Tools For a Road Trip - Advice please

[windtramp]

Just finished having a a series of fairly comprehensive mechanical work done on my newly aquired '72 1600 twin port.

Kings and Links, shox, steering, brakes, and now engine and carb rebuilt. I am going to fetch the bug from Cape Town next week and drive it (CAREFULLY) up to George where i will be using it for 3 months before driving it home to Joburg.

Apart from the Engine and Carb rebuild, (latest work done) all the other stuff has already been comprehensively road tested over the last 6 months. SO the engine and carb is the unknown quantity here. I will be running it around Cape Town for about 4 days before i hit the road to George.

Coz i am a totally newbie Beetle owner, the million $ question is what basic set of tools would you learned gentlemn and (women) advise me to take on this road trip?

Any advice on a basic set of tools that should take care of the most likely twiddly and tightening. Obviously pliers and screwdrivers are on my list, but what size spanners, and anything else should appear in this road trip toolbox??

Any advice on what sort of minor snags would most likely appear .. as i said i know zilch about Beetles and their quirks and idiosyncracies so would appreciate some advice from the experienced Vee Dub drivers out there.

[Pine]

A medium-sized Leatherman will cater for many of your needs, supplementary to that I would suggest a small toolbox containing:

- flat and Philips head screwdrivers
- vice grip
- shifting spanner
- gooseneck spanners - size 10, 13, 17
- test light
- some spare electric wire (if you wanna be smart you can put small crocodile clamps on the ends)
- isolation tape
- duct tape
- cable ties
- allen keys (the multi-tool 'pocket knife' version as used by cyclists works perfectly)
- bottle jack
- spark plug spanner

Then you can also add a few extra parts

- points/condensder (I normally carry an additional dizzy on long trips)
- coil
- bulbs
- fuses

[dsan]

AA Membership is really important when owning a classic car. Whilst you might be able to repair most of the issues, some of them aren't easily done on the side of the road and their towing service has helped me out countless times.

[nkula_nkula]

Size 13 spanner!!!

All you need. (Just kidding)

[bugspray]

good q. ima keep an eye on this. but yup dsan got it right. bugz tend to break. so best bet, a spare EVERYTHING. lol. hahaha. If i go thru with it, im gonna have somebody following me the entire way from dbn to gp. with a towbar.

[ChrisG]

A VW workshop owners manual is a must! It explains everything with detailed pictures. Also have a number handy of someone else you know who owns an old vw because the same problems always happen so others are bound to have been in the same situation. Other than that I carry my tools around always in my bus, its saved my ass quite a few times already.

[Tony Z]

My list includes...

cheapy 100 plus piece tool kit
fan belt
points and condensor
wheel spanner
timing light
extra tappet cover gaskets
oil
jack

thats what I keep in my car

[fig]

AA membership and a cellphone
Duct tape
Cable ties











On long road trips I carry two boxes of tools and a trolley jack.

[hitlers revenge]

Windtramp, When are you leaving for George. There will no doudt be a convoy on Thursaday 11th or Friday 12th to George. Let us know. You can travel with us . There is also a convoy of Phenominal Bugs going up. Maybe Muderick can inform us of that convoy.

[windtramp]

I KNEW i would get some cool answers .. leatherman - Check, spanner sizes -excellent. Rest of the recommended tools mentioned has lots of commonality there, so great advice, thanks so much guys, appreciate your time and advice. Cable Ties and Duct Tape - DUH so obvious why did i not think of that A couple mentioned AA membership .. great idea .. especialy seeing as this my second cassic car i drive around in daily .. (wont mention the other .. might get booted off this forum).

Pine, you mentioned carrying an extra dizzy .. are they prone to breakdown? Also how reliable is the Coil, and Voltage Regulator and especialy the fuel pump on the 1600 TP motor?

Was wondering if this might also be useful in the toolkit ..??

[windtramp]

HR, thanks for that invite to join the convoy .. would have been an awsome way to spend time with you guys and get to know you. Unfortunately my course starts 0800 on the 8th .. bummer .

[JamesD]

Pine, you mentioned carrying an extra dizzy .. are they prone to breakdown? Also how reliable is the Coil, and Voltage Regulator and especialy the fuel pump on the 1600 TP motor?

Was wondering if this might also be useful in the toolkit ..??

I have never had problems with any of those. Though i do run an 009 dizzy. only problems i have had is a fan that disintegrated and a snapped accelerator cable. lost a jet on one of the carbs, Air correction jet.

rather get one of these BTW

[Eugene]

On long road trips I carry two boxes of tools and a trolley jack.

The one has a spare motor and the other a spare Alt/gen

[beetlepower]

what about a tow rope?

[eben]

No-one mentioned bloudraad....???!!!