[881] More Daydreaming About Beetles

I've been doing some daydreaming yet again about stuff I would do to customize a Volkswagen Beetle. This would be done after I do the basic that needs to be done should I manage to purchase a Bug. So here they are in order of priority, with explanations.

1. Modern 3-pt seat belts for the front and rear seats including middle. Old bugs used to have shoulder belts for the front and none for the rear. I'd really appreciate it if you could mount 3-pt seat belts everywhere. Plus our 20021 Rav4 has a ceiling mounted seat belt that you can pull down should you have someone sitting on the middle part of the rear set. It'll take lots of custom fabrication and upholstery work but this is something I seriously want to have in a really old car.
2. Dash cam and rear cam mounts. Again, custom fabrication for cameras, but again also very useful for safety purposes. I've seen some relatively cheap dash cams that are integrated into bigger and newer rear view mirrors. If those are reliable and easy to install then that would be my go-to option.
3. New in car entertainment system. It doesn't have to be those giant, 2-DIN LED infotainment systems. I would appreciate bluetooth connectivity and USB connectors. Also good quality speakers, a decent subwoofer, and tweeters.
4. Pop out rear passenger windows. To improve interior ventilation because I am not considering adding an air-conditioner. A swamp cooler could also be an option after finding out there is a local shop that still builds them for Beetles.
5. LED headlights and bumper mounted fog lamps. That youtube link I have above is basically what I would also want my Beetle to look like on the outside. fog lamps, roof rack, pop out windows. Nice peg. The LED headlights are something I've always wanted ever since I found out they would fit in Beetles (and Suzuki Samurais). They would improve visibility because of the daytime running lights option and the (hopefully) brighter beams at night.
6. LED bulbs for all lights. Brake lights, turn signals, cabin lights, plate number lights, if there's an LED bulb option for them I would love to replace the older bulbs. Probably use up less power too.
7. Third brake light OR rear LED chase light bar. This would help taller SUVs and buses be aware that there's a car in front of them. I'd prefer the LED chase light bar so that additional turn signal indicators would also be on it.
8. Roof rack with cargo basket. I'm aiming for the classic looking roof rack, but I would also love to have a provision for a roof mounted bike rack.
9. Custom front and rear seats for better comfort and support, easier to remove and fold down, and also so it can fit seat belt sockets.
10. Custom rims that looks like Fuchs or RS Watanabe rims. Color to be determined with whatever Beetle color I get.
11. 240Z style fender mounted bullet side mirrors. This is debatable, and will only be used if the Beetle a) looks good with it on the hood; and b) if the side mirrors actually do a good job of showing me what's behind. If it's just for looks, like those hot rod peep side mirrors, it will be a hard pass.
12. Tow hooks with proper labels and warnings. Beetles are rear-wheel driven cars. If it (knocks on wood) suddenly gets towed while I'm not there and they tow it like modern front-wheel drive cars I'm pretty sure they won't pay for the damage they'll do to that car.
13. Rear windshield wiper. I've never seen this done, I'm curious if it can be done. It would help so much with rear visibility.
14. Rear window spoiler and front bumper spoiler. They supposedly help with aerodynamics and fuel efficiency so why not.
15. Carbon fiber or fiberglass front and rear decklid. To reduce weight a bit. I don't plan on doing an engine swap or going twin-carbs. I just want a decent, reliable engine so I can cruise around. Adding all of the stuff I wrote here will add more weight to the car but they are things I honestly think I need for the Bug, so any weight savings would be great.

And there you have it. Another filler blog just so I can do more than one post a month. Mods I would do to a Beetle if I ever owned one. That youtube link above features a really great Beetle and I honestly am both jealous and happy for the owner at the same time.

Out.

[863] Bug Build

A few days ago, last December 9, 2020 to be precise, I accompanied my folks to some errands at the bank. It's been a little over a month or so since I last went out, when my daughter had to get anti-rabies shots because her skin had been deeply scratched by our new puppy's teeth. That's another story.

Anyway as I was waiting in the car for my folks to finish I decided to make a list of how I'd build a Beetle. It was a pretty general list, but I listed down in order of priority the stuff I would love to have done on the Beetle. Here is that list, that I've modified yet again.

Get the Beetle itself, preferably a Super Beetle. Why a Super Beetle? It handles and rides better and is supposedly more stable than standard Beetles. There's no "death wobble." While a Super Beetle may not be as collectible as standard, pre-1967 Beetles, I also can't afford those older models. I'm also guessing pretty soon these Super Beetles will also become more collectible as more of them are lost to disrepair.

Engine maintenance. Make sure the engine runs well, doesn't leak oil, is reliable, and is not a fire hazard. I'd also move the fuel filter somewhere safer, based on stuff I've been reading on VW forums.

Front disk brake upgrade. This will always be my first modification. Safety always comes first and upgrading at least the front brakes to disk brakes will improve the stopping power a lot. I'm not talking about just any front brake system either. I'll be using the recommended brake upgrade kits for Super Beetles. I'd read you could use Porsche brake systems for Beetles (here's another link about Porsche brakes on Beetles) but I'm not sure if that is needed for the kind of engine I'm planning, which will most probably be bone stock.

Upgraded wiring harness. I've written about it once, and I'll keep on writing about it. Upgrading the wiring harness to more modern equipment will make it safer and easier to maintain in the long run. Plus if that Beetle still has the original harness the wiring might be old and brittle, or if it's been modified to hell it might not be safe depending on whoever did the wiring.

Rear disk brake upgrade. This isn't as important as the front but would be a welcome upgrade as well.

Upgrade to alternator and 12v battery if needed. I'm not sure if Super Beetles still used generators and 6V batteries but modernizing it would make finding parts for repairs easier.

Body repair, repaint, improvements, and modifications. Make sure the car is rust free and has no dents and dings. Straighten any bends and make sure the chassis is fine. My peg for the colors would be the Salzburg Rally Beetle: silver body, black front and rear decklid. For modifications I would remove the outside chrome trim. Upgrade the doorknobs and the front and rear decklid handles. This is the stage where I would install pop-out windows for the rear passengers. Definitely add heat and noise insulation for the interior, as well as a custom-built rear luggage space.

Install Memminger ABS. Another modern improvement I'd want for safety purposes. I've read on forums about this ABS system being installed, I just need a good mechanic who knows his or her stuff to install this.

Engine rebuild and mods. This is different from making the engine reliable. This is where we overhaul the engine and improve some components to make the engine more reliable and hopefully more powerful. Stuff like an improved crankshaft pulley, oil cooler, and whatever else would be a practical and affordable upgrade for the engine to last longer and maybe improve fuel consumption. Maybe a carburetor or air cleaner upgrade but not dual carbs. Yet.

Customization. This is where the dream goes sort of wild. I'll be "rambling" in the following paragraphs.

New front and rear seats, definitely with headrests. It would be nice if the rear seats were 60/40 fold forward for easier access to the luggage space. Three-point seatbelts for both front seats, as well as two or three seatbelts for the rear seats. Honestly I would like it if a horizontal bar could be safely and securely placed behind the rear seats so I could have three four-point harnesses installed for the rear passengers.

For the interior I would install new dome lights with LED bulbs. If I remember right there were lights above both doors, but I'd rather have the lights moved to the center above the rear view mirror for the driver and front passenger, and maybe another light in the back for the rear passengers and to illuminate the rear luggage space. I would also want to install a racing steering wheel, if not the Momo Prototipo then the Sabelt SW-465.

Aesthetics. I'm a big fan of the stuff Vintage Speed Taiwan is selling. It's pricey but I've read great things about them. I really like any variant of their Black Mamba sport shifters, their roof racks, and their custom door pullers.

New pedals. Honestly I would prefer a racing pedal box since I'm totally daydreaming. If I can't have that then just new pedals.

As for the dashboard, I'd rather remove the padding if it was really ugly and beyond the state of repair. I would install a speedometer/tachometer combo gauge as well as a volt meter, a fuel gauge, an oil pressure gauge, and an oil temp gauge. Standard stuff I think I would need to make sure the Beetle is running well.

The sound system is something I haven't discussed yet, and I'm not really sure what I want. I was thinking of getting those Bluetooth rechargeable speakers and just having a custom made attachment on somewhere for it, but the quality and volume might not be good. So I'd like to have a decent basic sound system set up with (gasp!) a decent 1-DIN modern stereo system with Bluetooth and auxiliary USB. I may be a fan of those retro looking modern stereo systems but they're just too expensive. Maybe a smallish subwoofer to be placed in the rear luggage area as well as some decent mid-range speakers.

Exterior mods. I'm talking about rims. I still have a thing for RS Watanabe style rims, but I'm also starting to grow fond of the Fuchs Porsche rims for the Beetle. Additional front fog lamps mounted on the bumper, and a rear LED chase light bar to act as not only the third brake light, but additional turn and reverse lights. A Thule roof rack with their roof basket (I know I wrote I was a fan of the Vintage Speed Taiwan roof rack but the it's either that or Thule). Headlight eyebrows.

Yeah this blog is pretty long already. Basically made a link dump for this. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to at least achieve my dream of owning a classic Beetle. We shall see.

Out.

[833] Beetle Plans and Kobe Bryant

Before anything else...

I always check my phone when I wake up. After being woken up by my alarm around 4:10am I checked my phone and was surprised to read about Kobe Bryant's untimely death. It was surprising and shocking news, and I had to confirm via google before believing it. Rest in peace to everyone who passed away in the tragic helicopter crash, including Kobe Bryant and his 13-year old daughter Gianna.

Now onward to what I was planning to write about. Another Beetle post.

I've posted before and the more I read online about the Beetle the more I flesh out what things I would do to the Beetle to make it a bit more roadworthy and safer for the modern times.

As always in the event I get to own a Beetle the very first things I would do would be to ensure it's roadworthiness, reliability, and safety. Just make sure everything is running as great as it can. No problems with the engine, brakes, transmission, suspension, and electrical system. Then make sure there are seat belts for at least the driver and front passenger. And make sure the wipers are working and the wiper blades are new.

Once those are done the next step would be to check the entire car for rust. Fix or replace whatever areas are rusted out and make sure to rust-proof everything else.

Those two steps alone would most likely be very costly in terms of expenses but that would just be the most basics things I would need to make the Beetle a reliable daily driver.

Then comes the fun part, the modifications. These are the mods I would do in order.

First off would be upgrading some engine components, like more efficient distributor caps, spark plugs, and upgrading the generator to an alternator. Also from what I've been reading, I'd move the fuel filter from the engine to somewhere nearer the fuel tank.

Brakes are also an important upgrade I would want. Ideally it would be great to upgrade all wheels to disk brakes, but of course even just upgrading the front would be okay. This is one area that I will not accept frankenstein upgrades. Brakes are there to stop the car, and something I'd be more than willing to spend on.

Apparently there are companies that sell wiring harness updates. They use the more modern tech for the electrical system. This includes more modern fuses and the option to upgrade lighting to LEDs as well as using an alternator instead of a generator.

I'd also upgrade the Beetle's carburetor. None of that twin-carb stuff because that would be too complicated. A simple single-carb dual barrel upgrade would be more than enough.

I'd also upgrade the Beetle's lighting. Adding a roof mounted rear facing LED light bar to serve as both a third brake light and additional turn and reverse lights as well. Aside from that I would most likely mount a pair of fog lamps on the front bumper for added illumination when I need it at night. If it's possible I would also upgrade whatever lighting bulbs can be replaced with LED ones, not limited to brake lights, turn signals, and interior lights. Headlight is also a possibility since I've been reading that some 7-inch round headlights meant for the Jeep Wrangler can also fit in a Beetle.

Speaking of bumpers, I'd also switch out the front and rear bumpers with custom tube bumpers in matte black. Give the Beetle a bit of an off-road look as well as hopefully have a sturdier bumper just in case. Since we're in the topic of tube bumpers, I'd also replace the step bars with Baja side bars just to have a consistent look.

I'd also have a Kamei front spoiler mounted to help with stability and fuel efficiency (supposedly). I have no idea how fast I'll be driving this theoretical Beetle but you bet I'd want it to be stable at highway speeds, even if I'll probably be maxing it at 80 to 90 kph.

A roof rack would also be a priority since storage is a bit of a premium inside a Beetle. It doesn't have to be period correct, and in fact I wouldn't mind if it was a custom tube-frame roof rack. I would just want the roof rack to be durable, light-weight, and not cause too much aerodynamic drag. I'd also get a few securing straps, chains, and padlocks to keep the stuff on the roof rack secure and safe.

As for the interior, where do I begin? I'd love to have a Sabelt semi-deep dish steering wheel. I'd probably replace the stock pedals with a racing pedal box, not because race car, but because I'd want something a bit more modern. I'd also get a sport shifter to improve the interior look.

For the seats I'd just upgrade all seats to have headrests. This is a very crucial safety addition in case of accidents since headrests help prevent whiplash. I think.

There are other upgrades I'd want to install but I need to research them some more, like oil coolers and air-conditioning units.

Of course before all of this happens I'd need to own a Beetle first. At least I have a plan already. I just need the funds and the car.

Out.

[831] The Super Beetle

I've always wanted a classic Beetle, no matter how impractical it is. And I did concede a few posts ago that it is more practical to own a more modern car. That doesn't mean I still don't pine for a Beetle.

I've been reading a lot about the Super Beetle lately. While it doesn't have as much value as classic, pre-1970s Beetles there are some advantages to owning a Super Beetle over the Beetle. Handling and safety were supposedly two of them. Because the Super Beetle used MacPherson struts the handling and turning radius were supposedly better. I think it also made it more stable in faster speeds, if you could ever achieve that.

Youtube has helped fuel my Beetle fire. I've seen Super Beetles become autocross machines, or Baja Bugs, despite it supposedly not being a great Baja Bug candidate.

As for me, all I want is a simple, reliable, modernized Beetle. Front brakes should be upgraded to disks, maybe a two barrel single carburetor for the engine, electricals upgraded. Replace the generator with an alternator and change the voltage to the more commonly used voltage for cars, I honestly can't remember if it was 12V from 6V or the other way around.

Aesthetic mods would most likely be a replica Kamei front splitter, a roof rack, and KC rear LED chase light bar to act as a third brake light and secondary turn signals. While we're on the topic of LEDS, maybe upgrade all possible bulbs to LEDs. Maybe even replace the entire headlights with newer, angel eye LEDs.

For rims I'd probably go from 15" rims to 16" rims, slightly wider if possible. Ideally have a full sized spare so in case one of the tires gets flat I can still put the flat tire in the wheel well.

For the paint I keep changing my mind, I used to like the color scheme of the Salzburg Rally Beetle. Then it became satin black. Or plain white so it doesn't heat up during the summer. Or the classic apple green color of the Beetle my Dad used to own. Two-tone could also work, maybe satin dark blue and white. Or a Bumblebee / Beetle GSR inspired yellow and black.

Would I place an airconditioner in the car? Maybe not. The stock engine (that you bet I'll keep as stock as possible) isn't powerful enough to handle moving the car and running an A/C. I'd try to do some slight engine mods to make it perform better. Like a dual barrel single carb Weber. Maybe improved exhaust. And an oil cooler.

Buying a Beetle and applying the mods I have in mind for it isn't practical. I might be able to find a near stock Honda Jazz or Toyota Yaris for the price of whatever I had in mind for the Beetle.

A man can dream, though.

Out.

[829] My Possibly Attainable Dream Car

I'm writing this blog post on my 10th wedding anniversary. I've been thinking about cars (again) for the past few days. As much as it pains me to say it, the classic Volkswagen Beetle (Super Beetle or regular Beetle) isn't the best attainable dream car for my family and I here in the Philippines. Moving forward let's just call it the Beetle, since currently I have no desire to own the newer model.

Quick aside, have you seen the farewell video VW did for the Beetle? Watching it always makes me misty-eyed. I'm very thankful that I was able to ride one when my dad had one when I was still a young boy. I just regret disliking the car at the time since it was old and did not had air-conditioning.

Anyway, the Beetle is still top three in my attainable dream cars. As well as the Suzuki Jimny, whether it is the older or latest models. The second generation Honda Jazz is now my top possibly attainable dream car.

Here are the reasons why the Jazz is my top possibly attainable dream car.

1. Safety. The Honda Jazz has disc brakes, anti-lock brakes, airbags, and possibly seat belts for the passengers in the rear seats (though I'm not too sure about this). A totally stock Beetle has drum brakes everywhere, no ABS, and the seat belts are only for the driver and passenger in the front. Not to mention no air bags and no driver aids. It will teach me to be a better driver, though, but for daily driving it's not that great an idea.
2. Air Conditioning. Sure you can add that to a Beetle, but it will greatly affect engine performance for a relatively low HP engine. You don't want to draw power to the engines, plus since the Beetle is air-cooled chances of overheating could increase. The Jazz already has a modern air-conditioning system that is more than enough to cool the car without affecting engine performance that much.
3. Automatic transmission. I have no idea if there are any existing autostick Beetles here in the Philippines, and I'm guessing if there are any repairing any problems with it will be a major headache. The Jazz has an automatic transmission, and I'm guessing if it's the CVT it doesn't have the headaches associated with the gen 1 Jazz CVT transmission. Yes, I'm a lazy driver. I have no desire to drive around in traffic with a manual transmission. I'd rather have an automatic so I don't have to worry about so many things.
4. Space. Let's face the facts, the Honda Jazz is bigger than the Beetle and it's more spacious for both passengers and luggage. Obviously having four doors is also a big benefit.
5. Performance. The Jazz will obviously have more power, better handling, and better ride quality than the Beetle. We don't even have to discuss this this much.

So there you have it. I still want to own a Beetle. Why? Because I want a car I can work on myself. And restomod. And learn how to drive. Those things are basically gone with modern cars. But the benefits of the modern car outweigh whatever reasons I have for wanting to own a Beetle, specially with my current status in life. But hey, I can always buy a console and buy one of the racing games that has a Beetle so I can drive one digitally, right?

Out.

[786] It Always Comes Back to a Beetle

I find it funny that among all the cars I've ever liked, all the dream cars that I've ever (and will ever) have, it always comes back to the classic Volkswagen Beetle.

Right now my top three dream cars (in order) are 1. any classic Volkswagen Beetle; 2. the Ford GT40 Mk 1 or Mr 2; and 3. Audi RS4 Avant, either B5 or B7. Special mention to the 2019 Suzuki Jimny and the Land Rover Defender 90.

But it always comes back to the Beetle.

It's a dying breed, hard to find a well-cared for Beetle here in the Philippines. If there were well maintained Beetles around, they are being sold for a pretty penny. That's not really an issue for me since I have plans to retro-mod the Beetle.

I could probably afford to buy one, but in terms of reliability and safety I won't be too sure of that. Neither will I be sure how rust-free it is or how well it was maintained.

Most of the car related videos I search for in youtube are about the Beetle. Second would be the Suzuki Samurai since my dad and I have been planning on fixing up his Samurai, but that's a different story for some other time.

Out.

[765] Not Another Car Post

It has been a while since I last posted about cars. Well, here we go again. Time to post the top three cars I would like to own, right now, here in the Philippines. In order.

1. Honda Jazz, 1st or 2nd generation (GD or GE), 1.5L engine, automatic transmission. This is the most practical car of the three and the one I would really love to own right now. Why 1st or 2nd generation? It's small enough, it still has that amazing interior that can accomodate almost any kind of cargo provided it can fit in the car, and honestly I've checked prices of 2nd hand units and they are pretty affordable.
2. Volkswagen Beetle Classic. I know someone who recently sold his Beetle for around PhP40,000.00 and I was half disappointed I didn't know about it. There are many problems with owning a classic Beetle including maintanance, parts, and the typical lack of airconditioning.
3. BMW E30 or E34, 4-door or station wagon. For BMW purists, I would specifically prefer a 320i / 520i or higher for either the sedan or touring versions. Ever since I met a few car guys who were BMW fans I became a fan as well. Why the older models? Because I honestly think they look the best.

So there you have it. The top three cars I would like to own. If ever I do get to own a car, any car, my first priority would be making sure the car is reliable and in good condition to be daily driven. That includes making sure brake pads, discs, and drums are not worn out. The engine should have no leaks and it should be running well. The suspension should be in good condition. There should be no electrical problems. Once those are done then the next thing I would focus on would be to make sure there are no rust spots anywhere. If there are, I would make sure to have them fixed.

Once all those above are done, then and only then would I start modifying the car. But that's for another blog post some other day.

Out.

The Classic Volkswagen Beetle

No matter how many dream cars I write about, in the end everything always, always ends up right back to the classic Volkswagen Beetle.

It could be because it would be the most affordable and the easiest to obtain. Parts might be hard to come by, but with the number of automotive surplus stores in the Metro Manila area, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to find the right parts.

But why the Beetle? Considering I hated it as a child, I don't know either. Maybe it's a symbol of how I should live my life. How can I see this? Let's just say I guess it's about the destination. It's about having a blast getting to where you want to go and enjoying the trip.

I don't know how true that applies now, but whenever I dream of going on long road trips around Luzon I always imagine it being done inside a classic Beetle (converted to a Baja Bug, but still). Cruising along at a decent pace, where you can still enjoy the scenery as you go by. I guess this is as romantic as I can get.

Out.