Progress on the Nomad...

[MGVWfan]

Ah! The Wolfsburg is an Emden minus UKW (FM) band, then, just MW (AM) and LW (not used in NA, Long Wave band, 150-280 KHz). Excellent AM section in these radios, very sensitive.

This might help if someone's curious what those letters on those old Euro Blaupunkts mean...

UKW or U = UltraKleineWelle, Ultra Short Wave, or VHF in English, called FM in North America, 88-108 MHz, FM modulation

KW or K = Kurzewelle, Short Wave, depending on the receiver can be anything from 3-30 MHz, most common band is 49 Meters (roughly 6 MHz), AM modulation

MW or M = Mediumwelle, Medium Wave, called the "Broadcast Band" or "AM" in the USA, 540-1600 KHz in NA radios (the band now goes up to 1720 KHz in the US), AM modulation

LW or L, Langewelle, Long Wave, a band used extensively in Europe and parts of Asia and the Middle East for countrywide coverage, 150-280 KHz, AM modulation. Useless in NA (only Non-Directional Beacons with CW identifiers to be heard any more, not even any transcribed weather broadcasts (TWEBs) on any beacons now)

Thanks for the input Ray and Tuna on the heads. I'll let the list know what's up after I get the heads finished (at another shop) and the car's back on the road.

[MGVWfan]

Well, sad to say, no progress for weeks. I'm still waiting for the center steering link to arrive after 8+ months, and I've pretty well decided I'm getting another one just so I can roll the 412 out of the garage and start working on the Duster. Going tomorrow to the junkyard to pull a used one, if I can get the rusty tapered pins to come off.
Even if it's trashed, at least I can steer the 412 out of the garage and get on with the Duster.

The heads, well, that's looking a bit more promising, I found a second source of potentially decent heads that won't break the budget, and best of all, it's local. We'll see how it works out. Machine work still required, but that's looking better, too.

I am not a happy camper.

[raygreenwood]

My sincere apologies. I have had the finished link in my hand for weeks...actually for ages. Life has just been crazy during contracting and job search since June. It is now back in the box it which it came to me....finished...greased...and will be shipped out at 8:00am Monday.

Is the address that is on the box still correct? Again.... ....so sorry. Things have just been getting sidelined every day in the search for work.....which has finally paid off. Ray

[MGVWfan]

Understand, and sincerely hope you sort the job situation out satisfactorily, man, that's a bad thing to have happen. Sounds like you've hit pay dirt, and no one is happier than me.

I'm sure you understand my frustration, too. My wife was beginning to think you didn't exist, and I made the whole thing up

The return address is good, but I'll PM you and EMAIL you, too, to be sure. Does the EMAIL I have for you still work?

[vwbill]

Ray how do you rebuild the center link?? Do you think TRW or someone would rebuild a old one? MGVWFan did you find a head rebuilder?? So should we be trying to look out for old ones like from guys parting out cars(I.E. the guy who parted the wagen on the other forum)? Bill

[MGVWfan]

Billy, on the heads, I'm converging on a local solution here in Houston, if it works out, it's a lot better to have someone you can look in the eye and not have to depend on mail-order machining, excellent though it may be. More details when I get them.

On the steering center link, yeah, I'd start collecting old floppy ones to rebuild. I'm going to the junkyard today to get whatever's left on the '71 411 that's there, including the steering stuff. It's a good idea to have critical parts on the shelf if you're driving your 412 every day (like I will once it gets back on the road).

Maybe that would be a good topic for discussion, what are the "critical" parts that you should always have one or two of on the shelf, and the ones to always snag when they show up in the junkyard or in swapmeets, etc. I'd say a set of heads completely done for one, and a fresh centerlink. Maybe a rebuilt master cylinder, and a set of calipers, since the rear wheel cylinders are available as T3 parts. A starter would be good for the auto trans version, since it's a bit unique, as well as an alternator. Cooling air bellows for the wagon version, and an intake boot for the FI versions if you can find them in decent shape. Rear wheel bearings and a set of rear wheel bearing seals since they're a long lead item. Maybe in the future a set of CV joint boots since they're not the same as the more common T1 IRS application (are they?). Ball joints if you can find NOS, or a set of good solid used ones with the grease nipple mod and new boots. Eberspaecher parts if you need heat (spark/glow plug, combustion air blower, ignition coil, overheat switch, combustion chamber temp sensor, wiring harness). Condenser and compressor if you need A/C. Any more ideas or comments?

BTW, I've visited the guy that's parting the wagon on the other forum, he's on the north side of Houston, and if anyone here needs some interior parts, or other stuff, he's willing to deal. The wagon has been off the road for over 10 years, up on blocks in his garage. It was his pet project, but he's gotten to the point where he's just got to get out from under it. The only real mods to stock are a stripped and repainted dash panel, and he cut the center pillar from both rear side windows in anticipation of a customization project, so the original windows won't fit back into the rear sides. The body is 100% straight and in primer. He's got two complete manual gearboxes and a bunch of spare shifter parts. He's got some spare A/C stuff, and suspension stuff. Drop him a note. If I can help by putting eyes on something for you guys, drop me a PM or EMAIL and I'll try to help. I got a whole storage shelf full of interior misc stuff, and a spare rear sway bar setup. The interior on that wagon is 100% recovered, unused, and really nice. I wish I had the bucks myself to snag it.

[raygreenwood]

Anyone can rebuild these centerlinks....and probably most centerlinks. They are very simple. I just have done a few. Each will be slightly different in inside parts dimensions due to the variability in the forgings themselves...but with maybe 4-5 parts in each side....its just amatter of hand lapping and fitting of bronze shims and snap rings. The boots are a little bit more involved...as will be the actual bushing that goes between the top of the link and the bottom of the pitman arm and idler arm. The factory had no solid bushings in this area. That was part of the problem. It allowed full leverage against the rotating pin. That woudl lever against the soft nylon inside...eventually getting the pin to work back and forth and simply wallow out the nylson packing.

I simply make tight fitting replacements for the nylon packings...from bronze, clearance them for grease grooves, make a stainless cap for the back....held in with a snap ring. The link I am sending to MGVW....has mastercylidner boots for the outer boots. They work fine...but I will be working on a kit for these links with instructions....with shims you can lap and clearance yourselves...and boots that fit both varieties of link pattern.

The only pre-requisite for centerlinks to be rebuilable...is that the crimped joint between the end forgings and the center part...is not rusted or loose and that the rotating pins themselves are not seriously rusted and pitted on the inside. Generally...the main part will last forever. Its just the guts of the ends that need replacing. Ray

[MGVWfan]

I just pulled a floppy centerlink from the 411 in my local P&P junkyard. I'll be doing the mod to it so as to have a spare. I also got the idler arm assembly, and I'll be modding it and installing it later, after I get the Nomad back on the road. Someone had alrady pulled the steering gearbox, glad to see someone else is snatching parts off it.

They also just got a 1973 Microvan, with a CB-code engine. MT of course, non-power brakes. Anything of interest I should pull off that? Unfortunately, it's got the remnants of a two-barrel progressive conversion, so no dual Solexes or L-Jet bits left on it (73 would have been dual Solex carbs I believe). Maybe the alternator and heater boxes, heads?

[vwbill]

Hey MGVWfan, can you ask the wagen guy about a manual tranny with the flat pan and what kinda A.C. parts does he have? I really want a space Tranny! I would like to eventually set my car up with AC too! My brother just had AC put in his 70 original Beetle in south Fla and is great!
Ray, I have my old center link still. Have you thought of rebuilding some on the side for extra bucks? If so I'll send you one to do! I know you are already a time crunch guy though! I wonder if you could make some good bucks just supplying us T4 guys with parts?? thx Bill

[raygreenwood]

...as MGVW can atest to....my time is really screwy right now until I get the job settled down full time. Right now, contacting takes too much travel time. I moved into where I am now ...in February...and most of what I own is still in boxes. I have not even opened the door own my 412 sitting in the driveway..since June. I have lots of small projects sitting around the various living spaces. .
Yes...I will be building parts soon. But until I am sure I can spare the odd $20 or $60 bucks for things like mold making and die work....some things stay on hold.
I actually finished the link for MGVW...about 2.5 months ago. I stopped shor of sending it several times to make minor improvements. Then...it got shunted to the background...and it seemed like I was never home with it in my hand....when anyplace to ship it was open. Then it rode around in the car for a while....hoping to get to do something like that at lunch! I even carried it to Philly for 3 weeks in my luggage.....hoping to ship it somehow....on a break (which never came). It flew back home. I have tommorrow free. Its in the box.....its a go houston!

Soon....parts will flow.

My latest brain child......means setting up my casting pot. How would you like a low profile cieling mounted air conditioning unit for the 411/412.....with a matching headliner kit that fits it? It would use the golf 1/2 evaporator coil....and a thin flat fan of about 10" diameter. Four AC vents across the front....2 in the rear corners. Hoses go up the right rear C pillar and down the left. Matching scoops and condensors for under the font end forward of the wheel wells......you provide gold/rabbit round compressors and buy local hoses. Been working on that one for a while. the drawings are done. The castings and controls are easy. It would stretch between teh B pillars...be about 6" deep (to the hard roof)...be about 9" wide front to back...and stretch side to side. Ray

[MGVWfan]

Well, I'm writing this from Shreveport, LA, my mother's place. We bugged out of Clear Lake City yesterday, it took 8 hours to get to Shreveport, usually takes 4, and we're darn glad we did it yesterday. The roadways in the Houston area are parking lots right now, 1.3 million folks (minus those of us who got out earlier) trying to GTFOH.

We were in a 3-car convoy with the '94 Voyager, the '89 LeBaron, and my '67 MGB. The MGB shredded a tire (threw a cord) , and is sitting next to a rancher's barn in a relatively safe place in East Texas, why do those things have to happen when you're inching along in evacuation traffic at 101 deg F? It should be OK when I go back through, assuming no flying objects trash it out. Thank the Lord, it failed near a driveway leading to a ranch with a kind rancher willing to let me leave the MG with him, it could have been much worse. BTW, if you're wondering about the spare, that car's never had one due to the wire wheels and the state of the OE spare wheel (spokes so loose the wheel wobbled a good 4 inches at the tire when installed). Fix-a-flat's never let me down to date...this time, it was just too bad a failure, compounded by the high temps and traffic.

The 412 is in our garage in Clear Lake, along with the Duster, covered with tarps and mattresses. If I have a house left, it should survive.

BTW, still no centerlink, though Ray's sent it. I may have to prevail upon someone's kindness later for a decent centerlink to get the 412 going if the house is OK but the USPS lost the centerlink in all this Rita flail.

Main thing is, we're safe and waiting for the "all-clear" to return to Houston next week, if the Lord's willing.

[DeathBus]

Glad you made it out!

[MGVWfan]

Amen brother DB!

[MGVWfan]

THANK YOU RAY!!! The centerlink arrived today, and it is a work of art. Tonight my 412 gets its steering back together!

The MG is still sitting up north...my tire place is looking for rim bands (they've got tires and tubes), and when they get that problem solved, it's off to rescue the poor little thing.

[vwbill]

Hey, did you take any pics of the center link? Ray came through as always! I'll bet you cant wait to get it going! Sounds like they are doing the MG wheels right! I would think they would just tape them with some kinda tape like they do sometimes on Bikes or cut a old tube up! Those wheels look so cooool! Good luck with both!! Bill