Looks like we have a set date for when CrazyJo is going to be doing her timing belt change. The date is May 10th at 9:30am. Mad_Dasher will be host the event. For directions to Mad_Dasher’s house please send him a private message via the TDIClub forums.
I’ve asked if we should help Mad_Dasher with food and refreshments so once I have information on that I will update and contact those of you on the mailing list.
After working on a AppleSeed processor with a friend I just felt that a cone bottom processor was a better design.
After trolling through various sites and gleaning information I’ve come up with a design that would perfect for small 20 to 30 gallon batches. This design also incorporates a design for methanol vapor recovery that I comes from Graham Laming’s site.
My goal is to have just two containers the collection barrel and the processor. The processor I’m planning on using for the process, wash, and storage of the biodiesel.
Well we had our first successful GTG today! About a dozen people from the central Indiana area came together. We shared stories and discussed all things TDI and covered some BioDiesel stuff as well.
I’ve contacted all those attending and we hope to get together again soon! If your interested in attending a meeting please contact me and I’ll make sure your notified of our next meeting.
Thanks all!
VegBug (AKA Jerry)
 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle SE Convertible ShownThe Volkswagen New Beetle was the cute car that started the retro-futurist design craze, which is still going strong. It was a modernized version of the legendary VW Beetle and struck a chord with consumers who had grown tired of standard conservative car designs and had fond memories of the “Bugs” from their youth. Going on its 10th year on sale in the North American market, the Volkswagen New Beetle hasn’t really changed. It’s still a good car, but it’s not as functional as the more recent offerings in its class. Buyers also have little reason to pick up a new New Beetle over a certified pre-owned model. The Volkswagen New Beetle is available as a two-door hatchback or a two-door convertible. Although the front-wheel-drive compact is based on the previous-generation Golf platform, it has less interior space than the Golf (and most compacts in its class). The front seats are roomy, but the same can hardly be said in the back. Trunk space is tight and even more limiting on the convertible. The convertible comes with a manual-folding top (and a glass rear window) as standard. A power top is available as an option. Overall, options are few; the New Beetle is loaded with standard equipment, including air-conditioning; cruise control; power doors and windows; and power and heated mirrors. A 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine provides 150 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. Traction control and stability control are standard on all models, as is a five-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic is optional. In road and comparison tests, we found the Volkswagen New Beetle to be a fun car to drive. It isn’t a spirited experience, but excels at what it was built for — cruising and being seen cruising in. The engine revs smoothly and pulls well, though no one will mistake it for lively. The suspension is on the soft side of sporty. Those interested in the convertible should be aware of its small rear window, which hampers the view through the rearview mirror. Technically, the Volkswagen New Beetle is still in its first generation, but that’s not to say there haven’t been changes since its launch in 1998. Earlier models (up to 2005) used GL, GLS and GLX designations to reflect the various trim levels. From 1998-2005, the base engine was a 115-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder. A 100-hp 1.9-liter Turbo Direct Injection turbodiesel was also offered (the TDI trim) until the end of 2006, when it failed to meet new emissions regulations. Until recently, turbocharged gasoline engines have been a big part of the New Beetle’s trim lineup. Sold from 1999-2006, the New Beetle 1.8T was powered by a 1.8-liter turbo four-cylinder, which put out 150 hp. In 2002, VW added the Turbo S trim to the coupe lineup. It was equipped with a tuned up 180-hp version of the 1.8T turbo engine and a six-speed manual transmission. The Turbo S was discontinued in 2005. Throughout the years, Volkswagen has released several special-edition models, including limited-edition colors. In 2002, VW added a Sport edition, which essentially was a 1.8T with a five-speed manual, 17-inch wheels and a leather interior. The convertible was launched for the 2003 model year. |
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Adolf Hitler had a keen interest in cars even though he did not drive. In 1933, he asked Ferdinand Porsche to make changes to his original 1931 design to make it more suited for the working man. Hans Ledwinka discussed his ideas with Ferdinand Porsche who used many Tatra design features in the 1938 Kdf-Wagen, later known as the VW Käfer – or Beetle. On June 22nd, 1934 Dr. Ferdinand Porsche agrees the design the “People’s Car” for Hitler.
Changes included better fuel efficiency, reliability, ease-of-use, and economically efficient repairs and parts. The intention was that ordinary Germans would buy the car by means of a savings scheme (“Fünf Mark die Woche musst Du sparen, willst Du im eigenen Wagen fahren” — “Save five Marks a week, if you want to drive your own car”) which around 336,000 people eventually paid into. Volkswagen honoured its savings agreements in West Germany (but not in East Germany) after World War II[citation needed]. Prototypes of the car called the “Kdf-Wagen” (German: Kraft durch Freude — “strength through joy”), appeared from 1936 onwards (the first cars had been produced in Stuttgart). The car already had its distinctive round shape and air-cooled, flat-four, rear-mounted engine. The VW car was just one of many KdF programmes which included things such as tours and outings. The prefix “Volks” (“People’s”) was not just applied to cars, but also to other products in Nazi Germany; the “Volksempfänger” radio receiver for instance. On May 30, 1937, Volkswagen mbH was established.
VW Type 83
Erwin Komenda, the longstanding Auto Union chief designer, developed the car body of the prototype, which was recognizably the Beetle we know today. It was one of the first to be designed with the aid of a wind tunnel; unlike the Chrysler Airflow, it would be a success.
The building of the new factory started May 26th, 1938 in the new town of KdF-Stadt. Now called Wolfsburg, purpose-built for the factory workers, only produced a handful of cars by the time war started in 1939. None were actually delivered to holders of the completed saving stamp books, though one Type 1 Cabriolet was presented to Hitler on his birthday, April 20th 1938.
War meant production changed to military vehicles, the Type 81 Kübelwagen (“Bucket car”) utility vehicle (VW’s most common wartime model) and the amphibious Schwimmwagen which were used to equip the German forces
