Thread: bolt on go- fast for VW air cooled

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I'm currently considering ( and probably will ) buying a VW Beetle for a daily driver in the summer/ not snowy months.. found a '74 Super Beetle close by..

just wondering what bolt on go-fast parts are there that actually do somthing. after buying the Beetle I won't have money to build another engine, but I wouldn't mind a little extra kick

................turbo.

Here's a tip the super beetle's are very heavy.
I used to do some racing with a 73 VW beetle.
They can be very fast and beat alot of V8's
but they are not very dependable.
The super bee's were just to heavy
but you can litterly buy anything for them
from a catalog. Just stop at a magazine rack
and buy the VW bug mag's they have all kinds of
catalogs in them.
Kurt

VW's respond well to traditional hop up techniques. Dual carbs, distributor change, and a header make a nice difference in them, and don't break the bank. Beyond that you start tearing into the motor for a cam, some better heads, and more cubes.

My Son had a mild 1915 with dual carbs, cam, head work, header, and an 049 distributor, and it would haul. If you are going to go with a new engine it really isn't all that much more to go bigger, but as you move up in cubes you start running into more heat issues sometimes.

Don

really, I just want a decent daily driver that gets good MPG... my truck ( 1998 Ranger 4L auto 4x4 ) gets 17-18 MPG, at 60 with A/C and cruise... a $500-1,000 puddle jumper could get 30-35 mpg or so. but at the end of my use, it would be worth scrap.. I figure, Beetles are easy to work on, they do get good MPG, and they don't depreciate as long as there kept in good condition.. I also have a Vw junkyard very close by that always has Beetle parts and quite a few parts cars.. so I could have an economical summer/ non snowy daily driver..

I don't want to tear the engine down, but I may build another engine for it ( probably a 1915 ).
bolt on's is all I would want for the engine that is in it.. so probably dual carb,, distributor and a headder will get it going pretty good...

this '74 is red w/ nice black interior.. I will probably paint the fenders black, just to give it a little personality, and I like 2 tone beetles

Good plan Matt. The other nice thing is that virtually every part on them is available in the aftermarket.

Sounds like a nice little car.

Don

Actully the bugs do good in the snow just throw a little weight in the front trunk no slide steering. Now the heaters in them is a whole other storie. Of course now they sell them little 12 volt heaters you can plug in, and they have a little fan and all.
What ever you get make sure it is a 12 volt system, they just work better in my opion.
Kurt

yea, I'm only looking at 68- up's.. I like the look of the earlier 1's, but getting the earlier style with 12v was only '67 IIRC.... I can make a mut and get earlier fenders and lights.. possibly a glass W decklid

with the salt we have, I'd rather just run my truck and put the beetle away for the winter.

They have got so many cool add on's for those things it's great.
Reseced vented hoods, whale tails what I always thought were cool looking.
They have flared fenders with turn signals built in to them.
Super nice apolstry kit that are very easy to install with out any sewing.
There is just so much stuff avalible for them Matt.
I liked the 73 because the big tail lights and I didn't have to open the front hood to filler up with gas. It had a little door just in front of the passenger door to fill it up.
Buy a extra gas peddle cable and put it in the car, I used to break one about once a year. Easy to replace but it's a pain in the butt when you ain't got one broke down on the side of the road. Also keep a extra points condencer they like to go out too. Kurt

Matt, here's my advice.

No matter what you build, your going to sell it someday. So.....your better off to start with something they you will be able to get your money and labor back when it's time to sell. Stay away from building anything that will require emmission inspection, in any state. Think of it this way. The paint, bodywork, parts, upolstery, etc cost the same to restore any model. So it's always a better investment to start with something like a '57 Nomad or Convert, over a four door sedan.

I would only consider 1967 and earlier bugs. At least, stay away from any of the macpherson strut models. You can easily (and cheaply) convert a pre 1967 6V car to 12V and also change it to an alternater at the same time.

Coming from a guy that races a 11 second 1960 bug, I'd suggest to stay away from any high performance parts if you wany a good reliable "driver". A fresh stock dual port motor with late model cooling tin/oil cooler will run forever on a "stock geared" street car.

what's wrong with the Super Beetles ( macpherson strut )? other than the super shimmy that can be cured.. problem with my finding '67- down's is, there few and far between, and expensive when found..

the '74 Super I found is pretty nice, and $1,500. as I understand, they have 1600 dual ports which are good for economy.

I found a '73 1302 Beetle ( not super ) that would be a good parts car, or restoration. I would guess the 1303 super beetle body could be swapped onto the '73 beetle chassis, to make a '74 1303 Beetle.. that's a lot of work tho, and added cost as that 1 is $700, and runs altho it's missing tin and is leaking oil

Here's a good tip for you Matt, first listen to John. though I do like the 73 Beetle's not the super beetle.
All the bugs will leak fron their push rod tubes so pull the push rods and push rod tubes out with out removeing the heads. then buy some aluminum adjustable push rod tubes and put them back in with out removeing the heads. With the stock push rod tubes you had to pull the heads and expand the tubes by pulling them out or apart then to reinstall them you had to reinstall the head crushing the push rod tubes in to place. Then if you had a leak you had to do it all over again, what a pain in the butt.
I remember when the first introduced the adjustable push rod tube what a god send they were!!! So I've been there and done that. The 73's are also not a macpherson strut model, the super beetle is though. stay away from it like john said.
We have a entire junk yard full of old beetls down here in Dade city that is full of all kinds of bugs and if I was not so sick I would be building them and selling them off.
Kurt

Yeah, the super beetles just never had the same respect or following as the torsion bar models. They had their own issues and were a little more complex. Not as pretty either IMO.

Don

well. I took a big chance and bought a '74 Super Beetle. same 1 mentioned earlier... it needs some floor pan work, but I'm probably going to make my own out of 16 or 18 ga. because I have ither or, and the Mig welder.. other than the floor work needed, it's solid and in good condition for a 36 year old Super Beetle. brakes have been redone sometime in recent history, and everything works. except the aftermarket radio ( standard shaft mount Kenwood so dash not cut ).. I'll get another shaft mount Pyle or Dual brand radio and put it in so I have tunes.. also has a good working autostick transmission.... but it runs good as is, and is quick enough to get me to work, so I won't buy any go fast parts

Well if the floor pan is not too bad then patch it.
But remember most of the strength is in the floor of a bug.
You can buy a new floor pan pretty cheap for them and they just unbolt
all the way around the bottom of the pan. then lift the body off and remove every thing else. Plus you'll get a new title with a new floor pan as well.
Kurt