|
Steering Wheel &
Horn Button
The car gets pushed
in and out of the garage about 5 times a week at this point.
Right now I can steer the car by twisting the front tires as
I push it. Once the front fenders go on, I'll have to use the
steering wheel to navigate. The entire steering column comes
apart fairly easily, so I can clean it up nicely before putting
it in the car.
|
|
 |
 |
|
Signal Switch
Unlike modern vehicles,
the signal switch on the beetle serves only to indicate which
way you are turning. No high beam controls, cruise control or
intermittant wiper settings. This simplicity results in a grand
total of three wires coming from the unit, one bringing in the
power, and two to take the signal either left or right. I used
my meter to check continuity in the switch and it passed with
flying colours.
|
|
In the Car
After a good cleaning
and a fresh coat of paint the steering wheel went back into the
car without much trouble. Installing the grommet that seals the
wheel as it passes through the firewall was the hardest part
of the process.
|
|
 |
 |
|
The Dash
I love the look of
the painted dashes in these early cars. The way everything fits
together and looks when completed reminds me of a Tonka toy.
In fact, there are lots of comparisons that can be drawn between
the bug and a Tonka toy.
|
|
Rough Alignment
Now that the steering
wheel is in, I could give the front wheels a rough alignment.
The tie rod ends were replaced a year ago, but couldn't be properly
positioned until now. They will still need a bit of fine tuning
that will most likely have to be done by a mechanic.
|
|
 |
 |
|
A Final Tightening
Before I start to
bolt on body panels and doors, I snugged up all the bolts holding
the body to the floor pans and chassis. My earlier efforts to
align the mounts really paid off here. All the bolts and rubber
cushions fit on perfectly.
|
|
Remember this?
In week 24, I pointed
out the alignment problem in the rear body mount. It turns out
that the piece I welded in was for the later model cars. The
fit is close enough to be made up with this custom made body
cushion. I bought a 12" hard rubber roller and cut it to
the proper size with a chop saw. Try making parts like this for
a Ford Focus!
|
|
 |
 |
|
Passenger's Side
The passenger's door
and fenders fit on as expected. It took some patience to align
the door properly especially with the new rubber seals. I cleaned
all the latching hardware up and re-lubed all the pivots hinges
and catches. These doors likely haven't worked this well since
the early 70's!
|
|
From the Front
It's almost a car
again. It takes a lot of time to put the fenders on properly.
They have to be wet-sanded and buffed before being bolted on
and you always have to be careful to not slip and scratch the
fresh paint
|
|
 |
