I noticed you're other posts are asking about Supers.
If you plan on baja-ing a Bug, don't do it to a Super, unless you just want it for looks, and not off-road.
The Super front suspension won't take the abuse of off-road. And you don't want to be in the boonies when your front wheels fall off.
I have an early model '73, which I'm told is still the old style front end..I haven't actually gotten under to look but I'm pretty sure I have a front beam....right?
On Tue, 02 Sep 2003 02:12:56 GMT, "GusDaDog" ran around screaming and yelling:
*ALL* superbeetles have front struts, not the front torsion beam that eh standard bug has...if you are *unsure* of whether your car is a super or standard, then look in your front wheelwells...if you see a coilspring and strut you are the proud owner of a super...and if yours is indeed a 73, it will have the "curved" windscreen... jI KNOW I have a 73 Super....I only got it 2 days ago and only spent about 30 minutes with it so I haven't looked it all the way over yet. It's halfway converted to Baja already so I might as well finish, and I didn't buy it, my girlfriend got it as a gift because I've been crying ever since I sold my '69 about 18 months ago....yeah, she's a keeper....
"GusDaDog" wrote
There is an early ('71-'73.5) and late ('73.5-'79) suspension on Super Beetles but both are MacPherson strut suspensions. No Super Beetle has a beam front end. The early strut suspension is considered to be stronger than the late suspension, so that may be what you're thinking of.
Here's a thread at the SBO! forum that discusses the differences:
That link will probably wrap, so here's shorter one:
hth
-- Scott
On Tue, 02 Sep 2003 02:28:48 GMT, "GusDaDog" ran around screaming and yelling:
Gus(i assume(yeah i know) you are replying to me(try a quote next time?)) i *wasn't* trying to insult your intelligence, i just detected a doubt about the car in your post...my post was just a "clarify) post..no ofense intended...anyway...everyone will tell you that a super offroad is no good....*I* have owned a super that was baja'd...it did "okay"...but the suspension is weak...no doubt abou that...but since you got it for nada, then yo ucan spend a little change on it...after you cut the front of the car, it is advised to reinforce the strut towers...a strutbar, or even a homebrew, redneck, bar made of square tubing and welded to the strut towers will work...without it the frontend will tend to flex at the towers, and cause erratic suspension movement....the super will be capable offroad, but do not abuse it(excessive jumps, et al)....good luck J
I didn't actually intend any attitude with my post, my apologies...
...the majority of the off-road I plan for it is going to be dirt road and some dirt trails, not really jumping or rocks or dunes. Just some romps down some 2 tracks. Otherwise, mainly just going to street it....
the front is currently 100% intact other than shaved and trimmed and welded front fenders...I think I'm going to leave the front the way it is structurally, To brace the strut towers do I just make a connecting rod between them via the strut nut across thru the trunk?
"make sure you do some type of bracing for the strut
On Wed, 03 Sep 2003 00:17:50 GMT, "GusDaDog" ran around screaming and yelling:
yes....you can buy a premade "strutbar", but what fun is that?
Joey, while we are at it...please please please leave a spce between op & reply, it hurts my eyes looking for your contribution
Ta
James :-)
On Wed, 3 Sep 2003 11:40:23 +0100, "Juper Wort" ran around screaming and yelling:
hmm...i normally do....sorry... J
On Wed, 03 Sep 2003 22:19:22 GMT, "GusDaDog" left Mt Vesuvius in a state of jealous awe as he began spewing from the mouth thusly:
Here are some of my VW bookmarks. (Maybe 5% of them.) They all sell parts. The only one I've used on this list is aircooled.net, but they may all be worth looking into.
-- Travis '63 VW Camo Baja...
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