VW BEETLE MEASUREMENT NEEDED

Do you own a 61 -67 beetle?
Do you have a tape measure?
Do you have a pen and paper?
Do you have a few minutes to spare to ***ist me?

If you answered YES to these questions, you are exactly the person I need to ***ist me with a project.
I have determined based on filler neck location and internet searches, that my dune buggy has a 61-67 beetle tank like this

Using the filler neck (center of hole);
1. I need the measurement laterally to the center of the fuel tank sending unit.
2. I need the measurement up to the center of the sending unit.

As a visual aid, something like this. Where is that sending unit located? Get me close, i will drill a pilot hole, insert the inspection camera, verify and cut a hole in the deck so I can replace the faulty unit. I will cover the hole with a SS inspection marine inspection cover I sourced.

When I was installing the gauges, the seats were out, I was lying on the p***enger floor and I was able to reach my hand back to the sender to make sure it had a wire on it. I know it there somewhere approximately where I have indicated.

I hope one of you still own or has access to an early 60's beetle and is willing and able to render me a bit of ***istance.

Danke schön, Herr Bandit Wilhelm

 

See my reply on the VWs thread. The sender would be on the centre line of the car, but your filler neck has been moved or that isnt a stock tank.

 

I am worried about that exact thing. I can't find a stock tank that puts the filler exactly where my cap is. The bottom of the tank, the bit I can see looking in the tire well, looks like a stock unit but that doesn't mean someone didn't move the filler neck. Hard working on stuff I didn't build.

 

I have recruited the ***istance of a skinny, young golfer buddy, who is going to come over and try to locate the sender. I know he can reach it but transferring that to a drill location will be tricky and there won't be enough room for him to drill up through the deck, even with a 45 degree adapter on my dremel.

Another idea is to have him unbolt the tach mount and use that hole to sight the sending unit and try to determine the location to drill. I need the first hole to be large enough for my inspection camera, and within 4" of the sending unit so my inspection cover will hide what I have done.

I'll let you know what happens, he will be over today.

 

Well scratch all of that and thank you for those that responded. I and my wee ***istant confirmed the location for the sending unit in the recess on top of the tank, dead center. But there is nothing there. Some ***** closed the tank and fibergl***ed over the repair. The only way to fix this is to remove the body, put a new tank in it, match the location of the filler, and install a sending unit properly.

If I do that I will cut a hood into it and make it operable. What idiot would make a car with no sending unit? Some people! I ordered the parts and inspection cover through amazon so there is free returns so I am out only the time and aggravation. I will order a 1 gallon emergency fuel reserve "jerry can" and mount it to the roll bar to prevent being stranded in the middle of the Oregon Dunes.

Swine car builders! Build cars that can be both serviced and drivable. Don't cut corners trying to get it on the road.

 

That'll teach you to stick to your good ole' Billy built hot rods....

 

The "hood" panel on a buggy will usually unbolt. I don't know if yours is just built different, or someone decided it would look better gl***ed in.

 

I like how I build cars. Not that I am planning on them breaking down or failing but when they do, they aren't difficult cars to work on. I'll never understand why people put stuff together that can't be tended to when that day comes. Billy built means easy to work on and service. Heck, my engines come out faster than what I have to do to get that fuel gauge working on the dune buggy.

I got this little can ordered, comes with a 1.75" roll bar mount. It locks and holds 1.3 gallons. That'll get me back to the trailer if it runs dry. Heh, half the price of a new gauge and sender.

 

I looked hard at cutting the hood open but not only is the hood and fenders one piece, but the dash is also attached to the same. T separate the hood I would have to cut it off in front of the wiper towers and down both sides (leaving the windscreen and dash). The gas filler would require altering to allow it to open and close (or cut it around the cap) and the hood tach would have to be able to move with the hinged hood. It didn't take me long to decide that I was not going to do that! If the tank was Poly, I would have cut in the access door, cut the tank open and installed the sender but the tank is steel. I can't cut that in the car.

I think the best route (long term) is to lift the body off next winter, buy a new tank (might as well while I am at it), weld in a new filler neck to match what I have now, cut in the service door for future repairs and replace the body. I can chrome the roll cage while it is out (there must always be a reward) and fill a few holes in the floor pan from all the different seats that have been installed. Maybe even look at moving those pedals forward a few inches for leg room on the drivers side.

Or...leave it alone, drive the bejeevies out of it and have some fun. It's a toy, not a car.

 

Looks like the perfect fix to me!