[Vwdiesel] More Dasher?

[William J Toensing]

Went out to my 81 Dasher today to see what was going on. Pulled the valve cover to re-torque the head bolts. Found a few interesting things. While standing by the right front fender, looking at the engine, I found the head bolt on the left side of the engine between the center & front head bolt to be striped. Couldn't tighten it up. I also found the front head bolts loose. I know I torqued all the head bolts to either 52 or 58 foot pounds, whatever the Bentley called for. I also did it in 3 separate sequences the Bentley called for.I also noticed something else. The head bolts were 11 mm as measured with a micrometer I have. I was also able to slip a 1/2 inch bolt into the cylinder head which measured 12.5 mm or possibly 13 mm which suggests I may have the wrong head for the block. I was also wondering if I should re-pull the head & re-tap the block for 12 mm head bolts or to accept 1/2". I have some 4" grade 8  machine thread 4" bolts I could use, or I could buy some 12 mm head bolts, or I could hilo-coil the hole with the stripped threads & use the 11mm bolts I have. Is it also possible to re-thread the one hole or hilo-coil it with out removing the head? If I use the 12 mm bolts or 1/2" bolts, does this change the top torque rating. I would suspect the higher I can torque the bolts, with out stripping the threads, the better. Right or wrong?  Are the factory head bolts stronger or weaker than grade 8 bolts? I do not want to use stretch bolts & the 11mm bolts I have are not supposed to be stretch bolts. I would suspect the racing head bolts some of you have been referring to would be the best way to go. If I go the 12mm bolt route, what tap should I use or buy if I don't have one?

My local parts source in Grass Valley, CA states the hubcap clips are no longer available for my Dasher. I would like to buy a set of hubcaps & clips to hold the hubcaps on the stock 13" Dasher wheels. Any suggestions where to buy them? I bought a set of Porsche hubcaps at a swap meet thinking they would fit. They don't.