Projects Hot Rod VW Beetle

Hello everyone!!
I have this crazy idea for my first project, inspired by my love for VWs (dune buggies beetles vans etc...)
I want to build a VW Beetle hot rod.
The only problem is......
the 283 chevy small block engine with a dual carb tunnel ram would be a hell of a challenge to get in this car!! I want to make this thing a gasser.. I want it to be a BugRod (or something!?)
If anyone has any ideas or tips or knows of anyone who would be able to give me any help at all, it would be greatly appreciated!! If you know of any success stories about this type of transformation, please share!!

Thanks everyone!!

 

ohh LORD

best of luck on this post!!!! your gonna need it!!!

 

Thank you!!

 

Before this gets ugly PLEASE do a search about this topic here at the HAMB. You'll get a mixed bag on it, but suffice it to say this topic is a shit storm in the waiting.

For my .02 vw's are NOT traditional hot rods and don't belong on this board.

 

my apologies.

 

try here:

http://www.volksrods.com/

damn hippies! haha

 

There have been a number of successful V-8/Bug transplants over the years, there is someone on this board that is making a gasser Bug right now, although the name escapes me right now, i remember he is in Masillon, Ohio.
I agree with the above poster, in that www.volksrods.com would be a better bet for questions and answers regarding your project. Some people here don't regard any VW as "Traditional" while others (sometimes secretly) embrace them.
I personally think that Geoff Peterson's (gkafer on the HAMB and Volksrods) "Hebroid" car is as traditional as you can get, as far as dropped I-beam, Kelsey Hayes bent-spoke wires, tons of custom fab and sheet metal work, open fenderless roadster, hairpins, etc... it just has the engine in the opposite end of where folks are used to seeing it...

Good luck with your project !

 

anyone got salt and butter? but really good luck, there have been a few well done vw rods. hope yours becomes one of them.

 

I smell a s!@# pot starting to cook here. Check out FNG, Peace love and hot rods? Something ain't right. I call bullshit in this one.

If not... my apologies, and you will more than likely get a better response on volksrods or the samba. Search for Unclescooby and PM him. I think he built one with a small block.

Good luck.

 

Wrong site for VW's,,it's gonna get ugly! HRP

 

it would look like a cartoon

 

There were vintage VW Bug gassers. Some will like your idea, some will hate it.

 

...

 

This isn't for real your just F@#cking with us right.Are you going to do it in a R*#R@# them also?

 

just cuz im a f---ing new guy, rather girl, doenst mean i cant be serious. some will love, some will hate.
but thank you all for the feedback!! thanks for the volksrod link!! ill be sure to check it out.

 

good luck on your build.. i like old volks.. but there is better places to get info.. best of luck on your search!

 

"That'll just about cover the fly-by!" - Jester (Tom Skeret), Top Gun

 

I would agree, perhaps 98 percent of the time. But I'd welcome a front engine gasser or comp car along the lines of drag racing Fiats or Bantams.

But what REALLY bugs me (pun intended) are the great number of bugs and vans at Billet Proof type shows. Sure, they are lowered, with wide whites and red wheels and they probably have Mexican blankets, and primer paint and pinstriping. Yep, they are the correct age and all the required cliche stuff is there. However, comma... E-Gads.

Later, Gary

 

Didn't Cheech and Chong have a V-W ???? >>>>.

 

Go Ducks!

I remember the VW in the 60's was popular because it was a late thirties looking new "Nostalgia car It has fenders held apart by running boards and if you squint and dream looks a little like an early Zepher or Airflow.
In the same time some guys were buying "instant hotrod" muscle cars, others were buying VWs and with a few modifications making them damn hot.
Pleanty of reasons for the f reactionary flatheads forever reactionaries to hate them then and still hate them now...
Get over it.
I junked my first car, a '53 Olds 98 town sedan, my dad gave me because it had two too many doors, and went out and bought a '61 VW because ...I don't know, because it was there? because it was $365 with a full tank of gas and no leaky radiator to worry about? (I put a peace symbol on the side of it too.)

Hippygirl
If you really want a "gasser" to race, get a current rule book for whatever the local drag strip uses and build fom there. If you want a cayon carver, think mid engine dunebuggy set up for street with your VW body on it.
There's adapters to bolt a SBC to a Corvair transmission and adapters to bolt the Corvair into a VW (probably) You don't need a back seat do you?

Go Ducks!

 

That did not even hurt.

 

.

Now thats funny right there!!

 

Not a gasser, but there's a guy in my town who has built more of a pro-touring bug. PM me if you want info.

 

I'm sorry I really did think this was some kind of a set up.Good luck on your build!

 

Soooooooooo, yer a chick? A model perhap's?

 

No one said anything about either of these.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=245737&highlight=scooby

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226291&highlight=scooby

 

Do a search on here for VW gasser there were several shown on an old thread someone on here is rebuilding an origional VW gasser as well.I don't know and really don't care if a VW gasser is considered a "traditional"hot rod or not but there sure as shit was a bunch of them on the drag strips in the 60s.I'm looking into a 67 bug myself to build one out of!PM me I know some folks on here that would be willing to give you info on building one.It's nice to see another female coming on board welcome to the HAMB

 

Welcome to the HAMB Hippy girl.

For anyone who's interested, the Bug is about as traditional as it gets. While they never really got taken seriously as hot rods 'back in the day, they were extremely popular with customizers, and a lot of us ended up with a Bug as our first car when mom handed it down to us.

I'v got some plans to build something based on a bug at some point in the future... But at any rate...

To put a SBC into a bug, you have 3 options.

Option #1,
The least difficult... "Rear engine layout"
Locate a transaxle out of a 914 porsche. Buy the adaptor kit to bolt the SBC to the Porsche tranny, trim away the excess metal in the engine compartment, and bolt it all together. Be warned tho, these are wheelie machines!!!

Option #2,
Medium difficulty level... "Mid engine layout"
Gut the car. Install the SBC where the front seats are now. Fab and install a back half sub frame to support the engine and 9" ford rear-end. Tie it all together with a simple roll cage. Then plan to drive the car from the back seat position
Pro's: Ballanced lightning fast car that [could] handle well. Traditional layout, extremely easy access to work on engine
Con's: Awkward driving position, EXTREMELY loud and hot passenger compartment

Option #3.
High difficulty level... "Front engine layout"
COMPLETELY gut the car, cut out the floorpan, build a full custom tube frame/chassis with front engine layout, then strech what's left ov the VW shell over the roll cage.
Pro's: Crazy cool gasser look
Cons: WAAAAY too many to list here

Good luck whatever you decide to do!