Most have probably seen my car over the long build period on here and I have to say I enjoyed the build and love my car and the VW world.
But I must say I am not enjoying the driving experience as I thought I would. Not in relation to the handling, steering or brakes but the short gear shifts required every time I take off at lights etc.
Seems like I only go about 10 feet and then have to change to 2nd and feels like I don't really get going until I'm in 3rd gear. I know these cars were designed for a standard 1200, 1300 etc but I thought with a decent motor in there it would be better.
I have to say, I am even thinking that a WRX motor and 5 speed looks very enticing at the moment. Maybe I am just use to driving modern cars and the way that they drive.
Please tell me your thoughts or am I just not use to my car. Have only done about 1000kms in it in 6 months as I seem to only get it out every few weeks for a drive.
Cheers, Kevin
LUFTMEISTER ·
Your getting old. Time for a '70s auto Jetta i'm afraid 😂
XXX-1.8T ·
What gear box are you running now?
rose ·
kevin kevin kevin kevin just give it to me I would love to drive it🤪🤪🤪
VDU.88A ·
Should try driving a truck with 18 speeds in 10 metres you would be in atleast 3rd gear 🙂
Maybe try a differnt diff ratio in the box
Treat the vw as a toy it is never gonna feel like a modern car.
I enjoyed reading the build thread car looks good.
Joel ·
Camo wrote:I know these cars were designed for a standard 1200, 1300 etc but I thought with a decent motor in there it would be better.
It's the decent motor that's not so much the problem but the cause.
Its just not having to work to get the car up to speed like a stock engine does so it's spinning through the gears in no time
A bit like a Kenworth Prime mover without a trailer attached could take off in 400th gear and still beat all the lead foot soccer mums and P platers off the mark.
I often take off in 2nd gear with mine for the same reason.
Just needs some slightly taller gearing or play with your tyre size.
what size is on the back currently?
HappyDaze ·
Maybe you're expecting too much from the Beetle, Kev.......after all, it's basically a 50-year-old car. Having traveled many miles in vintage [1920s] cars, some with 2-wheel brakes, I've learned to 'program' the old brain - please, no 'what brain?' comments - to look at every car as a different animal.
Enjoy the Beetle for what it is, and gradually improve it over the years....but don't ask it to be a modern car. There are people who would happily give a very important part of their anatomy for that car, Kev.🙄
ian.mezz ·
this is like dayshavoo to me I hear this all the time. Some people have never driven a beetle before and spend heaps of money on them and than it doesn't drive like they imagined it would drive like. 🤪😂🤪😂
The funny thing is a lot of them that ask about performance are trike people.
Just get out and drive it, maybe try and get out of town abit away from all the traffic lights and 60K zones.
Joel ·
Have you done much highway cruising in it yet?
most people not real familar with VWs feel like they are ringing it's neck soon as they try to cruise over 90km/h.
They think it will self destruct soon as they exceed 3000rpm when really they cruise all day happily at flat bicky (well a stocker not flat bicky on a hot motor 😂)
I was almost struggling to keep up to my mate in his stock 1500 which has almost 200,000miles on it coming back from Valla.
I clocked him at 85mph on the GPS several times when he was overtaking
lucky it was a quiet sunday arvo 🤪
68AutoBug ·
Camo wrote:Most have probably seen my car over the long build period on here and I have to say I enjoyed the build and love my car and the VW world.
But I must say I am not enjoying the driving experience as I thought I would. Not in relation to the handling, steering or brakes but the short gear shifts required every time I take off at lights etc.
Seems like I only go about 10 feet and then have to change to 2nd and feels like I don't really get going until I'm in 3rd gear. I know these cars were designed for a standard 1200, 1300 etc but I thought with a decent motor in there it would be better.
I have to say, I am even thinking that a WRX motor and 5 speed looks very enticing at the moment. Maybe I am just use to driving modern cars and the way that they drive.
Please tell me your thoughts or am I just not use to my car. Have only done about 1000kms in it in 6 months as I seem to only get it out every few weeks for a drive.
Cheers, Kevin
Hi Kev
Well I've been driving My 68 beetle since 2005 and thought it was driving OK... was really good on bendy roads etc..
but I have just changed front ends and steering box and did the brakes up and a few other things even though they were all done in the restoration.
and now My steering is Perfect.... Brakes are better..
and it just feels much better than it was...
You may need a higher diff ratio... or even a custom ratio??
plus custom gears... which are available these days..
With the engine you may have gone a bit too far for a normal driver and not a drag or race car..
with all the power You have changed the car that needed those gears to keep mobile
I have been tempted to put twin carbies and twin port heads on My engine but it can go up hills at 100++ KMH
with single port single carburetor...
but after a 60KMH run just now, I'm happy the way it goes..
but I only have two pedals in My autostick beetle and can start off in any gear..lol.. and Im not in Sydney... lol
You would probably be happy with the times from Drag racing your beetle at Warwick next month Kev..
cheers
LEE
t_tuffnut ·
I have to admit that recently I have been thinking a 5 speed would be a nice change and make my bug a bit nicer to drive, but then it wouldn't be the same.
Most of my driving is in the 60km areas to and from work and pootling around the coast and the standard ratios are fine for this. There is also something nice about blasting around and making a heap of noise at low speeds, over taking ricers and deafening them in the process. It makes it more of an occasion to drive it, even if i'm just popping down to the shops. I get out, half deaf but buzzing. James May goes on about it how a car at its' limits is more fun that a car going faster without breaking a sweat and I agree.
My Magna is quicker, quieter and sits nicer on the road, but it is pretty dull.
I reckon a long drive down a country or coast road is what you need. Just a long stretch to open it up an let it sing. Meet up with a convoy and make a day of it. I'd suggest the ridge way on the Central coast - it's a favourite of mine with narrow winding roads, a hair pin or two, mountainous drops and lush greenery and serenity to disturb.
A few of us coasties went on a trip from the Gosford off ramp on the F3 up to Patonga last year and it was pretty cool.
Any other suggestions for great country driving roads?
rose ·
nice country drive
from Somersby is Peats Ridge Road and goes into George Downs Dr up to the Vinyards at the Hunter Valley and there's a nice place to stop for lunch on the way heaps of motor bikes stop there.
I hate driving my bug in Sydney no fun at all.
vwo60 ·
depending on your engine you could concider raising the gearing, i have a 2276 in my ghia and i will be putting a 3.88 diff with close ratio 3rd and 4th, this will raise 1st and 2nd and bring 3rd and 4th closer but still have a good fan speed at highway speeds, my car could use the higher 1st and 2nd but the way it is at the moment it is very quick of the line.
matberry ·
I love driving my bug, but I have country roads and see a decent amount of 80 and 100 zones. It runs a 3.88 cw/p and .89 top with 650mm tall tyres. Certainly the gear ratios and tyre choice make a huge difference when talking drivability with a bigger than stock engine.
tar76 ·
If your driving a modern car most of the time and you get in your bug there will be a big difference. I have a falcon work car with all the mod consand drive it 5-6 days a week and when i jump in my dubs have to tell myself not to compare
vwo60 ·
Give me my vw's over any modern car, just had it bought home with a corrola hire car. driving my old cars is a experence, not wraped up inside a airconditioned cabin with no feel or a good engine noises, i do not have a problem keeping up with anybody, particually a standard 1500
waveman1500 ·
Drive a standard one for a day, and then you will find out how quick yours is!
Paulc1964au ·
Kev,
We should get together soon and you can drive rosie which is pretty stock and see if there is a big difference. Remember though you are running 18 inch wheels when it was designed for 13 or 14 inch wheels??????
Your the mechanic not me so maybe im talking crap lol
Camo ·
Hi all,
thanks for the replies and I laughed at many of them. As I said, I love driving the car and it sits nice and flat around corners. I think someone said about it would be good for racing, but it seems slow to me until I get into 3rd and use the torque of the stroker to pull away.
It is a torquey (spelling) motor and pulls nicely in 3rd or 4th without any problems, if not to low in the rev range. But getting up to 3rd is where I feel the problem is.
Although I have 18" wheels, they are the same rolling diameter as the original factory tyres or very close too for legality reasons. Issue could be my final diff ratio as it is 4.125 crown wheel and pinion, 3.7778 first gear, 2.0588 second, a closer ratio coarse tooth 1.3182 third and 0.889 fourth gear.
Maybe I am just getting old, but yes I agree about jumping out of a modern car would play a big part in me think the way I do about the VW.
Yes Joel, been out on the freeway and it is a good cruiser sitting on about 3000rpm at 100kmph. And I love just squeezing the pedal and passing others.
Tuffnut, when I mentioned a 5 speed I was meaning a Subaru 5 speed for the modern drive feel.
I also wonder if it was efi turbo, it would be quieter and smoother to drive ??? But I guess that doesn't change ratios. But if I build a turbo motor I think it would be smaller and a higher revving engine 😁
Cheers, Kev
Camo ·
Paulc1964au wrote:Kev,
We should get together soon and you can drive rosie which is pretty stock and see if there is a big difference. Remember though you are running 18 inch wheels when it was designed for 13 or 14 inch wheels??????
Your the mechanic not me so maybe im talking crap lol
Yes you are correct. You are talking crap 😂😂😂
You have to remember, bigger wheel, smaller tyre wall = Same diameter as original (in my case anyway).
Kev
Paulc1964au ·
what can i say lol
As you know i have a Golf R and love it but i do love driving my beetle as well just gotta get some confidence to drive it again after my recent breakdown
AUSSIE_MICK ·
With the white furry hat Paul🤪
vwo60 ·
A turbo motor would require a total rethink of the gear ratio's,, a big engine with a turbo, geared nice and high in the lower gears so there is no lag.
Paulc1964au ·
AUSSIE_MICK wrote:With the white furry hat Paul🤪
Nah probably my blue cap
Camo ·
Paulc1964au wrote:
AUSSIE_MICK wrote:With the white furry hat Paul🤪
Nah probably my blue cap
Oh, the one you got made for the gay mardi gras 😂😂😂
AUSSIE_MICK ·
WTF is it with that hat!
Paulc1964au ·
lol ets not focus on my hat lets focus on kev's issues 🙂 and we know he has lots
Craig Torrens ·
I drive an EVO X.......but I still enjoy driving all my beetles 😉
just rev it more you old pussy😂
vlad01 ·
Camo wrote:Most have probably seen my car over the long build period on here and I have to say I enjoyed the build and love my car and the VW world.
But I must say I am not enjoying the driving experience as I thought I would. Not in relation to the handling, steering or brakes but the short gear shifts required every time I take off at lights etc.
Seems like I only go about 10 feet and then have to change to 2nd and feels like I don't really get going until I'm in 3rd gear. I know these cars were designed for a standard 1200, 1300 etc but I thought with a decent motor in there it would be better.
I have to say, I am even thinking that a WRX motor and 5 speed looks very enticing at the moment. Maybe I am just use to driving modern cars and the way that they drive.
Please tell me your thoughts or am I just not use to my car. Have only done about 1000kms in it in 6 months as I seem to only get it out every few weeks for a drive.
Cheers, Kevin
I build a sort of a sprint car which was VW based back when I was 16-17. same thing happen, loved the build but was impractical to drive due to a lot of reason including the gears. it used a 6v SA setup from a bug of unknown year powered by a 70 1600 twin carb type 3 engine. It accelerated so fast due to the ridiculously low weight ( about 350~400kg) that the gears were stupid, I would be in 1st for less than a sec before hitting over 6k rpm ( must of been some high ratio diff and gears) and reaching over 50mph in 5 or so sec, already 4th gear and was reving higher than usual.
In the end I drove its only a handful of times before I sold it.
I totally agree, torque engine with taller gears make for a nice drive, the vw is geared down quite a LOT by today's standards
I like being able to practically idle along at 1k rpm doing 30ks in 3rd and giving it a little throttle pushing it nice and easy to 100km only getting up to 3k rpm and skipping 4th going straight to 5th cruse at 1900rpm.
I love the concept of the speedo going up twice as fast and the tacho.
Its soooo nice! I want to achieve similar results in my notch basing on the suby platform, maybe a suby 6❓
maybe thats what you need to suit your needs?
robb ·
but isn't that why we all drive and love da vw because they are different
Joel ·
vwo60 wrote:i do not have a problem keeping up with anybody, particually a standard 1500
That goes without saying, I reckon you'd probably get a nosebleed if you ever exceeded the speedlimit 😂
Bob down ·
robb wrote:but isn't that why we all drive and love da vw because they are different
amen to that brother!
vlad01 ·
Bob down wrote:
robb wrote:but isn't that why we all drive and love da vw because they are different
amen to that brother!
thats why I drive a type 3, coz a bug and bus are too same and common lol
jk😍
L469 ·
vlad01 wrote:
Bob down wrote:
robb wrote:but isn't that why we all drive and love da vw because they are different
amen to that brother!
thats why I drive a type 3, coz a bug and bus are too same and common lol
what do you drive vlad ?
did'nt know their was a type 3 commodore lol!😂
jk😍
rose ·
Hey Kevin are you taking it for a drive up to Warwick, it's a great drive in the bug
rose ·
that's funny I never see any old beetles, kombi's or type 3's when I'm out driving
And lucky to see 1/2 dozen oval bugs at Valla
vlad01 wrote:
Bob down wrote:
robb wrote:but isn't that why we all drive and love da vw because they are different
amen to that brother!
thats why I drive a type 3, coz a bug and bus are too same and common lol
jk😍
Joel ·
rose wrote:that's funny I never see any old beetles, kombi's or type 3's when I'm out driving
And lucky to see 1/2 dozen oval bugs at Valla
Although change the game of punch buggy to punch splitty and it will be dead arms all around.
vlad01 ·
rose wrote:that's funny I never see any old beetles, kombi's or type 3's when I'm out driving
And lucky to see 1/2 dozen oval bugs at Valla
vlad01 wrote:
Bob down wrote:
robb wrote:but isn't that why we all drive and love da vw because they are different
amen to that brother!
thats why I drive a type 3, coz a bug and bus are too same and common lol
jk😍
i see bugs quite often in Melbourne. sometimes on the Calder too. only seen one type 3 actually driving on the road on the Calder, not in Melbourne yet besides the type 3 contingent meetings.
vlad01 ·
L469 wrote:
vlad01 wrote:
Bob down wrote:
robb wrote:but isn't that why we all drive and love da vw because they are different
amen to that brother!
thats why I drive a type 3, coz a bug and bus are too same and common lol
what do you drive vlad ?
did'nt know their was a type 3 commodore lol!😂
jk😍
what do I drive? a variety of cars but yeah mostly the comode as its the most reliable out of all so far.
a type 3 commodore? probably no but a komidore hell yes! proven combo 👍
68AutoBug ·
Joel wrote:Although change the game of punch buggy to punch splitty and it will be dead arms all around.
After Valla Nambucca Joel,
it may be changed to punch a kombi.... lol
I never see any beetles about apart from the 3 locals who drive them [plus a one elderly original owner driver in Muswellbrook]
I do see the odd Kombi on the highway... usually bay window..
BUT ITS EASY FOR KIDS TO KNOW BEETLES/BUGGIES AS THEY ARE THE ONLY CARS THEY WILL SEE WITH RUNNING BOARDS...LOL LOL
LEE
robb ·
ah dead arms those were the days havn't heard that one for a while
bajachris88 ·
If you go for a higher red line, you could stay in that gear a little longer 😂
vlad01 ·
bajachris88 wrote:If you go for a higher red line, you could stay in that gear a little longer 😂
is 7k for stock low enough?
bajachris88 ·
vlad01 wrote:
bajachris88 wrote:If you go for a higher red line, you could stay in that gear a little longer 😂
is 7k for stock low enough?
Do it in your type 3 and tell me how it goes 😂
vlad01 ·
That I have tried by accident and on purpose. was fine! 🤓👍
but on a more serious note yes a stock 1600 twin carb will go past 7k with extractors but stock exhaust doesn't seem to go past 6.5k?
I had a buggy with type 3 twin carb that I ended up rev limiting to 6k coz I found out how high I was going before shifts when I installed a tach, thought it was wrong reading so I checked with another tach and so the limiter went in. Found myself hitting around 7-7.5k and that was way too much.
Scary how much they can rev, yet common believe is they can't go that high.
vwo60 ·
Stock valve spring floats at about 4500 RPM
vlad01 ·
here is mine lightly revving, so if I flatten the pedal it would sit around just under 6.5-7k
yeah valve float doesn't mean max rpm, more like max cfm and valve bounce.
65standard ·
Love my car, but not the drive.
Most have probably seen my car over the long build period on here and I have to say I enjoyed the build and love my car and the VW world.
But I must say I am not enjoying the driving experience as I thought I would. Not in relation to the handling, steering or brakes but the short gear shifts required every time I take off at lights etc.
Seems like I only go about 10 feet and then have to change to 2nd and feels like I don't really get going until I'm in 3rd gear. I know these cars were designed for a standard 1200, 1300 etc but I thought with a decent motor in there it would be better.
I have to say, I am even thinking that a WRX motor and 5 speed looks very enticing at the moment. Maybe I am just use to driving modern cars and the way that they drive.
Please tell me your thoughts or am I just not use to my car. Have only done about 1000kms in it in 6 months as I seem to only get it out every few weeks for a drive.
Cheers, Kevin
Maybe you should come along on my next fundraiser drive, and see if you have the same thoughts AFTER the drive. After the 7,674km drive this year in my stock 1200, I wouldn't have done this or any drive in any other car.
It's a Volkswagen. They drive the way they do, because that's the way they were designed.
matberry ·
vlad01 wrote:here is mine lightly revving, so if I flatten the pedal it would sit around just under 6.5-7k
yeah valve float doesn't mean max rpm, more like max cfm and valve bounce.
mmm. say no more.🤪
L469 ·
matberry wrote:
vlad01 wrote:here is mine lightly revving, so if I flatten the pedal it would sit around just under 6.5-7k
yeah valve float doesn't mean max rpm, more like max cfm and valve bounce.
mmm. say no more.🤪
+1 🤓🙅
ian.mezz ·
vlad01 wrote:here is mine lightly revving, so if I flatten the pedal it would sit around just under 6.5-7k
yeah valve float doesn't mean max rpm, more like max cfm and valve bounce.
that dont look right , i think that its a Tacho out of a 6 or 8 cylinder porshe 😂
ian.mezz ·
I have 2 beetles with the same gear box , one is stock and one is moded motor , I get the same speed at of each, just that I go futher in the stock motor before I have to change gears .
vlad01 ·
ian.mezz wrote:
vlad01 wrote:here is mine lightly revving, so if I flatten the pedal it would sit around just under 6.5-7k
yeah valve float doesn't mean max rpm, more like max cfm and valve bounce.
that dont look right , i think that its a Tacho out of a 6 or 8 cylinder porshe 😂
If it was is would be reading slower as a 6 cly tach need 3 pulses per rev and the 4 cly tach needs 2 per rev, so a 6 cyl tach on a 4 cyl engine reads at 66.66666666% of the actual speed and 8 cyl reads at 50% actual speed.
this is in fact a genuine 912 tach that I later dissemble and restored and sold to a Porsche owner, the part number under the bezel clearly identified it at a 4 cyl 912 tach.
Also this was consistent with all other electronic analogue and digital tachs I have used on type 3.
I am not saying that you should rev one that hard but you certainly can, useful for that 3rd to 4th grand canyon. wind it right out in 3rd and u can land 4th in a good part of the power band.
I don't know about bugs of buses but dual carb with short intake runner make reving the shit out of type 3 easy and fun 😎
vlad01 ·
matberry wrote:
vlad01 wrote:here is mine lightly revving, so if I flatten the pedal it would sit around just under 6.5-7k
yeah valve float doesn't mean max rpm, more like max cfm and valve bounce.
mmm. say no more.🤪
fine!
do you even know what valve float is or looks like in real life?
vlad01 ·
ian.mezz wrote:I have 2 beetles with the same gear box , one is shock and one is mod motor , I get the same speed at of each, just that I go futher in the stock motor before I have to change gears .
what rpm? same as what I get? or different?
matberry ·
vlad01 wrote:
matberry wrote:
vlad01 wrote:here is mine lightly revving, so if I flatten the pedal it would sit around just under 6.5-7k
yeah valve float doesn't mean max rpm, more like max cfm and valve bounce.
mmm. say no more.🤪
fine!
do you even know what valve float is or looks like in real life?
yes
Craig Torrens ·
back to the topic guys 😊
vwo60 ·
I have four modified vw's and the build on each of them was only part of the journey, it take's a fair bit of effort to meld all the parts and modification together to make a complete car that drives as well as it looks and that is the issue. it is a balancing act that requires years of experence.
matberry ·
vwo60 wrote:I have four modified vw's and the build on each of them was only part of the journey, it take's a fair bit of effort to meld all the parts and modification together to make a complete car that drives as well as it looks and that is the issue. it is a balancing act that requires years of experence.
Well put, and soooo true, I do this for a living and have done for pretty well all my working life and it's very hard getting people to understand the effort involved to get a modified vehicleto do everything how you expect/want.
HappyDaze ·
Kev, how about you give it some more time. You have been through quite a bit of 'pressure', including the work on the car......don't take it out on the poor old Beetle.😁
As I said before, enjoy it for what it is, and make gradual improvements. If it eventually turns out to be something that you do not like, sell it and try again.
And, by the way, valves don't float....at least not in kero or water, but they do bounce....if you drop them on the concrete floor.😵💫
bajachris88 ·
haha, if you wanna run out of gears fast, drive a dub with a 1600 3 rib type 2 box 😀
Bit funky though, don't like the tall difference between 3 and 4th gear. Almost feels like i need another gear between em' when it comes to hills (screaming motor in 3rd, to low in the rev (thus power band) in 4th.
Maybe time to change that diff to make the whole lot a bit taller (at the cost of acceleration though but it sounds like you got enough to compensate)
Camo ·
HappyDaze wrote:Kev, how about you give it some more time. You have been through quite a bit of 'pressure', including the work on the car......don't take it out on the poor old Beetle.😁
As I said before, enjoy it for what it is, and make gradual improvements. If it eventually turns out to be something that you do not like, sell it and try again.
And, by the way, valves don't float....at least not in kero or water, but they do bounce....if you drop them on the concrete floor.😵💫
Don't worry Greg, wont be selling it at all.
Kev
hellbugged ·
Kev
Serious question
How did you feel about driving the 6 speed commodore around town and not using the top 3 gears ?
Or tell us some differences you noted there between the two and how they " required" driving
Camo ·
hellbugged wrote:Kev
Serious question
How did you feel about driving the 6 speed commodore around town and not using the top 3 gears ?
Or tell us some differences you noted there between the two and how they " required" driving
Hi Daimo,
not sure what you are getting at, but I use the first 5 gears in the HSV all the time around here in Liverpool (I drive easy). And 6th gear you don't even think of unless doing a minimum 100kmph.
As to the difference between both, if I took off at the lights normal I would be changing into 3rd in the VW and only covered about the same distance still being in 2nd gear in the Clubby.
I think if I stretched the Clubby out, I could still be in 1st where the VW would be in 3rd. Not sure if this answers what you were after or not.
It's not speed issue I am getting at, its the lack of distance covered before having to go to the next gear in normal driving (not getting up it).
Kev
hellbugged ·
So you still changing gears same amount in clubby, just further down the road
Yeah not having a go, just intrigued by it all kev
I enjoy the sensation of when each gear is pulled, so the vw suits me fine cause I can get stuck into it without doing warp speeds as you would in a modern car
vwo60 ·
If the gearing is the issue change it to suit the engine power delivery.
Camo ·
To put an end to all this, I just wanted to find out if this is just the way old VW Beetle's are.
I wont be changing anything, just have to get use to it being different to what I am use to of late.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and Daimo, I never thought you were having a go 🙂
Cheers, Kev
ian.mezz ·
has to be checkd by speed where you are changing gears.
Not distance covered .