Dave's 1971 1302 Not-So-Secret, Secret Project Build

[owdlvr]

Well, Sh**.

Got some good practice putting the motor in and out over the last couple of days. Worked out the hydraulic clutch spacing, fuel lines, wiring, etc. Went to go spin the motor...flywheel is hitting the transmission bolts. Bloody hell! Pulled the motor, ground down the bolts, and suddenly it dawned on me; I never considered the starter.

Sh**.

To save you from scrolling back in the thread, the early 914 transmission in a beetle means the starter only engages the flywheel by about half the tooth depth. I've lathed down the mounting surface of my starter as far as we possibly can, and I get 3/4 tooth depth engagement. About 9mm of tooth engagement, based on the polishing on the starter teeth. I've got a spacer between the motor and transmission, to give the appropriate space for the hydraulic clutch system, and that spacer is basically 10mm thick. My starter is going to be just spinning in clean air, touching nothing. F***.

Ahhhh...I guess I need to find someone who knows a whole lot more about rebuilding starters than I do, to find out if a longer axle or tooth is possible on my starter, or if one of the aftermarket "high-torque" starters can be modified to fit and work.

-Dave