Throttle kit upgrade
One of the many great things about the aftermarket parts world of the vintage VW is that there is a fairly extensive network of suppliers of both new and second-hand parts. Because of the size and vibrancy of the vintage Volkswagen market, some of these suppliers are now large organisations, but there are also some smaller innovative independent set-ups that produce great new products. One such supplier is Buttys Bits run by our very own local all-round nice guy, Simon Butland!
Buttys Bits
Simon produces the excellent Buttys Bits Throttle Kit kit as an upgrade for any old worn out original equipment, or like me if you just want a much smoother, responsive and more direct feeling throttle cable action. The first stage was to simply disconnect and unbolt the original throttle assembly…
Once removed, it was good to see that my support mount was intact in very good condition, so this should make fitting the new Buttys Bit kit much easier!
Great engineering
Once the parts were connected and fitted, it was time to bolt everything into place. The kit gives a much smoother pedal action, in part due to the new return spring on the throttle pedal itself, but also because of the integral bearings in the kit. It really is a nicely thought out and engineered kit! The kit also comes with a new floor rubber and a stainless cable tie to hold the return spring in place.
With the Buttys Bits throttle kit fitted, it was time to get another little ‘upgrade’ fitted that I had been meaning to do for a while. The ‘upgrade’ was to my existing chrome rear view ‘Elephant Ear’ mirrors. One of my ‘Elephant ear’ style wing mirrors had a loose connection on the mirror head, which when at motorway cruising speeds, causes the mirror to vibrate and make it hard to see clearly in it.
Seeing clearly now
It’s a pretty poor design because unfortunately they can’t be tightened up or be fixed. So this time as a replacement, I’ve upgraded to the Custom and Commercial new replica VWOA style (Volkswagen of America) stainless steel ‘Elephant Ear’ mirrors a much nicer solution!
It also gives an excuse to play this great song, first up, the original Johnny Nash version…
although I do love the original, how about this as a cover by Hothouse Flowers – I love this version too!
