VDUB Advice (PICS ADDED 4/10/08)
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I've never seen such horrible camber as those bugs, that is hilarious :lol:
Volksrods.com great online community for all the cool kustom VWs, and always willing to help out the newbies. my VW version of this place 
Here's a great site. If you love the VW Rat Rod look, you'll like this, I DO!
http://www.volksrods.com/
http://www.volksrods.com/
I just keep going back to those pics and laughing, those cars look like they're sad
Yeh, pass on that bug! Super bugs are worth bugger all, doesnt cost too much to pick one up in mint condition.
This was my daily for 8 years, '72 super, mechnically stock, eventually the rust took its toll
This was my daily for 8 years, '72 super, mechnically stock, eventually the rust took its toll
The camber thing is something people who like slammed V-Dubs go for, it happens because it has a swing-axle instead of IRS. I like the way it looks because it really shows how much the vehicle is lowered. I also like narrowed front ends that (tuck) the tires, which has a purpose, it makes it so you can still turn the whells without them rubbing the fender edge.
I don't think there is a section of a VWs body or frame that isn't duplicated as a rust repair panel, so it you really wanted to you could cut out all the rust and put in new metal. As long as the backbone of the pan and the torsion housings are intact. Assuming the car is stock, it has a 1600 dual-port, so it is worth picking up as a donor car, if the price is right.
If you are not familiar with VWs, I suggest buying How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive (John Muir Publications) and reading it cover to cover, skipping the technical proceedures. All the intros and "raps" are everything you need to know about Volkswagens that you aren't going to learn from other tech manuals.
I don't think there is a section of a VWs body or frame that isn't duplicated as a rust repair panel, so it you really wanted to you could cut out all the rust and put in new metal. As long as the backbone of the pan and the torsion housings are intact. Assuming the car is stock, it has a 1600 dual-port, so it is worth picking up as a donor car, if the price is right.
If you are not familiar with VWs, I suggest buying How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive (John Muir Publications) and reading it cover to cover, skipping the technical proceedures. All the intros and "raps" are everything you need to know about Volkswagens that you aren't going to learn from other tech manuals.
VW Beetles, Ghias, buses etc., had the swing axle transaxle till 1968, when the IRS was introduced, but only on Autostick versions, in '69 the manual shift transaxle went to IRS, not sure when they were used in the bus. Although when REALLY lowered, the IRS still has alot of negative camber, but nothing like the swing axle version. My
Problem: ridiculous negative camber. Solution: Sway-A-Way camber stop.
necessaryevil said:Problem: ridiculous negative camber. Solution: Sway-A-Way camber stop.
necessaryevil, the camber stop only stops the inside wheel, in a turn from tucking under, which raises the rear end in the air...BAD for handling. If you lower a swing axle theres no way to get around the negative camber issue, there is no pivot at the wheel end of the axle, the IRS has a CV joint on the wheel end which makes the wheel stay more vertical through the suspensions articulation. People for years have used Porsche CV joints, because they can operate at more extreme angles than the VW joint. Anyway, I had two '66 Beetles, (swing axle), that I wish I would have bought a camber stop for, they say they corner like they're on rails. Beautiful VW in the pic! Is it yours?
Yeah, it's mine. When I first bought it the camber was awful. I put the camber stop on it along with adjustable shocks, raised it about an inch and solved everything. It's basically like a sway bar that mounts to the tranny, keeps the rear end from tucking too much, and I think it handles curves better now also. A lot better than driving on/wearing down the inside edge of the tires. I highly recommend it.
Sway Away makes great products, in fact their camber stop is the only one that doesn't stiffen the suspension, a big plus if you like the stock ride. I don't have a VW now, I've owned 4, and really would like to have another. My dream car would be a split window on a IRS pan...a really easy swap, other that all the bolts that hold the body to the pan...loads of 'em!, removed two bodies without an air wrench, not fun. What year is yours?, '65 or older, I know. Love those Empi wheels.
Mine's actually a '67 12 volt with early fenders/bumbers/lights. The previous owner did all of the work, the car just needs to be finished. I drove it home (about 120 miles) and thought I was going to get killed by a semi. The car sat about an inch off the ground, let's just say I was puckered up the whole ride :shock: The front beam needs to be gone through along with the brakes, and I have the motor out to redo the seals/gaskets and repaint the tins. I'm also thinking about modifying an old roof rack to hold a stingray or two.
Oh ya, the old fender and bumper swap trick! Thats what got me, 65's and older had smaller, (shorter windows), I was focusing mainly on the f. fenders and headlights. 12 volt is 1000x better anyway. Have a good weekend, Rock on!
