Hello everyone.

I have my US '71 Super Beetle, and was wondering if the floorpan can be switched with an Australian '72 Beetle floorpan??

Is there any limits to the length? Much difference?

How hard is the process? Would a person have to break welds to lift the shell off, then re-weld back?

ok should be no welds between the pan.
it should be as easy as unbolting lifting off and then getting the numbers changed with your registration mob.

And swapping the dash & steering column to rhd to match the floor, assuming the Aussie one is rhd? There should only be about 30 bolts, some electrical connections & the heater tubes if you have an original exhaust needing removal, obviously seats too if you want to make it easier.

Might be a silly question but why swap?

An aussie Super floor pan (you can't use a standard beetle floorpan without major work) is exactly the same as what you already have except for the pedal/mastercylinder and brake line positions.

The steering components bolt to the body not the floor pan but mounts are same on both LHD and RHD bodies and disc brakes on the front can be easily changed.

Just remember the cars identity goes on the floorpan not the body so make sure any floor pan you buy the VIN doesnt come up as stolen or anything silly.

Thanks for the advice.

I'm swapping because the US floorpan has about had it. The snow and salt did some damage, then it got flooded during Yasi, so that didn't help. I have another bug, that is just the shell, with a perfect floorpan.

I just didn't know what entailed in switching the pans.

So, I can keep it LHD? Without switching the steering column?

Is it a 71-72 Super floor pan?
73 onwards Superbugs have a different VIN code and it would probably turn into a PITA to register due to the different ADRs

The steering columns are the same you just leave all your steering gear in the body.

THe big problem with converting the pan to LHD is you would need to modify the bulkhead to mount the mastercylinder, run all new brake lines and mod the floor pan to mount the pedals.

Buts its probably still less work than converting a LHD dash to RHD.

Is it only the pan halves that are rusty or is the frame head gone too?

Just the pan halves are gone, particularly one.

The rest has surface rust, so I was going to look at treating it before selling. Any suggestions?