Stalin

No this is not another of my rants on history. Stalin is my little 1965 VW Beetle. Okay, I guess I need to explain, here is the long version.

Me and the "Smart One"

I bought the car about 10 years ago for Viola to use as her high school transportation. I hauled it home on a trailer with a blown engine, and the original engine disassembled in a box. Viola helped me overhaul the original 1300 cc engine (we fly-cut the heads, and bought larger cylinder barrels to increase the displacement to about 1500) and otherwise fix the little car up. She named it "Ariel" after the Little Mermaid from the Disney movie. Not sure why, but it was kind of cute.

Ariel burned a valve and ruined a cylinder over the course of the next few years (it was my fault not Viola's). However, she limped along until the exhaust smoke got too bad, and the power just wasn't there any more. (Of course power is a relative term in the case of a 1965 VW Bug.) Finally I yanked out the engine again, and did a top overhaul, replacing the pistons, cylinder barrels, and overhauling the heads.  Voila! (as Maggie would say) the little car once again ran like a champ, and became Maggie's high school transportation.

Cute little Stalin

Well, Moe (in her teen quest for identity) decided to rename the car....Stalin. Now I am sure that both Hitler and Stalin are rolling over in their graves about this one. Stalin would be tremendously insulted having his name used on a vehicle whose design and manufacture were commissioned by Adolf Hitler, and Hitler I am sure would be incensed by having his automotive achievement named after his arch enemy. So it is a good thing they are both long dead, otherwise Mango might end up in Lubyanka prison, or be arrested by the Gestapo. So, go figure! Maggie can explain herself in a comment to this post.

The thing I like most about the car is that I can fix just about anything that goes wrong with it. I purchased a book on fixing and maintaining VWs almost 40 years ago called "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive, With Step by Step Instructions for the Complete Idiot!" Since I am not an idiot, I rarely have to read all the instructions, well most of the time anyway. Okay, Okay, occasionally I can skip some of the instructions!

So, about the time school was getting out last June, the voltage regulator went on the fritz, and I ordered a new one. I replaced the regulator, and everything looked good for a few days. Then the same problem started again. Okay, a freak deal, probably got a bad regulator (can't return electronic parts!) So I ordered a second regulator. Voila! (Like that Mango?) It was fixed again. This time it only lasted a short drive!! So I went to the local parts house to have them check the battery. I desperately hoped it was the problem. Battery was good. However, I did notice that the generator was hotter than the rest of the engine, and that melted solder was dripping out of it! Hmmm maybe the generator is bad? (Duh!)

Sweet little engine

Yep, the generator was practically seized up! So I ordered a new generator (hoping the regulator hadn't been fried like an egg as it is bolted to the top of the generator).

Finally, the generator arrived, the sun was shining and I was full of hope. Changing out the generator was a lot more involved, but I managed to get it done working at a leisurely pace for about 4 hours. The engine started immediately when I was done, and the red light (indicating no charge to the battery) was on! Arrrrgh!! I double checked the installation, wire connectors, and belt tension....still no charge. So, I either got a newly rebuilt generator that doesn't work, or (most likely) I fried that (second) new voltage regulator. I am going with the latter and ordered a new regulator today over the internet (the only place I can find parts).

Very frustrating to say the least. I said I could fix anything on this car, I didn't say I could do it quickly and easily. Perhaps I should have read all the instructions after all!! I should have the new part in a week or so.

To be continued...

That's All!