Itinerant Air-Cooled

Couple of quick 1979 Beetle convertible questions.

1. I assume that these cars don't have a brake booster as my bus does. How hard should you have to press on the brake because I have to press pretty darn hard. (I will be going through the whole system and replacing worn brake parts).

2. Is it really as easy as it seems to remove gas tank? IE hoses, sender wire, vapor and four bolts? I have a gas smell and I think so me very hard to reach vent lines are the cause.

3. What really is the purpose of a boot? Can I get away with out one?

IFBwax wrote:1. I assume that these cars don't have a brake booster as my bus does. How hard should you have to press on the brake because I have to press pretty darn hard. (I will be going through the whole system and replacing worn brake parts).

Correct, they do not have boosters. Good ol' leg-power is required however when mine is adjusted properly I have to use much less of it than I do with my wife's non-boosted bus. Lighter car, less to stop. When it's not adjusted properly, that's a whole 'nother story. A thorough check of the braking system is always a good idea with a new-to-you vehicle.

IFBwax wrote:2. Is it really as easy as it seems to remove gas tank? IE hoses, sender wire, vapor and four bolts? I have a gas smell and I think so me very hard to reach vent lines are the cause.

Yes. The tank is easily removed and if you have the same experience I had you will replace every hose with only the final hose being the ultimate cause of the smell. For me it was this one.

IFBwax wrote:3. What really is the purpose of a boot? Can I get away with out one?

I don't have a boot for mine and other than the aesthetics of it I don't see how it matters. I guess the boot would help keep the headliner protected from road dirt, etc. When I eventually replace my top (badly needed) I will probably get a boot just to help protect the investment.

Gotta ask, how do you "share" ownership of a car? Does the other guy only get to drive it on rainy days?

He lives a couple blocks away. But what's more important, he has an empty space in his garage!!! We're all full up over hya. I don't think we'll have any problems being able to drive it when we want it. I probably won't drive it much in the rain (and you know how much it rains here) and we'll probably do every other week or weekend in the summer.

Also Dick are the seats lower on a vert than regular bug. It sure seems so compared to my old 1971 superbeetle. It's really fun... like driving around a little sports car. Thanks for all your good info. This is a whole 'nother world for this bus guy.

IFBwax wrote:Also Dick are the seats lower on a vert than regular bug.

Don't know... never owned a non-vert... yet.

IFBwax wrote:This is a whole 'nother world for this bus guy.

... and now you're a father-of-three like me. They're just as needy (if not more) as your human-children.

Brakes are non-assist but you shouldn't need too much leg power to stop. I can't remember but isn't a 79 front disc brakes. If so they just might be really sticky calipers or way too hard pads.

I bought a "boot" as when you drive around with the top down its really ugly plus as Dick says all kinds of crap can hurt the headliner. Its nice to protect it and finishes off. They're about $100 and you put the snaps on. They come in a few different colors too. I got a canvas one and fold it up and store it in a bag and toss it in behind the back seat.

Bleyseng wrote:I can't remember but isn't a 79 front disc brakes.

Nope, all four drums. You can buy aftermarket front disc brake conversions which I did put on my wife's bus but see no reason for them on the Beetle.