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Last year of Torsion bars?

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DubbyFan Wolfsburg Wizard

518 posts · joined Nov 2010 ·

#864823
Just a couple of questions from a VW mug, which was the last year of the torsion bar Beetles in Australia as in when did the strut front ends start?

Also did all Beetles have disk brakes (front) from 1968 on, find this a bit confusing, it seems some Beetles in the 70's went back to drum brake front ends, why would they do this?

Maybe they just had a heap of front drum brake sets hanging around the factory and decided to use them up!?

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#864824
yep - very confusing

BROAD over view -

1976, the last beetle, was a beam

Struts ran from 1972 (1302 os S bug) to 1975 (1303 or L bug)

In the early 70's they brought out som Pov(erty) Packs
Drums all round and swing axles.
Basically to get the price down

There will be slight mistakes in tha dated above.
But close enough
Futue te ipsum!!!

whatnow Custom Title Time!

1,000 posts · joined Jan 2003 ·

#864825
struts started in '71 but they kept making torsion bar beetles as a base model with a 1300dp, being a base model they fitted drums.

someone who knows more will be along soon to expand.

Ben386 Officially Full-On Dubber

244 posts · joined Apr 2010 ·

#864826
I may be wrong,I think Mac strut fronts started in 71 and the 1300 from 71 on may of had drum brakes.
Some Beetle tragic will probably correct this.

Anthiron The Baja Rejuvenation Begins

4,936 posts · joined Oct 2003 ·

#864827
Also do not look at American websites for information on model changes as their models changed quite differently to ours.
62/60 model bug eye baja bug, (Full Build in Progress)
1974 Chevrolet Luv
1970 MK2 Ford Cortina GT
1979 Yamaha RX125 Two Stroke tracker project.
2004 Harley Davidson Sportster XL Custom

DubbyFan Wolfsburg Wizard

518 posts · joined Nov 2010 ·

#864829
Thanks folks, wow it is confusing isn't it!

ancientbugger Custom Title Time!

1,986 posts · joined Mar 2004 ·

#864830
Yep, it varies from country to country but if you're talking Australian beetles then I have no idea but German made beetles then '78 when the last saloon version was built was torsion bar and '80 when the last convertible was made was struts....with drum brakes!! Go to South America and the story continues for quite some more years and what combinations they had is another story altogether!!🤪


Just changed this as I had put 76 but they were built in Germany until 78.

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#864831
Not really 😂

Simple, from 71 to 75 if you wanted bigger 1600 engine and disc brakes you bought a superbug

If you were a cheapo granny who only drove to bingo you bought a standard beetle with the little 1300, drum brakes and swingaxle/beam.

76 was just a closing down special using the last of the 1300 bodies with Superbug engine/gearbox.

shaihulud Custom Title Time!

1,448 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#864845
As a matter of interest, if you want the disc braked front and the IRS rear you need to look at the semi-automatic.

Some 1500s had that combination, but if you want to know what suspension a beetle has, you need to get down and have a look.