TheSamba.com :: View topic - Ultimate Daily Drive Beetle ( Theory Build)

Thu Oct 30, 2014 10:53 am

This is what I would consider the ultimate Beetle:

A completely original or ''better than factory'' restored pre-1960 big window (for practical driving) Beetle with the following:
* airbags (possibly disguised in OG looking steering)
* Roll cage
* ABS braking
* Seatbelts
* 4-wheel drive
* Performance suspension (lowered and to ensure car doesn't roll)
* Wide rims (smoothies for me) with performance tires
* Performance gearbox
* Power steering
* >2l aircooled turbocharged engine (think 400+hp)
* LED lighting
* Keyless entry and start
* Alarm and Tracker
* and a performance CPU

Basically a Audi RS5 in VW Type 1 clothes.

Would this even be possible and if it is, has anyone done something like this?

Feel free to post your Dream Beetle or discuss what is and what isn't possible in old Type 1's.

Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:44 am

For a million dollars, sure, you could do that. Or you buy an RS5 for US$100,000, a perfectly original Beetle for $40,000, and have $860,000 left over for beer or whatever...

Just saying, the thought of spending $1 million on a dream Beetle is just so far removed from what a Beetle is about. If you had $1 million why wouldn't you buy a McLaren P1 instead?

Thu Oct 30, 2014 4:52 pm

I have to say, I would build a lemons racer super beetle and sponsor the team with a cool million.

Damn that would be fun.

Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:14 pm

I think you guys are taking the ''million dollar'' part a bit too serious.......... Killing the thread.
Im just gonna change the name of this thread. Don't be so literal.

Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:42 pm

79SuperVert wrote: Just saying, the thought of spending $1 million on a dream Beetle is just so far removed from what a Beetle is about.

Spending $1 million sure is... but that original wish list actually looks pretty consistent with what would be expected for the modern "people's car".

DeutchKraght wrote:
* airbags (possibly disguised in OG looking steering) [mandatory for new cars]
* Roll cage [Would be called a "Safety Structure". It would be built-in so you wouldn't see it, and it would also be required to meet the current crash standards.]
* ABS braking [mandatory for new cars]
* Seatbelts [mandatory]
* 4-wheel drive [becoming much more common, decades of Subarus have had it, so you wouldn't think anything of it on a passenger car.]
* Performance suspension (lowered and to ensure car doesn't roll) [No big deal cost-wise, and manufacturers would do it anyway so that they wouldn't need electronic stability controls.]
* Wide rims (smoothies for me) with performance tires [Anything modern would seem quite wide compared to the factory wheels/tires]
* Performance gearbox [5+ speeds expected on modern cars]
* Power steering [No problem.]
* >2l aircooled turbocharged engine (think 400+hp) [Probably the only thing on the list that is a stretch!]
* LED lighting [No problem.]
* Keyless entry and start [No problem, probably an option though.]
* Alarm and Tracker [Probably an option.]
* and a performance CPU [No problem.]

Basically, aside from the engine, this could be the spec sheet for just about any bland cheap compact car off the assembly line today. :wink:

Fri Oct 31, 2014 8:08 am

Could be an interesting build. I would imagine that with some changes utilizing existing products, a Beetle could be on par with a lot of the economy cars on the market today.

If you utilized a Super Beetle as a base (preferably big window just 'cos of the real dashboard), you could rework the suspension to provide better handling characteristics. Of course disc brakes would be easy to do as well. In all honesty I wouldn't bother with power steering or power brakes...I've never felt like those were something that my Beetle "needed" to be more modern or comfortable to drive. It's a small light car and those things are just additional complexity.

A mild engine wouldn't be too difficult to build, and you could put a Gene Berg 5-speed in it if you wanted more gears. Remember the Beetle is a very light car and doesn't need 200+ horsepower to be quick. A set of salvage yard seats would provide additional adjustment and support and again, not terribly difficult to install either.

A/C kits exist, pretty simple, and I feel like a heater blower kit might be helpful too. (Sitting in traffic when it's below zero out is always cold for me...)

I feel like airbags would open up a whole can of worms...I wouldn't want to just stick airbags in a car they weren't designed for. However, an integrated roll cage (especially with enforcement in the door area) would be a good idea if you could pull it off.

Other goodies like a modern sound system, heated/power seats, power windows, etc. are entirely doable if you have the time, resources, and desire.

I think that what it ultimately comes down to is how far do you want to go? If you want all all the luxuries that come with a new car, a modern economy car would probably be a better bet. Definitely would be cheaper, there's a whole host of economy cars (not all of them horrible) that can be bought new for under 18k or so. All that being said, I would be really interested in seeing such a build, I've always thought it would be cool to "update" a Beetle.

Fri Oct 31, 2014 3:59 pm

This is how I would do it.

(i'm sure there are better pics of this beast)

but use a oval rag shell.

Mon Nov 03, 2014 3:34 am

That was pretty well what i had in mind when I built mine.
A classic Beetle on the outside but with all the mod cons of a modern car for daily driving.

Although when you start talking things like ABS, AWD, airbags and power steering most people would say just start with a new Beetle.

Fri Nov 14, 2014 9:08 am

I think one of those Zelectric Beetles would be the ultimate daily driver bug.