why does my 1971 Volkswagen have a hesitation when giving it gas

Could be many different reasons, either electrical or fuel supply in nature. It depends how it loses power. check plugs, distributor cap, points and rotor for signs of wear. I believe a 1971 still has points. the fuel filter could be clogged. If it already has has fuel injection,, that may be a problem. One would need to know more details of how it behaves. by the way, "write"means to communicate by scripting (writing). The word you should have used is "right", which means properly or correctly. have fun enrik

engine timing. You need to have someone with a timing gun set it correctly.

Points,timeing,plugs ,cap &or roator