Just use unleaded.  You will get valve seat precession over a long long time, but frankly I have been putting unleaded into my VW's over the past 25 years without any discernable problems.

The issue with unleaded is this: the small amounts of lead tetraethyl in the petrol put there for anti-knock - explosions - also had a secondary role by leaving metallic metal on the exhaust valve seats, this stopped the seat being eroded by the hot gasses (precession).  No leaded petrol = no lead on valve seat.   Whilst this might be an issue over some years on an E-Type Jaguar or a turbo charged Celica Supra, frankly on your under stressed VW engine with valves kept deliberately small, long valve stems etc you will not see any immediate problem.

Maybe you will have to renew the heads on the engine in about 100,000 miles rather than 150,000 miles - but most of can live with that.

When you come to the end of 100,000 miles, you can get the engine rebuilt with hardened valve seats in the head, and it will then last for 150,000 miles.  Of course you might be now driving a filigree pattern of rust J

-----Original Message-----
From: quisetcur [mailto:r.r.thompson@...]
Sent: 24 November 2003 13:23
To: 1302@...
Subject: [1302 eGroup] help with fuel please?

hi all
my daughter's partner has a 1972 beetle and needs to know
how to run it now that leaded fuel is totally unavailable
we'd be grateful for any info you have
thanks
quisie