A Ratto-inspired question!

[Neil Davies]

Been reading a few of Jim's posts, especially the "Fixing Little Things" thread, and combined with driving my bug home in the pouring rain last night, and scraping the frost off it this morning, I though I'd ask this question: what modern equipment do you wish your Cal Looker had? It doesn't count if the car had it as standard but it's now broken, but if it's a genuine improvement, it goes on the list!

I'll start - purely based on yesterdays drive home I'd like heated front and rear screens, proper heating and demisters (maybe fed off an oil cooler rather than heater boxes on the exhaust - I binned those 13 years ago!), and 2 speed and intermittent wipers!

I've often wondered about fitting electric windows but keeping the standard winder handles operating rotary switches, but the mechanisms are damned heavy!

[Joe_G]

Heated front screen!!!

http://www.vwheritage.com/vwh/Beetle-Parts/Body/Glass/?srchPart=111%2D845%2D101%2FD%2FHEAT

[benssp]

forget the heater, buy one of these

   A SELK BAG

[Zach Gomulka]

I'd rather drive my GTV over my To#¤ta Tundra any day. The heater works faster and hotter, it rides better, gets better mileage, handles better, and its just plain cool 

[Jim Ratto]

aww jeez....you guys,
 

I thought I would open this and see some question about strippers or sheep or something like that.

Nice topic. I have been threatening for years to install a factory defrost rear window in my '67.
some of my friends think I am nuts....oh well. When the headliner gets done, I'll do it.

see ya guys,
Jim

[Zach Gomulka]

Rear defrost was standard equiptment for deluxe exports starting in '69. My GTV is a standard (not deluxe) so it didnt get the rear defrost. I like the look of a clean rear window personally 

[Jim Ratto]

Rear defrost was standard equiptment for deluxe exports starting in '69. My GTV is a standard (not deluxe) so it didnt get the rear defrost. I like the look of a clean rear window personally 

I like being able to see.

[Diederick/DVK]

I don't like the looks of a defrost rear window, but hey it's pretty cool and functional.

p.s. jim, it doesn't get THAT cold in california, right? 

[sheep]

I don't like the looks of a defrost rear window, but hey it's pretty cool and functional.

p.s. jim, it doesn't get THAT cold in california, right? 

No it doesnt Jim is just a wuss

[louisb]

AC for those 105+ deg days in the summer. The new compressors only take about 1hp. But hanging on off a hot 2 liter with IDAs just doesn't look right. Oh, and real variable speed windshield wipers. (As opposed to the two speeds of slow and slower.)

One thing I saw recently, I think on the new viper, is a 2 piece camshaft that allows for advancing and retarding the intake and exhaust separately in real time. The intake "shaft" is a hollow tube which surrounds the exhaust shaft. Using a gear the two can be advanced or retarded independently. Wonder if it would work on a vw. 

--louis

[nicolas]

a standard 5 speed 

or dare i say a 6 speed 

besides the aircirculation in the car, the type3 is pretty perfect to drive 

[Bewitched666]

Am there with you Neil

[Donny B.]

When is someone going to make a sequential six speed?

[stealth67vw]

When is someone going to make a sequential six speed?

I'll get right on it. 

[Jim Ratto]

I would like a little quicker geared-steering.

And I would love a fan housing that encompassed intake manifolds within it to keept them cooler.

[Zach Gomulka]

a standard 5 speed 

or dare i say a 6 speed 

besides the aircirculation in the car, the type3 is pretty perfect to drive 

Ahh yes. The GTV would love a 5 box. Something along the lines of 4.12, 3.78, 2.21, 1.44, 1.04, .82

Dear Santa....

[Neil Davies]

Some nice answers here, one I thought of last night on the way back from work was that self-adjusters on the drum brakes would be so useful, especially on a 5-lug car with non-stock wheels! Guess what job I hate doing that I can't put off any longer...

[Jon]

I would like, a engine case machined so I can use the Waterboxer fittment of the flywheel, no big deal, but anyway.
I would like it to take rollercams, and have squirers for the undeside of the pistons.
And a totally new design for gearboxes built by ZF with six speed. 

[alex d]

rack & pinion steering, I just hate play in the steering!

[stealth67vw]

With all this damn rain here in the Pacific Northwest, I wish my 67 came with intermittent windshield wipers. I drive it every single day and when it rains lightly I have to drive with one hand on the wheel and the other on the wiper switch. It gets pretty damn annoying!

[Jon]

With all this damn rain here in the Pacific Northwest, I wish my 67 came with intermittent windshield wipers. I drive it single everyday and when it rains lightly I have to drive with one hand on the wheel and the other on the wiper switch. It gets pretty damn annoying!

On the newer Volkswagens around 99, I have been told that the intermittent function is just a relay, maybe some DIY can fix it?

[Zach Gomulka]

Some nice answers here, one I thought of last night on the way back from work was that self-adjusters on the drum brakes would be so useful, especially on a 5-lug car with non-stock wheels! Guess what job I hate doing that I can't put off any longer...

Precisely why Ive got 4 wheel discs!!

[Donny B.]

Bill May told me a solution for intermittent wipers.  He said that he connects a Rabbit wiper relay to the slow speed of the wiper wiring and then that is the intermittent speed and he still has high speed when he needs it.  I never tried it as we don't get too much rain in Arizona.

[Jim Ratto]

if this helps the VW part number is 1HM 955 531

and they're cheap
if you buy from the "right" source
 

[stealth67vw]

if this helps the VW part number is 1HM 955 531

and they're cheap
if you buy from the "right" source
 

The right source, as in my contacts list from yahoo?

[Jim Ratto]

if this helps the VW part number is 1HM 955 531

and they're cheap
if you buy from the "right" source
 

The right source, as in my contacts list from yahoo?

 

[ApeLatex]

I wish there was a way to um...have heat and defrost without my heather core which is currently bypassed. I've only done 1 other heather core on a car and that was when I was wrenching. It was on an Audi Fox. Let me tell you something. I stayed at work till 11pm that night to finish it. Total nightmare. I really just dread spending 10 hours out of my life removing the entire dash on my car to get to this chingadero part.

And to turn the question the other way I wish my car did NOT have power windows. I really don't like it and with a car that has enough electrical issues being able to roll down the window should be that taxing.

[Sam K]

I wish every car that I own had heated seats. I would also like to figure out way to hook up an electric windshield squirter pump that used the stock button in the middle of the wiper switch. I bet I could figure something out if devoted a little time to it.

[Zach Gomulka]

I would also like to figure out way to hook up an electric windshield squirter pump that used the stock button in the middle of the wiper switch. I bet I could figure something out if devoted a little time to it.

I just picked up a Mexican Beetle washer resivoir/pump for the GTV since I lost the factory spare tire resivoir when I put a matching Sprint Star spare wheel in. Its a nice all in one unit that screws on to one of the drivers side fender bolts. It might be tricky to get it to work with the factory button, but anything is possible I suppose

[Rennsurfer]

When is someone going to make a sequential six speed?

NOW we're talkin'! Two thumbs up on that one. Said kit would also have to include a four wheel disc conversion, as well. Because when you add the GO, ya gotta add the WHOA.