Don’t let anyone tell you that rebuilding an old Volkswagen Beetle engine is easy. After countless hours of work, some busted knuckles, more than a few trips to the parts store, some heavy-duty Googling, and another 30,000 photos, we present our seventh Redline Rebuild time-lapse video.
Our 1973 Beetle trudged 2,500 miles from Portland, Oregon, to Traverse City, Michigan, in the middle of a frigid January. It has led a hard life, with a hodge-podge of parts from various years and some obvious mechanical and cosmetic shortcuts taken over the last five decades.
While the beauty of the Beetle is that almost any part from any year will fit in some fashion, we didn’t take any shortcuts when it came to the engine. Many of the original parts were too far gone to reuse, biggest of which was the original VW magnesium case. The Beetle now has a brand-new aluminum case, along with a plethora of other new parts, and she is running better than ever!
Thanks to our sponsor RockAuto.com. RockAuto.com is an auto parts retailer founded in 1999 by automotive engineers with two goals: Liberate information hidden behind the auto parts store counter (by listing all available parts, not just what one store stocks or one counter-person knows), and make auto parts affordable so vehicles of all ages can be kept reliable and fun to drive. Visit to order auto parts online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and have them conveniently delivered to your door. Need help finding parts or placing an order? Visit our Help pages for further assistance!
Special Thanks to:
Thirlby Automotive
thirlbyautomotive.com
Traverse Body & Paint
traversebodyandpaintcenter.com
Weber Carburetors and Redline, Inc.
redlineweber.com
The B'Laster Corporation
blastercorp.com
#RedlineRebuild #EngineRebuild
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Like what you see? Watch our other series including:
Redline Rebuild | Engine Time-lapse videos from start to finish
Barn Find Hunter | Tom Cotter searches the country for abandoned cars
Hagerty's Daily Driver | Industry news, buzz, and interviews
Chip Foose Draws a Car | Reimagining popular cars with new designs
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