Re: [T3] Gettin a Type3

[Jim Adney <jadney@vwtype3.org>]

On 3 Jun 2002, at 23:09, John Baker wrote:

> Well I am taking a plunge into unchartered waters in 2 weeks. I will be getting
> a 73 type3 squareback in a trade deal. Anyone ever had one of these and can give
> me some friendly advice about owning\working on them. I have had a LOT of buses
> and a couple of bugs in the past and feel comfortable doing just about anything
> to these, but I have never even SEEN a type3 in person before. Can anyone make
> some comparisons between types 1,2, & 3 for me?

While type 3s represent probably the best overall engineering that VW ever 
did (no bias there ;-) 73 was the last year of production and there are a few 
things that VW was cheapening up at that point. The sheet metal is all 
thinner than earlier years.

The front seats are a weak point, both the covers and the spring cores. You'll 
probably have to recover yours, unless this has already been done.

The brakes, engine, transmission, and EFI are excellent and you'll find lots in 
the engine compartment that is familiar looking. DON'T try to get by without 
a Bentley manual, however; there's just too much useful info in there to want 
to take a chance on breaking something irreplacable. Here's what you're 
looking for:

Volkswagen Official Service Manual
Type 3 Fastback and Squareback 1968-1973
published by Robert Bentley, Cambridge, Mass, 1974
ISBN 0-8376-0057-X / LPV 997 383 / VSQU
(excellent book, complete and well written)

It will probably need a brake job. Watch for frozen calipers and bad rubber 
flex lines. The original parts are better than what is available as 
replacements, so rebuilding is the best option. I rebuild these if you don't 
want to. 66-on type 3s with front disks have excellent brakes when they are 
working properly. 

There is a rubber hose behind the gas filler pipe which will probably be 
cracked/broken. You MUST fix this, because the RF wheel throws water and 
dirt into the gas tank via that "leak." Unfortunately, the replacement hose is 
NLA, so you will have to rig something up.

You will have lots of questions. This is the right place to ask them.

-
Jim Adney
jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, WI 53711-3054
USA

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