Daily Drivers - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

**tattooed_pariah** · December 13th, 2019, 10:21 AM

This week my daily driver went into the shop for some warranty repairs, and I've been driving my VR instead.

Man, I've missed this car! although outside temps in the 30's and no heater kinda sucks, it's still so much fun!

Judging by CHT's, I think I'm only running on 3 cylinders at the moment, but I can still get up to 75-80mph, and it's not making any horrendous sounds or feels, so I know I'm being an asshole to my car and should stop and fix it, but don't have the time or motivation right now (we're moving in 2 months, maybe i'll fix it when I get back to sunny california and make some time :P)

anyway, who else is driving their VR regularly in the winter time? What do you do to combat freezing?

I wear a pair of "mechanix" style gloves and a beanie. I've put duct tape over the defroster holes in the dash, and I have this shitty made in china seat pad/warmer that plugs into a cigarette lighter. It works, but since I'm also wearing a ton of layers, it's hard to feel the heat..

Timbo · December 13th, 2019, 03:29 PM

I usually do but they have been working on the roads and parking lot at work and didnt want to drag the bottom through the rough stuff.
Tim

1slo3 · December 13th, 2019, 08:33 PM

I drove my lowered stocker squaRe daily right now. I have good heat. My VR is still getting updates.

**tattooed_pariah** · December 13th, 2019, 09:00 PM

yeah, on the east coast i'm constantly dodging potholes..

I have this grand plan that when I retire from the Navy, I'm gonna tear my VR apart, strip it down to the pan, and fix everything and rebuild it. Not like a trailer queen trophy car, it's still gonna be rough, but I want to start from scratch with the electrical, replace the pan halves that are 50 years old and dented/rusted/mangled, same with the body..

I got at least 6 years til I retire though, in the meantime I've been procrastinating trying to teach myself fiberglassing so i can make a custom center console.. ultimately, I want to make my own dash, but i thought starting with the center section would be a good beginner thing..

metalmaster1766 · December 13th, 2019, 09:23 PM

This will probably be the first winter I won't be driving my Volksrod, and it isn't even cold out yet, but that's only because I'm planning some long over due work to it

I too duct tape the defrost vent holes on the dash as well as any other holes air comes thru (I pull it off in the spring) I wear lots of layers, usually 3 or 4 coats and thick gloves, I tried those mechanic type gloves but when the temp gets below 20 degrees my fingers get uncomfortably cold

I've tried a few of those heaters you plug into a lighter but they only work when above 30 degrees, I did have heated seats, but it made my back and butt sweat which froze my ass off when I got out

A few nights ago it was about 19 degrees out and I had to gas up my wife's car, I got in and didn't even turn on the heat, after I got home I wondered how I ever drove any of my VW's in the winter in single digit temps, and it doesn't have any air leaks

I miss driving my Volksrod, I hope to have everything ready by April, don't hold your breath tho, I'm getting lazy

Ron

**tattooed_pariah** · December 13th, 2019, 09:50 PM

haha i know the feeling.. procrastination and laziness have delayed me a LOT in the last 10 years or so..

flatheadgary · December 14th, 2019, 07:10 PM

i don't understand why no heater. all it takes is cables and heater duct hose and heater boxes on the exhaust pipes.

**purplemyth** · December 15th, 2019, 05:15 AM

I'd rather drive Dragon all the time except in pouring rain. Heater works great. Regular heater boxes, duct work tubes for the Hoses and cables work fine. I let it run at least 5 mins before I leave. It takes 15 miles to get hot inside because the door seals suck after 13yrs, by then I'm 3/4 way to work. Same with the other vehicles, just cheaper on gas and, more fun.

I'm still working in the greenhouses so layers are my thing anyway. I wear dbl sweat pants and an old Walls hunting suit. I have a knit hat over the hurst shifter handle and the steering wheel is covered with one of those old fashion lace up covers so it's not too cold but I do wear gloves. He stays under cover at night so frost isn't an issue. I also stuff a moving blanket up in the nose to plug cover any air leaks, that alone helped alot. Cold air around the radio and coming thru vents, and just where ever, brrr.

I stopped driving him for 2 mos, my left knee actually got clicky, since I'm back to at least 3 times a week now, my knee isn't as bad anymore, lol!

**tattooed_pariah** · December 15th, 2019, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatheadgary

i don't understand why no heater. all it takes is cables and heater duct hose and heater boxes on the exhaust pipes.

all it takes is making sure that every part of the simple system is in functioning order.. haha, not all parts of my car's body are still in good, shape, it's a lot harder than you might think to re-install the entire heating system in a car that had it stripped out by an excited teenager..

metalmaster1766 · December 16th, 2019, 10:37 PM

First thing I do when I get a VW is pull the exhaust off and put a header on

Usually the heater boxes are rusted beyond use around here, altho I do have a decent set or 2 laying around, I just don't bother with them, good music and warm thoughts is all I ever needed

I too stuff blankets up front to help keep air from blowing in, but all the seals on mine are shot, this is the only Bug I have ever had that has good heater channels, I put them in 9 years ago

I keep mine under the carport so the windows don't frost up unless I leave it parked out in the open for a long time

Ron

**V8Transporter** · December 17th, 2019, 09:29 AM

I’ve had really good luck running an old Fiat heater core and housing and Mazda fan. 🤔😲😃

**tattooed_pariah** · December 18th, 2019, 07:27 AM

still on my "someday" list.. rear window defroster... I have plain glass back there, and the ice didn't clear enough for me to see out of it until I got to work this morning.. lol

Bugula · December 18th, 2019, 11:29 AM

How about a Mr Heater buddy heater? Mount it well and keep a window cracked.

**SCOTTRODS** · December 18th, 2019, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tattooed_pariah

still on my "someday" list.. rear window defroster... I have plain glass back there, and the ice didn't clear enough for me to see out of it until I got to work this morning.. lol

https://www.frostfighter.com/clear-v...yABEgJd6vD_BwE

marnat3 · December 18th, 2019, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCOTTRODS

https://www.frostfighter.com/clear-v...yABEgJd6vD_BwE

Good to know. Thanks.

Bugula · December 20th, 2019, 01:57 PM

My buddy had a daily driven 69 bug with a glass nose and no heater boxes. Super cool car. He used Rain X antifog on the inside. Worked great. But he used to bitch cuz I talked too much and could still manage to fog the glass up.

**V8Transporter** · December 20th, 2019, 02:44 PM

But you helped keep the car warm.😁😁

Bugula · December 20th, 2019, 03:02 PM

The demise of this car sucked. He got rearended and the last thing remembered was a bunch of people holding him back from punching the guy out through his side window. He was a big guy. A true full custom daily driver.

**tattooed_pariah** · December 21st, 2019, 05:28 AM

I use rain-x on the outside cause my wipers suck, and fog-x on the inside..

one nice thing about these being small cars is that typically my body heat alone makes it bearable after about 30 minutes, not comfortable, but i stop shivering at least...

last year i drove to work one day when it was in the teens and i must have looked like a hobo.. i was wearing a hoodie, a craftsman jacket, wool gloves, a beanie, and i had a wool ship blanket wrapped around me.. lol

Bugula · December 21st, 2019, 02:10 PM

I thought the only guys with their black hoodies up and driving in Maryland drove Cavaliers or Colbolts. Lol

**tattooed_pariah** · December 21st, 2019, 06:12 PM

hahahaha :P

metalmaster1766 · December 21st, 2019, 07:29 PM

After 80 mile to pick my son up, I think it was about 6 years ago, 8 inches of snow and none of the highways were plowed, well I cleared the top 6 inches away

I had fun, the cold didn't bother me a bit, I was more worried about keeping the car on the road when the big trucks went past me, I couldn't see them coming from behind, I found it easier to go faster than them

**V8Transporter** · December 27th, 2019, 02:01 PM

I hope you sent someone a bill for your hard work.

I’m up in the VWS carport replacing the last five feet of fuel line. All the ‘rubber fuel line is in pretty bad shape, though it’s less than two years old. We’ve got 10 percent Ethanol out here and I run Stabil and Lucas fuel treatment. Sigh. It’s currently a balmy 42 degrees out and we’re in the shade of the hill to our south. Yeah, I know, t-shirt weather for a bunch of you.

**tattooed_pariah** · December 28th, 2019, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8Transporter

I hope you sent someone a bill for your hard work.

I’m up in the VWS carport replacing the last five feet of fuel line. All the ‘rubber fuel line is in pretty bad shape, though it’s less than two years old. We’ve got 10 percent Ethanol out here and I run Stabil and Lucas fuel treatment. Sigh. It’s currently a balmy 42 degrees out and we’re in the shade of the hill to our south. Yeah, I know, t-shirt weather for a bunch of you.

haha, about a year after I spent around $200 for SS braided -6 hoses and AN fittings, they started advertising hoses meant for the ethanol crap..

that's on my "someday list, is upgrading so i don't have to worry as much about hose rot..

**V8Transporter** · December 28th, 2019, 10:36 PM

Most of the fuel line is now steel. The rubber line is only short pieces at connecting points. With the carb clean, she fired right and after a few minutes warming up, some futzing with the idle mixture screws, all is well. Gas in the clear inline fuel filter looks good.
Now on to the wiring. There seems to be a problem with the new turn signal switch. Plus last year the modified 60’s Ford air cleaner had to be ‘notched to clear the new MSD distributor. So today some time went into swapping out some soda can aluminum and duct tape for a welded in steel piece.