How do you adjust the brakes on a 71 VW?

Drum brakes I assume? First spin the drum around and take note of how much drage on the drum you have. You should have slight drag but not too much. Now you'll have too look at the drum. There will be a hole in the drum. Slowly spin the drum until you can see a gear, take a screw driver and turn the gear a few times. Spin the drum until you see the second gear which should be more then 8 inches from the first I would guess. Adjust the second one the opposite way of the first one by turning the gear the opposite way of the first one. As you are doing the gears every now and then stop and spin the drum around to feel how much drag you have on it. You should have slight drag, but not too much. If you have no drag at all you are spinning the gears in the wrong direction.