New To Aircooled World

[phat_dub]

Hi everyone,

My experience with VW's have been of the watercooled genre. My daily ride is a 90 GTI slammed on brocks.

Well, i just bought my first beetle. It's a 65 and bought it from the owner Tim at shop called Werks Restyling in Delta (Tilbury Park) over the weekend (it'll be my summer car).

It's a 65 standard model with british racing green paint, empi 5's, newly upholstered cream interior, 2\" narrowed beam, basically no rust and mostly unmolested (dash etc.)

The car comes with a 1776 with dual solex (sp?) carbs. I asked to upgrade the motor to a 1914 with a rebuilt tranny and it's costing me 2700 and he installs it for free. Because im new to the scene and new to beetles, i would like some insight if it's a good price etc. I also asked him to install electronic ignition, header/muffler for new motor as well...

He's a really nice guy but want to ensure im making the right decision. Also, anyone have any idea what i would do 1/4 mile wise? mid to high 15's?

TIA

PS: pics to follow    

[phat_dub]

new ride:






current ride:

[dannyboy]

those front wheels look really wide to be 2\" narrowed you might want to check that out, and were they going to build you a new motor? or ur just upgrade the motor? cause the only real difference between a 1776 and a 1914 (besides the machine work) are pistons and cylinders ($289.95)

[James Buchan]

Welcome - and nice looking car!


1/4 mile you might hit high 15's - low 16's, those carbs will really hold you back, and it really depends on what all is in the engine (cam,compression etc)

I'm with danny on thinking those front tires look pretty pushed out to be on a narrowed beam, measure from the bottom of the two shock towers and let us know what you get.

[phat_dub]

It's a new motor and new rebuilt tranny. For the tranny i believe they using the existing casing and using \"Superbug\" first 3 gears then the last 2 highway gears.

I'll confirm the beam situation.

Thanks for the quick reply.

What we did was take 800 off for the 1776 motor/tranny and plus 2700 for the 1914/tranny.

[James Buchan]

Beetle's are 4speed (4 forward, 1 reverse)

Super beetle main shaft with a \"freeway flyer\" 4th?

What's all in the engine? (1914)

[Stephan Schmidt]

It's a new motor and new rebuilt tranny. For the tranny i believe they using the existing casing and using "Superbug" first 3 gears then the last 2 highway gears.

I'll confirm the beam situation.

Thanks for the quick reply.

What we did was take 800 off for the 1776 motor/tranny and plus 2700 for the 1914/tranny.

it sounds good that you are uping to a 1914 cc, but if all of the internal work for the motor is the same as the 1776, then like dan said, the difference will only be around $300.  if he is rebuilding the tranny, then I can understand a bit of cost, but it shouldn't be more 1000 bucks for the tranny (depends if you are going stock or not).  

The carbs are kadrons (solex) single throat 40mm's.  ask the guy what cam, head work, crank, clutch, etc.. he is going to put in there that makes the price jump from an 800 motor/tranny combo, to a 2700 motor/tranny combo.

Welcome to the aircooled world!

Stephan

[dannyboy]

ask him for a list of all the parts in the motor and tranny
 

[KOOL-AID MAN]

Nice lookin car man, welcome aboard.

That beam could maybe still be a two inch narroewed, maybe they put late model disc brakes on it cause there cheaper and are running adapters to convert it back to 5 lug, thats what my problem is gonna be when i buy adapters for my front discs, your wheels will stick out an extra 1/2 inch or so on each side due to this.

[phat_dub]

Motor and tranny specs will follow.

Quick question about lowering the front. I would like to lower 1-2\" but i was told it required cutting/welding some kind of heigh adjuster kit. I found these on the net that looks like it's a bolt on:

http://www.concept1.ca/A%20chassis.htm

Can anyone tell me if these would work?

KOOLAID: hey thanks for the compliment. I dont think he has the beam installed yet... It's still drums all around. Good point though.

[KOOL-AID MAN]

you can do a 2 inch narrowed front end without any cutting, and it will have an adjustable height, i bought one and installed it myself, works great, it sure is a lot of work tho, However if you wanted the frontend even narrower it would cost you a lot more and you would have to do some cutting inside the fenderwell.
you can also do drop spindles, but its jsut as costly and you wont be able to adjust the height.

[beetleman]

welcome are you willing to sell the 1776 motor,if you are i might be interested if the price is right and its not well used...et me know thanks steve. also nice looking car and welcome...

[beetleman]

welcome are you willing to sell the 1776 motor,if you are i might be interested if the price is right and its not well used...et me know thanks steve. also nice looking car and welcome...

[silas]

it looks like that car has drums on the front.

imho, i would steer clear of cutting or hammering the body in order to narrow the beam and get the wheels to tuck.

i cant think right now. does a 65 have a ball joint or link pin front end?

you could buy a 2-4\" narrowed beam with custom shock towers and adjusters already welded in. then you can fine tune the height adjustment and get the wheels to tuck.

you should also get drop spindles (which would take you down 2\", not adjustable) and still retain correct steering geometry and you will not have to worry about your tires hitting your headlight buckets. most drop spindles do push the wheel outwards, usually 1/2 - 1\" per side. hence the need for a narrowed beam.

with a garage and the right tools, you could prolly bolt on a beam and a set of spindles in a day.

do you mind me asking how much you paid for the car? just curious.  

[Matt]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but if you wanna sell the GTI, lemme know.

Matt

[Chris]

it looks like that car has drums on the front.

imho, i would steer clear of cutting or hammering the body in order to narrow the beam and get the wheels to tuck.

i cant think right now. does a 65 have a ball joint or link pin front end?

you could buy a 2-4" narrowed beam with custom shock towers and adjusters already welded in. then you can fine tune the height adjustment and get the wheels to tuck.

you should also get drop spindles (which would take you down 2", not adjustable) and still retain correct steering geometry and you will not have to worry about your tires hitting your headlight buckets. most drop spindles do push the wheel outwards, usually 1/2 - 1" per side. hence the need for a narrowed beam.

with a garage and the right tools, you could prolly bolt on a beam and a set of spindles in a day.

do you mind me asking how much you paid for the car? just curious.

My 65 has a link pin front end but may have been changed as it has an adjustable beam...

and all the suggestions from silas as well as a disc brake upgrade....

[KOOL-AID MAN]

a 65 has king and link

[silas]

it looks like that car has drums on the front.

imho, i would steer clear of cutting or hammering the body in order to narrow the beam and get the wheels to tuck.

i cant think right now. does a 65 have a ball joint or link pin front end?

you could buy a 2-4\" narrowed beam with custom shock towers and adjusters already welded in. then you can fine tune the height adjustment and get the wheels to tuck.

you should also get drop spindles (which would take you down 2\", not adjustable) and still retain correct steering geometry and you will not have to worry about your tires hitting your headlight buckets. most drop spindles do push the wheel outwards, usually 1/2 - 1\" per side. hence the need for a narrowed beam.

with a garage and the right tools, you could prolly bolt on a beam and a set of spindles in a day.

do you mind me asking how much you paid for the car? just curious.

My 65 has a link pin front end but may have been changed as it has an adjustable beam...

and all the suggestions from silas as well as a disc brake upgrade....

and if you go discs, make sure you get drop spindles for disc brakes.

thanks kool-aid. i couldnt for the life of me remember when the switch to b/j was. 67?

[65type1]

65's with a late build date of either Aug or Sept (can't remember) came with Ball joint beams

[silas]

65's with a late build date of either Aug or Sept (can't remember) came with Ball joint beams

wierd, i originally thought that 65's had b/j beams, then started second guessing myself, then read kool-aids post.

so it sounds like late 65 was the crossover from link pin to b/j. correct?

[Stephan Schmidt]

65 K&L, 66 balljoint.

[phat_dub]

it looks like that car has drums on the front.

imho, i would steer clear of cutting or hammering the body in order to narrow the beam and get the wheels to tuck.

i cant think right now. does a 65 have a ball joint or link pin front end?

you could buy a 2-4" narrowed beam with custom shock towers and adjusters already welded in. then you can fine tune the height adjustment and get the wheels to tuck.

you should also get drop spindles (which would take you down 2", not adjustable) and still retain correct steering geometry and you will not have to worry about your tires hitting your headlight buckets. most drop spindles do push the wheel outwards, usually 1/2 - 1" per side. hence the need for a narrowed beam.

with a garage and the right tools, you could prolly bolt on a beam and a set of spindles in a day.

do you mind me asking how much you paid for the car? just curious.

beetleman: the motor is sitting Werks and apparently it's pretty fresh. You'll want to contact the shop for a price at: 604-

Matt: i was planning to keep the GTI but may let it go for the right price. I just got the CV joints done yesterday. 1990 GTI 8V, black/grey, new paint in 02, 210k, brock b2/T1-S, bilstein sport/FK 60/40, 16v flares, short shift, stereo etc. email me: markb@hamiltonspill.com

Definitely K/L pins.
So i saw the mechanic at the bar last night and i asked him about the beam. He said it IS a 2\" narrowed beam but looks deceiving because the wheels are wider and push out the offset. I'll have to do some measuring to make sure.

Anyone know how much drop spindles are?

I paid 5200 for car minus engine.

[65type1]

Late 65's were the cross over to B/J, I beleive it's termed a running production change.
Most people and Catalogues seem to round up and say that 66 was the first year for b/j.

[silas]

He said it IS a 2\" narrowed beam but looks deceiving because the wheels are wider and push out the offset. Anyone know how much drop spindles are?

it very well could be a 2\" narrowed beam on that car. thats only 1\" per side and the camera angle and the fat tires make the tuck look deceiving.

call airspeed about drop spindles, but remember that certain drop spindles will push the wheels out a bit more too.

Late 65's were the cross over to B/J, I beleive it's termed a running production change.
Most people and Catalogues seem to round up and say that 66 was the first year for b/j.

august was the month for the next year changes. afaik, every car built after august 65, was sold as a 66 model. hence the change to b/j in late 65.

someone please correct me if i'm wrong.
 

[Stephan Schmidt]

who cares  just take a look under the fender :lol:

j/k!

did you get the motor specs yet?

[Pipes]

Nice car man Welcome!  Can't wait to see in in person.

If you plan to run 15's with that 1914, I'd suggest getting Disks up front.   Drums aren't to keen on stoppin from speed.

[James Buchan]

I'd suggest getting Disks up front

Stops me everytime... But then again you don't use brakes on the track....    

[Shane]

Yeah , Slow Non strokers don't need to break on the track , but us Strokers run out of room very quick while breaking....  

[James Buchan]

Don't start....

And for your info

don't need to break on the track

that would be YOU doing the BREAKING!

[Shane]

Don't start....

And for your info  that would be YOU doing the BREAKING!

Now you are starting to sound like my wife. Biatch