Hot Rod Forum banner

V8 1973 VW Beetle Project

825K views 836 replies 88 participants last post by  V8 Super Beetle 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all!

I'm in the process of building a V8 Bug out of my 1973 VW Super Beetle. I know this is possible because it's been done before. I'm on the v8bugs.com forum where you can find a handle full of example and different ways to accomplish this, but I still have questions. There's a lot more traffic here so hopefully I can get some help. I'm pretty much a beginner hot rodder that's a DYI kinda guy.

I'm looking into building a custom 2"x3" tube chassis for my build. I've took some measurements from my bug and designed a chassis in Illustrator to size. I'm trying to design the frame so it'll use the stock suspension up front.

I currently have a 283 SBC and th350 to put into the bug, but at the moment the motor is the block, with pistons and all, and heads. The motor is at my old mans (he works nights) so I don't have access to measure the motor off for mounting and what not.

Could anyone tell me, ballpark figure, about how much distance I'll need from each frame rail to fit the engine with mounts and shorty headers?

Here's my frame design, the distance between each frame rail is exactly 27.5". Also I intend on mounting the motor to the crossmembers that hold in the front control arms / suspension. Is this enough distance? Could I bring the distance between the two main frame rails closer? How should I mount the engine to the cross member with then motor mounts I have (see picture below)?



Here's some pics of my beetle and progress. I'm still working on cutting out the trunk!





 
See less See more
4
#353 ·
My parts came in from summit. ;D For Valentines' day my fiancé got me a DVD from box wrench on basic engine rebuilding which is excellent, and a Ron Sessions book on rebuild a TH 350.




I made good progress this weekend. I drilled holes to bolt down my gas tank.






I ground the front frame caps to clean the appearance up.




I widened the side body mount holes some to give me a little room to shift the body some and I starting disassembling my chassis so I can finish the welds underneth and get it all painted and rebuilt.






That's about as far as I could get without a ball joint separator, which I'll need to borrow, to remove the spindles.
 
#355 ·
marnell79 said:
Im building a 1972 V8 Bug on a 1994 S10 Frame also. What springs did you use for the shortened rear leaf springs? Thanks
Cool! I used leaf springs out of a mid 90's Isuzu Amigo and I flipped them around so the longest end is upfront, if that makes sense. Here's a comparison of the two.



The longest end just so happened to be the same length from eyelet to center / mount (sorry, forgot the exact term). You might want to look around the junk yard and see what you can find, that's pretty much what I did. I believe the S10 leafs are 2.5" wide and the Isuzu's are 2" wide. I don't recall the length of the S10 springs, but if I had to guess they were 55"-60" long, and the Isuzu springs are 44" long. As long as can you find some similar in size you should be good.
 
#357 ·
marnell79 said:
Thank I will take a look. I am in the process of shortening the frame. its a short bed so i don't have to take out as much as you did it looks like 13.82 inches.

thanks
Post some pictures of your build when you get the chance. I'd like to check it out. 13.82 sounds about right for a short bed regular cab. The wheelbase for the super is 95.25", just incase.
 
#359 ·
marnell79 said:
I dont know if mines a super and I only bought a body without the pan so i could not measure the wheelbase but i from what i could find it was 94.48inches. What do you think. i will try and post some pictures soon.
thanks
joe
There's a couple ways to tell if it's a super. On a super the spare tire sits flat in the trunk (or what now will be the engine bay). On a standard beetle the tire reclines up front. Also, the gas tank on a super is at an angle. A standard beetle's gas tank sits flat. Another is the super beetle has a strut front suspension in which you'll see where the struts used to bolt up. Super's are also known as fat chicks and have a bubble like trunk / hood. The front end (fenders, front clip) also are rounded. A standard's hood comes to a sharper point and the fenders and the front clip are flat. Supers normally come with a louvered front clip (under the hood and between the fenders). Last but not least, a 73+ super has a curved window and it sits further forward than a standards, although 71-72 supers have flat windshields.

Sounds like the wheelbase of a standard beetle which is 94.5". I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions a long the way and I'll do the best I can to help. :thumbup:
 
#360 ·
Thanks. I be sure to ask It sound like mine is not the super but i will be sure to use the information you gave me to find out. Its snowing and im working out side] so Ill have to get the pictures later but here is one of the bug I got it for 100 and the s10 for 200 and parted it out and got the 200 back.


How do i post a picture?
 
#361 ·
When you hit reply you can click the image icon which is the little but with the mountains and sun next to the bullet listing button, and insert the url (web address) of the picture. Or scroll down, look under Additional Options, and click manage attachments which will allow you to upload a picture from your computer.

Sounds kinda like what I did. I bought my bug for $500, sold the pan and other parts and got most of it back. Enough so I could buy a S10 frame and parts.
 
#368 · (Edited)
I'm sure trailer leaf springs would work, but I think that they're pretty narrow and you'll have to make up for that some how. Like using some grade 8 washers to make up for their narrow width.

Really, you could use any leaf springs that would fit under the car. Just keep in mind that each leaf spring has a different spring rate which you'll want to consider. You probably don't want anything with too high of a spring rate or your rear will be hopping off the ground when you run over a bump at higher speeds.

I think you're on the right track with the Samari springs cause they're made for a light vehicle and the body isn't really long after the wheel wells and neither is a beetles. Whatever springs you decide on be sure to get the springs and mock them up before you shorten the chassis so that way you'll have the correct wheelbase.

:thumbup:
 
#370 ·
marnell79 said:
Thanks again. you are right on the trailer spring the standard is 1.75 inches wide. i think im going to try the Samurai. :welcome:

I was the one with the trailer spring thread. I'm using 30" eye to eye trailer leaf springs on our 350 powered 69 convertible vw project.

Bye using the stock front leaf spring mount on the s10 frame with these springs it made the wheel base of my chassis about 97.5" which is about 3" longer than the stock wheel base of our VW. I was wanting to lengthen the car a little to give more room for the 350 so it works out perfect for us, and I didn't have to cut the frame in the middle to shorten it :)

I Just turned some bushing spacers for the leaf springs to use the stock mounts and I'll be casting some custom urethane bushings for it this weekend. I'll try to get some new pictures of all this on my website sometime this weekend......
 
#372 ·
zbhover said:
I was the one with the trailer spring thread. I'm using 30" eye to eye trailer leaf springs on our 350 powered 69 convertible vw project.

Bye using the stock front leaf spring mount on the s10 frame with these springs it made the wheel base of my chassis about 97.5" which is about 3" longer than the stock wheel base of our VW. I was wanting to lengthen the car a little to give more room for the 350 so it works out perfect for us, and I didn't have to cut the frame in the middle to shorten it :)

I Just turned some bushing spacers for the leaf springs to use the stock mounts and I'll be casting some custom urethane bushings for it this weekend. I'll try to get some new pictures of all this on my website sometime this weekend......
Hey zbhover, I've been following your work and remembering seeing all that you've done so far. You're moving along nicely. Going with the trailer leafs would definitely get you closer to the needed wheelbase. There's a guy on the net that built a V8 bug, but he built a custom tube chassis, and he lengthened his car 3". He did that to give it a slightly longer wheelbase to make it more stable on the drag strip from what I recall. Let us know how the trailer leafs work out. I had thought about using some at one point and even some jeep front leaf springs, but I didn't cause I thought they would make the car ride rough. Maybe they'll work just great. Keep us updated cause the more info the better.
 
#373 ·
SECTION25 said:
Hey mate, was wondering how you acquired all of these skills that you've been using to build this car?

Do you work in an automotive trade?
:D To be honest, I work as a graphic designer (technically, I'm an "Art Director") for a living. I've always been interested in doing things myself. It also has helped that my dad is a machine maintenance mechanic. I've learned quite a few things from my father cause he is always working on his project cars. He doesn't like newer cars with computers and has built many GM 350's. Other than learning a few things here and there from from my father I've also taken every shop / manufacturing class I could throughout high school. Those classes is where I learned some basics of welding with a stick welder. Most of what I have learned has actually been from researching on the net. You can learn to do just about anything with enough research. This project has really been quite the learning experience and a lot "firsts" for me.

:thumbup:
 
#374 ·
We are adding the 3" so that we'll have less of the trans. right up at your feet and give a little more room for the engine. I figure I'll be able to get by with a little smaller trans hump so I'll have more room for my big feet... LOL


I went with trailer springs that are rated at 2500lbs for the pair with 3 leaves each, it was either that or 1000lbs single leaf. I thought that 1000lbs springs might not be quite enough, and figure I can pull one or two of the leaves off of my set if they end up being too stiff. I bounced on the back of the frame with the old springs and new springs and it seems to be about the same, but we'll see.


talk to you later


bye
 
#375 ·
Last night I finished disassembling the chassis. What a DIRTY mess. The front of the frame is caked with dried up mud. I've got a lot of cleaning and sandblasting of small parts to do. My plan is to hopefully power wash the frame this weekend and I'll sand blast some parts here at work.









I went to autozone to see if they had a ball joint separator to rent and I didn't realize how many great tools they have to rent. From piston ring compressors, oil pump primers, etc. Lots of tools I'll need and almost bought. I'm glad I didn't buy any tools right away. I will end up buying a good valve spring compressor from summit cause the one autozone has isn't all that great.

More later...
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top