Alright so I have a VERY POOR conditioned 1973 vw bug. So I plan on restoring this bug but I have to ask where you guys get your parts and few other questions. I really have no knowledge of trying to restore a vehicle.

First of all, how cheaply can you rebuild a VW engine 73'? And how cheaply can you do it with , non high-performance parts but with decent parts? I believe my 73' bug has a ac unit in the front.

I am only seventeen and this is my first restoring car project I do not have any professional tools like a welder, so what would I need in the beginning to get me started?

Also I was doing some research about the engine and it seems that the carb is the most expensive thing to work on for the bug. I am completely confused about what they are talking about. Dual Or single whatever. 1200 1300 1600 short block, long block, mounts, etc. Can someone please explain to me?

I know this is a lot of questions for one thread but if someone could do this, that would really cool.

Thanks before hand! the help is appreciated
Aaron

 

Aaron,

First off buy this book: http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswage.../dp/156261343X, I bought it and love it. I too have just bought my first Bug a 1974, with plenty of work that needs to be done to it.
As for parts the best thing you can do is search around on the web, and search around your local town for the VW nut and ask them.
All the engine stuff that you were talking about will be explained in the book mentioned, read through the book first then figure out what you want to do...and try to have fun working on your bug. Hope this helped.

-Robert

 

Hey Aaron,

How's the reading coming? Wanted to ask you how the car is running initially. Do you know if the engine has already been rebuilt? If it's not totally crapped out, you can work on it as you go, which is what I was doing until an electrical short stopped me in my tracks. So now I'm currently doing a full rebuild on my '71 bug - and I do mean FULL rebuild. Let me know how your car's doing and if you're still planning on tackling the engine first.

 

either buy a bentley repair manual, or go to autozone.com and sign up for alldata 26.95 i think and for one year you get the book for your car here are some vw sites and idk if they have parts for your bug but they have been helpful to me, you should prob get a welder, i know expensive but in the long run cheaper that having someone else do it, oh and a long block is when you buy the engine, its basically almost just buy it and drop it in, a short block i believe, it either comes with everything except the ac, powersteering that kind of stuff, if its not that , then a short block is just the block no pistons, heads nothing i think
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