JBugs Video Series

1971 VW Super Beetle - Parking Brake & Heater Controls Installation:

Interior

Video Overview:

We are wrapping up the installation of all the control cables on the chassis for our 1971 Euro Look Super Beetle. First we re-install the disc brake conversion kit parking brake cables, and the handle. Then we install the rear foot well control and heater box cables and levers. There isn’t much to it but knowing what tube in the chassis goes where is helpful!

Parking brake cable installation: 0:50
Parking brake handle rebuild: 1:14
Parking brake handle installation: 1:49
Heater control cables prep: 2:42
Rear footwell cables installation: 3:04
Heater box cables installation: 4:05


Video Tips:

Tools used in this video:

3/8" Drive Ratchet
3/8" Drive 13mm Socket
Needle Nose Pliers

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Chemicals used:

Black RTV Silicone
Silicone Spray

Video Transcript:

Hello! Sam here with JBugs.com
We're continuing the rebuild of our 1971 Euro Look Super Beetle 
and in our two previous videos, we installed a pedal assembly, accelerator and clutch cables, the transmission, and the shift rod. In this video, we're going to finish up installing the remaining cables in the chassis.
We start at the rear of the car where we feed the parking brake cables into the tubes in either frame horn. 
The cables are pushed into the chassis until they can be seen in the tunnel at the parking brake handle opening. 
Once both cables are pushed through, 
they are pulled up and out of the tunnel, and we prep our restored parking brake handle.
We install the rubber stopper and the spring, on the pushrod 
thread on a brake button, 
and insert the rod assembly into the handle. 
We rotate the cat's paw at the back of the handle so that the teeth face back, 
then slide the rod underneath it 
until it sits under the U-bend at the pushrod. 
We hold the button down so that the paw doesn't fall out of place, 
and slide the ratchet into the brake handle and release the button.
The brake handle is set in place into the tunnel, 
making sure that the cables are lined up with the ramps at either side and that the notch in the ratchet is set in place on the pan. 
The pivot pin is pressed in place through the chassis, 
and the snap ring is pressed into place on the opposite side. 
The parking brake cables are pulled out of the chassis a bit more 
and routed through either side of the compensation bar. 
The set nuts are threaded on loosely 
and we test the operation of the handle before threading on the locknuts. We won't tighten the cables fully until the rear brake calipers are installed later. 
We finish off the handle by laying a bead of black RTV silicone 
and then sliding on a parking brake handle cover and wiping off the excess RTV.
Next, we'll install the new heater cables. 
There are two levers for the heater controls. 
The heater box cable has long crimped ends 
and routes from the right lever to the rear of the car. 
The rear footwell cable has bare ends that are twisted back into a loop 
and route from the left lever to the rear footwells where they control the heater ducts. 
We'll install the rear footwell cables first, on the left side of the tunnel, 
with the longer side of the cable installing into the lower tube, and the shorter end installing into the top tube. The top tube goes to the car's left side, the bottom tube goes to the car's right side.
Next, we insert the dogleg on the cable into the left heater lever which bows towards the center. 
A plastic spacer is set into the threaded base 
and the lever is pushed back into the chassis and set in place on the base. Another plastic spacer is installed, followed by the lock washer and an original lock nut. The lock nut is tightened down and we operate the lever to make sure that it works smoothly. 
We cap the lever off with a black heater control knob and tap in place lightly 
as it will come off briefly when we install the parking brake boot later.
The heater cables are installed on the right side in the same manner, 
with the longer end going into the lower tube and the shorter end going into the top tube. Then the spacers, lever, lock washer, nut, and knob are all installed just like we did on the left side. 
At the rear of the chassis, we use silicone spray on new heater cable tube boots 
before sliding them over the heater cables and onto the chassis. Holding the cable ends with a pair of needle-nose pliers helps while pulling the boots over the ends. Speaking of ends, that's it for this video, but next time we'll begin reassembling the rear suspension.
Thanks for watching! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
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and when you need parts for your vintage Volkswagen, head over to JBugs.com