"J. Clarke" on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:24:28
-0400 typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
On 8/29/2010 6:40 PM, pyotr filipivich wrote:
Gunner on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:09:47 -0700
typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

Between hearing the heads flop 1/4 inch off-seat on acceleration,
seeing a gazillion of them on fire on the side of the road, getting my
hearing reamed by their high-pitched squeals, and being in a VW van
@45 degrees in a 40knot gust on a bridge near Mountain View, CA once,
I had my fill early on, thankyouverymuch.

You are talking about badly maintained bugs. They are almost as bad as
a badly maintained Caddy or Volvo or Chevette.

Sometimes, worse.

While they can indeed have issues, the technology is well mature, well
documented and has improved a 1000 fold from 1939..or 69

There are only two reasons we dont see them on the streets much anymore.

VW stopped making the Bug because they weren't selling in Germany.
When your "signature" vehicle is being outsold by a French import,
time to retire the design.

EPA regs and the simple fact VW stopped bringing them into the US. They
couldnt sell for as much as they could get for "improved" models.

They are still manufactured and run in South America and do yoemans duty
down there.

They run, and they run well. They are maintenance intensive - you
can't just run 'em and 'put them away wet'. That air cooled engine
requires that you regularly check the valve clearance. Plan on pulling
the heads every 50,000 miles and changing the valves. Of course, that
said, they have also been known to run "forever" while you wait for it
to die.
We use to outfit the busses for a drive from Tunisia to Niger.
Beef up the suspension, add an extra air filter and oil cooler, "good
to go". Being air cooled, there was no need to haul water for the
radiator.
I'd love to have a 68-72 Van, as that is what I worked on, for the
most part. "Easy" to work on, reliable. Okay, not the best for heat
in the winter, but ....

I'm curious as to where in South America they're still being
manufactured. The Brazilian line was shut down some time in the '90s
and the Mexican line in 2003 and I was not aware that there was another one.

As far as I know, the old Bugs are no longer made - anywhere. Not
a bad run for a vehicle originally designed in the 1930's.

pyotr

--
pyotr filipivich
We will drink no whiskey before its nine.
It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!