HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tsh@lk-hp-3.hut.fi (Timo Hyv|nen)
Subject: Re: Pictures of Beetle needed
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
Date: 23 Dec 92 07:47:02 GMT

In <ZOWIE.92Dec22122203@daedalus.stanford.edu> zowie@daedalus.stanford.edu (Craig "Powderkeg" DeForest) writes:

>these conditions.  You should weld big steel beams to the underside of
>the belly pan, or something, for rigidity.

There won't be any problems with this. Here in Finland you have to test your
car every year, and before you can do modifications like this, you havet to
get a written permit from the officials. There are some specifications to 
follow in order to pass the test. The permit costs 350 FIM (US$ 1 = 5 FIM).
Unfortunately they want this safety-bar to be installed in the middle of the
car - it destroys the looks a bit...but well, it's a bit safer, of course.

>Getting the roof off was pretty straightforward: pull out the windows,
>and attack with hacksaw.  There are six roof supports: front, middle,

I've been plannin to use the plasma-cutter here at my workingplace ;)

>probably want to re-mount the windshield when you're done, so you'd be
>cutting across the top of the front of the car.  [the windshield is

Yes.

>another candidate for reinforcement: the front struts are just tubes of
>formed sheet metal: not so good when you cut the roof off and
>concentrate all of the stress from the wind, at the bottom of the

I bet I won't be driving so fast. I was planning to build this thing to 
get to the beach and back.

>roof assembly.  If you're interested, I could find out how to order one
>from a local supplier here in the San Francisco area.

Please! And when you do it, ask the price too (I bet it's too much, but
still..).


My beetle is so beaten up, that I have to renew all the fenders and some
other parts, too. A friend of mine installed a fiberglass front-end (one
you can flip yp (sp etc.???)) yesterday, and it looked just great...but
I think I don't need this kind of weight reduction, so I'll use the ordi-
nary parts. Gotta see how I succeed with it..if ever I get this laziness
off and start doing it ;)


timo



Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: mucit@cs.rochester.edu (Bulent Murtezaoglu)
Subject: Re: where does the pre-heating hose go?
Organization: Computer Science Department, University of Rochester
Date: 28 Dec 92 22:41:32

In article <C001ME.Kon@umassd.edu> rgolen@UMASSD.EDU writes:
In article <1992Dec28.233931.13315@cs.rochester.edu>, mucit@cs.rochester.edu (Bulent Murtezaoglu) writes:
[stuff deleted]
>>The problem is I can't find the place where the hose came off!  Yes I know
>>one end goes to the thermostat housing on the air filter box.  But where 
>>does the other end go?  
[stuff deleted]
>   The other end of the hose attaches to an air intake located below
>   the driver's side of the radiator.

Thanks, but I think that's the cold air hose.  That's intact on
my car -- I'm missing the one that goes to the other opening on the 
thermostat housing.  Bentley shows it disappearing behind the engine but
desn't say where it goes.  I'd assumed it would somehow go to the heater box,
but that doesn't seem to be the case.
Are you missing that one too?

>   Ric

-M
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: "tom neumann" <tom.neumann@canrem.com>
Subject: snow tires vs. all-se
Reply-To: "tom neumann" <tom.neumann@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 23 Dec 92 20:30:20 EST


rich@mks.com (Rich Jones) writes:

RJ>I was planning on trading in my summer radials (Continential
RJ>185/60R14's) for all-season radials.  The guy in service at my
RJ>dealership tells me that they don't sell all-season radials because
RJ>they don't believe in them.  Something about European cars having
RJ>different suspensions and therefore, different tire requirements than
RJ>domestics.  Can anyone clarify this fairly ambiguous statement?  I'm
RJ>leaning towards all-season radials because I'd like to avoid having to
RJ>find a place to store a set of tires in their off-season.

Hi Rich!

I sure hope it wasn't anyone at the dealership I work for as we *do*
sell all season tires, and almost all 1993 VW's sold in Canada will
have all-season tires.

On another note, most of us at the dealership have been running with
the standard (non-all season or snow) tires for years and haven't
really had problems with driving in the snow - we just slow down a
little bit.

You should be able to buy all season tires for a fairly reasonable
price; we've got some on for $99 each and I am sure that a tire store
could supply tires for less.

RJ>(Are you there Tom?  I sent you email, but it bounced)

I'm still here... try again and let me know what happens.

Tom Neumann
---
  DeLuxe 1.25 #350  Try a Volkswagen
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
From: rgolen@UMASSD.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: Brake question
Date: 31 Dec 92 10:16:16 GMT
Reply-To: rgolen@UMASSD.EDU
Organization: UMASS DARTMOUTH, NO. DARTMOUTH, MA.

In article <1992Dec31.012232.23153@pony.Ingres.COM>, garrett@Ingres.COM (WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS) writes:
>	I have what should be a simple question <heh>. What exactly
>does it mean when you have to pump your brakes twice to get them to work
>properly? BTW, this question is in reference to drum brakes. 
>
>-Garrett@Ingres.com
You need to either bleed your brakes or your master cylinder is on
its way out.

Ric
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: shade@chdasic.sps.mot.com (Douglas Shade)
Subject: Re: [A] spark plug inserts: what's the best
Reply-To: shade@chdasic.sps.mot.com
Organization: Motorola SPS ASIC, Chandler, AZ
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 16:39:36 GMT


>In article <29DEC199200245147@venus.tamu.edu>, mthomas@venus.tamu.edu (Mark
>Thomas) wrote:
>> 
>> kdrolt@athena.mit.edu (Kenneth D Rolt) writes...
>> >i have at least one stripped spark plug thread on my air cooled motor;
>> >the other cylinders might not need attention (yet).  
>
>[lots of good advice deleted]
>
>> If you're sure you don't want to remove the heads, after tapping
>> and reaming the hole and again after installing the inserts,
>> crank the engine for a while with the coil-distributer cable
>> disconnected and with the spark plug out, to try to blow out any
>> metal particles from the cylinder.
>
>If you're going to do it this way, I'd recommend taking the hot wire off
>the coil terminal - you REALLY don't want any risk of a spark while pumping
>air/fuel mixture around vigorously.  Better yet, take the carburetor off
>before cranking.
>
>When I did this I used a compressor and a small nozzle to just blow in the
>hole until no more chips came out.
>
>bcnu - grungy (John Gladu)
>Systems Support Center -- Baylor College of Medicine
>INTERNET: jgladu@bcm.tmc.edu  | VOICE: (713)798-7370
> US MAIL:  One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas  77030

good plan!
I once saw "Rescue 911" or some other TV show which featured a garage 
burning down.  The shade tree mechanic was cranking some bad gas out
of the lines; had a dangling plug and burned down his friends garage.

It was a sad end to a clean looking VW bus (and a nice garage).

---
shade@chdasic.sps.mot.com                        \/
602-821-4096                                    \/\/...its not a car
From: mahajan@milpnd.enet.dec.com (Rakesh M. DEC Maynard MA ...)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Feedback on '87 Fox.
Date: 22 Dec 92 20:24:08 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation


       Looking on feedback on 87 VW Fox . Since
it was the first year of this model. All the pro
and cons in buying a used '87 VW Fox car with about 
75K will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Rakesh 
Xref: sparky rec.autos.vw:7816 rec.autos.tech:17288
From: chan@sumax.seattleu.edu (Anthony K.B. Chan)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw,rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Will camber adjustment affect the toe-in in an Audi 85 5000s?
Date: 30 Dec 1992 16:46:08 -0800
Organization: Seattle University
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: sumax.seattleu.edu

Here are additional information of the setup in the Audi. The camber adjustment
in the Audi is by means of loosening 3 bolts on the top of the strut tower then
by sliding the strut assembly towards the outside(fender) for more positive
camber and towards the center of the car to get negative camber. The strut
tower top is sloped down towards the center of the car. So what happen if I add
.4 of a degree of negative camber to say one side? Will the toe of that side
be toeing in or out? Will that be significant enough to make the car pull
to one side? Will it affect the toe-in on both side? Are there any cheap 
gauges for measuring toe-in? How much do they cost and where can get them?

Thanks!

Anthony

Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: tomh@wes.on.ca (Tom Haapanen)
Subject: Re: Splitting this Group
Organization: Waterloo Engineering Software
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 20:38:06 GMT

hollen@megatek.UUCP (Dion Hollenbeck) writes:
> So many of the opinions of people against splitting this group go like
> this:  "I like to read articles about both, let's not split the
> group."

Sorry, that's not the logic at all.  My reasoning says:

    "We all love Volkswagens.  We buy them, we fix them, we modify
     them, we drive them, we adore them, we read about them, we may
     even race them.  Why does it have to be Us vs. Them?"

I'm not opposing a split on the basis of convenience.  I'm opposing it
because i want to promote camaraderie and fahrvergnugen amongst *ALL*
VW enthusiasts and fanatics, not just air-cooled owners or water-cooler
drivers.

I'll support the recent [A] and [W] convention, though.

> This may be
> especially important for very small sites who only download the groups
> they are interested in.  This will help them with less bandwidth.

Less bandwidth?  rec.autos.vw is averaging only about 75 KB per day --
even with a 2400 bps modem, that's only about three minutes on the phone.
Oh, and that's only 0.15% of current total news volume.  :)

[ \tom haapanen    "i don't even know what street canada is on" -- al capone ]
[ tomh@wes.on.ca                   "trust the programmer" -- ansi c standard ]
[ waterloo engineering software      "to thine own self be true" -- polonius ]
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: rgolen@UMASSD.EDU
Subject: Re: OEM vs 3rd party mufflers [A][W]
Reply-To: rgolen@UMASSD.EDU
Organization: UMASS DARTMOUTH, NO. DARTMOUTH, MA.
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 13:26:54 GMT

In article <1992Dec23.201714.6753@linus.mitre.org>, m17108@mwunix (Jason Douglas) writes:
>

Stuff Deleted....

>The Issues
>     With the exception of the dealer unit, it is very hard to know exactly
>what one is getting.  None of these options is claimed to improve (or hurt) 
>performance.  None of them are extractors.  Unfortunately, there seem to be no
>performance upgrades for the waterboxer :-(.
>      Durability is not a concern (the Midas and AP guarantees), but I'm really
>wondering if there will be a performance impact.  With leisurely performance 
>and 18mpg (US), a performance hit would be a definite drawback.  Is it true
>that higher back pressures are always bad and lower are always good?  How will
>the 3rd party mufflers differ from stock ?
>
>The Request
>     Please post theoretical considerations, experience with 3rd party
>mufflers, and if they exist, better places to mail order mufflers.  I've
>been reading the net for a couple of months now and haven't seen a similar
>discussion.  I hope this starts a good thread!
>
>BTW, tried [A][W] in front of title line but rn wouldn't take it.  What gives? 
>
>Jason (jdouglas@mitre.org)

Recycled VW is a good place to deal with if thats any help. If you are
going to buy a muffler for ANY imported car, get the orriginal or
OEM equipment. OEM - Original Equipment Manufacture means the
supplier to the manufacturer has made the muffler, or the
muffler was made to the supplier's specifications. Stay away from
Midas, Mineke, and others, they tend to use "universal" mufflers
which are adapted to to "fit" various cars, thats why they can
sell so cheap.

The problem with these "universal" systems is that they probably
do not have the same backpressure and flow characteristics as
the stock system, and may tend to affect performance.

Ric 



Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: newark@befvax.uchicago.edu (Tom Newark)
Subject: '72 vw beetle info needed...
Reply-To: newark@befvax.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago, Dept of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 00:58:02 GMT


I just acquired (by accident) a '72 vw bug (along with my '64 corvair convert, 
this means I'll never have to buy anti-freeze again) and I had a few questions

1) are gas heaters still availiable for these cars? and if so where could 
   I get one in the u.s.a.

2) the car seems to have a rear window defroster, but I can't seem to find 
   the switch for it... does anyone know anthing about these?  Is it an 
   aftermarket product or were they an option and does anyone know how 
   to use it?

3) there is a little red light/button next to the fan switch which lights 
   up when pressed.  It is marked with a letter B.... The light goes out 
   when it is released... what is this for?  I've pressed it and nothing 
   seems to have happened.

4) the car handles very badly at 50+ mph.  It rattles something terrible and
   is very hard to keep from drifting around...Is this just how they handle
   or will it clear up when I get new tires and a front end alignment and 
   possibly new struts?

5) how do you use the windshield wiper fluid?  I know about the hose to the
   spare tire (what a great idea) but where is the button for it.  My wind-
   shield wiper knob is missing the center and I assume you probably pressed
   it to activate the fluid... Is this right?

I really want to keep the car, and have had very little time between 2 jobs
and the holidays to look it over.  Besides its too damn cold now to do much 
work on it....
The engine and carb were just rebuilt, so I know that mechanically the car is
in good shape.

Also, any info on winter driving would be appreciated...how well do these
things plough through snowy weather?

Thanks in Advance

Tom Newark

@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@
#@ Tom Newark    System Manager/Programmer                             @#
@# Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology                   #@
#@ University of Chicago  --  newark@befvax.uchicago.edu               @#
@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@
From: kiviat@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Brian Kiviat)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: [w] Dashboard Lights
Date: 22 Dec 92 15:41:11 GMT
Reply-To: kiviat@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Brian Kiviat)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

Thanks for all the response to my dash light Q's. It seems to be a very
time consuming job....what a bitch.
   O
   I\   Brian Kiviat (301)227-1833
   I \  kiviat@oasys.dt.navy.mil
  /     David Taylor Model Basin
   \___________________________
			     \\
From: pgheit01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: Need advice on 1st Beetle, please
Date: 21 Dec 92 13:57:04 GMT
Organization: University of Louisville

In article <1992Dec20.085550.13074@u.washington.edu>, dali@stein.u.washington.edu (David A. Lee) writes:
> '69 was the first year they went with dual-circuit brake systems.
> In '71 they included an electric fan to help the heat or defrost
> along.  With my 1970 Squareback I just missed it...  :(

Huh?  '67 was the first year of dual-circuit brakes for the American import
models.  '68 for the Europeans.  My '73 Bug did not have a fan.  When they did
put in a fan, it was for fresh air.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|pH Fred == pgheit01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu    |                               |
|        == ..!psuvax1!ulkyvx.bitnet!pgheit01 |   IBM-  It may be slow, but   |
|           University of Louisville          |    at least it's expensive.   |
|                Louisville, KY               |                               |
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: m17108@mwunix (Jason Douglas)
Subject: OEM vs 3rd party mufflers [A][W]
Organization: MITRE Corporation, McLean VA
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 20:17:14 GMT

     The vehicle in question is a water cooled Vangon but the issues
apply to both air and water cooled.  

Help!

The Situation
     Its just about time to replace the muffler on my 87 Vanagon and 
recommendations/experience/wisdom would be welcome.  The dealer part is
outrageously expensive -- $460.  Can you believe it?  Recycled VWs offers
an OEM quality unit for $200.  My local parts stores offer a Walker for
$100 (1 yr warrantee) and an AP for $150 (lifetime warrantee).  Add $20
to each of these for a tailpipe, gaskets, etc.  Midas offers a "lifetime"
muffler installed for $175.

The Issues
     With the exception of the dealer unit, it is very hard to know exactly
what one is getting.  None of these options is claimed to improve (or hurt) 
performance.  None of them are extractors.  Unfortunately, there seem to be no
performance upgrades for the waterboxer :-(.
      Durability is not a concern (the Midas and AP guarantees), but I'm really
wondering if there will be a performance impact.  With leisurely performance 
and 18mpg (US), a performance hit would be a definite drawback.  Is it true
that higher back pressures are always bad and lower are always good?  How will
the 3rd party mufflers differ from stock ?

The Request
     Please post theoretical considerations, experience with 3rd party
mufflers, and if they exist, better places to mail order mufflers.  I've
been reading the net for a couple of months now and haven't seen a similar
discussion.  I hope this starts a good thread!

BTW, tried [A][W] in front of title line but rn wouldn't take it.  What gives? 

Jason (jdouglas@mitre.org)


Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: eldred@rrunner.jpl.nasa.gov (Dan Eldred)
Subject: Re: [W] Vanagon tires
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 21:51:22 GMT

In article <1h81c4INNofg@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> wpc@po.CWRU.Edu (William P. Claspy) writes:
>
>> [deleted interesting stuff by Jason about Vanagon tires]
>
>First, a question.  Does this information apply to busses?  I have XZX's on
>the back of my '77 bus and the front tires are some sort of no-name that
>need to be replaced.  I was planning on putting the XZX's on the front and
>getting the Sears Roadhandler (i.e. Michelin's) on the back.  Should they
>be LT tires?  And should I really NOT have XZX's on my bus?
>
>>BTW, the referenced posting had a "[w]" but isn't this subject also
>>applicable to air cooled Vanagons (pre 83)?
>
Don't put anything but reinforced or LT tires on any VW bus.  They will
tear up passenger tires due to side loading.  An added benefit of LT
tires is that crosswind handling is improved due to the stiffer sidewall.

	- Dan
From: keys@starchild.ncsl.nist.gov (Lawrence B. Keys)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: VW Club Meeting (Tonight 12/21/92)
Date: 21 Dec 92 15:33:15 GMT
Organization: National Institute of Standards & Technology


Before i mention anything about the meeting, can someone briefly 
explain how to use "Distribution:", for future reference, since
i only wanted to post this for individuals who live in this
area, and might possibly want to attend this meeting.

Taken without permission from "Positive Camber", The National
Capital Area Volkswagen Club newsletter, December, 1992.

Our guest speaker for the December general meeting will be Vern Parker,
specialty automotive writer for the Washington Times.  Mr. Parker
specializes in writing about cars as a hobby, and so his presentation
should have a great deal of interest for us.  Of course, you already
knew that if you read his column "Out of the Past" in the Times. Each
week, the column spotlights an old (or newer)car owned by a local area
resident, and discusses the history of the car, and a short
intervew with the owner.  His thoughts and experiences should prove
interesting.

This month, we move back to the Davis Library in Bethesda.  The
meeting begins at 8:00 pm, and after some quick items of business,
Mr. Parker takes the floor.
            
Directions:  From the beltway, take Old Georgetown Road north to 
	     Democracy Blvd.  Make a left onto Democracy Blvd. The
	     The library is just past the traffic light at Fernwood.


Next Meeting:	Mon. 1/18/93 General Meeting at East Coast Auto Sound,
		Gaithersburg
		                                
                                                 .
                                                /                
Larry                            __/    _______/_                 
keys@csmes.ncsl.nist.gov       /                  \               
                          _____     __     _____    \------- ===
            ----------- / ____/   /  /   /__  __/              \
         /     ___    /  / ___   /  /      / /    ____          |
        |    /      \/ /__ /  | /  /__  __/ /__ /       \      / 
        /___         \_______/ /_____/ /______/            ====OO
            \       /                           \       /         
                -                                   -
       ---------------- FAHRVERGNUGEN FOREVER! --------------------            
            The fact that I need to explain it to you indicates
            that you probably wouldn't understand anyway!
       ------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: scottv@rs6413.ecs.rpi.edu (Vaughan K. Scott)
Subject: Re: catalytic converters..
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 22:38:19 GMT

mag@minnie.nic.kingston.ibm.com (Michael Gray) writes:

>It's been fairly clearly demonstrated by the performance people like Techtonics, and APS,
>that removing the cat gains virtually no horsepower on '85 and on models.  However, there are clear
>gains to be made by replacing the stock exhaust systems (from the cat back) .

>Furthermore, european vehicles without a cat, have another muffler (resonator) located in its
>place.  This is, I think, because you need a certain amout of back-pressure for the lamda system
>to work correctly. 
	I don't think this is true (at least, not universally).  My '76 TR7's
both have 2 mufflers, no cat (but unleaded head), and twin carbs (absolutely
no electronic engine management/sensors).  I am pretty sure that the later
models, with PI (british for fuel injection), also have two mufflers, as well
as the cat (and they do have lambda sensors).
	BTW, what-the-hell is a lambda sensor?

>M.Gray

Vaughan Scott
scottv@rpi.edu
From: v129qp43@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Hugh Jarvis - Anthropology Dept.)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: looking for cheap source of small dash bulbs
Date: 22 Dec 92 23:00:00 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

Anyone out there know of a cheap source of the little ("grain
of wheat") bulbs that are used in the dashboard lights and in the
lighted switches?  Mine say PH 12/1.2... 12 volts presumably and
1.2 amps?  Thanks.   Hugh