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A related artifact from that era, the very popular DIY repair manual: How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat I

A related artifact from that era, the very popular DIY repair manual: How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot by John Muir and Peter Aschwanden. I see it's still in print. This video shows some of the wonderful artwork: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjeth7lhHSk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjeth7lhHSk

NDizzle 11y ago
I had that book and used it extensively. I think I went through three copies of it due to use and me destroying it with my filthy hands. I had a 70.5 baja bug from age 14 until 21. I lived 8 miles from a town of 3,000 in Arkansas, and later moved even further out until it was 16 miles to town. I drove myself, two brothers, and a sister to school in that thing for 4 years. (93-97) Well, I say 4 years, but anyone who has owned an air cooled VW knows how often we had to take the bus. Walking ~2 miles down a dirt road to the highway bus stop isn't much fun. I'd probably do it all over again, too. Specifically because of that air cooled monstrosity I can fix anything, or at least I think I can. Fearless, if you will. I'd do it again for my kids if it wasn't for the fact that there are teenagers driving 400 HP Mustang 5.0s and Ford Excursions can be had used for $5,000. An air cooled VW is a death wish on today's roads.
bch 11y ago
That book is such a masterpiece of technical writing I've recommended it to people who don't even own VWs. It deserves to be recognized in the same discussions as The C Programming Language, Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment, and the 1st ed. of Tcl and the Tk Toolkit.
pistle 11y ago
99.5% necessary accessory for any bug/bus owner. They need non-trivial tuning about every 3k-5k to keep them running well order compared to what we have today. The lifters need adjusting, fuel filter replacement, etc. about as often as most people get an oil change. They don't have A/C. The heat carries with it exhaust stink and is nearly useless anywhere northeast or midwest. They rust easy, are very unsafe by today's standards, hydroplane like mad (though rear-wheel-drive is fun), and the motors on the wipers either creep slowly or sweep slowly. They are light and tall, so they are like sails when you have cross winds. They can barely maintain speed up long ascents... But that book is an amazing piece of craft.
- WalterBright 11y ago
  My dad's VW bus was a challenge to drive in the Midwest in a crosswind. Going in and out of cuts meant the bus would veer from side to side. Had to be very careful not to wind up in oncoming traffic, or in the ditch. I see a lot of nostalgia for those machines, but I was glad to be rid of it. They're noisy, uncomfortable, the heater is a joke, windshield defroster never works, and dangerous.
- oasisbob 11y ago
  Truly amazing craft. If you're 15 - you can use that book + rec.autos.makers.vw.aircooled and drop the engine yourself; replace the clutch yourself; find the distributor drive shaft that was installed backwards and got you the car for $600 in the first place ... At least that's my story. Aircooled VWs are so simple. That book was such a good companion, down to the first part which explains "front is front, up is up, back is back..." complete with a diagram. When upside-down & greasy, knowing exactly what the author means by "reach to the upper left of the engine" is important.
  - pistle 11y ago
    Yeah. My first car was a bug @ 16 and that book was my gateway to greasy wrenching.

NDizzle 11y ago

I had that book and used it extensively. I think I went through three copies of it due to use and me destroying it with my filthy hands. I had a 70.5 baja bug from age 14 until 21. I lived 8 miles from a town of 3,000 in Arkansas, and later moved even further out until it was 16 miles to town. I drove myself, two brothers, and a sister to school in that thing for 4 years. (93-97) Well, I say 4 years, but anyone who has owned an air cooled VW knows how often we had to take the bus. Walking ~2 miles down a dirt road to the highway bus stop isn't much fun. I'd probably do it all over again, too. Specifically because of that air cooled monstrosity I can fix anything, or at least I think I can. Fearless, if you will. I'd do it again for my kids if it wasn't for the fact that there are teenagers driving 400 HP Mustang 5.0s and Ford Excursions can be had used for $5,000. An air cooled VW is a death wish on today's roads.

bch 11y ago

That book is such a masterpiece of technical writing I've recommended it to people who don't even own VWs. It deserves to be recognized in the same discussions as The C Programming Language, Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment, and the 1st ed. of Tcl and the Tk Toolkit.

pistle 11y ago

99.5% necessary accessory for any bug/bus owner. They need non-trivial tuning about every 3k-5k to keep them running well order compared to what we have today. The lifters need adjusting, fuel filter replacement, etc. about as often as most people get an oil change. They don't have A/C. The heat carries with it exhaust stink and is nearly useless anywhere northeast or midwest. They rust easy, are very unsafe by today's standards, hydroplane like mad (though rear-wheel-drive is fun), and the motors on the wipers either creep slowly or sweep slowly. They are light and tall, so they are like sails when you have cross winds. They can barely maintain speed up long ascents... But that book is an amazing piece of craft.

WalterBright 11y ago
My dad's VW bus was a challenge to drive in the Midwest in a crosswind. Going in and out of cuts meant the bus would veer from side to side. Had to be very careful not to wind up in oncoming traffic, or in the ditch. I see a lot of nostalgia for those machines, but I was glad to be rid of it. They're noisy, uncomfortable, the heater is a joke, windshield defroster never works, and dangerous.
oasisbob 11y ago
Truly amazing craft. If you're 15 - you can use that book + rec.autos.makers.vw.aircooled and drop the engine yourself; replace the clutch yourself; find the distributor drive shaft that was installed backwards and got you the car for $600 in the first place ... At least that's my story. Aircooled VWs are so simple. That book was such a good companion, down to the first part which explains "front is front, up is up, back is back..." complete with a diagram. When upside-down & greasy, knowing exactly what the author means by "reach to the upper left of the engine" is important.
- pistle 11y ago
  Yeah. My first car was a bug @ 16 and that book was my gateway to greasy wrenching.