So the other day on the way to work the little blue bug just didn't want to get up and go. Thinking to myself as I limped the little car into the parking lot, I but I just had a couple of pushrods pop off. Well, looking into it after work ( with work cloths on, in my work place parking lot) I popped the valve cover off and low and behold, a couple of pushrods were loose, buuuut, what's this? The rocker stud seemed loose, really really loose. Yep, broken stud on one end, and the other one was pulled right out of the head. Time for a new head. But I wanted to get the car back together ASAP, and not wanting to jack around with it either, I put the word out on the local message board. Soon I had a lead. $200 bucks later I had what appeared to be a decent FI motor, bone stock, but unknown if it ran, but it turned over. A day later, I stripped all of the FI stuff off, and all the sensors, and misc stuff, and bolted on some regular dual port intakes and a 31pict carb with an adapter. I stuffed it into the car, and WHAM! It started right up, and idled great! What a relief, a good running STOCK motor back in the bug.
I got out today, and snapped a few pictures of the '63...
The last three pictures are of the crank trigger, EDIS system set up on my car. It's really a test bed right not to make sure that everything works that way its supposed to. All the info on how to make this conversion can be found on www.msefi.com
My 63 ragtop sedan had been with me since high school, about 16 years now. It's actually my 2nd car that I ever owned, and the first one that I bought with my own money. My very first car was a 72 super that was handed down from my sister, and I really liked that car, it is after all the car that got me into the whole VW scene way back when. The super got rear ended, and I had to put it down. The upside is that pushed me to get my 63. In addition to being my daily driver for many years (my only car) I also learned almost everything I know about VW's from that car. From the engine, to the trans, the front end, suspension, fuel system, body work, paint, wheels, brakes (disc, and drums), I've had that car torn down and put back together more times than I can count. Overall it's been a great little car.
1963 Ragtop Sedan
