How to Keep Your Volkseagen Alive (19th) Nineteenth Edition

by John Muir, Peter Aschwanden (Illustrator), Tosh Gregg

no marked or torn pages

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Cars

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

John Muir (1918–1977) was an aerospace engineer who worked for Lockheed, who "dropped out," 1960s-style, to become a long-haired car mechanic with a garage in Taos, New Mexico, specializing in maintenance and repair of Volkswagens. He is a descendant of the naturalist John Muir.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Richard Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Dad had an old '64 Bug that hadn't run in 10 years. I had a new driver's license. I asked him if I could have the Bug if I could get it running. I'd never worked on cars before but re-built the engine, clutch, brakes, and electrical by reading this book.

Most repair manuals are not good reads. This one is great. Mostly philosophical and comical with some instruction thrown in. I think it teaches a great approach to any undertaking.

[Chris Bassett MD · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I’d had this when I was rehabbing a 67 Ghia during residency. Very practical advice on… well, everything that can go wrong with VW types 1-4.

So yeh, that means I read this while not even owning an old VW anymore.

But the writing is entertaining - love how he advises to “grok” the car, or to go in the back with your lady and “ball” - and the repair illustrations are fantastic. Might buy a new copy just to put on my shelf.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first "Idiot Guide" ever. This is absolutely the best, easy to understand, book on not only maintaining, but also completely tearing down, and putting back together your older model vw. The "exploded views" are hand illustrated by the extremely talented Peter Aschwanden. Note the earlier editions shown on the right. I had one of the early spiral notebook editions!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great when I had 2 volkswagens, 30 odd years ago. Still the only repair and maintenance book of its type for any car that I have seen and certainly the only one that I could pick up and read a couple of pages for the sake of reading. I have given my copies away to other VW owners

[Lawrence Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book not only changes that way I related to my Volkswagens, it changed the way I relate to all machinery and the Universe. Essential reading. Buy a Volkswagen to justify buying the book if you have to.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I long ago lost count of how many different VW bugs I owned, and one bus along the way. Those were my impoverished student days and I worked on them myself, with some memorable team efforts with good friends. This book--and a big collection of hand tools--was pretty much enough to get me by.

[Xotzin · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I love this MANUAL it saved my A&& more times than I can count ! John RIP!THANK YOU!

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your one-stop-shop for keeping your VW running. I can't even count the number of times this book helped me out when I had my bus. I'd highly recommend this to all owners of old VWs.

[Michael Latiolais · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not just a book on car repair. It's also a philosophic treatise on life. I recommend it for everyone, whether you have an air cooled VW or not.

[KennyO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without question, this is the best-crafted how to manual I have ever used. The only things I rank in its league are the Heathkit Assembly manuals of yore. The writing is lighthearted to the point of occasional silliness but the information is as close to flawlessly acccurate as you'll find in any shop manual published. Illustrations are clear and make the procedures easy to follow. Muir renders the imposing repair jobs into things that are quite doable by people who have the desire (and need) but not yet the skills. The ability to follow his excellent step by step instructions is essential, of course.

There are later editions but I still treasure my original that I learned about [probably] in the Whole Earth Catalog somewhere in the seventies.

[Zeke Foonman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I owned a 1968 VW Bug. This book of John Muir's taught me everything I needed to know to keep my "Slug-a-Bug" alive and running. If you own an aircooled VW, you have to have this book. It will save you time, money, cursing and bloody knuckles while you work on your beloved Volkswagen.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book both saved and changed -- or rather, confirmed and reinforced my life.

[Chic Barna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allowed me to keep my 1962 VW Bus alive through college and a few years beyond.

[Robert J Kinsloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must have "Bible" for VW Bus owners like myself

[Miranda Casteel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have for any air cooled Veedub owner!

[Peter Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book at the tender age of nine, and was immediately fascinated by its humor and imagery. The year was 1985, and my dad had just bought a '68 Beetle; I was gonna help him get it fixed-up, and I was totally stoked. While Dad was an experienced wrench-turner, I didn't know the first thing (except the fact that VW motors are in the back). With this manual in hand, I learned how an internal-combustion engine works and the importance of keeping long hair tucked into a cap while working on a car (it's a book for complete idiots, mind you). I read the book from cover to cover, devouring every page. Then, Dad and I spent the summer returning his powder blue Beetle to its road-worthy glory; the whole time, I dreamt of the day that I would rehab a slug bug of my own.

Fast-forward to senior year of high school: with saved-up milk money, I bought a faded yella '70 Beetle, and the next thing I did (after rubbing it in my sister's face) was to dig-up this old book and give it a fresh read-through. Then I spent the summer yanking out the motor, replacing hoses, and rebuilding the carburetor. Dogeared and full of greasy smudges, this book still adorns my bookshelf. It helped me keep my Volkswagen alive and I'm sure it would do the same for you. Highly recommended!

[Regan Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly the book I've read with the most character. An in-depth auto manual but a dive into the spirit of Muir himself. He writes as though to a friend.

[C Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you can hold a pair of pliers and read...you can fix your VW....at least that's how I felt when I read this many, many moons ago. I love by VW (bug and squareback) and hope to get a bus one day.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for a newbie enthusiast such as myself. It assumes nothing and works from first principles on diagnostics and trouble-shooting. I am the target audience with this one.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that has useful and easy to understand auto reapir and rebuild information. With lines like (parapharsing): I let my volkswagen warm up for the time it takes me roll a cigarette and don't forget to tuck your hair under a stocking hat.

More than a few times I have had this book out while laying under my old bus (with my hair in a stocking cap) waving this book in an effort t chase out random germlins.

[Sonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps one of the all-time best mechanic manuals. Muir leads you not only into the heart of your VW (and its history), but plants seeds about conscious living and driving and recycling. The illustrations are priceless and will keep you smiling for years. If all technical manuals could be like this, the world would be quite a different place. Big words, yes, but take a trip into the book.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an invaluable resource to me when I had my 65 Volkswagen bug as my only vehicle. I was trying to keep it running as best I could, as best it would. I learned a lot and it was so fun to read as well. I miss that car. I had an early edition and it was full of greased pages and well used.

[Chris Waymire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first and only auto manual that I ever read all the way through. I found that not only did it teach me how to fix my vw, but it taught me that a teaching and writing technical information didn't have to be dry as reading an encyclopedia.

[Jason Hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book to read and look at - whether you own a VW or not. its so much more that an auto repair manual (although it excels at this) with some sage advice on living a life unencombered by our disposable society. DIY bible.

[Timothy Stahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Story of Volkswagen is like no other. It combines incredible engineering, history and business success that could only have happened in the cauldron of the post WWI/WWII eras. This book is fun reading and started a Genre of it's own.

[jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

super fun read. with picture!! definetly worth taking a drive down an unknown map in your favorite v-dub and have an adventure.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Love the section on "expensive noises".

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading for anyone who has ever owned, driven, seen, smelt or heard any type of automobile.

[Vato · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have for any air cooled VW owner.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm starting from scratch and I have a 1973 Beetle that I plan restoring with my dad. This covers things so even a complete idiot can understand!