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Wed May 04, 2005 5:12 pm

I am looking to build a baja bug and want to make sure I get a vw with the beam/torsion front end. Does anyone know the years of the vw they came in

Thanks

Wed May 04, 2005 7:15 pm

65 and under has Link pin/King pin. 66 up has Ball joint. King pin is better if you plan on increasing travel. Balljoint offers a better ride. Both are Beam front ends. Stay away from the supers. They are the only ones without a beam front end. Do yourself a huge favor and get the Baja Bugs and buggies book. Info is a little outdated, but after you read it you will understand much more of what is posted in this forum. It helped me decipher all this VW talk.

Wed May 04, 2005 7:17 pm

Do not buy a super beetle. They do not have the torsion bar front end, other than that (depending on how into it you want to get) try to get one that has a IRS rear end and balljoint front end, I think it was 67 or 68 and later started with the IRS rear end. There are 2 different rear ends and 3 different front ends. If you get really into it you can then convert the balljoint front end to linkpin.

Wed May 04, 2005 7:20 pm

65 and earlier - Link/King and Swing Axle
66-68 - Ball joint and Swing Axle
69 and later - Ball joint and IRS

There may be some disagreement, but I think the concensus would be to start with an IRS rear and install a Link/King front end. You can go the other way, however it is probably more work and room for error. However, more than a few good off roaders have been made out of a swingaxle trans because the supposedly have less moving parts to break.

Wed May 04, 2005 7:22 pm

The rear changed to IRS sometime in 68. I bought a 68 parts car thinking it would have an IRS rear. Wrong. Since have found out 68's had both rear ends.

Wed May 04, 2005 7:29 pm

Thanks for clearing up the years hethen. :)

Wed May 04, 2005 8:02 pm

does anyone read the sticky threads?

68 only had IRS if it was an auto-stick model

Wed May 04, 2005 9:27 pm

68 was a changeover year where after a certain point they all came with semi-trailing arm rear susp.
As you all should know VW did not wait until the new year to release its updated dubs.

Wed May 04, 2005 9:39 pm

no car manufacturers do. its called a model year. ALL export (non-euro) model year 69 cars came with IRS. ALL model year 68 cars with manual transmission came with Swing axle. ALL model year 68 cars with auto-stick came with IRS

Wed May 04, 2005 9:41 pm

HamburgerBrad wrote: does anyone read the sticky threads?

68 only had IRS if it was an auto-stick model

:D I'm starting to wonder if my transmission sticky is going to helpful to anyone. Apparently nobody ever reads them anyway.... :roll:

Daniel

Wed May 04, 2005 10:28 pm

Whats a sticky? :wink:

Thu May 05, 2005 5:22 am

the forums at the top listed as "Sticky:(insert title here)"
Theres one that covers front suspension quite nicely, check it out.