Volkswagen Club of Pakistan

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That the Beetle continues to win new admirers is a testimony to the timelessness of the original Porsche-inspired concept. The story begins back in a politically unstable Germany of the 30s, a country searching for an identity, a leader, a pride. With the arrival in German politics of a new figurehead by the name of Adolf Hitler, the scene was set for a major upheaval of all that had gone before. The impact of World War I had cost Germany dear, an expenditure of an effort from which it would take years to recover. Gone, seemingly forever, were the days of an automobile industry dominated by luxury car manufacturers, for there was no longer a market for such vehicles. The German people suffering from the effects of a declining economy simply could no longer afford to buy luxury goods, let alone luxury cars.

For the man in the street, daily life meant walking or cycling to work, earning just enough money to keep his family, but little more. Some rode motorcycles, but few owned cars for they were too costly and, for most people, remained an unattainable dream. Hitler, however, had far greater plans for his countrymen than others before him. He envisaged a German work force which traveled everywhere by car along specially built freeways, or Autobahn. Most people involved in the contemporary automobile industry met his vision of a car for the People-a Volksauto, in the popular parlance of the time – with a certain reticence. After all, the like of Horsch, Adler and Daimler-Benz had each founded their reputation on grand luxury cars, not on low-cost four-seater economy vehicles.

Dr. Ferdinand Porsche was one of just a few people who saw the merits of Hitler’s vision as he too, had been sketching ideas for a Volksauto while working for companies such as Zundapp and NSU. Hitler’s proposals called for a car which could be sold for less than 1000 Reich marks, a figure considered ludicrous by most industrialists, although few had the courage to take the Fuhrer to task on the matter. For Porsche the figure was both an absurdity and a challenge.

With Hitler’s support, Porsche’s project reached fruition as the KDF Wagen, or Strength-Through-Joy car, the name being taken from the Nazi KDF socialist movement. An ingenious savings scheme was announced, whereby every worker could buy stamps, the value of which eventually added up to the cost of a new car-plus a few extras, such as compulsory insurance and delivery charges. Several thousand people signed up to join the scheme, but the outbreak of World War II brought about its downfall.

The story of the Volkswagen might have ended there, in 1939, but such was the soundness of Porsche’s design that the car rose, phoenix like, from the ashes of the Wolfs burg factory where it was assembled. The tale of its rebirth is one of the great legends of automobile history, the almost derelict factory being taken over by the British army, which viewed it as a suitable location at which to repair worn out military vehicles. Only when some of the officers, principal among them Major Ivan Hirst of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, saw the potential offered by the Volkswagen, as it had become known, did production recommence.

By the time the factory was handed back to the German people in 1949, the Volkswagen had proved its worth. In the hands of Heinz Nordhoff, the first post war German head of the factory, sales of Porsche’s dream car went from strength to strength.

Sadly, Ferdinand Porsche himself was unable to witness the incredible success story which followed, a story that saw every sales and production record broken, worldwide. In 1951, illness, largely brought on by a period of imprisonment in France , was to claim the life of the man without which there would have been no Volkswagen.

Since those far off days, the Volkswagen has proved itself time and again to be one of life’s great survivors. There have been many attempts to kill it off on the grounds that it was uneconomic to produce, too slow and poorly equipped for use in today’s more discerning markets, or for simply not being part of the grand plan as envisaged by the heads of a modern car-manufacturing empire. But the Beetle simply refuses to lie down and die. Production continued in South America until October 2003 and even Volkswagen’s management itself had seen fit to recognize the worth of the name in marketing terms, applying the title “New Beetle” to the latest small car to roll off the production line.

Enjoy the driving experience of this world-beating car. There never will be another to take its place, for the Beetle truly is unique.

Click on picture areas to view events.

 

Avoid oversize tires; they kill your suspension and lead to premature wear and tear to the steering mechanism and gearbox. The transmission wasn'tdesigned for them either!

Engine Oil:

Capacity: 2.5 liters. Try and use 40 single grade in summer, and a 30/40 grade in winter.

20/50 Multi-grade oils are unsuitable for Beetle engines. Don't waste your money.

Change oil every 3000 km, as typical driving conditions here are very
severe, i.e. hot weather, frequent short hops, and full passenger load. Buy the 3 liter can, and use the extra amount to change the oil in the AirCleaner.

Oil bath Air Cleaner/filter:

Do this exercise at every oil change. If driving in severe dusty conditions, it may be necessary to service oil bath air filter element weekly!

If your car has a paper type element, (Super Beetles and some post 1973cars), clean it with compressed air from the inside out, taking care not to tear it or blow holes in it. Replace this element as per availability! You will need:

1 liter kerosene (to wash out air cleaner parts)
1 flat screwdriver
1 plastic shopping bag

Oil bath element: Unhook paper and rubber pipes from air cleaner. Unscrew filter from carburetor, and remove, taking care to hold the assembly horizontal, otherwise the old oil inside will drip all over the engine and you! Undo the clips and remove element, Drain the old oil from base, wash with some kerosene and wipe the inside with cloth or cotton waste. Next, put the element in a plastic shopping bag, fill with kerosene and shake for a few minutes, pull it out, shake dry and then refill the base unit up to the red line. Oil capacity is: 0.25 liter (0.4 liter for 1300-1600 engines). Don't overfill, fuel consumption will go up. If you are not up to the job yourself, have it done by a trained VW mechanic.

Be eco-friendly, always dispose of used oil properly, never into drains or
streams. Lets not pollute our environment.

Oil filter: Yes, Beetles do have oil filters.

First, buy an oil filter gasket kit from your Volkswagen spares shop. Drain the oil from the sump, then gently undo the six small screws around the drain nut. The round plate can then be gently praised off with a screwdriver, and there in the center of the plate is the oil filter wire mesh.

Wash it in kerosene, and reinstall with the packing from the kit, along with the six copper washers. These cardboard packing and copper washers are sold as a set for around 30-50 rupees. Wash the oil filter every second oil change. Try and use 40 single grade in summer, and a 30/40 grade in winter.20/50 multi-grade oils are unsuitable for beetle engines. Don't waste your money.

Gearbox oil:

Capacity (refill), 2.5 liters, (Dry 2.8 liters).
Use EP 90 grade in summer, 80 in winter.
If you live South of Multan, use 90 grade year round.

Hardly anyone here in Pakistan ever changes the gearbox oil, don't be one of them! Contrary to what 'desi' mechanics will tell you, please change the gearbox oil every 20,000 km or twice a year, which ever occurs first. Remember, good gearboxes are now virtually impossible to find! Treat yours with respect, and never use 140-grade gearbox oil; thicker oil is definitely not better in this case!

Grease points:

4, located front torsion bar tube, two on each side

Oiling points:

Door hinges need oiling every few months, remove the protective caps and squirt with an oil can or WD40.

Door locks:

Use sewing machine oil through the small holes in the door
frames. These are located under white plastic covers located just above the door lock.

Front hood springs will also benefit from oiling, stops those groans!

The following Volkswagen Beetle information is targeted mainly towards the Export models Volkswagen produced. In some cases this may only apply to models shipped to the United States, its main export market.
1934
First prototype Beetle.1000 cc (984) engine, 22hp, and 5.8:1 compression
ratio.

1936
1000 cc (985) engine, 22hp, and 5.8:1 compression ratio.

1937
External oil cooler added.

1938
Split rear window

1943
1131cc engine, 25 hp, and 5.8:1 compression ratio.

1948
'Pope's Nose' license plate light. Horn mounted externally behind front left
hand bumper overider

1949
Chassis # 91922 to 138554. Solex carburetor now standard. Air control flap on fan shroud discontinued. License plate indentation on rear deck dropped along with the starting handle bracket and guide hole. Inside pull cable release for front hood added, eliminating lock on old style L-shaped twist handle. Small emblem hubcap replaces large one.New colors introduced, chrome trim appears.

1950
Chassis # 138555 to 220471. Cloth sunroof introduced as an option. Cable brakes changed to hydraulic on export models. Starting crank hole discontinued on Cabriolet in late 1950. Sound muffler put in heater ducts. Heat riser added to intake manifold. Automatic engine cooling temperature control with the thermostat. Offset piston wrist pin to reduce piston slap. Tougher alloys for exhaust valves and inserts. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IN NEW WINDOW

Upcoming events and links to blogs/other car websites.

The Volkswagen Club of Pakistan (VWCOP) celebrated Volkswagen's 70th. birthday with great success. We'd like to say thanks to those who made it to the venue, and hope to have some pics up on the website soon.

Contact us if you have queries, questions, suggestions.....

Zohare Haider: zoharehaider@gmail.com / 0300 5 777 222

Khurram Shaikh: kpsheikh@gmail.com / 0301 566 2142

Arsalan Mian: capricornus_88@hotmail.com / 0345 523 2825

Mujeeb Mufti: mujeeb_mufti@hotmail.com / 0321 514 1912

Click within URLs below to go to blogs and other car-related webites.

www.vcccp.com

www.pakwheels.com

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