Looking for general advice from other 02 owners

[stefandante]

Hi folks, I am the owner of a 1971 2002. I'm the second owner and have had the car for 7+ years.

The car had a 1990s-era restore done by the previous owner, but it is largely original, (and mechanically in very good shape) down to the Solex single barrel carburetor, Klippan seatbelts, original radio, etc. I've recently learned that the carb is on its last legs and I'm considering 1) replacing with a new single barrel or 2)upgrading to a double barrel carb. It's been harder and harder to find another 02 owner without the carb upgrade, and I originally kept it going because it was so easy to adjust and maintain... but here we are.

 

Normally #2 would seem like the absolute best option... but I am thinking about selling the car because my current lifestyle is making it very difficult to drive it regularly, and rather than have it slowly collect dust in my garage, it seems best to pass the opportunity (to make the classic upgrades) on to someone else.

 

What do you think? Is it worth the extra time and $$$ to upgrade the carb/manifold for resale purposes? Or would new buyers rather have the opportunity to make this upgrade themselves? Either way I am planning at least a few sunset drives before I pass it on.

 

Thanks for your thoughts on this topic...

 

[esty]

i'd rather buy it as it is...original and do the upgrade myself...but i would upgrade to at least a 32/36 but probably a 38/38...they are so much more fun

[Mike Self]

Your early '71 has the Solex single barrel carb and they're bulletproof.   My '69 still has its original carb after 224k miles.  I finally had to replace the original accelerator pump diaphragm--after only 48 years--last spring.  It's been apart a couple of times for cleaning and new gaskets, but that's it.

 

Were your car mine and so nice and original, I'd buy a gallon can of carb cleaner and a rebuild kit, dismantle the carb, let it swim overnight in the cleaner and then dry and reassemble.  Bet it'll be good as new.  

 

You mentioned your car sits a lot--the single barrel Solex is much more amenable to sitting than the Webers (I also have a '73 with a Weber).  My '69 sits for months at a time and starts right up with this simple procedure.  

 

With the Solex, you simply take the cover off the air cleaner, then take a small funnel and pour a couple of spoonfuls of gas down that brass pipe that sticks up inside the air cleaner.  That will fill your float chamber with gas so the engine will start soon as you turn the key--and there will be enough gas to keep it running 'till the fuel pump takes over.

 

My vote--rebuild your Solex (very simple) and leave it the way it is.

 

mike

[Russell74Fjord]

listen to Mike,, and for what its worth, everyone I meet that wants to talk about the 02 they used to own says,,,,,

 

I SHOULD HAVE NEVER SOLD IT !

[ray_]

And listen to Russell!

 

[TobyB]

Quote

the carb is on its last legs

 

Huh.  The single solex doesn't really have a lot of things that fail terminally.

In your shoes, I'd fix dat.

 

I wish I hadn't sold the VW Notch.  But sometimes you have to make decisions.  It's worse not to.

 

 

t