Roll call! Introduce yourself....

[4-eleven]

Hi! I'm new to VW:s but not to old cars, I have had around 25-30 old cars in the range from 1958-1967, since I'm from Sweden it has naturly been mostly Volvo's. (in my world everything produced after 1970 is a new car...
A year-and-a-half ago I needed a car and I needed a cheep small car, a stationvagon would be nice but a small car... I had a automatic search for cheap cars in the range from 65-75 (yeah, I know, -75 is a new car but still according to Norwegian laws its a veteran and therefore cheep insuranse and low road tax) on one of the classifieds sites where I live and one day I got a mail... a new hit... and the moment I saw the ad I was laughing! What an ugly car, ooh... never going to buy that one, I knew about the 4elevens but had forgotten about them or maybe repressed the memory.
But after looking at the pictures and reading trough the ad over and over again I realised it had charm and I'm known for strange cars (among them a roof chopped Volvo 544sport and a Volvo Amazon Hearse) so it got more and more interesting, after a lot of thinking, a couple of phonecalls and a long train ride I was a very proud and happy owner of a 1970 411LE!

So far with my sweet sweet 411, first two weeks I drove it about 3400kilometers... and I love it! I went for a roadtrip home to Sweden (from Sweden - live in Norway) for my brothers wedding and when I parked the car at my bro's after a 1300kilometers nonstop trip my bro said to me smiling 'so... you have a 'communist beige' car... nice'.
Have had a few minor setbacks but nothing serious, speedo-wire broke, hole in the exhaust, japanese abuse to the front end... one day a japanese truck felt like parking his 'towing hook' inside my car..., the ignition system has been a pain in the ass for a while...

I'ts parked in a garage for the winter now, have a few things on my to do list:
-lowering the front end, have'nt decided yet if I'm going for the easy way and just chop the coils or rebuild the whole suspension...
-fixing the ignition (just bought a old 1600/411/914 ignition guide on eBay so I hope that will help),
-get a net set of wheels,
-kill the few rust spots the car have,
-fix the front end after evil evil japanese abuse,
-give it a light customizing,
-new heater boxes (is that mission impossible for a -70?) ,mount the brand new EMPI exhaust system (hope it gives the car a brutal sound!)
-and a loooong list of small things...
Like all car projects, you're never 'done', 'finished', ... there is allways something to do.

The plan is NOT to have a 411 in super mint condition only to be driven on sunny summerdays... no no no, this is (as all of my cars) a daily driver, cars are ment to be driven and not parked in a garage! Does'nt matter if the car is in mint condition or how low mileage it has or... it's a car... you know, car, wheels, steering wheel, accelerator pedal, driving, transport, cruising, ... and by the way, the reason it's parked in a garage is not that I don't want to drive it on the snowy roads, I would love to hook up the studded tires and heat up the Eberspacher and go for a spin with it but here in Norway you have to get it trough a motor-vehicle inspection every 2:nd year and last summer I did not have time to do it... and lack of parts as well... (hmm... I know, bad excuses...)

Have never used my tools on a VW before and defenitly not an old ignitionsystem so I guess I will be needing some help in the future, so I'm looking forward to interesting forum answers...


Regards, your 411/412 friend in Norway.
-Ufo Loef

[vdubs-r-us]

Haven't previously taken the time to introduce myself here - Blaine from Albuquerque - recognize some of your names from TheSamba and the Type 4 Yahoo!Group.

Rather than recite my entire 'VW Pedigree' here, I'll just point you to my web page (see signature block).

Until someone develops a better idea, I've created a Type IV Registry Map at Google Maps:

http://tinyurl.com/3xxvgw

If you'd like to be included, p-mail me your first name, Type IV vehicle stats, and location info at blbachman @ aol.com.

[dubdash_rallye]

Hey man, I tried emailing you the other day and haven't heard back yet...I wanted to see of there was any interest in trying to get as many Type IV's together as we can in OH in Oct as a piggyback to my already existing show, the dubdash rallye.

It's a 6th year event and there's a campout with live bands, food, beer, and live entertainment, and the rallye, show, and swap is the next day.

This years date is Oct 6-7 2007 and more info is here, which will be updated shortly, plus info at the main site forums http://dubdojo.com

http://dubdash.com






Last years pics are here, but I need to get alot more of them up
http://picasaweb.google.com/dubdojo/DubDash5

The car is also up for sale or trade right now and I'm after pretty much anything pre-67 or would consider a pre-77 Rabbit with the rear Swallowtail panel.

Much pics here
http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z139 ... /?start=80

Samba ad here
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... ?id=440024

Cheers!

[vdubs-r-us]

Well-

I've got my sights set on 2008 at this point (the Type 4 40th anniversary) - my 2007 vacation time is pretty much planned out/committed at this point, so there's no way I could make it all the way to Ohio. Still, I'd say that your idea is worth pursuing, at least as a way to get East and Midwest Type 4 owners together.

[Lars S]

Hallo!

My name is Lars, living in Sweden. I have two Type 4's that i take care of: one '70 411 and one '73 412. Both my cars are manual and EFI. I used to drive Type 4 in the 80's and early '90's and have now after a "rest" of 15 years put the 412 into a daily driver. Wow! it is nice to experience old times again!

The forum is of great pleasure to me, to mention one thing the "Brasilia" presentation was wery interesting.


(sorry for the roof..the rest is much better...)

[412s2]

Ok, so I know presently it looks like a shed, but it's mine, it runs great, and the pretty girl who works in the local filling station said "What a cool car! What is it??"

Neil

[vdubs-r-us]

Lars-

I see that your 411 has the side marker lights but the 412 not. Is this the 'standard' european situation? Are the front turn signals considered adequate to provide this side-of-the-vehicle indicator?

[Lars S]

Yes vdubs-r-us, the side marker lights disappered with the 411. No side markers was standard here in Sweden at that time on all cars, there was no law for it, guess it came on the 411 included in some "extra package" as rubber on bumpers etc(?).

But the whole thing is a bit confusing:
-My 412 lacks the side marker lights in the front turn signals (no wire and just a one-pole socket), the side marker lights in the rear turn signals are also missing (factory plugged and no wires).
-The owners manual says that sealed beam cars (wich my is) has the two wire lamps in the front turn signals.
-The owners manual also says that real side marker lights are only for USA equipped cars.
-The Haynes manual shows that the 411US version from Aug -71 has but built in lamps in front and rear turn signals, but no side markers , so US cars should have no real marker lights at their sides?

[vdubs-r-us]

But the whole thing is a bit confusing:
-My 412 lacks the side marker lights in the front turn signals (no wire and just a one-pole socket), the side marker lights in the rear turn signals are also missing (factory plugged and no wires).
-The owners manual says that sealed beam cars (wich my is) has the two wire lamps in the front turn signals.
-The owners manual also says that real side marker lights are only for USA equipped cars.
-The Haynes manual shows that the 411US version from Aug -71 has but built in lamps in front and rear turn signals, but no side markers , so US cars should have no real marker lights at their sides?

You're on the right track. US-delivered 411s had a longer front turn signal - the lens wrapped around the side further - with a side-visible reflector and a small bulb behind. Of course the main bulbs were dual filament, one for the 'parking' light and one for the turn signal. And there were no 'teardrop' repeaters at the rear of the front fender on the US cars - of course this is the first thing a "Euro-nut" like myself adds to the car!

At the rear, the US cars had red turn signals and the wrap-around portion of the lens housed again a side-viewable reflector and a marker light bulb.

[vdubs-r-us]

But the whole thing is a bit confusing:
-My 412 lacks the side marker lights in the front turn signals (no wire and just a one-pole socket), the side marker lights in the rear turn signals are also missing (factory plugged and no wires).
-The owners manual says that sealed beam cars (wich my is) has the two wire lamps in the front turn signals.
-The owners manual also says that real side marker lights are only for USA equipped cars.
-The Haynes manual shows that the 411US version from Aug -71 has but built in lamps in front and rear turn signals, but no side markers , so US cars should have no real marker lights at their sides?

You're on the right track. US-delivered 411s had a longer front turn signal - the lens wrapped around the side further - with a side-visible reflector and a small bulb behind. Of course the main bulbs were dual filament, one for the 'parking' light and one for the turn signal. And there were no 'teardrop' repeaters at the rear of the front fender on the US cars - of course this is the first thing a "Euro-nut" like myself adds to the car!

At the rear, the US cars had red turn signals and the wrap-around portion of the lens housed again a side-viewable reflector and a marker light bulb.

[tuna]

Guys, I don't want to sound abrupt, but let's move the discussion to another thread. The intent of this thread to allow us to introduce new members and to get familiar with each other. If you have questions for each other, start another thread and keep this thread how it was intended. Thanks!!!

Tuna

[vdubs-r-us]

Good Call!

[411NUT]

Hello, friends of the Type4!

My wife and I entered the rarified (but cool) air of the 411 world when she 'bought' a 1971 411LE from a neighbor for $300, circa 1988 in Montebello, CA. She was just visiting from New Zealand and needed some wheels for a few months before going back to Godzone.

She found a Kiwi ex-pat mechanic who administered some 1st Aid and got the car rolling.

The car then sat in a garage for the better part of 8 years and entrenched itself firmly in the same spot.

When we returned from NZ, the car was immovable - until a friend-of-the-family (La Razza) mechanic restored it to life (miraculously).

It was driven occasionally for the next 10 years but mostly just moved from one side of the street to the other. It became sort of a hobby to find odds and ends that were broken and it passed through several hands (foreign car repair shops) now and then to keep it moving. A passenger side sun visor and sun visor clips were big finds.

A few months ago, the battery (then about 5 years old) gave up the spirit and moving the car from one side of the street to the other became impossible. To avoid getting towed away, a new battery was installed by a AAA guy, who had a bit of a problem finding it. The lever to release the front seat no longer worked and some manual labor was required to get the seat up (and later back down!). As soon as our jewel sprung back to life, a big puddle of gas spread under the car, turning it into an incendiary bomb for all practical purposes. Back to AAA to tow it into a repair shop. Fuel line replaced and some clamps tightened and away we go, right!? Not so fast, says the mechanic! The steering was as wobbly as a bowl of jelly as soon as 15mph approached and the jewel imitated a low rider, jumping for joy. The repair estimate was $1500 and we said 'Auf Wiedersehen' and limped back home at 5mph or so.

The jewel is now back in its familiar spot on the street and will soon move to its other familiar spot on the other side of the street - waiting for Godot (or a good mechanic who loves jewels!)

Picture coming!

[bobkat]

Hey there
Just like to pipe up about the amazing discovery i found last year in my 71 411LE daily driver...

Now after 17 years of bug ownership i don't think i'll ever own another due to me being totally blown away by this amazing machine...

At first i was mocked severely but now i seem to be getting nod of appreciation from even the biggest of haters!!!

What a car!!!

Cheers

Bob Hemms

[dogguira]

I just got a 1973 412 yesterday. I traded a Buick I had quit driving years ago for it. I'm going to have to tinker a bit to get it on the road even though the engine will fire up. I need to replace or fix the master clutch.