What does a stock engine 69 bug top out at? (mph)

What is the top mph can a 69 bug go with a stock engine without blowing up? what is the highest cruise speed can it go?

Reply to
69vwdude
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On Mon, 05 Jul 2004 16:46:53 -0400, "69vwdude" scribbled this interesting note:

Best guess??? Try it and find out!:~)

-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

Reply to
John Willis

For what it's worth, my '69 has hit 82 mph (indicated) before. However, it has a non-stock engine - a 1600 DP with 31 pict carb and 009 dizzy. Can't see that it would have more than a few hp, at most, over a stocker (assuming a 1500).

I'd give it the high 70's to about 80, max. Realizing, of course, that I was probably surpassing the engine's redline at 82. It was still pulling, though. :-)

Reply to
Malcolm

my guess is 70 mph

what do I get if I win?

Reply to
Kafertoys

They were desingned originally to cruise AT top speed. Th estyock engine design had breathing restrictions built in so that it could not reach unhelathy engine speeds on the road.

I'd cruise at no more than 65.

Jan

Reply to
Jan Andersson

I just drove my '69 bug up 101 from LA to San Jose. I hit 82-83 a couple times, but quickly went back down to 70 which is a much more comfortable speed in that car.

-Alex

Reply to
Alex Gilblom

I believe that the maximum cruising speed, specified by VW, for your model, is 81mph.

Reply to
Peter

When my Super Beetle is done, I expect 95 to be a comfortable cruising speed and hope to push it to 115 for the AWESOME highway stretch into salt lake city.

Front end lowering and an airdam is a must.

Reply to
David Gravereaux

Seriously ...you need to consider some other factors to going fast in a beetle.... like brakes you have to be able to stop in case things go wrong. also front end parts... how are those ball joints? Tie rod ends? failure of these parts at top speed would be pretty.

got a ticket for 85 in a 55 MPH by a friendly Fla Hiway patrol (actual speed first time clocked it was about low 90's... he didnt believe it) which BTW was a very expensive ticket @ $300 if I remember correctly)

**************************************************************** dragenwagen 1966 Type I - Daily Driver
Reply to
dragenwagen

Ahhhh Yes.... The friendly traffic awards..... Got one a year ago going 87 in a 60 with my 72 Bug.... The officer said that he clocked my 3 times because he couldn't believe that a bug could go that fast. I tried to talk myself out of the ticket with the judge telling him that my car was so old that it couldn't reach that speed...... $260 something bucks later... I think he didn't buy my story.

Narley Dude®

Reply to
Narley Dude®

On Tue, 6 Jul 2004 07:13:40 -0400, "Peter" ran around screaming and yelling:

the owners manual for the 71 beetle i had specified 81 as top *and* cruising speed for the 4speed manual cars and 78 as top and cruising speed for autostick cars...this would have been with the 1600dp engine..(US spec.) JT

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

Not sure about your bug, but my bone stock '69 squareback will clear

100 mph even with the AT.

-

----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney snipped-for-privacy@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711 USA

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Reply to
Jim Adney

top Speed is determined by a lot of different parameters. Head wind, incline, ambient temp, and a bunch of other things. However, I have found , from experience only, that all the Bugs I have driven just "have" their own Cruise speed. It's one speed, not a range usually that the car cruises best at. My '71 that was sold yesterday, Cruised constant and happily at about 74 miles an hour. This asssumes the accuracy of the speedo a little. It is very accurate (or was nine years back) as I work for a company that , when i was hired on, was called "Speedometer Service"..............We were good at accuracy checks. Bugs being front wheel sensing, rear wheel drive was a pain, but do-able.

Ok , I know I'm rambling...............back to cruise speed.

After you drive a Beetle for a while, it will become apparent what your vehicle "likes". I call that speed cruise speed.

Remove "YOURPANTIES" to reply MUADIB®

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It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's. It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs. -- Oxford University Press, Edpress News

Reply to
MUADIB®

My car has a T-4 powered bug will do well over 100mph. I never would even think of going over 80 in stock bug for any length of time. My car has 4 wheel disc brakes, 2 1/2" dropped front end. Front and rear antisway bars, KYB gas adjust shocks, 195 tires on all 4 wheels. The stock bug was not made to do over 80 so if you want to do over 80 you better make sure your bug can handle that speed. I will never see the top speed of my bug, but it is nice to know the power is there if I need it. The T-4 unlike a T-1 is a top speed highway crusier. 75 mph is what I feel is the perfect speed for my car. Blasts up to 100 in seconds is fun but even with all I did to make it handle it is scary at those speeds. The car was made to go up hills without slowing down and freak out BMW tailgaters. I favorite trick is to when they tailgate me is to slow down on a long hill then hit he gas at 75 and leave them in the dust. The are in a high gear and cannot react fast enough. It has a basic stock 914 2.0 with dual Dells etc. Check out my car photos at

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Joe Cali

Reply to
Joe Cali Next Generation-usa

I wondered about this too, but as far as I can see, VW rated the top cruising speed of both engines the same (although with slight different RPM).

Reply to
Peter

Hey Jim, what year is the 110 mph type 3 speedo from? I got one of those used when the original went "whee-erg...screeee!" I've got an unstock 71 squareback and I've had it past 110. For those interested in "safety", cough, cough. I have the type 4/914 rotors and calipers up front, steel braided hoses, front & rear swaybars, KYB gr2 up front & gas-ajust in the rear, eagle alloy 8-spoke repros with 195/60r15s. My next (planned) upgrade is for rear disk brakes and dual Weber ICT carbs.

Reply to
Zarana-X

lol would be pretty.... i meant would NOT be pretty...

anyway i think i was cruising at about 87 for about 5 minutes or so ( he cut my hi-speed run off early) and when the patrol car pulled me over... you could hear the tink-tink of metal cooling down and smell hot engine - though i dont think it was over heated... oil pressure was good and temp was good. one thing - the faster i went the more uneasy i felt about the front end ... it had a slight "shimmy " i think the steering damper was going bad and the tie rod ends were not new by any means.

**************************************************************** dragenwagen 1966 Type I - Daily Driver
Reply to
dragenwagen

At high speed, the Bug turns into a lifting body as if it wants to flip upside-down.

Reply to
jjs

you don't, it's its.

likewise yours

The SQUAREBACK GUY, I had many Sqbks and think it was the best car VW ever made. 100mph was not a problem the car handled great. Also an interesting fact. T-3 engines which are T-1 blocks on the average went over 100,000 miles with no problems. Yet it was unusual for a T-1 to do so. The reason we found out after working on many was the FI making the engine run smoother and cooler and also if you look in the Bently or other manuals. The specs were tigher on T-3's. The amount of grams allowed in balancing was much less in a T-3 engine. Bugs could not handle Full auto trans, yet the T-3 had them because of the extra power. Also it was the first commercially produced car with FI. Joe

Reply to
Joe Cali Next Generation-usa

On Wed, 7 Jul 2004 07:05:44 -0400, "Peter" ran around screaming and yelling:

gotcha...i honestly don't know...LOL...i only remember the 71's rated top/cruising speed because it was my first bug and came from a second owner with all original documentation including the original window sticker and owners package... JT

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

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