File037

Re-indexing “Lowering” VW Beetle

The previous owner had raised the rear of the beetle for 31″ tires. At first I thought maybe there was something rusted together, because it was so stiff. Now, I know that they just didn’t know what they were doing. There are tons of VW Beetle service manuals that tell you how to lower/raise the rear end. I found 4 videos on YouTube that provided me with enough info to get the job done and only took about an hour (not including the time to remove rusted/broken bolts!).

Here is the video link:

Trying to remove broken, rusted bolts

The new old VW fenders for the Beetle

My project didn’t come with rear fenders and I think I have spent the last 3 months trying to find some locally. I couldn’t even find crappy ones. But all that changed yesterday as a guy going to school at Iowa State had some left over parts from a build. But for $20.00 and I got some used, good condition rear fenders for the VW bug. So, I immediately got them home and cut them up into bits. Hindsight, I might have trimmed them a bit short, but I wanted to clear a nasty dent on one of them… and I didn’t want them to extend too far back from where the body had been cut. I’m sure the local police will let me know if I don’t meet the street legal requirements.

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Buying locally

I give every effort to purchase locally. We are a small town of about 1500 people (census 2000). And we are about an hour from what I consider the “big city.” So, it makes sense to buy locally vs drive time and gas just to save a buck.

But… I am already boycotting one of the two auto parts stores in town, mainly due to the owners attitude after I wanted to return a fan belt for a Jeep I had. My Jeep had an aftermarket AC unit so the stock belt didn’t fit. So I returned it. He gave me grief because I waited a day before returning it. Then harped even more after he realized I paid with my debit card (I understand he probably got charged a fee, but from my knowledge he should get it returned from the bank). So, there’s one business I refuse to do business with. But still I try.

So, anyway I got to the local farm store (which is part of a larger chain). *cough*Orscheln*cough* And I needed to get some bolts for the rear swing arm of the Bug. So I grabbed some lock washers, flat washers and nuts on the bolts, and threw 6 sets of them in the little nuts/bolts plastic bag (2 washers and a nut on each bolt). At checkout the lady rudely told me that the lock washers are not the same price and that “you almost got away with it” because I had washers and nut on the bolts. Even though the nearest sign to the lock washers was $1.79. So, as I was leaving the difference in price if she would have charged them all the same was 9 cents.

How does that ballgame heckler chant go… oh yeah, Nuts and bolts, we got screwed!