73 beetle keeps blowing signal fuse

At the collision center I work at we just repainted a mint condition 73 Super beetle with only 53K orig miles. When I say this car is mint, its truly MINT! Original owner and completely unmolested since new. Full service history since 73'. Original everything in perfect condition. Its literally a little old mans car. Its his pride and joy.

Anyway, it keeps blowing fuse number 12 as soon as you turn on the signals. I'm thinking its a ground on either the front or rear signal lamps. Also when turning on the hazards it pops that fuse too.
Any ideas?

Thanks.
MRO Supply

Keeps blowing a fuse?
IT ISN'T MINT.
GOT IT???

Service schematic would confirm it!!
Al.

Too bad its a super beet!e. Could be a ground, that would be typical German car issues. I've pulled new harnesses in a few vw/Porsche cars. Sometimes that's much easier than pinning everything out and dealing with 40 year old wiring.

Does both the left and right blow the fuse? Also are there separate brake lights in the rear or do the signals and brake share the same bulbs like most American cars of that era.
If its a shared bulb and the brake lights do not blow the fuse the rear wiring is probably OK. If both left and right signals blow the fuse, the problem is probably in the steering column. If only one side blows the fuse check the wiring for that side.

At the collision center I work at we just repainted a mint condition 73 Super beetle with only 53K orig miles. When I say this car is mint, its truly MINT! Original owner and completely unmolested since new. Full service history since 73'. Original everything in perfect condition.

It's definitely a short to ground on the supply side. Run some new wires. Old insulation gets brittle and flakes off. You will only have problem after problem repairing the old wire. Having a new set of wires will keep it in that 'like new' condition rather than having a wad of electrical tape somewhere.

Try checking the ground in the steering column...

I've rewired my '70 beetle, all of it.... What a learning curve that was....

My daughter has a '67 Beetle.....Hitler's revenge.
Ian.