newbie advice re engine/brakes.

adavis12 Learner Dubber

12 posts · joined Jun 2011 · 14 Jun 2011, 9:40 pm

#846302

Hi all, first time poster and soon to be first time bug (and car) owner.

I am in the process of purchasing a 1974 superbug running a 1300. as it is the car is a little tired but i plan on doing a quick fix up to get it running a bit better and then do a proper re-do over summer. (engine overhaul, respray, interior redecoration)

i have only really started looking around in the last couple of weeks, so bear with me. (this is also my first car/motorised project.......been doing bicycles a few years though, they're simple though)

Am i right in thinking that switching from 1300-1600 is simply a matter of switching the cans/pistons/heads while if i want to go larger, that will mean a change of crank for longer stroke and also engine case boring? oh and possibly change in gearing/carby?

i have seen a few 'kits' around, like this one on CVD, are they worth considering or am i better off sourcing components individually? The car will be used simply as a (not quite) daily driver and maybe some fun cruising on the w/e, but certainly no racing/unnecessarily breaking the speed limit.

and now on a different topic, are the bolt on rear disc brake kits of any merit or am i better off just properly servicing the drums?

thanks, Asher.

ctefeh Wolfsburg Wizard

479 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 15 Jun 2011, 11:48 am

#846362

Asher,
Can't believe no one has chimed in. I'll give ya IMHO and 2 cents worth.

1300TP to 1600TP is as you've described. You may have to fiddle with the carby to get it running OK.

1300TP's can take a flogging, trouble is, they can be really flogged!

Now, you really have to research better on donk combo's. You can go 1915 without changing the 69 stroke crank.
1835's *typically* have a bad rep for longevity due to the cylinder walls not being thick.

I would carefully consider *exactly* what you want (muti carbed, hot cam, sewer sized ports/valves etc etc) to acheive. There are some nice engine building threads on here to have a perv at.

I would advise going 1776 (least work), or 1915 if you are sticking with a 69 (stock crank). You can have any flavour you want, so long as it consists of folding green. Going bigger than slip in 87's (1641) will mean case machining regardless, same for the heads. Unless of course your budget consists of pre fabbed case to start with...

And to paraphrase two quote's I believe in from another site :

Cheap, Fast, Reliable - You can have only two.
You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get

I've got the ball rolling, hopefully others will give their 2 cents worth, soon, you may have 2 Bob's worth🤪

Enjoy
Ctefeh

adavis12 Learner Dubber

12 posts · joined Jun 2011 · 16 Jun 2011, 6:22 pm

#846612

thanks for the reply, seems i need to do a bit more reading.

as i suspected, better to go with what is worse for my bank account. 😁 (i have a feeling this whole car thing is going to end up quite bad for me and my savings account)

car was running like a dog when i inspected it on the w/e it did start instantly first go after two weeks in the melbourne cold though, so that was encouraging. the seller has taken it to a mechanic and i think he just adjusted the valves and it is now apparently running much better. I will pick it up tomorrow night, and go from there. first on the list i'll replace the points/condenser/plugs and oil/filters.

next up are the brakes. put simply they suck. from my digging i believe the car is running drums on the front(from the vin/eng numbers i think the car was a a standard super or an A ill find out soon enough). should i cut my losses and convert to discs now or service the drums and go disc later when i can have the car properly apart?

ctefeh Wolfsburg Wizard

479 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 17 Jun 2011, 12:50 pm

#846735

Ash,
Would be a good idea to research some more. By the sounds of it you have a 1300 "Poverty Pack" Standard Beetle. In that case it should have a Balljoint beam front and Swingarm rear suspension coupled with bare bones trim.
An easy way to tell is pop the bonnet and look at the spare tyre. If it sit's upright virtually in the very front you have a standard beetle.
For the rear, look at the axles. If they look like a long straight tube running from the gearbox to the brakes, that's a swingarm. IRS has double jointed axles around 20mm in diameter.

Brakes....hmm. If you want to drive it, get the drums looked at/serviced. Going disc means collecting the necessary parts and installing. A wreckers or a WTB add in the parts section. Or you may want to change stud pattern for trick wheels. Start saving and do all four corners.

By the sound of everything, you need a plan of attack.
Where/when/how much/on what you want for this beastie.

Some may say "why bother", particularly if the body isn't
in really good nick (read up on rust and heater channels).

FWIW
Ctefeh

adavis12 Learner Dubber

12 posts · joined Jun 2011 · 17 Jun 2011, 2:36 pm

#846754

am i correct in thinking that the beetle is a super if it has a curved windshield, 134,2xxxxxx VIN number? the engine code is an ARxxxxxx number, which i read here is indicative of a 1300 engine(although that doesn't mean much 37 years later). another source which i have now lost said it was a TP with 'pre-heat' pipes.

she is also purple. :p

ctefeh Wolfsburg Wizard

479 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 17 Jun 2011, 3:49 pm

#846765

Ash,
Now you are stretching me😂 . Truth to tell I don't know a whole heap about post '72 models as my knowledge stops around flatscreen Superbugs😂 .
Now that your post count is up you should PM "Joel".
He's got a lot of later model knowledge.

You are correct, a 1300AB engine code indicates it started life as a 1300 Twin Port. 37 years on? Who knows...

Also for references to Aus Beetles, use non-usa sites.
IIRC our production was more in-line with Europe than the US.

HTH
Ctefeh