Front Suspension

derraux Casual Dubber

32 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 1 Sep 2005, 11:51 pm

#403383

Hi
Have been reading this site for some time love the work people put in to there cars , I personally own a 58 beetle which is in the middle of a restoration have not had the facilitys to post pics yet, My question is this ,after reading alot of stuff on here have noticed alot of people saying that post 74 beetles are macphurson strut front end my father owns a 74 model the one with the big tail lights and it is a torsion bar front end. The only thing i can think of is its a bitsa you know the one they put together with all of the left over parts, any other people have similar cars. Look forward to hearing from you and thanks in advance.
Regards
Derek

BiX Veteran Volks Folk

2,499 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 2 Sep 2005, 7:36 am

#403414

There were two models made and sold in 74. The 1600cc supoer beelte with mac strut and also a Standard beetle, which was swing axle, torsion bar front and 1300cc. There is no was that a bitsa could be made with torsion bar front from a super beetle. It would be like building a bitsa from mini and a falcon.

I have no sympathy for my car, only the wallet that pays for it!
Go hard or go home!!!!

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,787 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 2 Sep 2005, 7:46 am

#403420

Bix

There was a Suth Efrican model that was just that.
A torsion bar curved windscreen.

Will try and find a pic of it.

Cant remember what the body number was, but it was VW manufactured

Futue te ipsum!!!

Anthiron The Baja Rejuvenation Begins

4,936 posts · joined Oct 2003 · 2 Sep 2005, 1:08 pm

#403538

yeah but still u couldnt just whack a torsion bar front end on a super body...short of replaceing the frame head and doing some major remodeling it isnt possible.

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

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,787 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 2 Sep 2005, 2:32 pm

#403561

For those interested here is link to the hybrid

http://www.vw-1303.com/bildergalerie.html

and also read here

http://www.superbeetles.com/faq.htm

* Please note that the "1600S Beetle" that was produced in South Africa from 1976 to 1978 uses a curved windshield, full size dashboard but uses the traditional torsion bar suspension with the spare tire in the upright position. This car uses elements from both the Standard 1200 model and 1303 Super Beetle in its construction and is NOT a Super Beetle.

I do know of a car that is registered as a Super and has a beam. And yes - they welded on a new frame head. The pan was in brilliant condition and they had
* time
* effort
* $$$

Anyway.....................

nn[ Edited on 2-9-2005 by Bizarre ]

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Futue te ipsum!!!

penguin ackkkkkk thhhhhpt!

3,383 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 2 Sep 2005, 3:18 pm

#403578

I can state that my first beetle that I had was a '76 1600 beetle with torsion front end. It wasn't a bitsa, it was a standard beetle with a flat screen, elephant foot tailights and was a 1600 twin port stock beetle. So they must have been on sale in Aust up to the end of importation.

'Ah, whatever................'

derraux Casual Dubber

32 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 2 Sep 2005, 3:59 pm

#403594

Thanks for the replys, never realy looked at a mac strut front end, thought there would have to be more to it than my explanation of a bitsa, and it was originally a 1300cc, I have learnt heaps I love learning stuff, from this place.
Regards
Derek