Engine out for a clutch on '72 Super Beetle?! CAR WIZARD shows cool little car & huge repair process

[@JaredEveryDay]

That table got dirty again fast, I know I left that spotless after the Titan dumped all over it.

[@CarWizard]

Yes. It comes with the territory. Lol

[@JaredEveryDay]

@@CarWizard Might need to be careful too, don't want any of that Nissan curse getting on anything else.

[@eppyz]

@@JaredEveryDay what Nissan curse? That Titan that was in the shop had a Cummings diesel in it so that's a Nissan issue? Or are we taking about a different Titan? When people increase boost on a factory turbo and it blows 90k miles later then they blame the manufacturer? Interesting 🤔

[@JaredEveryDay]

@@eppyz you mean a truck that was stock nearly it’s entire life, and you can’t buy repair parts for?

[@eppyz]

@@JaredEveryDay how are you saying nearly stock it's whole life when it's had a boost controller on it for 90k miles? Also the issues with the truck were mechanical and that's a cummins issue since they made the engine. So??? Your argument 🤔

[@aitutaki50]

My mom gave me her hand-me-down 1976 VW light blue Super Beetle the summer of 1978, after I graduated from high school...I used to take it into the shop @ the local community college to work on as part of a summer school class in auto mechanics...such a great car...I put a lot of miles on it until I graduated college in 1982 & then traded it in on a VW Rabbit Diesel, which I eventually (in about 1991) drove across the country from NJ to Cali, then put on a container ship in Long Beach & shipped to Hilo, Hawai'i...I drove it on The Big Island until 1997, until I moved back to the mainland (Phoenix, AZ)...I sold my VW Rabbit Diesel to a guy from Alaska who had just moved to The Big Island...I put a lot of miles on those two VW's, & neither one of them ever let me down...so many great memories & crazy times in my Super Beetle & my Rabbit Diesel!

[@frankanderson4176]

Great story on your VW's. Good of you to share.

[@danletourneau2220]

Mrs . Wizard taking the model is my favorite part

[@619guy202]

Yeah cause we get to see her from behind instead of big ol Wizard

[@jmc0070]

lol

[@ronschmidt7644]

Greetings from Australia. As a VW enthusiast for many, many years, I found your comments and descriptions were spot on. More proof that the Wizard, really is a wizard. Thank you.

[@steveh9869]

I bought a 1971 non-runner as my first car and really learned about cars on that old VW. I got so I could pull the engine in about an hour and changed the clutch on my girlfriend’s 1968 in the parking lot of my dorm in one day! The most hilarious VW story I have was when I had a heavy friend sitting in the back seat and the engine started to die, then surge, then die again. Finally the back seat caught on fire. Turns out he was heavy enough to push the seat springs down and short out the battery, causing the engine to die. As the engine died, he’d come up off the seat as the car slowed which un-shorted the battery and the car started - then he’d fall back in the seat and short the battery again repeating the cycle. That back seat burned pretty quickly so I was thankful I could easily pull it out and throw it out on the shoulder before it took the whole car with it! That’s when I learned that all old air cooled VWs fit into one of three categories: 1) Those that are going to catch on fire. 2) Those that are currently on fire. 3) Those that have been on fire.

[@4cammer]

That was pretty cool. I've never seen a beetle walk through like what you just did Wizard.

[@Fdjt4ever]

Not a follower of mustie1? He rebuilds rusted broken bugs blindfolded.

[@michaelrice500]

I worked in an engine shop in Phoenix in the 70s. I built three of those engines every day from parts on the shelf. You could bring your bug in, get a rebuilt engine in about 90 minutes for $260 (exchange) that was better than the original. I used to go visit my sister in California and carry a spare engine and a jack in the back of my truck. There was ALWAYS someone on the side of the road with a smoked engine. I could get them up and running for about $300. My record for removing an engine is 6:30 in a bus that didn't have the rear bumper installed. I LOVED working on those things! I learned how to drive a 1959 bug when I was 10.

[@thecuss6817]

I worked at Tim Ransom Import Automotive in the early 1970s, and later at Sun Buggy Rentals in Scottsdale.

[@73twall]

I had a 1968 automatic stickshift. I used shop vac hoses to bypass the rusted out heater channels, so I'd have defrost. On mine, the defrost came out the bottom corners of the windshield, and that center thing that looked like a defrost was just a fresh air vent. That was my first car. The rust was a nightmare. Cool to see this one.

[@adotintheshark4848]

I had a red '69 with the Auto Stick. Only problem I ever had with mine was a weak fuel pump. Otherwise, all i did was maintenance to it.

[@AxeGaijin]

Representing! My second car was a '70 Semi-Automatic 1300. My problem was unfortunately the electrics, which is kind of important if you want to shift in or out of gear when there is no signal going to the auto clutch...

[@natew.5511]

I drove one of those once when I worked briefly as a mechanic at a VW repair shop long ago. When test driving I forgot it was an auto shift and when driving down the street I instinctively used my left foot to quickly engage the clutch, which slammed on the brakes and almost sent me through the windshield (the brake pedal on the autoshifts is double wide and takes the space occupied by the clutch pedal in the 4 speed Bugs).

[@mollyhatchet7075]

HOW LUCKY ARE THE PEOPLE OF YOUR AREA TO HAVE YOU AS A MASTER MECHANIC WITH SUCH HONESTY AND A LOVE FOR YOUR CRAFT .RARE THESE DAYS .

[@daviddennis7558]

Brought back some good memories...I have owned a 1970, a 1959 and a 1964. All three were so much fun!

[@adotintheshark4848]

and stupid-easy to work on too!

[@wiselinkmarque3947]

I still have a 64. haven't driven it in 6 years. it will fire right up.

[@northdakotaham1752]

I had the 59 also. You had to open the trunk lid to fill gasoline. No fuel guage other than a yard stick that I would insert through the filler neck. Ten gallon fuel capacity...or close to that. Run out of fuel, no problem, on the floor under the center of the dash, a lever to switch to reserve fuel. Heat??? No problem bc my 59 had a gasoline fueled heater next to the gas tank which blew extremely hot air right onto the passenger's feet! Car was a blast to drive....just allow extra time bc it wasn't fast.

[@daviddennis7558]

@@northdakotaham1752 Yup. The 59 I had was also 6 volt and had the sliding, fabric sunroof. I ran out of gas more than once because of no fuel gauge. Too bad it was such a rust bucket and eventually had to be scrapped.

[@northdakotaham1752]

@@daviddennis7558 a sun roof? Was that factory? I can't recall ever running out of fuel bc of the reserve fuel option. I did hsve problems with the nut loosening from the belt pulley on the generator. If the nut came off, the pulley came apart, the generator stopped turning and the generator light on the dash would light up. I would have to immediate stop bc that same shaft running through the generator ran the cooling fan on the backside of the generator. Without it turning, the engine would immediately overheat. I eventually sold my Beetles. The transmission on the 59 was stuck, seized up.

[@metalbird89]

I love the way you explain things. You are so calm and exact. Thanks love your videos.

[@TheZProtocol]

Its so awesome to see the lifts on the back! Im so happy to see how far the Wizard has come from the small shop!

[@tomboston9669]

I'm glad the Wizard mentioned how much FUN these things were to drive. Not fast...just fun ! Very fast off the line though. 0-20 faster than anything else on the road. But 0-60 slower than everything else. My favorite was shifting without the clutch. There was a sweet spot in every gear where you could just slip it in without touching the clutch. Never seen that in any other car.

[@AJGreen-cn8kk]

We bought a leftover '68 in '69. I was USAF stationed in Texas and it was the first Beetle I ever saw with dealer installed AC! On the expressway it would top out at 62MPH. When the compressor kicked in it dropped to 55.

[@pablopicaro7649]

and alol the long freon hoses leaked a lot, so had to add freon frequently

[@AJGreen-cn8kk]

@@pablopicaro7649 never had a problem with my ac. When I moved up north wished I had better heat!

[@GM-sk2wk]

I appreciate the enthusiasm you maintain for automobiles. Many top level mechanics seem to have lost that.

[@nightvisionnn909]

I love the wizard’s on camera presence evolution. I love how much fun they’re both having

Stop at 0:00 and you can get the perfect wizzard look 😀

[@christophermartin972]

Very proud of the old boy, knew he had it in him!

[@sputumtube]

My first ever car was a 1966 Beetle with the six volt system. I bought two others afterwards and loved them both. I so wish I'd never parted with them. Lovely cars if driven within their limits and they'd go on forever. Happy memories.

[@67FORDTRUCKF250]

The only year with the 1300. That way my first car!

[@billd66]

A lot of my friends who did their own VW repairs back in the day owned a copy of "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive". That book was a lot of peoples' intro to DIY car repair.

[@Rico_G]

That book was THE BIBLE!. It saved my butt many times when I was a teen. Didn't have no internets back then.

[@RAFchurchlawford4469]

How to Keep Your Beetle Alive 😉

[@adotintheshark4848]

That manual was written by an ex-Hippie who drove his micro bus cross country and back. He learned to do all the repairs himself, and put his knowledge into the book.

[@billd66]

@@adotintheshark4848 It definitely had a hippie vibe, that's for sure! Both in the text and in the artwork.

[@adotintheshark4848]

@@billd66 i still have a copy but I haven't owned a bug since the 80s.

[@AlanG58]

It's great to see a Beetle in the shop! I've had lots of them from 1950 to 1970. They're fantastic, simple, brilliantly designed cars. Once you have those heaters dialed in they can work great!

[@peterhelm6003]

Yes, I have replaced the clutch on a very old beetle, done on a barn floor with a few ordiunary tools. I was a "broke" teenager at the time and that beetle was my sole means of transport. I also replaced its pistons and cylinders to reduce the cloud of smoke emanating from the exhaust. I kept it going for quite a few years. Dr Porche was a great automotive desigber. The beetle was easy to maintain.

[@johncollins5552]

Easy to maintain but needing very regular servicing if you drive in city traffic on a daily basis for years like I have, it gets old.

[@natew.5511]

Me too, except it was out in the dirt in my parent's back yard.

[@MrJonrocker]

Wow. My Dad and I did that 30 years ago when the clutch went out on my '74. Didnt have an engine hoist, so we jacked UP the back end and lowered the engine down. When we went to put it all together, sliding the engine forward we realized the clutch wasnt lined up right with the spline.....process all over again. We used a small dowel rod to line the clutch disc the second time and it worked. Mind you, this was long before looking up information on the internet. We had the BEST VW book ever. It was entitled something like, "Idiots guide to VW". I havent been able to locate that book, but it did have funny illustrations and good pictures.

[@martinlight3022]

I loved my 83 Super Baja Beetle. It had over 200k miles on this car when I retired it to the farm. It was a pleasure to drive. Loved driving on the Colorado mountain roads while on vacation. Drove it everyday to work and finally the salted Kansas roads finally did it end.

[@pablopicaro7649]

probably a 1973, not 1983. as no more super where made after 1979

[@chefmatthammerschmidt8408]

My very first car was a 1972 Beetle with a 1600 Dual Port that I did a resto-mod. The engine threw a bearing after spinning the bearing. I upgraded the carburetor to a a twin double barrel Weber carburetor, I lightened the flywheel to just under 18 pounds, the entire fuel system was upgraded, my mentor and I swapped the transaxle over to a type two, the cooling system intake flow was increased by moving the firewall two inches forward and side air scoops added, my mentor and I installed a full thin wall tube chassis for reinforcement and support of the full roll cage we added during the process, full race bucket seats, rear fuel cell was added, and a beautiful repaint from the bare metal up because of terrible patch work. I loved that bug, my stepmother hated it, which helped me enjoy it all the more with the mind game reciprocation of my crappy teenage years. My mother loved it and that only fueled my fire especially on the dirt track. Some days I literally had to negotiate seat time with my mother, she and I loved it so much. 0-60 in about 8 seconds with both of us in it. I did nothing to lighten the car itself other than to get rid of some of the interior because the fuel estate was more important for range extension. My mother was always smiling in that puppy on the dirt track and on the street. One of the local cops took it for a spin and he really enjoyed it, his smile and all the breaks he gave me on the tickets made it all worth it and paying for his eggs out of my pocket for our egg business was even more worth it. Just don't tell my dad, he'd have a cow and I would have to make my first million dollar day happen. The poor guy sold my bug out from under me.

[@6isenough161]

Your a true mechanic.. When your born with it your stuck with it.. It's how you have fun.

[@capt_beefheart4159]

Brings back memories... There were Bug-Ins in the '80s in Southern California (ref Cal Look Bugs) with drag races, custom cars, hot babes and such. One of the events was a pull-the-engine competition. Two guys pull an engine, put it back in, and drive it a certain distance, or at least that's what I remember. With some minor modifications e.g. a special motor mount modification, two guys could do the pull, install, and drive in less than 10 minutes, maybe less than 5 min, I don't remember, but it was quick . My friends and I could pull an engine, rebuild it (new heads, clutch, cylinders, rods, bearings, cam and a bunch of other stuff) in a weekend, even while drinking beer. It surprises me that the Wizard didn't resurface the flywheel. Or did I miss that while I was typing this tome? We also made "traction bars" out of a couple of battery clamps and a piece of square steel tubing. Those were the days...

[@Latham74]

I owned a 1976 Superbeetle Wolfsburg Edition. Gold paint and a manually cranked sunroof. I loved that car, it was tough and reliable.

[@WhittyPics]

When I was a kid those VWs were everywhere. Don't see them much anymore

[@MrDuncl]

My teacher at secondary school bought one of the very last new ones in the U.K. back in 1974. Fast forward ten years and a colleague had a Beach Buggy made from one. The best use for a Beetle :-) and the only one I have been in.

[@jmsjms296]

Thank God

[@Harry_Cunce]

Oh man, my dad had a panel shop in the 80s/90s. I always remember him repairing those heater channels, they were his bread and butter for a long time

[@loganavery4951]

When I was a kid, we changed the engine in our 67 on the side of the I-17. I was too young to remember what the problem was. But my grandpa had an extra rebuilt engine that he put in the truck, drove it out to us with a couple big strong friends, there were a few of my dads friends with us. Unbolted the engine, 7 guys lifted the back of the car up to drag the engine out and slide the new one in, jacked it up, bolted it in. We hopped back on the highway and drove to Flagstaff. Years later and I can do that entire swap in my carport in 30 ish minutes on my Baja. These cars are incredible just how cheap and easy literally everything on this car is to do.

[@dandunlany8366]

Nice... I always liked the old school beetles. That in spite of the fact that the only time I ever rode in one, it very nearly caught fire... I was in the back seat which was getting VERY warm... Then the smoke started seeping in and we quickly shut the car down and bailed... Good times, good times...

[@billd66]

Battery shorting out against the seat springs was a very common occurrence, especially if the right rear seat passenger weighed more than 150 lbs or so.

[@dustintunis9347]

@@billd66 - Was that the first electric heated seat in a car?

[@GIJOERO]

This Was My first car!!!!!!!!!!!! 1972 SUPER BEETLE!!!!!!!!

[@pablopicaro7649]

6:50 Do not need to pull starter. Although it's no big deal - and needs to be inspected anyway. I've done in MANY times.

[@michaelrice500]

Need to replace that little starter bushing on the drive end! Cheap, but if you don't . . . ay carumba!

[@nicostenfors5690]

And might aswell install a "hard start relay" while you can access the starter easily.

[@peterduxbury927]

@@michaelrice500 Not mentioned here, but yes, it's a pain if you forget to check it. As I discovered to my sorrow!!

[@rc_player]

My dad has a 1973 Super Beetle, painted to be Herbie the Love Bug. Love these cars, so simple, you can have tons of fun and never break the speed limit!

[@richknudsen5781]

The Saturday Morning Joke A pirate walks into a bar with a steering wheel sticking out of his zipper. The bartender says, “Hey there’s a steering wheel sticking out of your zipper," to which the pirate exclaims “AAAAARRRRRRRGH, it’s driving me nuts!!!"

[@goaheadmakeourdayscooterpe9644]

Laughed so hard the first time I heard that one I kicked the side out of my cradle.

[@k.r.99]

I read this with Mr. Krabs voice and imagined him with a "pirates hat".

[@humor62]

Dam! I needed that laugh!!

[@gramseyandpops2710]

Way way back in the mid 70s my brother bought a non running 1962 VW beetle. It was sitting in a neighbor’s driveway and had not been moved in a few months. My brother stopped and asked him if he would sell it. Brother bought it for $200.00. We towed it home, pushed it into the garage, and started taking it apart. In a short period of time we had the engine out and sitting on the garage floor. We took the engine apart and found a broken exhaust valve that punched a hole in the piston. We bought new valves, rings, pistons, and bearings and had the engine rebuilt within a few days. My brother drove it for a few years before selling it. It was extremely easy to work on if you had a reasonable knowledge of engines. Little car was a lot of fun.

[@pablopicaro7649]

12:34 This bug ALSO uses air from the spare tire, that is what the clear-yellow hose is coming up to the bottle. the shrader valve there can be used to check Spare tire pressure AND for the washer bottle.

[@juandegollado7808]

Lol They were comical cars. Have had so many I lost count.

[@wernerdanler2742]

Now wait a minute! Did he not say the bottle is only supposed to have 2 psi in it or did I misunderstand him? There's a lot more than that in the spare.

[@pablopicaro7649]

@@wernerdanler2742 THe water squirt bottle originally could take about 35psi just like the tire, its thick plastic.

[@peterduxbury927]

@@wernerdanler2742 42 psi (Max)

[@rustysuperbeetle3064]

I am currently restoring a 1974 Super Beetle and I am loving working on taking the car apart and cannot wait for the day I can drive it down the road. @Car Wizard.... kudos to you for being a Volkswagen beetle mechanic and enthusiastic about working on these vehicles. You are amazing Car Wizard.

[@swartzbay30]

We used to own a 72 super beetle!!! As I recall they had to be rebuilt at regular intervals. We painted it like a pumpkin for Halloween Hahaha. It's original colour was lilac.

[@Thomas63r2]

Yes, the being rebuilt on a regular basis is the part of air cooled VW ownership that is largely forgotten by current owners who rarely drive very far. Fortunately at the time all repair parts were easily available everywhere in the world. There are stories about people who made it to 200,000 kilometers - but they were definitely the exception. Still, I have many good stories from the VWs of my my youth: a ‘62 Bus, a ‘65 Bus, a sweet ‘67 Beetle, a ‘68 Fastback

[@williamcahn4674]

Brings back the my memory of my first Beetle. I traded a 1st gen Mini Cooper, that was pretty worn out from all kinds of racing, for a brand new '97 Beetle. A week after I got the new car I was driving down a two-lane road north of Tucson and came upon an unmarked 90 degree corner. Forgetting that a VW handles quite differently than a Mini Cooper I just cranked the wheel hard left. Surprisingly, the next thing I know I am rolling over three times. Fortunately, neither my roommate nor I were hurt (we both had our seat belts on). Needless to say, my dad was not pleased that I managed to total a car with only a couple of hundred miles on it. Still love Beetles and wish I had one today. So easy to work on and so many performance parts still available.

[@vfr400r3l]

The variety of cars is great. I remember something about the battery under the seat as a young lad. If the springs were weak it would arc so put a bit of Lino over the top. But it’s a part of my childhood and remember them well.

[@antipodeanwizard1632]

Great! A back seat that doubles as an electric chair.

[@martentrudeau6948]

Ferdinand Porsche designed the original Beetle, it's a classic, well engineered, practical car. One of the greatest cars of all time. I always loved these cars. Thanks Mr. & Mrs Wizard.

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

I see a vintage beetle and i Immediately think of Mustie1 :)

[@2H80vids]

Nobody could call the Wizard a snob when it comes to cars. He has eclectic tastes and knows what he likes.😁 We do see him lusting after some pricey vehicles but he seems equally happy at the lower end of the scale too.

[@christopherkraft1327]

Hey Wizard & Mrs Wizard, I learned how to drive a stick in a VW Beetle Bug & yes, when I opened the bonnet I was bewildered!!!! 😳

[@frglee]

I used to borrow an old one of these from a friend many years back; I quite enjoyed driving it - it was comfortable enough for me and with the 1.6 engine the car felt surprising nippy for a car of the 70s. I liked the engine noise too...that characteristic 'ROAR-TWEETLE' when you accelerated away from the lights was a joy. In the end it died because one of the plugs had welded itself into the block and the garage said it was beyond economic repair.

[@RERM001]

"It's just like a motorcycle" It WAS a motorcycle engine. In Brazil there were next to no motorcycles during the second half of the 20th century, save for really old and outdated harleys or other rare imports, so an engineer created a series of made in Brazil bikes that used the same 1600cc VW engine. They called it the Amazonas 1600.

[@michaelrice500]

Cool!

[@desertrainfrog1691]

That's a big engine for a motorcycle. Must have been for a tourer or big cruiser.

[@peterduxbury927]

Beetle Engine - made from Magnesium Alloy was used in some Light Planes too!

[@markkeyser]

I had two of them - a 1957 with the small back window. It also had a gasoline fired heater which put out so much heat you had to keep a window cracked open. It cut the mileage in half! Put out an earth shaking 36HP. Also had a 1969. Had a steel sun roof that didn't drain properly - if I parked the car in a rain storm with the back end facing 'down' the area enclosing the sun roof would fill with water. At the first 'stop' I'd hear a sound like Niagara Falls and, WHOOSH! I'd get soaked! All in all they were wonderful cars. I actually floated the '57 across a stream! (No the heating system wasn't rotted!) If you had a fat guy sit in the back seat sometimes the springs from the seat would sag down and you'd short out the battery (and maybe burn the car to the ground!)

[@DCHutchins]

My first car was a 72 Super Beetle, I loved this, and remember all the issues, especially the heat problem when I drove it in College in NH.

[@elifoust7664]

Wiring usually failed,had to tie the scoops open.

[@awood825]

Just replaced my 1971 beetle's clutch over the summer and rebuilt the engine with an old timer that learned how to rebuild VW engines when he was in the army stationed in Germany. We laughed, we cried, we left a lot of blood sweat and tears on the engine during the rebuild. But it runs. I've been hoping you would do a video like this. Thank you.

[@vintagevwsalesandkeyservices]

I've done a few clutches, lol. I've been waiting for a vintage VW! Thanks Car Wizard. Hope they fix those heater channels soon, they're structural.

[@artkincell]

I worked at a shop in the mid 1970s that specialized in VWs. I lost count on how many clutches I replaced. I got quick after a while and we used to race to see who could get the engine out the fastest. My record was 14 minutes. I drove a 66 Beetle. One customer was going to an appointment and she blew her car's engine coming in for gas. We swapped the motor out of my car (both 1300 CC) and she wss on her way in 35 minutes. She called and asked if she could come back the next day. By that time my boss had rebuilt her engine. She came in the next day and we gave her the fresh motor and put the engine back in my car. Plus I got a bonus for letting her use my engine for the night. I really love working on those cats, just like the Wizard and I don't know why I haven't bought a vintage Beetle yet.

[@brianhenry2134]

Mr. Wizard, Great video, The starter doesn't have to come out. Just take the 4 bolts around the engine out and don't loose the half moon bolt for the starter. If you take the starter out inspect the Starter bushing that is pressed in the Transmission holding the starter shaft.

[@pablopicaro7649]

yes, but good to inspect starter anyway

[@brianhenry2134]

@@pablopicaro7649 Yes they are cheap. I usually replace them with the autostick starter that is more powerful anyway and you don't have to worry about the starter bushing. I usually take those out so they don't get out and lodge into the flywheel and starter. Starter Model number SR17X

[@peterduxbury927]

@@pablopicaro7649 Not forgetting the small bronze Bushing in the Bell Housing for the starter shaft end, Check for wear - replace if engine is out.

[@georgeemeny6123]

I bought a '71 Super Beetle brand new in 1971, Tangerine Orange. Traded it in on 1974 Datsun pickup. In 2000 rebuilt/restored my Dads '66 bug he had bought brand new in 1966 and gifted to me in the late 80's. VW's held up a lot better than the Datsun. VW community alive and well on the West Coast!

[@99_friety]

The engine is only assembled with four bolts so that is the easiest way.

[@bystander1489]

Ya simple job but this guy makes a big deal of every job so he can charge out ragious prices

[@619guy202]

No it’s because Hitler needed a car that easy to work on in any situation to win the war. That’s literally the only reason that car exists

[@ne2i]

It's like a 20 minute job. On the ground. With a jack.

[@bystander1489]

@@619guy202 they nazis also tried to get it to fly

[@619guy202]

@@bystander1489 I bet they did. The Germans were much more ahead of us at the time

[@fdmackey3666]

Shortly after my posting to (West) Germany in 1983 I purchased a German production 1967 VW "Beatle" with a factory 1500 engine which also required an engine out clutch replacement. Thankfully, for us U.S. soldiers assigned to the area and German citizens owning "Beatles" there was an gent whose sole purpose in life as a mechanic was keeping such vehicles running properly and capable of passing inspection (think rust, parts, and welding) standards of the day. With his expertise my "Beatle" and many others, both older and newer models, gave us great service. I actually was able to sell my "Beatle" to another GI for a little more than I paid for it before I rotated back to the States in 1986....By the way, I was the fourth owner of that car and I loved it so much that when my then brother in law was looking for a first car I recommended he purchase a 1966 "Beatle" which he drove from 1986 till 1997 when "family matters" required a larger more baby friendly vehicle!

[@discerningmind]

A lot of people think Beetles have bad heat. When the heater boxes and duct work are intact the heat is very powerful.

[@qwincyq6412]

Especially once you got up to highway speeds. You actually had to turn the heat down it blasted out so much once the engine fan was turning fast.

[@discerningmind]

@@qwincyq6412 Yes, I recall that, and the opposite of having to hold my foot on the gas a little to get more heat while sitting at a traffic light.

[@PropanePete]

I replaced many VW clutches in the 1960's and it was one of the easiest jobs a mechanic could be assigned to. From driving the car into the workshop you could have the engine out in 15 minutes. They were such a simple car to work on.

[@kerrylewis2581]

"Give me that they're not here to watch you play with this" You tell em Mrs. Wizard

[@jy5960]

CW and Mrs. Wizard have next level compatibility

[@martindaw2744]

Very cool, Super Bug. Brought back some memories for me, my late father worked for VW and was involved in the conversion of the electrical system to 12v in the early 60's back when VW was stating local production here in Australia - in Clayton if I recall, became Datsun's/Nissan's plant latter on and I think is still Nissan's HO in OZ now. I remember helping Dad working on various bug's (or as we called them at the time Hitler's revenge on the world) in the workshop's we had over the years. And torquing that flywheel up with long pipes over the end of the torque wrench, no air or electric tools to help you, way to inaccurate then (we are talking the 1970's) to get to the 380 odd foot-pounds - might be wrong on the figure there but it's just from memory, last one I worked on was in about 1982. I remember we Dad would always grumble about working on them, but when you see 3 or 4 of them a week it would be a pain (hence the revenge comment). But now with so few of them running about it is a probably a joy work on them now and to see the simplicity of the engineering for how capable and reliable they are and give to love to the bug.

[@mhans79]

My first car was a 72 Super Beetle in bright yellow!

[@andrewhiggins8873]

I used to work for the UKs first vw specialists. Yes wizard you are doing all the right things, nice to see it done properly. By the way we used to participate in engine change competitions we managed to take the engine out, then back in in 1 min 45 seconds

[@adamr9444]

My dad bought one of these when he was stationed in Germany in the mid 70s while in the Army. Ended up importing it back to the states, back when that was easy to do. He later sold it. Gotta wonder what happened to it.

[@MrDuncl]

The only reason Volkswagen exists as a company was because a British Army Major realised there was a big need for transport for Allied service personal stationed in Germany after the war . Even after they got production going no existing West European company was interested in taking over the factory or Beetle design so Hitler's KDF-Wagen became renamed the Volkswagen and the factory became a state owned enterprise.8

[@laurat1129]

Ah, memories! My Dad had a '71 Super Beetle, lt blue, that he bought used in '78 as our 2nd car. It seemed so uncool - until my older sister got it in HS. We loved it then, lots of fun for both of us learning to drive stick, so the clutch was replaced at least once. But here in the NE, it was the rust that got to to it.

[@DaveP668]

Optimistically states that "warm air comes from the engine and warms the cabin". That's the theory, in reality it doesn't. Rear seat passenger may however get burnt ankles!

[@geoffreyclark2805]

Back in the sixties my Dad had a 1963 VW Beetle. That car was alot of fun, really good in the snow. Sometimes he would let either my brother or me (whoever was in the pass seat) operate the shifter he would tell us time to shift and what gear. Heater as I recall was adequate. We live in N.E. Ohio outside Cleveland so we can get pretty heavy Lake Effect snow at times.

[@WillieJu]

I have owned 2 beetles way back when. I need another beetle in my life !

[@HeidiandFranny]

My second car was a '72 Super Beetle. Just the best. Always got me home and I learned a ton!

[@MrChenson]

Here on Mexico have a shitload of them, even in the family actually have 3. Mine is 94 but carbureted and has some differences about the super beetle. Still that works fine but still leaks oil from the seal of the block (so common). Fun fact: From the 94 models they be made with the fuel inyection system and some rare ones with A/C.

[@11sfr]

Yeah, the Super Beetle, though sold worldwide, was mostly intended for the US market to help the Beetle stay competitive against the newer Datsuns and Toyotas until VW could get the Golf/Rabbit on the market. The old torsion bar Standard Beetle stayed in production alongside it as the cheaper model, and as sales in the US wound down, the Super Beetle sedan was dropped in 1977, followed by the convertible in 1980, which left just the original Standard Beetle that lasted in Mexico until 2003

[@adotintheshark4848]

For US Beetles, fuel injection was standard starting in '75, and that was the end of the easy-to-repair Beetles, as the Bosch injection was junk.

[@TheCyberMantis]

Yeah, I used to work at a VW shop when I was younger. I have done a lot of those. Easy. Only 4 nuts holds the engine to the transaxle. I used an input shaft out of an old transaxle as the clutch-alignment tool. Still have it in my toolbox today, even though I haven't worked on an old Beetle in many years.

[@JohnSmith-if4uy]

Back in the day when VW actually made a quality product that would last. Long live the Airheads

[@pablopicaro7649]

Except the rust as mentioned

[@mwyatt222]

My daughter has a 2oo6 GTI w/ 150+ on the odometer. l wanted her to buy a Toyota b/c of her long commutes to college. That vw tho has been bullet proof. We bought it new and did the proper initial service and never needed the warranty. The little car is fast and still a lot of fun to drive.

[@j.d.8593]

Any VW before the year 2000 is very good

[@stevewhite3424]

@@pablopicaro7649 not too many rust-free 39-year-old cars. :-)

[@noelnicholls1894]

The success was cheap parts that were always in stock.

[@casanovavw72]

I had a 72 super beetle with a semi automatic transmission. The clutch was in the accelerator. There's something about these cars that make people smile and tell you stories wherever you go. 1972 is also the last year for the flat windshield in these Super Beetles.

[@longjohn77]

Love the air cooled vw content! Have a '72 bug and '76 westy bus!

[@chuckcts-v3460]

Yes, I have done a few engine outs on air cooled bugs. Disconnect the wiring harness, take the top 2 bolts out, jack it up take the nuts off the bottom studs, grab the two exhaust pipes, pull it out, let it drop. Takes less than 1 hour if you know what you are doing. Great cars, simple, dependable and very easy to work on, parts are cheap too. Also, disconnect the throttle cable. Take out all the metal panels around the engine. Disconnect the heater cables and heat tubes and fuel lines.

[@w762nato6]

My dad had a 63 beetle he put 50000 trouble free miles then I turned 16 and started driving it. Karl at the VW garage made a fortune. His favourite saying was its $36 to take out zmotor to repair anything, muffler, clutch, throwout bearing, heater box, clutch cable.

[@MrKnutriis]

haha

[@FrankBrocato]

I had a 1968 Westfalia ,built an engine for it and used the same engine in a 72 super beetle because I could not afford to build two engines 92mm ,weighted crank line bored case cam and lifters from SCAT as well as exhaust. Oh my how many times I swapped engines to go camping. Thanks for such a cool video and some real nostalgia. Up here in North Georgia you can see many awesome Beetles and Busses .

[@RyansuBike]

My first car was a 74 Beatle it was fun to drive and a great first car I even did my own oil changes and valve setting and timing which I can't imagine doing on a modern car lol

[@Dave.S.TT600]

Important to check the battery cover (under the seat) ..it can cause a short on the rear underseat insulation causing a fire; also, important to check the rubber grommet on the fuel line/firewall area. Thanks for the video!

[@jackianmayer5910]

this job can be done almost literally in the dark...one of the easiest jobs in automotive repair.

[@MaxCruise73]

Hi Car Wizard. Helped a friend rebuild the engine on a 1964 Volkswagen Beatle. New clutch, big bore kit (1200 cc to 1380 cc). New bearing, new pushrods, heads were refurbished with new valves, guides, and seals. Ran well after the rebuild. Oil tight. Good project.

[@nellayema2455]

Enjoyable and entertaining video, Mr. and Mrs. Wizard! My oldest brother had a Beetle back in the late '60's. My dad helped him rebuild and hot rod the engine. We could hear that car coming from a long way off. I do remember riding it once or twice, but I was 7 or 8. I've never had a good close-up look at one, so I appreciate seeing and learning about the Beetle from this video. 40 years ago I got a friend's Volkswagen mini-bus running--it just needed the fuel mixture adjusted on the carb, so it wasn't exactly a deep dive into the engine.

[@hszazg]

Spotted a little Made in Brazil engraving in the fuel pump! I recommend taking a look at the Bettle's history in Brazil! Quite an interesting read!

[@docontra4921]

Couldn't help but compare that car with the Brazilian Beetles my mom and uncle used to have 😊 (both mid to late '70s, and my uncle now has a "Collor de Mello" version which has an awful interior 🤢); biggest difference I could find was the separate fuel gauge in the brazilian beetles (to the right of the speedometer), what felt like more idiot lights* on the speedo, no climate controls near the handbrake (dunno where they are 😊), and the position of the spare wheel (straight against the fuel tank, without the pneumatic windshield washer). The two most salient bits (for me 😊) of Beetle history in Brazil: - Beetle production had ended in the early '80s but VW never quite dismantled the production line and production was restarted in the early '90s (for ~8 years) after lobbying by the then president Collor de Mello; the interior was different, but the only exterior change from the late '70s version was the single exhaust at the back. - The VW Van ("Kombi/Combi") had a straight production up to the early 2010's, and the latter models had watercooled engines (same engine as the 2000's VW Gol) with a radiator mounted outboard at the front.

[@imtheonevanhalen1557]

The Boys from Brazil.....Ferdinand Porsche designed this POS as the 'Peoples Car'...literally Volkswagen, and Hitler brought it to life with Nazi funding. VW sold all of the body and engine casting molds to South America to be rid of the POS....

[@antipodeanwizard1632]

@@docontra4921 They used to build and assemble them in Australia too (in an outer suburb of Melbourne). When we migrated to here from Europe, after landing we were taken past the factory at night and I recognised the VW logo (I was just a kid). It was the only thing familiar to me on that ride.

[@davidpratthk]

In Europe it was called the 1302 (1300) and 1302S (1600) and was the last of the flat screen designs but first with the new suspension. In 73 they released the 1303 (1300 ) and 1303S (1600) with profiled windscreen, large rear lights and the dash was sculpted with a foam construction. I bought, new in 73, one of the first 1303S, reg OOU 381M in Sumatra Green, Within a day I had to change the tyres because -------- they came with crossply as standard. The cornering was "interesting" at any speed. Subsequently fitted radials and it made it a fantastic car to drive. Fond memories.

[@badopinionsrighthere]

I read somewhere, and it stuck with me: "Remember, these were designed to be repaired in a 1930s German village. So it's equal parts simple-as-can-be and more complex than you'd want to take apart in your driveway"

[@sammolloy1]

And guess what... with those and the first few after the War bring your American wrenches. Hitler liked Whitworth fasteners made with Sheffield steel in England. S.A.E. wrenches fit the heads, but the shaft was metric. With a different thread pitch than today. For some mysterious reason England stopped selling them bolts but I believe the Germans just got them from Poland, who were glad to cooperate. Poland still makes a lot of excellent fasteners to this day.

[@MrDuncl]

@@sammolloy1 I would guess that once production started to ramp up they started to look for cheaper sources. The first few thousand Beetles were made in a bombed out factory by defeated Nazis on the orders of a British Army Major who needed transport for the occupying personnel.

[@pedrofernandez8729]

Owned 2 of them in my past life, a 64 with a 6 volt system and a 69 and loved them both.

[@pablopicaro7649]

6v headlights sucked

[@pedrofernandez8729]

@@pablopicaro7649 Yep. at night I could not use the radio, otherwise I couldn't see where i was going

[@Buckarooskiczek]

I remember one Illinois winter when that “DEE-frost” wasn’t cutting it and ice kept building up in the windshield after a few swipes of the wipers. Solved the problem with a snowmobile glove and an ice scraper in my left hand... (And yeah, wearing a parka...)

[@neilmurphy845]

Why did they think that design would work

[@jonathanryan2915]

I worked in a shop that wasn't afraid to work on older cars. So I got to work on a few cars that I personally liked and enjoyed working on and test driving afterwards. I did have to do all 4 brakes on a 74 regular beetle and it was really easy and test driving it and locking it up inside the shop at night was fun.

[@vincentwitjes5106]

the toybeetle was in for a headlight replacement i see

[@TomsTinkeringandAdventures]

Fun cars to work on. My son and I built a 1965 Baja Bug as his first car. He learned a lot, I guess we both did. Still have the car ten years later.

[@houseofno]

Hey look, it's Wartortle's grandfather!

[@bmwloco]

Sister had a '73, I drove a 412 in College. Westy early in our marriage. 2 Things in the mix. Great memories in old VWs...

[@OnTourWithPattiSmith]

Washer fluid does not flatten the spare tire ... .. there is a check valve that stops feeding the washer fluid pressure when the spare tire gets to the air pressure needed to drive on so you can not deflate the tire. Mine was a ‘66 1300 in Sea Blue w/ white interior.

[@AKARaygun64]

Thanks... learned something today and I thought I knew most everything about beetles. I have a '63 ragtop that I will never sell.

[@Broadshore]

I been finding so many Beetles here in So Cal. But people want WAY to much for them. Amazing cars! I remember back in High School. My friends Beetle blow the clutch out in the parking lot. They are so EASY to fix! We drop the motor. Jack up the back end with those Jacks that 4xers use and replace the clutch in the parking lot at my High School. That was back in the 90's. Still remember that like it was yesterday.

[@bazwillrun]

Mustie1 does these for fun during his lunch hour ...both hands tied behind his back and eating a sandwich !

[@martinda7446]

He does, and is brilliant..but they are not really complicated, I would say most of us could do it but maybe with both hands sans sandwich..The Porsche versions are a different matter. They are built to much tighter specs. Watch Mustie rebuild the 914 motor, it's an eye opener on the quality differences.

[@sleepyhollow783]

Mustie1 has a great channel.

[@spursmaniac5060]

Mustie1............one of the best on you tube!

[@danwoods315]

Old guys I used to know that worked in our local VW garage back in those days could have done this clutch in 30 mins. But, that was all they worked on and they knew the cars really well

[@theguitarmanifesto]

I went straight to the comments for Mustie1 references 😂😂

[@gst69man]

miss my '63, still have my "how to keep your vw alive' by john muir. A must read for beginner mechanics. God blessed Dr. Porsche

[@terencehawkes3933]

I owned one of those in Shantung Yellow and it was a fine car. Eventually rusted into oblivion.

[@tony_25or6to4]

I knew a guy who had a couple of Beetles and Porsches. He kept an extra Beetle engine in the corner of his garage, oiled and covered in plastic garbage bags. When something went wrong with the engine, he could swap it out in about an hour by himself. Over the next month or two, he would rebuild the original engine, oil it, cover it in plastic, and put it in the corner of the garage. He was never without his car for more than a few hours.

[@Panzer67]

5:28 thank you for emphasizing the tightness of the gland nut

[@reallyhappenings5597]

Entire force of the engine goes tightens down on that nut to propel the car

[@johncollins5552]

Good video will help a bunch of people for sure. I will share a related issue I had a month ago. My 72 std. Bug broke in busy traffic lights as it lost drive, no changing gear! I assumed worn out clutch. Took engine out to see but clutch was good, cable was good, gear coupling was good. Gearbox was good, happened one of three gearbox mounts towards the front the rubber broke off ,just gone so input shaft was out of line and wouldn't engage drive. Gearbox removal is not fun without a lift, it's not heavy but alot of work with the axles and brake assembly.

[@mattmayo3539]

I think everyone has a beetle story. Mom’s 74 broke down on the Bay Bridge. CALTRANS came up from behind with the push truck on the bull horn “release the clutch!” And then pushed her all the way to San Francisco. 😂

[@davidgibson4840]

Easiest clutch in the world 20,mins and 4 bolts out and same in hour tops

[@Techie1224]

@@davidgibson4840 how easiest while he got the engine out to replace it ??

[@deliriousgastronomy]

Yipes!!

[@0mongo0]

@@Techie1224 World record time for an engine swap in a VW Beetle is 1 minute 6 seconds.

[@tallawyerblues]

I was ten, Mom traded her '66 Beetle for a '72 Super Beetle...it was so cool. Wish I had either one...

[@billclarke3754]

I'm in Mexico and see many Beetles here, with great bodies and no rust. Watched a KZbin video of a guy that bought one, drove it over the border and said he can register it here in the USA. 😎

[@wendysremix]

We can import them if they are 25 years old so 1996 some people do import mexicans ones

[@pablopicaro7649]

Back in late 80s some dudes imported them, with some loophole, but got shut down after a about a year