Random Aerodynamic Oddity of the Day Thread

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by kach22i

You might want to be more specific.

Indeed. I was considering the easy access to the engine, compared to some newer cars which must be almost dismantled in order to reach some component requiring a replacement

The battery location is another example of being "too simple" to be practical.

Other than rendering a jump-start more difficult, I wouldn't be so concerned about the battery location in a Beetle if I had one.

[freebeard]

The battery sits on the floor. The floor is prone to rust. The battery is prone to fall through the floor and drag on the ground.

[Piotrsko]

The battery is also prone to leaving an acid trail that causes the floor to rot after attacking even the tar goop that is part of manufacture.

Never had one fall on the ground. Had a seat try to catch fire...... both scenerios stopped by keeping a plywood sheet between the battery and the world, top and bottom.

[kach22i]

When people sat in the rear of my Super Beetle (passenger side) they complained about the seat being warm.

I looked into it and found out the metal seat springs were making contact with the battery terminals when the seat was sat on.

I think I weighed only 125 lbs at the time and it was not not a problem for me, only discovered issue when bouncing on the seat.

My solution was a piece of corrugated cardboard to break the contact.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by kach22i

When people sat in the rear of my Super Beetle (passenger side) they complained about the seat being warm.

I looked into it and found out the metal seat springs were making contact with the battery terminals when the seat was sat on.

I think I weighed only 125 lbs at the time and it was not not a problem for me, only discovered issue when bouncing on the seat.

My solution was a piece of corrugated cardboard to break the contact.

Simple seat heater with auto-off when unoccupied.
Nice

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

The battery sits on the floor. The floor is prone to rust. The battery is prone to fall through the floor and drag on the ground.

Sure it has some downsides, but it's no rocket-science to overcome them.

[freebeard]

..no rocket-science

An old parking sign is just about the right size.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Modern replacement parts, which are still somewhat easy to find in Brazil, not only can be made with better alloys, they can also benefit from better rustproofing available nowadays. Not to mention modern batteries tend to be sealed, so they're less likely to spill acid on the floor pan.

[Piotrsko]

Modern metal improvement is well and good, but the pan bathtubs are welded to the main tube and it takes an exotic shielded gtaw outfit and bunches of practice to weld semi stainless to regular steel sucessfully.

Easier to do a 'glass or stainless tub for the battery. I went fiberglass boat battery holder and killed two issues with the same stone.

[freebeard]

If welding is a problem, there're fiberglass pan halves from glass-action.com/index.php/products/bug-super-beetle/Floor-Pans-c15451055

$160 for the pair.

Airkewld will sell you a professionally restored floorpan for only $9.5K, or $330/mo. www.airkewld.com/OEM-PRObuilt-Chassis-Pan-Frame-1075-p/1075.htm

"Each chassis will come with a title and a bill of sale." This would be handy for my '58 Baja, when it was cut they could have thrown the build plate in the glove box, but no....