Looking at buying a 69 1500 Beetle...

INDEEP Learner Dubber

4 posts · joined Jan 2007 · 19 Jan 2007, 12:10 pm

#565563

Hi all,

Just joined the forum as I am looking to buy myself a nice Beetle to use as a "Daily Hack" until I have the necessary funds to do it up a little.

I have my eye on a tidy '69 1500, and am just after some of the pros and cons of this particular model. It is basically standard, with only tint, & wheels being changed to my knowledge.

Are these models disc braked in the front? How hard is it to narrow front ends etc? And how good is the 1500 air-cooled motor? I'd like to sit it on airbags eventually, anybody have any experience with this?
Please go into as little (or as much) detail as you'd like, as I'm green as grass when it comes to Beetle know-how.

Thanks,

Russell.

[ Edited on 19-1-2007 by INDEEP ]

xornge666x Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Sep 2006 · 19 Jan 2007, 12:48 pm

#565578

1500's could have either discs or drums, many have been changed to disc over the years, and is easily done.
If you plan on narrowing/lowering/bags etc you should run drop spindles anyway which will give you disc capability up front.
Narrowing is as hard as cutting the beam, removing some of it and welding back together with adjusters in it, or as easy as pulling around $4-500 from your wallet! If you want to do it yourself, go to www.thesamba.com and do a search, you will find heaps of info and details on the methods of narrowing the beam, tie rods and leaves.
The 1500 engine is a good enginein my opinion.
You have a few options with bags/air ride. www.airkewld.com do a kit or components, though you can buy the parts individually elsewhere and put your own kit together. www.kustomcoachwerks.com use a different design, in my opinion better in the front, but the rear is expensive with the shockwaves.
Either way, you will have issues with legality, and need to look at the engineering side to air bags before starting...
You can get it damn low without bags, with adjusters and spindles and lowered rear.

INDEEP Learner Dubber

4 posts · joined Jan 2007 · 19 Jan 2007, 12:54 pm

#565582

Thanks for your input Andrew; sounds like they are as versatile as anything when it comes to mods. Just looking around, some guys say go 70s, whereas others tell you differently. At the end of the day, I guess they're all Beetles, and cash-flow, imagination (& the law, for those who bother to pay attention to them) are the only determining factors in what can be done when modding...

xornge666x Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Sep 2006 · 19 Jan 2007, 12:58 pm

#565584

I would go up to 1970, or up to a 1500.
Its totally up to your preference in looks/features of the different models and years, but I prefer 1500 and earlier.
check your u2u's ill send you some pix

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 19 Jan 2007, 9:01 pm

#565689

all 1500s had disc front ends
the only 12 volt beetles that had 4 wheel drums were the 71-75 1300 pov models and these arnt real common as most ppl bought the upmarket superbugs

1500s are a good motor they can suffer from loose heads but no where near as bad as twinport motors

u'll probably find the majority of 1500 motors are 1600s these days as its a straight bolt in job and 1600 P+Cs are cheaper and more common

welcome to the nuthouse

-Joel

xornge666x Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Sep 2006 · 19 Jan 2007, 11:37 pm

#565712

not all are disc, my sisters 70 was drum all round and I swapped it over to disc spindles.
Not real common though by that stage.

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 20 Jan 2007, 9:50 pm

#565888

if it was a 1500 bug then someones just put a 1300 beam and brakes in it cos vw never sold 1500s with discs anywhere
i think even the US 1500s had discs
probably accident damage repairs
beams bend pretty easy in front end collisions