Late model pan?

What are the positives and negitives to running a late model pan under an old school body?

Obvisoly one advantage is disk brake front end. Other than that?

Are there any negatives? Will this de-value the car?

Whats everyones opinion?

if you're modifying it, you're better off with a later pan - that way there's less modifying to get the stuff you want like disks etc. could always keep your orig if you wanted to return to original one day.
also.. check with an engineer first. rang vic roads the other day and they reckon they aren't allowing rebodied vehicles anymore. going to be a bitch to get my car properly insured

It's not rebodied AFAIK because it is a factory beetle body on a factory beetle pan. not like a Buggy. I dont think they could tell anyway.

Advantages are balljoint front end, semi-trailing arm rear end. Also when you have the body off the pan it's very easy to work on.

Stronger front suspension for a) handling, b) balljoints are better than loose link pins, c) easily adjustable for wheel alignments, d) better/softer bump stops (in top of shock) e) don't need to grease every seocnd week
ETC

IRS is nicer than swing axles for a) handling, b) tyre wear, c)camber (see a & b) and d) load on gearbox...
ETC
:thumb

But I've just bought a strut/R&P L-Bug so I'm on a whole new learning curve now! :thumb:thumb:thumb

[Edited on 24/5/2005 by VWCOOL]

VWCOOL wrote:But I've just bought a strut/R&P L-Bug so I'm on a whole new learning curve now! :thumb:thumb:thumb

NOW we have seen the light!!:sandrine

Up sides
discs, ball joints (may be) IRS

Down sides
registered as a later beetle (possible 1976) can have ADR implications

So whats my options? Scrap what i have and start again? Find a pre 67 pan or a post 67 pan?

Someone make the decision for me?

my 66 body is good with the exception of a little rust in front qtr down lower section near where body bolts onto the pan.

anything that is pre 72 is pre tough ADRs. They introduced emissions and all sorts of crap in '72 which is why semi auto pans between 68-71 are in demand - because they are the only non super pans that had the late rear suspension

What are you trying to achieve??

A great daily driver with old skool appearance??
Only running a 1600 - 1916?? type motor (ie no turbo stroker type set up??.... ADR requirements??)

MY OPINION
It will be cheaper and a better finish in the long run to get a
1) 1976 pan complete with disc, ball joint and IRS
or
2) a 1968 semi auto with disc, ball joint and IRS and weld a clutch tube in

The benefit of 2) is that it will be registered as a 1968 and not a post 1974 an ADR's and all that.

By the time you add discs to an early beetle you will be clost to a pan swap and you wont have IRS or ball joint.

By doint the pan swap you will have a naked pan and it is easy(er) to replace floors, rubbers, pedals and do a really goo job and then POR15 and all that.

Yes - it will techically devalue the car to the anal retentive (sorry i menat to say purist :duh ) or imporve it to the sensible

Che Castro wrote:- because they are the only non super pans that had the late rear suspension

1976??? :vader

any pan with mc pherson struts (big springs behind the front wheels) wont let an older body back on without SERIOUS:vader modification to the early body

Che Castro wrote:I dont think they could tell anyway.

I took my Beetle to be inspected by the Government guys on Monday, and I was surprised by how much they knew about Beetles! The first thing anyone said to me when I drove it in was "Is that a '58 or a '59?" It's a '59! All 5 guys in the place came to join in the inspection, they obviously like Beetles, and it was clear from their conversations that they really know them inside out.
They were very nice to me too cos they liked my car :thumb
(but they did fail it because the pan has rust holes :o )

Did standard bugs ever have IRS in aus??
I thought they were all SA except for the semi-auto
Apparently semi-autos already have the clutch tube in them its just plugged up.
Super pans can be modified for a standard body by welded on a BJ frame head.

Chewy wrote:Super pans can be modified for a standard body by welded on a BJ frame head.

I know of this happening..... once.

Honestly .... not worth the effort.

As for IRS - yes, the 1976 model had all the good bits in a single package.
Only down side is the serial number puts it in the ADR area.

what are your plans witht he car, that'l help u decide what is best
it aint hard to irs your car, a good weekend and its done pretty much with some welding n jigs n stuff
so decide and what front handling you want and that will let you know what you want

shouldnt de- value

Chewy wrote:Apparently semi-autos already have the clutch tube in them its just plugged up.

Well mine didn't. I bought a semi auto pan and we had to put a clutch tube in it. Not a big job if you know what your doing.

yeah barry you're right. but '76 was a funny year 🙂

The thing about the year body is, what stops you fitting early guards, doors, bonnet, decklid etc to a 69 or something like that?? or vice versa. It's all pre ADR so laws are pretty lax. And if the build plate at the front is not there, who really cares. The number on the floorpan is what matters.

Why bother putting a BJ framehead on a super pan? Just make some strut towers 😀 😀

Che Castro wrote:Why bother putting a BJ framehead on a super pan? Just make some strut towers 😀 😀

now we are talking some sense!

My car is not going to be a daily.
Its going to be a sit in the shed and come out 20 times a year when we score an awesome sunday weather!

I can fix the pan thats on it but will require some creative thinking and welding.

I also want it to be close to original and by putting another pan under it will effect my plans in a major manor.

MMMM, think music.