JBugs Video Series

1971 VW Super Beetle - Trunk Disassembly:

Body

Video Overview:

Our 1971 Super Beetle body is almost completely stripped down and our last few videos have concentrated on the interior and dash. In this video the disassembly continues in the trunk where the various wires, switches hoses, fuel tank and other components will be removed. By the end we will nearly be ready to pull the body off the pan.


Video Tips:

Tools used in this video:

Small Flat Blade Screwdriver
Side Cutters
Impact Driver
3/8" Bit Adapter
3/8" Drive 13mm Socket
#2 Phillips Screwdriver
Pocket Knife
1/4" Bit Adapter
1/4" Drive 10mm Socket
19mm Wrench
8mm Nut Driver
Drill
1/8" Drill Bit
#2 Phillips Bit
1/2" Drive Ratchet24mm Socket
1/2" Drive 9" Extension (used as a punch)
Rubber Mallet

Video Transcript:

Hi! Sam here with JBugs.com
In our last video, we removed the dashboard from our 1971 Super Beetle 
along with the hood and other items in the trunk that made removing the dash easier. 
In this video, we're still going to be in the trunk 
and we'll be removing all the wiring and the components there. 
We'll note ahead of time, make sure to save all the hardware until after reassembly. Reinstalling the hardware to the part it goes with is an easy way to keep the parts organized. 
Also, take pictures of the positions of the wires 
so you know where they are supposed to go when the reassembly time comes.
We start by removing all the various relays from the fuse box, 
the fuel gauge, which was loose in the trunk, and all the switches for the wiring. The wiper switch has a hose that feeds the squirter so make sure to remove it. 
All the speedometer bulb holders are removed, 
along with the in-line fuse holder. Save all the electrical items as if they work, they can be reused. 
The fuel tank vent tube, below the cowl, is pulled aside so we can better access the wiring at the fuse box. 
All the wiring there is pulled from the terminals 
and a small flat blade screwdriver is used to press the various relay wires out of the fuse box. The fuse box itself is in good shape so it can be cleaned up and reused.
The wiper squirter is removed from the cowl, 
normally you can twist it 90 degrees and remove it, but ours is stubborn so it's cut off. The wiper shaft grommets are removed and the hood seal is pulled away from the body. 
The left and right hood hinges are removed from the body. 
There's a small circlip at the bottom of the spring that holds it in place at the bottom side. Underneath the cowl, the hood hinge bolt is unthreaded and the hood spring assembly is removed. During this process, we also remove the vent tube and the various lines along with the filler vent hose. 
The heater tubes and hoses are removed from the right quarter panel, 
and we make sure to save the vent distribution T.
The screws for the ashtray holder are unthreaded and the holder is removed. 
The wiring for the aftermarket washer bottle is cut away, 
as is the remaining portion of the filler vent hose. 
The clamps for the fuel filler hose are removed, 
the washer bottle hose is removed along with the aftermarket washer bottle. 
The hood release cable is tucked out of the way, 
then the dash brace is removed from the backside of the dash. The left side quarter panel vent hoses are removed and again, save the vent tree. 
The speedometer cable is cut at the body. 
Then, the various wires are cut and pulled away from the car.
Make sure not to remove the dome light harness, 
cutting it back is fine but we'll use the old harness to pull the new harness in later. 
While we're in the area, we remove the antenna 
and continue removing all the various wires. The steering column harness is pulled through the bottom side of the dash. Then, the original speaker is removed from the backside of the dash. All the wiring grommets are removed.
We move forward in the trunk and remove the front headlight and turn signal wiring. 
The four rivets for the hood latch assembly are drilled out 
and the assembly and cable are removed from the car. The two screws for the fuel filler door are unthreaded and the door is removed from the car. The four fuel tank bolts are removed and the tank is tilted up. At the bottom side, the fuel line is cut and the tank is removed. The fuel filler neck vent is unthreaded from the filler and the filler is removed. The fuel line is cut at the body and the line and the grommet are pushed through the bottom of the trunk.
Next to the steering column, the master cylinder and horn wiring are pushed through the body. 
Then the screw for the brake fluid reservoir is unthreaded, 
the hoses are cut, and the reservoir is removed. 
We finish by cutting away the steering column boot from the upper joint 
and we'll take a break here until our next video where we'll get the steering and suspension removed so we can pull the body off the pan.
Thanks for watching! 
Make sure to hit the like button below, hit subscribe if you haven't already, 
and when you need parts for your vintage VW head over to JBugs.com