"Sorting out" of a new Beck

Ive heard lots of chatter in person and on boards about "sorting out" a newly delivered car. What are the main things that need to be taken care of after a new delivery? Can those with experience start a running list....

thanks, Scott

Hi! My list would include: clutch cable stretching and breaking, blinkers intermittently not working, shifter handle rubber boot split, leaking around gas tank hole and that floppy rubber boot thing. I think my mechanic put on a different kind of fuel filter too as the other ones were cheap. v

Going through the entire car tightening/torquing every nut, bolt and screw...Checking tolerances on door, hood and rear deck latches...Balancing tires/wheels...Lubricating everything that moves...Locating and stopping various oil and fluid leaks...Tuning (spark plug gap, valve adjustment, timing, carb adj, etc.) after run-in...Clutch adjustment after run-in...Shifter adjustment...Brake adjustment/balance after run-in.

Some people view this as a pain, others as a part of the "joy of ownership" related to owing a primitive sports car...Depends on (1) Whether it bothers you to get your hands dirty, (2) When something breaks (See Vicki), and (3) Your tolerance for frustration/problem solving.

I have owned 2 air cooled four cylinder Porsches (1962 356-S90 and 1966 912) and find that once broken in, my Spyder requires no more "fiddling" than either of those cars.

Hope this helps.

TMc

Thanks. Do you think most mechanics would be able to handle this stuff, or should I seek out a specialist or someone with experinece in kit cars or VWs? Any good resources to find local mechs?

best to do it yourself. you get to know the car better. grab a wrench!

What Mike said...If you let a mechanic do it, you're back to where you were...Letting someone else decide if your car is fit to be driven. Get a VW shop manual and dive in. It's only a machine...Not brain surgery...That's not to say that you won't need a good mechanic...Eventually you will (I did)...But save that for the really difficult stuff and stuff that requires special tools...Also, don't forget this forum. There are a lot of knowledgable people here willing to assist.

TMc

Mook, Terry is right about this site being helpful.Also, check out spyderclub.com and associated links,. Between the two sites there is seldom a new problem,most questions can be answered by searching the archives. Great folks with lots of knowledge on both sites!All, more than willing to help.

Start at the top and work down.
Think of it as female but don't linger to long near the exhaust!
Seriously check everything you can see on a simple basis,make sure that no brake hoses rub or foul any suspension components, shocks are secured, non of the fuel lines foul anything or get to close to anything HOT,
Check all the electrics work as they should generally take it for a ride out and enjoy it
( sorry I was thinking about females again!)
Take care out there especially as we are so low to the ground we are a bit of a target for 'rear ending'

magwa

Steve has a good point.I know of about 4 or 5 Spyders that have been rear ended at stop signs or traffic lights.Vicki V.'s is the most recent. Since then I have become extremely aware of my rearview mirror.When I stop, I stay in gear until I am certain there is no danger from behind.Sometimes I think this is hard on the clutch ,cable, pressure plate and throwout bearing, and then I remind myself that I can replace a heck of a lot of that stuff for a lot less than a new rearclip.

On the rear-ending note, I bought a couple of truck type taillights with a mounting post. Will be making a bracket so they shine through the grills under braking, sort of an old-school new-school thing.

I have added a high level brake light/also used as a 'Fog' light here in the UK. I have fitted it behind the offside rear grill ( there is a picture on this site)
Its most effective and also a legal requirement here in the UK for our Ministry Of Transport (MOT) test.
I have a switch so its a fog light and/ or a high level brake light.
(ignore the little devil mascot, he's not compulsary.....yet!)
Magwa

Is that legal in the US?

Mook,

The extra rear fog light is legal in the U.S. The original 930 turbos had one that also acted as a bright brake light under quick stop conditions.

My wife's Volvo S60-T has one built into the passenger side rear light cluster. When you turn the fog lamps on the rear fog light comes on as well. The Volve service manager here told me that several people who were running with the fogs on were stopped by police who thought that the brighter rear fog lamp on one side meant that there was a tail light out on the other side...Go figure.

TMc

Just another quick tip! Fit a cut out switch direct into the battery line. Normally the earth so when you leave the car and /or park up in the garage it acts as an anti theft as well as a 'safety' switch.
I fitted on to my car today and as the battery on my car is in the rear engine bay it was not difficult.
The type of switch is as used on 'rally' cars, they retail for a few pounds