The chronicles of reviving a '67 beetle/ rally car build. By a total amateur.

[FrostedNuts]

Hi All, a re-peat of my intro post elsewhere.

Long time lurker, rare to post. This is my second air-cooled (personally) though my family has had many over the years. My wife and I were married and drove away in our '69 tin-top westy, but sold it a few years later to fund a cross country move.

Here we are, back in Vermont, living the dream, and raising our 2 young children. I just picked up a zenith blue '67, and am excited to get started returning it to glory. It has some pretty good bones, but also has some needs. I'll likely start a thread, but am looking forward to all of the sage advice, shared knowledge, and even some of the BS that STF has assembled over the years.

I don't even know where to begin to get some of the pertinent info (serial #'s, for example) but as I get some space cleared out in the workshop, and start the teardown, I am sure it will all be revealed.

For now, here's some pics of when I dragged her home in late January, and a heartfelt hello!








I'll be building a rally car/ backroad basher, that will also likely see some NEHA (www.hillclimb.org) series racing for added fun. I've got some wider 356 wheels, and some alternate tire sizes to play with, as well as a number of mechanical things to start with on the bug. Planning on getting her running, making her safe (brakes and suspension and tune up basics), then working on the cosmetics and rust as time goes on.

My buddy J and I got her running quite easily with an alternate fuel tank (seller told me it had a fuel line leak), and she runs (seems?) pretty damn healthy. WIth a few zip ties, the tank was good enough for a few miles of smiles and some donuts around our rural neighborhood. I recently was hooked by the thread about blow-through turbos by scott the viking, and now I may just have to do something about it... but first things first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oen01aP ... e=youtu.be

Here I am with my pit crew (1 and 3)



Cheers,
Tim

[FrostedNuts]

Picked up some 5.5" steelies and going to run a squared set-up for most everything I plan on doing.

Picked up some sticky vredestein sprint classics in a 185/70



and then on my 4" stockers, i'll run a squared 215/75 in a BFG KM2 Mud terrain (ha!)



I'm trying to figure out the suspension set up (planning stages) at this point, to make it all work.

It's a ball joint front end:
I'm torn between a cut and turn front beam, an adjustable beam (assuming i have to cut and weld myself), thing spindles and trailing arms, or a lift spindle like Kustom1warehouse sells. I keep seeing people mention "Tweeds" spindles, but can't find the damn things online anywhere.

Along with all of this, I plan to convert to a wide-5 disc brake kit. A lot I see are zero offset- but some are not. Some don't work with a dropped spindle, but will they work with a lift? I don't really want to widen the track, because i'd like to keep the stock fenders. (don't want a baja- more of an in-between rally/ class 11 hybrid)

I'd love some advice on this all...(Help, please!)

For the rear, yes- it's a swing axle.

I understand i can turn the rear plates. Should I? It seems to really give a lot of positive camber. Atomwerk sells a 1.2" raised plate, but I've yet to see these installed, or read any feedback. anyone else with ideas or feedback?

Would like to run a stock length shock- preferably koni reds.


Also, scored a sweet YOM (year of manufacture) vermont plate on ebay. In VT, i can register as an antique with this plate, and then only have to run 1 plate (no front). plus way cheaper.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=136514&hilit=ball+ ... fogasaurus

This is a BJ beam build that I started but haven't gotten back to (the new build starting on page 13) but the new beam is sitting out, all de-rusted, ready for work but I got going on some other things so for right now it is on hold.

In it I do talk about Bus spindles (raises the front end up a couple of inches and the bus's lower BJ is mounted differently for additional strength (the BJ is less likely to pull out of the lower trailing arm. I don't know if the Thing spindles are the same as the bus spindles but it makes sense. Bus units are now pretty expensive and I would suspect that Thing units are the same or more expensive.

You can cut and turn the front beam for lifting or dropping the front end but then it is not as adjustable for suspension tuning. You can use one or two weld in adjuster(s) do allow that but up to a point. There are also some other things that some do and are often done (good or bad).

thHGLR37WU copy.jpg

This shows how a swing axle acts during travel so when you lift or lower the rear via. the torsion bars you get the change in angle of the wheels.

Looking forward to seeing a build string from you.

Lee

[andy198712]

i think the way to get around having positive camber is to go IRS but its not the easiest thing to do, i did it with the body off and a jig.

great car and keen to see how it comes out!

[FrostedNuts]

Thanks all.

I know IRS is probably the way to go, but I'm gonna do my best with the swingaxle, at least initially. I've been in contact with a couple of the class 11 guys that campaign a swingaxle car, and have gotten some additional ideas.

Have been plugging away at little stuff over the last week, will have to get an update together...

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Thanks all.

I know IRS is probably the way to go, but I'm gonna do my best with the swingaxle, at least initially. I've been in contact with a couple of the class 11 guys that campaign a swingaxle car, and have gotten some additional ideas.

Have been plugging away at little stuff over the last week, will have to get an update together...

Well stated but don't forget there are limitations to just about everything.

Lee