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Last year of Torsion bars?
DubbyFan - October 2nd, 2011 at 08:20 AM

Just a couple of questions from a VW mug, which was the last year of the torsion bar Beetles in Australia as in when did the strut front ends start?

Also did all Beetles have disk brakes (front) from 1968 on, find this a bit confusing, it seems some Beetles in the 70's went back to drum brake front ends, why would they do this?

Maybe they just had a heap of front drum brake sets hanging around the factory and decided to use them up!?

Bizarre - October 2nd, 2011 at 08:51 AM

yep - very confusing

BROAD over view -

1976, the last beetle, was a beam

Struts ran from 1972 (1302 os S bug) to 1975 (1303 or L bug)

In the early 70's they brought out som Pov(erty) Packs
Drums all round and swing axles.
Basically to get the price down

There will be slight mistakes in tha dated above.
But close enough

whatnow - October 2nd, 2011 at 08:52 AM

struts started in '71 but they kept making torsion bar beetles as a base model with a 1300dp, being a base model they fitted drums.

someone who knows more will be along soon to expand.

Ben386 - October 2nd, 2011 at 08:52 AM

I may be wrong,I think Mac strut fronts started in 71 and the 1300 from 71 on may of had drum brakes.
Some Beetle tragic will probably correct this.

Anthiron - October 2nd, 2011 at 09:03 AM

Also do not look at American websites for information on model changes as their models changed quite differently to ours.

DubbyFan - October 2nd, 2011 at 09:27 AM

Thanks folks, wow it is confusing isn't it!

ancientbugger - October 2nd, 2011 at 09:43 AM

Yep, it varies from country to country but if you're talking Australian beetles then I have no idea but German made beetles then '78 when the last saloon version was built was torsion bar and '80 when the last convertible was made was struts....with drum brakes!! Go to South America and the story continues for quite some more years and what combinations they had is another story altogether!!:crazy:


Just changed this as I had put 76 but they were built in Germany until 78.

Joel - October 2nd, 2011 at 09:43 AM

Not really :lol:

Simple, from 71 to 75 if you wanted bigger 1600 engine and disc brakes you bought a superbug

If you were a cheapo granny who only drove to bingo you bought a standard beetle with the little 1300, drum brakes and swingaxle/beam.

76 was just a closing down special using the last of the 1300 bodies with Superbug engine/gearbox.

shaihulud - October 2nd, 2011 at 11:47 AM

As a matter of interest, if you want the disc braked front and the IRS rear you need to look at the semi-automatic.

Some 1500s had that combination, but if you want to know what suspension a beetle has, you need to get down and have a look.