Rattling bug

Engine trouble for the bug!
What a bummer a week before Budel, the biggest annual aircooled VW event in the Netherlands.
For sure this means i can't go there because i can't get the bug fixed in such short notice, hell.... i'm not even sure i'll be able to get it fixed anytime soon...

Last week when i was driving it home, just before driving into the street where i live, i heard a sound from the back as if something fell out underneath, but since i noticed nothing strange in the driving i just went on.
A few 100 meters on i suddenly heard a loud rattling sound coming from the engine bay and the engine started to sputter, so i let it roll out and after about 500 meters the rattling was gone again, and i hit home without further problems.
But i knew there had to be something wrong, so I started it up again, without any problems, and drove a few small rounds round the block in which i noticed nothing strange.
i checked the spark plugs which seemed fine, so i assumed it could have been a screw that had come loose and ended up near the flywheel, causing the ratlle, and that this screw or something else small had later fallen out again.
But when i tried starting it up today the engine did not pick up like it should, and when i did get it started i heard a small rattle coming from the engine.
So i decided to call the ANWB, and let him diagnose the problem.
Within an hour a very nice guy in a yellow VW Caddy arrived and he said: oh that's a valve seat that has come loose you're hearing, without doubt, i wouldn't drive it any further without fixing this!
So now this valve seat needs replacing, and this means the cilinder head has to be removed.... not a job i've ever done myself so i'm gonna need some help in this...
What bums me out the most is that it has happened just a week before Budel, this means a no go for kintaro...
So anyone who lives nearby, has some aircooled VW knowledge and is willing to assist please let me know!

Sunset drive

Behind bars!

Spend an afternoon of this weekend to finally get these fuckers installed on my bug, i'm talking about these repro Porsche stoneguards which were used in the 50's and 60's on Porsche 356's when they raced them in rallyes and such to protect the headlights from getting hit by stones.

Originally these were designed to fit onto the headlights by removing the glass and fitting these instead, obviously using different lenses which were watertight.
But since i find the look with the original glass underneath much nicer they had to be adapted a little bit by taking of a few centimeters of the inner edge, thanks so much for taking care of that Jens!
Now they should fit without any trouble, but since i was taking off the headlights anyway i decided to swap the right headlight's glass, which was a Hella glass, for the same Bosch glass that was on the left side.
Symmetry is everything you know, i'm all for that!
And while i was at it i might just as well exchange the adjusting screws for the lens position, they were so worn out i could hardly unscrew them anymore, and the glass rubber which was totally worn down on the left side.
Separating the headlights wasn't such a hard task but getting them back together turned out to be a harder, and even quite dangerous task!
The clamps used to hold the lens housing in position on the outer chromed ring have the tendancy to jump out when you're trying to press them in, i had two of them miss my eye just by a few inches and one even hit my forehead, these rusty little fuckers came out shooting like a bullet!!

So i decided it was time to put on a pair of shades since i could'nt find my safety glasses anywhere i might just as well look cool doing this little job.
Btw. today i stumbled upon a thread on the samba (link) dedicated to mounting these early headlights and guess what the main thing was they adviced... WEAR SAFETYGLASSES! Always nice to read such a thing afterwards... lol!

Once reassembled, leaving some space on the upper side of the glass to be able to press them in a bit, i mounted them back on the bug and tried to fit in the stoneguards.
The right side went just fine, but i had to take apart the left headlight two times over because everytime i tried pressing in the grill the clamps came loose on the inside... grrrrrrr
After some swearing and adjusting (read: hitting it with a hammer) everything fitted to my satisfaction and i'm pretty pleased with the end result.

        It gives my bug a pretty thick look!! Just as i like it...
                                                        

On the road again...

Spring vibes

bugshots

Some nice details on my bug

the snow shovel

Spring is a comin' , i really want to fire up the ol' bug!
But first i need to get it up and running again, only at the moment my aching back is standing in the way of doing that.
So in the meantime here's a few pics from this winter when it looked more like a snow shovel.

pride & joy

My pride & joy is this slammed 1960 jupiter grey ragtop Volkswagen bug, i call 'little red riding hood' because of the red ragtop roof.

Last december it became 50 years of age.
I try to ride it as much as possible, the driving experience of such an old car is just so awesome, and totally incomparable to a modern day car.
Everything is kept in the style of the era it was made in, so no modern stuff in my bug, a period correct radio only plays tunes from the MW band... in mono off course.
I just love the sound of that 30 HP engine in the back... goosebumps!