Does anyone else feel guilty when trying to keep up with traffic with their standard engine Beetle?

With my first bug in 1991 i'd think nothing of doing 70mph (112kmh) and often hit 80mph+ (130kmh)
(this was in the uk btw)

But these days i have to admit that when doing anything above 80kmh the sound of it makes me think i'm killing it!

What speed does everyone else feel comfortable with on freeways etc?
(with bog standard engine)

From inception under orders from Adolph all VWs had to be able to cruise at 100kph and also do at most 10 litres per 100ks.
He was building the the greatest autobahn system at that time.

Reference: http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/the-history-of-the-vw-beetle-one-of...

------------------------

beetles pull 3200rpm at 100km/h so 110 kays no worries

I think I calculated I'm doing around 3500 at 100km/h with my late 1300 box and 195/65/14s.
F'ing loud and your just waiting for it to go boom

i frequently do 110 on the highway, its about 3200revs with my muddies on the back + low gearing

Nah - 100 or 110 is fine - no probs at all if you keep the maintenance up to it, regular oil changes etc. Used to 70 mph all the time in my 1500 swinger with similar size tyres... constantly about 3600 rpm from memory, and never had an issue.

As to it being loud - get some better sound proofing and a good stereo !!!

no need to be paranoid
vw motors were built to run flat bicky all day long
max speed is cruising speed

ive driven my bug across the middle of aus through broken hill where they only put corners in every 50km to make sure your awake
it sat happily on 125km/h in 35degree heat
i was staying on the tail of a new falcon as the roos and wild pigs you get on the roads over there are bigger than bug is

all good dude, i had 165/15's on the back of my car when it was a stock 1300, did 110km/h in it every day and it went brilliant without any issues. as stated before they have been built to reach 100km/h and still retain good fuel economy therefore there is still plenty left in them....

Years ago when I had a stock 1500, and later a stock 1600, I used to travel between 120 and 140 most of the time - of course, that was before 100 limits came in.

Back then, you could pass most traffic around the coast here, but when I did trips over the range, it was a lot harder to keep with them on the straight roads.

I remember comming back from Narrabri in convoy with 3 mates who had Falcon 500s, and West of the range I was struggling to stay with them. Once we hit the range (on the Oxley highway), I had to wait for them every 5 or 10 kays to catch up and get back into CB radio range in the mountains.

Quote:

Originally posted by trickysimon I think I calculated I'm doing around 3500 at 100km/h with my late 1300 box and 195/65/14s. F'ing loud and your just waiting for it to go boom

ive got a spare Lbug box that i had the clever idea of having an 0.82 4th put in

thats like going from 3rd to 5th
but on the upside the old blown 1600 easy made 170km/h

Well....my mind is a bit more at ease now!

Quote:

Originally posted by Joel ive got a spare Lbug box that i had the clever idea of having an 0.82 4th put in thats like going from 3rd to 5th but on the upside the old blown 1600 easy made 170km/h

I've driven from Adelaide to Melbourne and back in my late model 1300 at 110-120km/h and it LOVED it. Didn't put a foot wrong even though it was far from being in the best condition. You had to plan ahead a couple of minutes if you wanted to overtake though

ive always been scared of doing 100km as those who went to the nationals 3 years back remember having to wait for us at the end of the freeway but sence that have been a bit gamer ive got a 40hp

dont undestimate the little 1200 vw

those that went to the last winterbreak might remember andrew dodd in the 1100 split window beetle leaving everyone for dead on the highway
was coming back from the bellingen jazz fest from memory

What I love is sitting on 110 or 100 on the F3 or gold coast highway in the far left lane and watching the central coast or gold coast ricers playing with the falcons and commodores, but i've sat at 140 in my 67 1300 for the whole length of the gold coast highway from tugun to brisbane in summer with no problem! once going they really are just as good as a modern car, just overtaking becomes the tricky part

Quote:

Originally posted by Joel dont undestimate the little 1200 vw those that went to the last winterbreak might remember andrew dodd in the 1100 split window beetle leaving everyone for dead on the highway was coming back from the bellingen jazz fest from memory

I remember as he came out in front of us when we got down to freeway he was gone like the wind.

I have no worries overtaking anything in my oval. I just put my foot down on the right peddle and it goes but it also uses about 14ltrs of fuel per 100klms when I drive it like that it cruises nice at 120klms per hour no worries.

But in the 62 with the 1200 engine I like to just cruise on the freeway doing 100kms per hour and just watch everyone go by.

Quote:

Originally posted by sgetty Quote: Originally posted by Joel dont undestimate the little 1200 vw those that went to the last winterbreak might remember andrew dodd in the 1100 split window beetle leaving everyone for dead on the highway was coming back from the bellingen jazz fest from memory i was there but carnt remember that! did make the great outdoors shot though. someone at the oval undid my d plate on the back of our car and didnt get back in time to knock it off i guess and on the back to the park flew off and nearly hit the bug behind