Ep 360 Bill & George Roundtable

Decklid hinges are the hardware that allows the rear engine lid (decklid) to open and close smoothly. In VW bus and Beetle-style platforms, hinge wear can lead to misalignment and poor fitment, so stainless replacements are often used for durability and corrosion resistance.

Viton seals are rubber gaskets made from a fluoroelastomer called Viton. They’re popular in air-cooled and performance VW setups because Viton typically resists heat, oil, and fuel better than many generic elastomers.

Icon pistons are aftermarket performance pistons used in VW engines. The episode mentions specific sizes (like 90.5 and 94 mm), which matter because piston diameter and compression geometry affect how the engine is built and what displacement it targets.

Type E Motorsports is referenced as a seller/distributor for aftermarket VW parts, specifically Icon pistons. In enthusiast circles, these specialty vendors are often where you source less-common engine components and build parts.

Damn Vauxhall is mentioned as one of the remaining Volkswagen-focused shops in the Vegas area. The hosts point listeners there for VW parts and service, which makes it a useful local resource reference for the VW community.

“Rag top” is slang for a convertible’s fabric soft top. In classic VW circles, it often implies work on the top’s frame, seals, and weatherproofing—areas that affect fit, leaks, and how the car looks and drives.

“Speed wobble” is a colloquial term for a vibration/shaking that gets worse at certain speeds, often caused by imbalance, worn suspension components, loose steering/suspension parts, or tire/wheel issues. It’s typically discussed as a symptom that needs diagnosis rather than something you just “live with.”

A “deluxe bumper assembly” refers to a specific bumper setup (not just the bumper cover), typically including the brackets, rubber/isolators, and mounting hardware. In this segment, the host describes assembling deluxe bumpers and finding the rubber pieces/fitment problematic enough to modify with a grinder.

“Death wobble” is an enthusiast term for an extreme, violent steering/suspension oscillation—often severe enough to feel dangerous. It’s commonly linked to worn or loose suspension/steering parts, wheel/tire imbalance, or geometry issues that allow oscillations to build rather than damp out.

The Volkswagen Beetle is a long-running classic car known for its distinctive shape and air-cooled heritage. The podcast references issues like “death wobble” and also mentions bumper assembly work, which points to common maintenance and suspension-related topics for older Beetles. It’s a frequent subject in classic VW discussions because many owners keep them on the road and modify or repair them over time.

The Volkswagen squareback is a classic VW variant known for its distinctive fastback-style rear hatch and wagon-like practicality. In the VW air-cooled era, squarebacks are especially popular with enthusiasts because they’re relatively rare compared with more common Beetle-based body styles.

“Carjacked” describes the act of forcibly taking a vehicle from its occupants, typically involving threats or violence. In car-enthusiast stories, it often comes up when discussing why certain cars were targeted or how owners lost vehicles.

The Oldsmobile Cutlass is a classic American muscle-era car, with the 1970s “big body” versions being especially well-known. The podcast specifically references a 1976 Cutlass, which highlights how these cars were popular for cruising and street use. It’s discussed because it represents a distinct period of styling and driving culture.

A 1976 Chevrolet Cutlass (the “big body” version) is a 1970s American muscle-era personal-luxury coupe/sedan that’s remembered for its size and styling. The speaker also references the G-body era, which is the later platform family that many enthusiasts associate with similar “Cutlass” styling.

“G-body” refers to a specific GM mid-size car platform used across multiple models in the late 1970s through the 1980s. Enthusiasts use it as shorthand for the chassis family, which affects parts compatibility and how the cars are discussed in the classic-car scene.

The Chevrolet Corvette is a performance sports car known for its classic American styling and strong engine options. In a podcast about classic VWs, it may come up as a reference point for classic wheel fitment or “era-correct” appearance—like the mention of 10-slot wheels on an older Corvette. It’s often discussed because it’s a recognizable icon and a common platform for customization.

A muffler is the exhaust component that reduces engine noise by using internal chambers and baffles to control sound waves. When the muffler breaks, exhaust can become much louder and can change the perceived “character” of the engine.

A cam (camshaft profile) controls valve timing and lift, which strongly affects how an engine sounds and how it makes power across the RPM range. A “cammy” sound is often associated with aftermarket cams or exhaust changes that make the engine note more aggressive.

A catalytic converter is an emissions-control device in the exhaust that uses catalysts to reduce harmful gases. When it’s failing or damaged, it can produce unusual smells (often described as sulfur/“eggs”) and may indicate exhaust/emissions problems.

The Buick Regal is a long-running American mid-size car line from Buick, spanning decades with both V6 and V8 options depending on year. In this segment, the Regal is mentioned as the source of parts (tires/wheels) that were swapped onto the Cutlass.

“Spokes” usually refers to a wheel style with multiple thin spokes radiating from the center, often associated with classic or custom wheel looks. The host’s “I got my spokes” suggests they were planning a cruise with that specific wheel setup.

The Volkswagen Jetta is a compact sedan built for everyday driving, typically used as a practical, comfortable commuter car. It’s mentioned in the context of someone driving a girlfriend’s Jetta with specific tires or wheels, which is common in car-focused conversations. The Jetta often shows up because it’s a popular platform for fitment and styling changes.

A body shop is where a car’s exterior damage and paint work are repaired—like panel repairs and repainting. In this segment, the speaker mentions a Volkswagen being in paint/body work and a roof respray, which are typical body-shop jobs.

Color sanding is a paint-correction process where you use progressively finer sandpaper to level out surface defects, then polish to restore gloss. It’s often used after bodywork or to remove sanding marks and minor imperfections before final detailing.

A gearbox is the transmission assembly that changes engine speed through different gear ratios. In a swap, the gearbox choice affects gearing, drivability, and how the vehicle fits and mounts to its chassis.

The Porsche 914 is a classic mid-engine Porsche, and the “914 five speed” refers to its 5-speed transaxle setup. In this discussion, it’s being compared to a 901 gearbox swap to understand what you gain in gearing and drivability.

“Carbs rebuilt” means the carburetors were taken apart, cleaned, and fitted with new wear parts (like gaskets and jets) to restore proper fuel metering. On air-cooled VW-style builds, carb health strongly affects starting, throttle response, and how well the engine runs after tuning.

A dyno tune is calibration work done on an engine using a dynamometer (dyno). The goal is to dial in fuel/air and ignition settings so the car makes the expected power and runs cleanly across the rev range.

A wiring harness is the bundled set of wires and connectors that distributes power and signals to the car’s electrical components. Replacing or swapping a harness is common in restorations because old wiring can be brittle, corroded, or incompatible with updated equipment.

Alpine is an aftermarket electronics brand best known for car audio head units, speakers, and related accessories. In this segment, the host is saying the car will use Alpine components for the stereo system.

Oil leaking indicates an engine or drivetrain fluid seep—often from a seal, gasket, or cooler connection. In air-cooled VW circles, oil leaks are commonly discussed because oil is a critical lubricant and leaks can worsen quickly if ignored. Here it’s described as coming from the cooler area.

A “cooler” in this context is an oil cooler—an extra heat exchanger that helps keep engine oil temperatures under control. On classic VWs, oil cooling is especially relevant because oil does a lot of the work for lubrication and heat management. A leak “from the cooler” suggests the cooler lines or seals may be the source.

An “automatic” sunroof is a power-operated roof panel that opens and closes via a switch or motor, rather than being manually cranked. On classic cars, this is often a desirable convenience feature and can also be a point of complexity if the mechanism needs service. The host mentions buying the car with an automatic sunroof as part of the plan for who would drive it.

“Re-sprayed” means repainting a panel—here, the roof. On classic cars, repainting is often done after rust repair, dent removal, or when the original paint has faded or been damaged.

The “deck lid” is the exterior panel that covers the rear trunk area on many cars. “Back deck lid re-sprayed” indicates they’re repainting that specific rear door/panel, usually for cosmetic restoration or after panel work.

“40 grit” refers to a very coarse sandpaper grade used for aggressive material removal—like knocking down old paint, leveling major imperfections, or stripping surfaces before filler and repainting. Coarse grits leave deep scratches that must be followed by finer sanding to get a smooth finish.

In bodywork, “filler” usually means automotive body filler (often fiberglass- or polyester-based) used to smooth dents and low spots before sanding and painting. It’s a key step in restoring panel shape, but it requires careful prep to avoid future cracking or uneven paint.

“Unbolted” means removing bolts to take a panel or section off the car. In bodywork, removing parts can help you repaint cleanly, avoid masking lines, and do repairs without damaging surrounding trim.

“185 35s” is shorthand for a tire size where 185 is the tire width in millimeters and 35 is the aspect ratio (sidewall height as a percentage of width). Choosing a specific size affects ride comfort, steering feel, and how much the tire will fit under wheel wells—especially on lowered classic cars.

“17s 185 35 17s” is shorthand for a 17-inch wheel size with a tire size of 185/35. The tire’s sidewall height (the “35”) affects how much clearance you have when lowering—shorter sidewalls can help fitment, but the overall wheel/tire diameter and width still determine how low you can go without rubbing.

Hydraulic suspension uses fluid pressure to raise and lower the car (or bus) on demand. In a lowered build, it also has to physically fit within the wheel wells and body “tubs,” because the suspension travel determines how low it can go without hitting the tires.

In classic VW lowering builds, “tubs” usually refers to modified inner wheel-well structures that create clearance for the tires and suspension. If the tubs aren’t deep or cut enough, larger wheels/tires can limit how low the car can go without the tires contacting the body.

A seat cover is the custom upholstery cover installed over the seat’s foam and frame. On classic VW restorations, seat covers are often made to match the original pattern and materials, and delays can happen if the shop has to have them made from scratch.

Beetle Barn is referenced as the local business George uses to place an order for him. In classic VW circles, local shops often act as intermediaries to source hard-to-find upholstery and trim items.

“TMI” here appears to be a supplier/vendor used to order parts or upholstery materials for the shop’s projects. The key point is that George doesn’t have an account with them, so he routes the order through a local contact.

“Full width bus bench” describes a seat that spans the width of the bus interior, as opposed to narrower or multi-piece seat arrangements. In VW bus interiors, the exact bench width and mounting points matter because different seat types are meant for different rows and configurations.

A “60/40 seat” is a split bench where one side is 60% of the seat width and the other is 40%. On VW buses, that split matters because it changes how the seat assembly fits and how it’s used in the front seating area.

A “three quarter middle seat” indicates a middle-row seat that covers about 75% of the bus’s interior width, leaving the remaining portion for other layout needs (like access or structural/trim constraints). VW bus seat layouts vary a lot, so the “three-quarter” sizing is critical for ordering the correct matching set.

“Golden nugget material” is a named upholstery material used in the seat’s colorway/trim. When restoring a VW bus interior, using the correct named material helps match the original-era look and can determine whether a shop can reproduce the same seam/heat-pattern details.

“Platinum mesh” describes a specific upholstery material/texture used for the seat covering. In restoration or reupholstery, the exact fabric type matters because it affects both the look (colorway/texture) and how the seat can be reproduced or tailored.

“Heat seams” are upholstery seam details created using heat during manufacturing or reupholstery, often to form a specific pattern or texture. The speaker says they can’t reproduce these heat-seam details, which is why even correct seat bases may not match the original appearance.

In this context, “tailoring” means custom upholstery work to fit and finish seat covers to a specific bus seat frame and configuration. It’s different from ordering a complete, ready-to-install seat because tailoring is needed when the parts don’t perfectly match the intended layout or when details must be adapted.

A “double cab” (in classic VW Type 2 terms) typically means a bus body style with an extended cab area and rear seating that differs from standard single-cab configurations. Here, the issue is that the order included a middle-seat/cover arrangement that didn’t match what the double-cab rear seat should be.

“Bay window” is the common enthusiast term for the Volkswagen Type 2 generation whose side windows bulge outward (the “bay” shape). Because the interior panels, seat frames, and carpet contours differ from other Type 2 layouts, upholstery and carpet kits are not always interchangeable.

“Split screen” refers to the early Volkswagen Type 2 front windshield design split into two sections, and “walkthrough” describes the interior layout with a passageway between the front and rear seating. These layouts affect where upholstery seams and carpet edges land, so ordering the wrong kit can lead to parts that don’t match the bus’s interior geometry.

A cylinder head is the top part of an engine that bolts to the block and houses key components like the combustion chambers and valve gear. In VW (Volkswagen) air-cooled and performance communities, cylinder heads are a major tuning focus because porting, valve size, and combustion-chamber shape strongly affect airflow and power.

In engine discussions, “terminology” refers to the specialized vocabulary used to describe engine design and tuning—like airflow, valve events, and head/cam choices. If you don’t know the terms, the conversation can feel confusing even when the underlying ideas are straightforward.

An engine builder is someone who assembles and calibrates an engine for a specific goal—stock reliability, street performance, or racing. They typically choose parts, set clearances, and ensure the engine is built to work together as a system rather than just swapping components.

Compression ratio is the ratio between the volume in the cylinder when the piston is at the bottom and the volume when it’s at the top. Changing it alters how much the air-fuel mixture is squeezed before ignition, which affects power, efficiency, and how prone the engine is to knock.

“Race heads” typically means cylinder heads that have been modified or built for performance—most importantly improved porting (airflow) and combustion-chamber work. Better heads can let the engine breathe more efficiently, which is why the hosts talk about specific head brands and port work.

Fred Simpson is referenced as the maker of race cylinder heads. In air-cooled VW circles, head builders and their porting/combustion-chamber work are a big part of how engines make power.

“Balance fans” here refers to balancing the cooling fan(s) so they spin smoothly at speed. If a fan is out of balance, it can create vibration that stresses other components and can lead to secondary problems while you keep driving.

RPM (revolutions per minute) is how fast the engine is spinning. The hosts mention “bounce off a grand,” meaning they’re targeting around 1,000 RPM, which matters because vibration and airflow/combustion behavior can change with engine speed.

“Jacking fans up” in this context means increasing fan speed/effort (or otherwise changing how the fan is driven) in a way that reveals or worsens vibration. The key idea is that once the fan is vibrating, it can “jack up” other parts through resonance and mechanical stress.

Port work is the machining/reshaping of the intake and exhaust ports in the cylinder head to improve airflow. Good port work can increase volumetric efficiency (how effectively the engine fills its cylinders), which often shows up as stronger power across the RPM range.

“Burgheads” is used as a brand name for cylinder heads the speaker says were among the best they’d seen. The discussion emphasizes the quality of the port work and overall head craftsmanship, which are key performance factors.

In engine-building talk, “internals” usually means the internal rotating and reciprocating components—like pistons, cylinders, crank-related parts, and related hardware. The speaker uses it to emphasize that the build isn’t just cosmetic; the core engine components are documented and sourced.

Gene Berg is referenced as the source of the engine internals, with the speaker saying it’s “all Gene Berg products.” Gene Berg is well known in the classic VW performance world for aftermarket parts and engine-building components.

“Luft zigen” is presented as an air-cooled VW festival/event coming to Santa Anita Raceway. In this context, it’s a community gathering centered on classic air-cooled Volkswagens (and related Porsche entries), with displays and activities.

Santa Anita Raceway is the venue where the air-cooled VW/Porsche event is scheduled. The hosts describe it as having the event in the infield area, which helps explain the kind of layout and crowd experience attendees can expect.

“MP parts” is named alongside “hot vw's” as an event sponsor. The mention suggests it’s a parts-related brand tied to the air-cooled VW scene.

Torque is the twisting force an engine produces, and it’s what helps a car accelerate, especially at lower speeds. In an engine-build contest, “highest torque” usually means the engine’s peak torque (or sometimes torque across a band) measured on a dyno.

An engine dyno is a test stand that measures an engine’s output by loading it while it runs. It’s commonly used to produce graphs for horsepower and torque, so builders can compare engines under controlled conditions.

An “engine battle” is a competition where different builds are tested against each other—commonly on a dyno or via standardized runs—to see which setup makes the most power or torque. The segment lists competitors and then discusses torque comparisons, which fits that format.

A “quick flip” is buying a car (often a project) with the intent to fix it enough to sell it soon for a profit. In the segment, they’re describing a Beetle project they want to get running and then sell.

Fiberglass is a composite material often used for lightweight body panels or interior/roof sections on modified cars. In this story, it’s important because the roof area is described as fiberglass behind the surface, which affects how it’s repaired and welded.

“Weld that up” refers to repairing structural or body openings by fusing metal (or metal reinforcements) together. For a roof with a hole (like a skylight opening), welding is typically part of restoring strength and sealing before finishing.

In suspension terminology, the strut is the shock/structural component, and the “tower” is the body mount area where the strut attaches. Lowering a car often requires strut-related parts (or replacement assemblies) because the geometry and clearance change.

“3500” in this context refers to a Dodge 3500 heavy-duty truck, which is built for towing and hauling rather than casual driving. The podcast contrasts it with cars like the ones being discussed for wheeling or driving around, emphasizing that a 3500 isn’t typically used the same way. It comes up because it represents a different category of vehicle and capability.

Air ride (air suspension) uses air springs instead of traditional coil springs to let the car’s ride height be raised or lowered. On classic VW buses, it’s popular because it can improve stance and make the vehicle easier to set up for show use or driving comfort.

An air-cooled system is a cooling approach where engine heat is removed by airflow over the engine rather than using a liquid coolant circuit. Volkswagen’s classic rear-engine designs are famous for air-cooled layouts, and the hosts are noting that this Bus had an air-cooled setup installed decades ago.

“Raw metal” here is being used to emphasize bare, unpainted steel—highlighting how the fabricated brackets and mounting areas have remained exposed. In restoration and fabrication discussions, that’s often used to contrast with typical rust-prone areas and to show the quality of past work and corrosion resistance.

In air suspension, “airbags” are the flexible air springs that support the vehicle’s weight and control ride height. They’re typically mounted near suspension components and work together with valves/lines to raise or lower the car.

A torsion housing is part of a torsion-bar suspension system, where twisting bars provide springing. The hosts mention mounting plates “on the inside pocket of the torsion housing,” which is a common area for fabrication when installing air suspension on classic VW platforms.

A yoke is a shaped metal bracket/connection piece that transfers motion or loads between components. In the context of torsion suspension, the yoke area is where suspension geometry and mounting points come together—important when welding in air-suspension brackets.

This describes a specific structural “pocket”/reinforced area of the frame where brackets can be welded or mounted. On classic VW buses, these frame sections are commonly used as attachment points for air suspension components.

The hosts connect corrosion/rust outcomes to local climate and moisture differences—contrasting living in Las Vegas versus the UK. It’s a practical reminder that metal preservation depends heavily on humidity, road salt, and overall exposure to moisture.

This segment discusses why some classic Volkswagens are particularly vulnerable to theft: early cars often had minimal factory security. It also covers practical deterrence strategies, like locking shifters, and why their effectiveness varies by VW platform due to how accessible the drivetrain controls are.

A “Berg shifter” refers to a shifter setup associated with Berg (an aftermarket VW parts brand), and in this context it’s specifically a locking shifter. The idea is that locking the shifter in a certain gear (like reverse) can make it harder for thieves to put the car in a drivable state.

The Volkswagen Type 3 is an early rear-engine, air-cooled VW platform that enthusiasts still talk about for its unique layout and parts. In this segment, it’s referenced as a car where a locking shifter setup can be effective at preventing theft.