There was a bit of popping and backfiring and a serious lack of power in 4th, especially if there was a slight incline! So Moby advised a change of dizzy.

New dizzy arrived and I fitted it this week. On Friday I thought I'd take her down to the petrol station and pump her tyres all up to the right pressures. I got about 30 metres down the road and cough, bang, splat.... nothing.... oh goodie.... so I wandered back up to the garage and came back armed with some tools. Turns out the dizzy wasn't seated down far enough. I was trying to get it seated right (along with a man from over the road who'd come out to see if I needed help), and for about 20 mins nothing was working. No matter what position the engine was in, or how hard I pushed on it, it wouldn't go! That was, untill Steve drove up the road on his way home. He put the window down on his T5 and looked at us, and 'clunk' in it went! That will teach me to try and take her out without Steve being present. She loves Steve!

Anyway - onto today. After I finished work we took her out to take some nice piccys of her :)

This time she ran absolutely perfectly. No backfires, popping, or a missed beat. She pulled away out of junctions at the pace of a normal car and on the hill which I had to go down to 2nd on last time, she flew up in 4th :D

Anyways - here's the pics:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSC_0017df.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSC_0022df.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSC_0025df.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSC_0028df.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSC_0030df.jpg


I'm starting to build my confidence with her quite nicely now. I did another 8 or so miles in her today and go up to 55mph with plenty of 'oomph' left in the tank :)

[1958 Harry]

Awww glad to see she's finally sorted!

Is Herb in the background there as a backup car? :lol:

If the weather is good I really reckon you should do the Xmas cruise in her!

[Shamrockez]

Yep, the only time I tried to take her out without a backup car is when she broke down :lol:

It's normally Widget.... every time I look in her mirror, it's like the grim reaper is there :lol:

Nah, I'm not taking her to the Christmas Cruise. It's a 120 mile round trip from here, and she's drafty enough as it is. Plus all the salt :( if I still lived in Bristol, I would have taken her. Plus, Herb has heated seats!

[Shamrockez]

I've driven Bella a few times now (and even without a support vehicle following her!) and she's running very nicely. The longest journey she's been on so far is to Taunton and back - which is about 12 miles each way. The hole for the stereo has made her quite breezy to be in - so I looked around for what I could use to fill the gap.... what better but some ratties?!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0098df.jpg

:lol:

Now that it's got colder and the roads are dirtier, I've tucked her up in the garage. We've managed to get her and Joey in side by side:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/New%20House/PIC_0102df.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/New%20House/PIC_0108df.jpg

Which means there's lots of room to work in at the back.

And I've come to the conclusion that a new gearbox was needed. I looked around for an age related one, but couldn't find one within a reasonable distance. A 72 1300 gearbox came up locally on ebay, and I won it (thanks Opal). To fit it to Bella I need to remove the 'long' axels which are on it, and fit the 'short' ones she already has. I also need a Splitty nosecone and hockey stick, so I shall be looking for one of those. M7 list them but they don't have them in stock at the moment and don't know when they're likely to, so I'll probably have to get one from America instead.

Anyway - here is the new box:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0110df.jpg

Oil drained and axel tubes removed:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0114dfq.jpg

Axels out and cleaned up:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0115dfq.jpg

And the top half is now nice and shiny!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/PIC_0117dfq.jpg

Gotta wait for that to dry, and then I can clean the underside up and give that a coat of paint too.

[Matthewj]

Nice rats you have there ;) i remember driving my old bug about in the winter my left hand used to get really cold due to having a whole instead of a radio as i put a modern one in the glove box. But after trying gloves and shoving loads of things in the way i decided to troll ebay and i picked up an old vintage Motorola stereo so it was the same size for about £30 it looked the part i even wired a live to it so it looked like it would be the working one :)

[Shamrockez]

Yep - it's pretty chilly! The ratties have done a seemingly good job so far, but I've not been out in her for that long, or that far to get a good idea of it.

Unfortunatly someone's already cut the radio hole for a larger modern stereo to fit. I do have one to go in, but I haven't got round to fitting it yet. For now, the ratties will do!

[Matthewj]

Ah thats a shame those dam bastards that cut the dash apart....

[Shamrockez]

yep :(

[Shamrockez]

Bella has mostly been sleeping since I last took her out, but on new year's day we took her and Joey out to the local classic car run near Bridgwater. It was my longest journey in her (around 40miles for the day) and the longest blast in one go. It was also her first go at the motorway. So we wrapped up warm and out we went. All was going very well - both vehicles were running perfectly and bopping along the roads nicely - till Bella found out what ice was.... que brown pants moment as her back end slid around at 40mph! Not an experiance I want to repeat tbh! Joey didn't seem to even notice the ice, so we've put it down to the extra camber Bella has and possibly the fact that she's not used to ice and he's 'grown up' with it!

Anyway - at the meet she seemed to confuse a fair few people and got to meet some fellow Dubbers too.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Meets/DSCI0014dfq.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Meets/DSCI0016dfq.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Meets/DSCI0013dfq.jpg

Anyway - I was very pleased with the way she drove (sliding aside) and she didn't have any trouble getting to 60-65mph on the motorway with more speed left in reserve. But sliding around on the ice at 40mph with one hand on the wheel and one hand on the gearstick wasn't fun - so replacement gearbox it is!

Today Steve helped me get her engine out, and I'm letting the oil drain out of the gearbox over night.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0055dfq.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0054dfq.jpg

More updates on the gearbox swap when they're done!

[Shamrockez]

Today Steve helped me remove the gearbox and I've started stripping it down.

Out:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0061dfq.jpg

I belive this is a Split nose cone, which makes things easier as I don't have to order another one:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0062dfq.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0060dfq.jpg

I removed the nose cone and had a looksie at the hockey stick... new one on the right, old one on the left:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0070dfq.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0069dfq.jpg

Hopefully the (lack of) bend is the reason she was difficult with the gears?

I don't know if this is normal, but the tops of the gear selectors look a bit burnt?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0072dfq.jpg

Anyway - onto the gearbox strip down. I know other people have covered this in pics (see Jinx's thread), but I figured the more pics the better to help anyone else who is about to do the same.

First you have to undo the bolts holding the the bearing cover and backing plate on. Make a note or take a pic of what way up it goes on and the bearing spacer behind it.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0073dfq.jpg

Then you're left with this:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0074dfq.jpg

You can now see the rear wheel bearing. You can get internal pullers for this if you're just wanting to replace the bearing, but I wanted to remove the axels so got a more widely avaliable and significantly cheaper external one (this one is from Halfords. I did get one from Toolstation but bent it getting the axels off the other box... new one is much stronger). It comes as a 3 or 2 legged puller - I found it fitted better as 2 legs.

Anyway - before you can pull the bearing off, you need to undo the bolts (13mm) holding the axel tuble to the gearbox:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0075dfq.jpg

Once they're undone you can fit the puller and start pulling:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0076dfq.jpg

You might find that as you tighten the puller, the axel spins with it - if this happens the puller won't actually do up. I placed a thin screwdriver through the holes which the split pin normally goes through to keep the hubnut on:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0077dfq.jpg

A bit of winding later and you should be able to pull the axel tubes off. You're then left with the axel itself. As you can see, despite me leaving the gearbox to drain overnight, it still makes quite a mess!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0078dfq.jpg

Then you can pull the spacer gaskets off. Make a note of how many. Then the plastic flower comes out:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0079dfq.jpg

The next job is to remove the circlip which holds the axel in. You can just about see it, hiding in there:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0080dfq.jpg

Circlip pliers (Halfords again):
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0081dfq.jpg

And out:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0082dfq.jpg

Now - Steve and I spent ages on the other gearbox trying to remove the circlip - I was squeezing the pliers together and he was trying to lever it out with a screwdriver - this doesn't work! By accident when I was rotating the clirclip round so I could get it in a better position to keep hold of it, it popped out very easily. I can only assume it was because of this 'layby' in the casting:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0083dfq.jpg

Anyway - once that's out you can pull out the spacer behind it and then the axel will come off:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0084dfq.jpg

Sometimes it will come out just on it's own like above, or with the fulcrum plates and the gear behind it. Just remember what order it all came out in.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0086dfq.jpg

I shoved a load of tissue in the gap so that no dirt could get in, and nothing else could fall out.

Anyway - I hope that is of use to someone tackling this job. It's really not that difficult - just messy. As with all jobs, it sounds scarier than it is.


I couldn't do the otherside as I have a rounded off bolt:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0087dfq.jpg

Which I hope to get some inspiration for soon!

[1958 Harry]

Cool work! So Bella's new box is going in? :D

Why not weld a nut to the top of the rounded off nut on the other side?

[Shamrockez]

Yep - the novalty of holding her in 4th gear wears off pretty soon when you're sliding about on the ice with only 1 hand on the wheel!

Yeah I think I'm going to have to weld it.... but run out of welding gas - typical :rolleyes: best get some more...

[Shamrockez]

I haven't done all that much on Bella lately. I've been very busy with work and we've had Joey to get ready for his MOT, which he passed 1st time on Tuesday without a single advisory! Just wish Bella behaved as well as he did!

Anyway - we've got the new gearbox in. We refitted the axels and axel tubes, new starter motor bush so she can still have a 6v starter. Bolted the starter in, and refitted the gearbox....

Removed gearbox again because we'd put the outer axel tubes on the wrong sides... :o swapped round and back in again!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0058fg.jpg

Tubes on the right sides this time:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0059fg.jpg

Bolted back onto the springplate and bearing refitted (make sure you don't forget the spacer behind the bearing):
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0060fg.jpg



That's where we're up to at the moment. Might get a few mins on her tonight, but I'm working till 4 so I'll see how I feel.


The clock is ticking down to CTTP and I want her to actually get there this year!

[Shamrockez]

Everything is bolted back together now. Engine is back in, wired up, fuel lines connected, brake lines connected, bled and adjusted.

Bit of a false start when trying to get her running again - the battery to starter motor wire wasn't done up tight - once that was fixed she rattled into life.

Took her on a brief test drive and she was very well behaved - I appear to have all 4 forward gears and 1 reverse gear, all pretty much in the places that they should be (nice change!), and she stays in 4th gear all on her own now - excellent!

[1958 Harry]

Cool! You're putting Harry to shame, I need to fix his rear wheel bearing, replace the crap repro quarter light rubbers, refit his bonnet (Marks just finishing it off), service him, clean him and loads of other little jobs asap! Lol!

I did start him on Sunday and he fired up first time which was nice :D

[Shamrockez]

Best get cracking then! :D I want to see them both at CTTP this year!

Bella's booked into the garage for Friday so they can torque up her rear hub nuts and check the rear brakes as I had to change one of them to get the hub back on.... - I adjusted it and it seemed fine, didn't move when the handbrake was on - but then swapped from steel wheel to alloy wheel and the handbrake wouldn't hold it, so had to adjust again... strange!

[Shamrockez]

Last week Bella actually make it to her first show under her own steam! :D We took her to CTTP. She tried her best not to get there - the day before she was leaking gearbox oil like it was going out of fashion. I fell out with her trying to change a boot and change the oil.... getting gearbox oil up your nose and in your eyes isn't fun! Steve ended up having to finish the job for me because I lost my temper with her.

Anyway - the next day she seemed to be feeling sorry for being so naughty the day before. Give her her due, she ran perfectly there and back. It was the longest journey I'd ever done in her (only 36 miles in one go, but it's double what I'd done in her before). She idled perfectly, didn't cough or splutter and pulled nicely along the A roads and motorway :)

Anyway - the show started at the cruise meeting point.... in the background you can see what's become her 'shadow' - Steve's T5, being the support vehicle... (we may have some trust issues with her...).
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSCI0079fg.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSCI0083fg.jpg

Then on the DBS stand at the Beach Lawns at Weston:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSCI0084fg.jpg

Somehow we managed to fall down a hidden pot hole in the grass just before we lined up - made a rather scary bang noise... but nothing appears to have fallen off, so I'm guessing all is ok!

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSCI0088fg.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSCI0089fg.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella/DSCI0090fg.jpg

[1958 Harry]

Awww was good to see her finally out and about and was awesome to drive her! Was weird driving a '58 with the steering wheel on the correct side! :laughing:

Gonna make a start on getting Harry ready for Bristol next weekend ;)

[Shamrockez]

don't think Bella will be going to Bristol :( I've got an instructor meet thing on that weekend :(

I think she liked her drive with you :) she likes boys!

[1958 Harry]

Awww no, I wanted a pic of Harry & Bella together!

[Shamrockez]

I know :( I did too! We'll both have to take them to another show.

[1958 Harry]

Deffo :D

[dappydub]

great thread Lucy..thanks for the advice the other day...picking up my 59 ragtop tomorrow from Oxford...cant wait!!!!!!!
catch up wid ya soon to compare rust holes:D

[Shamrockez]

No probs - any time :D

Bet you won't sleep tonight! :lol: :D

[Shamrockez]

Today Jim (Tofufi) and Will (Enfo) came over to help me with Bella - thanks guys, much appreciated! :D

Since I'd done the gearbox swap, there has been oil leaking out. We've managed to reduce it, but not get rid of it completely.

This is what leaked over night:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0112fg.jpg

And after a week:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/28544_392558352057_513912057_419267.jpg

House training Bella wasn't going well, so I thought I'd chuck her in the kitty litter:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/28544_392558522057_513912057_419267.jpg

But that didn't work either.... so it was time to pull the engine and gearbox again...

Should have been a simple job, as it had only all been back in a month or 2, but no, this is Bella! She wouldn't let me have her rear passenger side wheel... one of the bolts was spinning! Oh goodie....

Steve and I tried drilling it out and grinding it down, but wheel nuts are reasonably tough, so this wasn't really working very fast.

When Jim and Will came over I continued with the drilling whilst Jim and Will took the rear valance off and the engine out. Then Jim did some drilling, and then Willl did some drilling. We gave up with the drill at this point as the drill bits were going blunt really quickly and progress was slow. Will then removed the other wheel bolts and pulled on the wheel a bit which somehow managed to make the spinning wheel bolt grip, and he could undo it with mole grips :D

Once the wheel was off, everything else came out with no problems and the gearbox was soon free.

There was nothing obvious to tell us why it was leaking though :( so we cleaned up the surfaces between where the axels come from the gearbox (as this is where it was leaking) and made sure there was no paint where the gaskets go. At this point Jim and Will had to leave, so I continued with the gaskets. For some reason, the gasket kit didn't come with enough gaskets :rolleyes: so I've done one side and need to order another kit for the other side.

Some pics:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0006gh.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0005gh.jpg

And this is why the wheel bolt was spinning. On the left is a bolt from Machine 7. The one in the middle is MWS and the one on the right is the broken one. As you can see, the MWS bolts don't have thread all the way to the top, so if you do them up slightly too much, they strip the hub as the thread tries to 'tap' the solid metal at the top of the bolt.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0007gh.jpg

I'll order another new gasket set and hopefully get the rest of it done this week.

[Shamrockez]

New gasket set arrived from Machine 7 the other day. I finished work earlier than normal today, so I was able to get enough time to fit the other gaskets, and Steve helped me pour oil back in the box and refit it to the car.

An hour on, and there's no leaks, but we're leaving it until Saturday to refit the engine, just in case.

Fingers crossed :)

[Charlotte]

Hey Lucy
My fingers are crossed for you.
Haven't seen bella around for a while, will she make it to any shows this year?

[Shamrockez]

Well I'm hoping she's going to go to Oktoberfest, and maybe Dubs At The Beach in Paignton if she's ready.

She's had this gearbox leak since CTTP.

[Shamrockez]

Still dry this morning :)

[Shamrockez]

Today I've been bolting the gearbox all in properly as there's been no more leaks :D

Steve helped me bleed the brakes and set the play in the clutch pedal, but we didn't have the time or enthusiasm to fit the engine, so that will be tomorrow's job.

I've also fitted wheel studs to the rear hubs (I'll do the fronts too) as I don't want another cross threaded bolt! This makes fitting the wheels so much easier.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/DSCI0013gh.jpg

[Shamrockez]

Decided to get Bella running and take her for a test drive today. Got the rear valance on, turned the reserve tap round so fuel could get in, and turned the key - the engine turned over but didn't fire. Must have missed something.... engine lid up - ah, yep, didn't connect the oil wire or one to the coil.

Tried to start the engine again, and nothing.... lights came on but no attempt to start. Went round to the engine bay to find smoke pouring out - oh crap!!! Disconnected battery and opened the engine bay to our Splitty and found I'd connected the coil wire to the wrong connector.... ooops! Back on the right place and she started instantly - yay!

Did a quick test drive and she drove pretty well. Got a bit of a juddering problem when braking (which I had before I did the gearbox work). Pretty sure it's coming from the front brakes as I tried pulling the handbrake up gently on a back road and she slowed down without any juddering.

I need to take the front wheels off to fit the wheel studs, so I'll see if I can see if there's anything obviously wrong with them.

[Shamrockez]

Last weekend I took Bella to the Retro Rides Gathering at Haynes. It was the first time I'd taken her out on my own without Steve shadowing me in a support vehicle as he had to work :( got there ok, she ran fine but was slow starting - when I got her out of the garage.

Got to the show, parked up and went to find people I knew. Found Jim and Purple Pete and moved Bella over to the Wilts Dub Club stand to make up the numbers a bit - she started slowly (and noisly... like a grumbly bearing like noise) so when I parked up I asked Pete, Jim and anyone else who was around to have a listen.... turned the key and 'click'..... oh goodie..... jump pack out - still just a click, added Pete's jump pack, and still just a click. Battery ruled out, so Pete got his jack and hammer out and beat the starter and eventually the engine turned over - still slowly and grumbly. When I came to leave a load of fellow VZIers helped me push start her, and off I set.

As soon as I got out of the gates I noticed that the semaphores weren't working, which meant the brake lights weren't either.... pulled over to find the fuse had gone, and all the spare fuses I could find in the bonnet were also blown. So back to the show to see if Jim or Pete had any fuses and found more in the glove box whilst trying to find my pass to get back in! Fitted that and then got home without any added drama.

So, once I got home we let her cool down and then Steve helped me to take the starter out. No obvious signs of brokeness, but there was obviously something wrong. We found our spare 6v starter out of the shed which we originally bought for the Splitty. We'd had it since 2004 and never fitted it so didn't know if it worked or not. Fitted that the next night and she wizzed into life. The new starter makes a much healthier noise than the old one ever did, so we're thinking that we were lucky that it didn't die significantly earlier than it did!


Fast forward to today and we set off in Bella for Dubs At The Beach down in Paignton. This was to be the longest Journey Bella had ever done - around 65 miles each way. Steve came with me (another 1st as he's normally following!) and off we went down the M5:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/150DSCI0002hj.jpg

She was running lovely, at an estimated speed of around 60mph most of the way down. The only bit she didn't like was Telegraph Hill just below Exeter - but I don't think many cars particually like that much!

Got to the show:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/150DSCI0005hj.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/150DSCI0006hj.jpg

Had a nice time at the show and set off home. Again she was very well behaved. We stopped off where Steve works on the way home as he had to do some work, and I took some piccys of her:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/150DSCI0017hj.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/150DSCI0038hj.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a309/Shamrockez7/Bella2/150DSCI0032hj.jpg

:)

[Graham]

Nice write up in Volksworld this month Luce ;)

[Shamrockez]

Cheers Graham :D