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Okay -- I'm a moron ...

... but I can talk about it, and that's the first step!

Decided to replace the shifter bushing on Herman this past weekend. Popped out the back seat, opened the coupling hatch, removed set screw from coupling. Check.

Took out carpet, undid 13mm bolts holding shifter, removed shifter. Check.

Slid shaft forward as far as it would go ... hit obstruction ... no check.

Look in big orange book ... remove plate near front of framehead. AHA! WTF --- where IS this plate?!?!?

It appeared to me that it would've hit right about in the spare tire well (keep in mind, this is a Super). Looked in there ... nope.

Okay must be underneath the car somewhere. Nope ... not that I can see.

Hmmm, slide shaft back in, redo coupling, reset set screw, put shifter back in, tighten 13mm bolts.

NO FIX!

Where the HECK is this elusive panel in the front of the Super to slide the shift shaft out?!?

Thanks, Larry

Reply to
Larry St. Regis
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Is it not welded shut on some of the U.S. spec cars??

J.

Reply to
BergRace

"Larry St. Regis" wrote

It's the `deformation plate' that needs to be removed. The description `plate' is kind of misleading. It's actually a complicated-looking formed bracket thingamajig. :-) With the front apron in place it can be kind of tricky getting this thing out and back in place.

Item 13 in this picture:

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don't *think* your '71 will have items 29 & 30. Neither of my '72s havethose.

A better view here, this picture says six bolts to remove but, IIRC, there are actually eight:

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Reply to
Scott H

Well, SHEESH ... no wonder I didn't see anything!

Hope the wife doesn't have any plans for Valentine's Day.

Thanks, Scott.

Larry

Reply to
Larry St. Regis

Hi Larry,

I did this job recently on a 74 super beetle. There IS a forward access plate, it's squarish-shaped and sits right behind the 'grille' on the front, has two 13mm bolts if I remember right. I did take this off to do the job, but I don't think you really have to.

When you hit the obstruction in the frame tunnel, the way around it is to back the rod up just a little, and ROTATE it 180 degrees, then proceed forward again. The cup at the front of the shift rod has to be facing down to get past the obstruction and then it will clear the shift rod bracket. Then the real fun begins, first putting the bushing in, I put the gap in the bushing facing upwards, then put the metal clip on. Then you need to get the shift-rod started by getting it lightly set in the new bushing(kinda tough), then I used a large flathead screwdriver and a hammer to drive the rod into the bushing just enough to get it started. It's a very tight fit, and you may think you got the wrong bushing. It does fit, it just takes a bit of labor to get the rod back into the new bushing. Then you can resume using pliers to bring it back. Grease the rod as you bring it back towards the rear of the car.

I was amazed at how much improvement I got from replacing that little bushing.

Chris

Reply to
Hal

Thanks, Chris ... this is sounding like more and more fun!

I'll let you know how it goes.

Larry

Reply to
Larry St. Regis

"Scott H" wrote

Ok, I took a look at mine to confirm the number of bolts. It is eight bolts:

-one on each end like the one on the left of that pic

- the two in the center at the yellow box

- two per side just behind that hole at the lower center of that pic, just above the swaybar

- there is *not* a bolt at the front where that topmost red arrow is

hth

Reply to
Scott H

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