Hey guys and girls.
I must confess I don't know much about VW's (despite working as a mechanic for a couple of years..) and I've just moved on from a WRX (I'm a uni student now and someone took the liberty of writing it off) and a history of mini's and a Swift GTi.
I think I'm getting the bug.. pun intended..
I like the look of the type 3 and it seems a bit more modern mechanically than the bug.. I will of course be performing modifications to either vehicle - but like the mini's I've had .. I like the idea of just period modifications such as a carb/intake and exhaust upgrade and port matching the manifolds and cleaning up the heads and probably in the case of the VW a cooling upgrade (oil cooler etc) and an electronic dizzy.
Are there any mods you recommend to get the most out of a VW of this vintage reliably?
Any advice would be appreciated!

[ Edited on 02 September 2006 by lunar_c ]

the type 3s not resally any more advanced, but it is bigger inside an a better ride

Ahh okay - as I said I don't know much about VW's. Can anyone explain to me .. or point to me a link with the differences in suspension/motors/transaxles on the bug's / type 3's over the model lives?

yeah, advice: buy a type 3:thumb:thumb


(this is very general and off the top of my head.)

1962 on - notchback, squareback, swing-axle, 6v, drums front and back, single carb 1500
~ - dual carb 1600
1965 on - fastback
1968 on - 12v
1969 on - front disk brakes, IRS, optional automatic.
1970 on - new shape
1971 on - efi

[ Edited on 2-9-2006 by bus914 ]

Just been through what you are doing from mni's to aircooled vw's.
what age of type 3 are you looking at?
what are you trying to achive with power, handling etc?
Big differance with type 3's and beetles is the engines are flatter on a type 3 and slightly more prone to overheating when tuned.
you can lower a type 3 without spending money as it has torsion bars all round.
look for a 69 type 3 with the later running gear.
I cant answer and questions very well but the people on this forum sure can.

both are inferior to buses

[ Edited on 2-9-2006 by crewcabconnection ]

What am I doing going from mini's to swift gti's to a wrx to aircooled vw's? I don't know.. all this learning I've done (oxidation phosphorylation and cellular respiration and osmosis and microbiology and crap) at uni is probably pushing all my common sense out the other side.
The mini and the GTi had to go because I'm 6'5 and they were all a bit small. Now I'm at uni for the next 4 years I'm poor, so the rex had to go too!
I liked the mk1 GTi the most (even though I had the rex running 13.5's and doing 0-100km/h in 5 flat) because it handled well, very chuckable and forgiving and had just enough poke to fire you out of the apexes.
That's all I want .. 0-100 in 10 seconds is fine (is this possible with an intake/carb/exhaust/cam/springs/lifters upgrade?) and if it's fun to put through corners that'll be fine also.
Nothing too unrealistic? I haven't even driven a VW except a few metres when I was working in roadside assist .. but they look like fun.

[ Edited on 02 September 2006 by lunar_c ]

If you are after acceleration, look at doing a gearbox swap. The Type 3's have really tall gear ratios (which I like because I hit the freeway everyday). I think the IRS Beetle gearbox should fit in it's place and has lower gear ratios. Also the 1600 Kombi gearbox has good ratios. I haven't done this swap though just read about it. It would be worth talking to someone who has done it before.

As for the power plant the 1600 twin port is a good starting point. These engines can be taken over 2 litres. Another option is a type 4 (later Kombi) engine which isn't a straightforward swap but can be done. The type 4 can produce a lot more torque. Search through this site, a lot of these things have been done before.

Type three are more advanced than Bugs the 69 is pick of the bunch as it has 1600 tp Irs Discs and old shape.