Hi,

I can vaguely remember being told of some Australian produced Super Beetles in 1973 that had a mix of S and L bits. Flat screen S shell with elephants foot tail lights as fitted to the L and the padded flat dash from the 1300. Did these really exist? Was there anything else special about them?

Thanks,
Brett.

the only thing i can think of is the 73 onwards 1300 bug it has elephant foot tail lights and flat windcreen but the dash is padded but is flat like the metal dash bugs.
like the one in the picture.

Thanks, but it's not a 1300 bug I'm refering to. I'm familiar with them.

These cars (if they exist at all) had the same padded dash and rear guards as the 1300 series but on an S/1302 type shell, with the strut front end and IRS rear, not torsion bars and swing axles.

The guys I used to work with called them an "SL" because they were half S parts and half L parts. I saw a navy blue Super Beetle with this spec in Sydney many years ago, but it may have been just a customised S, and my colleagues were telling me tall stories.

But I was thinking today, I wonder if such a car really did exist during the changeover period from S to L spec?

I dont know of such a car, but its possible.

Mine will be a 73 L (1303 with curved screen) with S tail lights (the 3 color ones, with clear reverse - some dont have clear reverse....) rather than elephant tail lights.
it will still have the L dash though. Strut and IRS.

Question is, Are the dashes interchangable?

The flat padded dash on a 1300 or a 76 Bug looks basically the same underneath the padding as a 68-70 1500 and an S. So the 1300 dash should fit an S too.

I know I could create such a mongrel, but I'm interested if the factory did.

(EDIT: The L dash sure won't fit any non-L bugs without major chopping!)

Hi

I used to work on a S bug years ago, it had a padded dash and also had the front transmission mount that was introduced on the L bug. It was the only one I ever saw.

Steve

Hi

It was a yellow/orange from memory, this was in the early 80s. I forgot to say it still had the early taillights.

Steve

ive seen a handfull of Sbugs with elephants feet but its always due to accident repairs

the last couple built in early 73 had padded dashes
i wrecked a 2/73 that had one and tombstone taillights

Hi,

Has this been done before and if not could it be.
Putting an l bug dash in a 1500 model (68 - 72) bug. Alot of modding and customising because the back of the dash is curved to fit in with the curved screen. but i would like to have the look of bug in the picture but with l bug dash. I do like the l bug but just dont like the curved screen but thats not to say i dont like them there one of my faviourite bugs.

Also what is this? an IRS sportomatic ???? Here is the link: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/volkswagon-vw-beetle-bug-auto-1302s-irs-sportomatic_W0...

Well. I dont like the 1303 that much, even though i have one. the curved screen is alot better to see out of. but I would rather the metal dash... its a fun time.

I like the l bug just not the screen but i like the dash cause you can customise it like this. Its not mine the dash but beetleboyjeff's dash off the forum.



Click here for picture
Sorry the link dosent work but i will try put up a picture of the dash im talking about.

Im guessing also this beetle with s and l bits well maybe when they brought out the l bug they still had a surplus of s bugs left so they might of used a few l bug bit that they could to build and sell off the rest of the s bugs but might have only been a small amount of bugs and may be rare now.

Love that Joel. Looks freakin awesome

"just a 3 speed manual box with no clutch "

Joel i beg to differ ,they have a clutch plate etc,as well as a torque converter just the clutch is electrically and vacuum operated :

I know, i was just putting it in laymans terms for the yound lad

Hmmm...that's the second time I've seen a bug described as having a "Sportomatic"...can a "Saxomatic" one be far behind?

Ctefeh

makes a change from the usual "Porsche clutchless transmission" description
usually spelt porsh or porche lol

Hi

Saxomatic was an earlier version of the semi auto, we never saw them down here.

I have love hate relationship with the L bug dash, I like the way it looks but I hate working on it, I also hate that you cant see the speedo if you fit a smaller steering wheel.

BTW, Ive only seen one L bug/1303 semi auto in Australia.

Steve

Also Joel, Dont worrie about putting it down into shortened talk because i know alot more than you think and know exactly how the semi auto works. I think he is desprate and is trying to make it sound rare. Also Joel will you be at sawtell.

yea should be, me and steve are frantically trying to get our bugs back toghether so we dont have to drive there in our mainstreamers

AFAIK, they stopped making semiautos end of 73
ive only ever seen 2 semiauto Lbugs and they just had the usual VolkswagenL badge, no VWautomatic

ive driven a 72 Sbug auto it had the park position saame as my manual shows for Lbugs

dumb question, but N would also be between P and L would it not?

Wow, I never knew there were any semi-auto S or L models. I thought VWA stopped teh semi-auto when the 1500 series was replaced with the S. I also didn't know there was a semi-auto with Park position.

the 1300 Beetle did NOT have the padded dash..

the 76 1600 Beetle had the padded dash - large tail lamps
IRS rear end - front disc brakes...
front blinkers in the bumper...

the plastic dash could be put over any flat metal dash...
[68> beetles- NON Supers]

The automatic beetle type of transmission was first used in Porsches .. and called the sportomatic...
they neeeded an automatic Porsche to sell in the USA...

LEE

PS: the auto beetle had IRS rear end... the first beetle to have IRS...