Jonn prepared the gearbox of our 1975 Volkswagen Beetle 1303 for refitting. A new thrust bearing was installed, and the input shaft was lubricated. The gearbox was lifted into position, with new mounts fitted and secured. The starter and wiring were refitted, along with the reverse light wiring. Driveshafts were secured before moving the engine into position. The car was lowered, and with Big John’s assistance, the engine was fitted.
Upon attempting to fit the engine, it would not fully engage with the gearbox. The engine was removed for inspection, revealing that the new engine mount studs were too long and fouling the flywheel. All four studs were ground down to the correct length. While the engine was out, preparation work was carried out to address small holes in the offside rear of the engine bay. A plate was fabricated and welded in place, followed by seam sealing and painting black once dry. The area was tidied and blown off before refitting the engine, which then sat correctly. The engine was secured, and connections began, including the installation of heat exchange ducting. The fuel pipe was fitted and secured, with various items cable-tied to tidy the bay. The gear linkage was reconnected, and the car was raised for an oil drain.
The oil strainer plate was removed and cleaned. The gearbox was filled with oil, and the gaskets from the strainer and plate were saved. The plate and strainer were cleaned, resealed, and refitted, with the bung torqued correctly. The engine was filled with oil and briefly run, followed by an oil level recheck.
An investigation into non-functioning reverse lights revealed that power was reaching the lights when tested with a power probe. However, the wiring was found to be incorrectly connected to the starter solenoid. The wiring was rerouted to the engine coil-positive terminal, tested, and confirmed to be functioning correctly.
Jonn gave our Beetle one final check before road testing it. He then cleaned the clutch cable threads and butterfly nut adjuster. He also adjusted the clutch, started the car, tested it and found it to be functioning correctly. After some further testing, he refitted the plate to the gearbox tunnel inside the car and refitted the rear seat.
Jonn then inflated the tyres and torqued the wheels.
