TheSamba.com :: View topic - How did you lower your VW back in the day?

Sat Apr 16, 2022 12:34 pm

Back in the day?
Man hole covers.
The fit right in the spare tire well🙃

Sun Apr 17, 2022 1:36 pm

Olli from NJ wrote:

There were no dropped spindles "back in the day". For me that is mid '70s-mid '80s

Yeah. I'm 46. Not 64 :wink:

Sun Apr 17, 2022 2:16 pm

Back in the day for me was the 80's. I never lowered the bug I still have today but back then you pulled leaves or cut and turn the tubes. I do have a set of good quality avis adjusters that I might weld in someday.

Sun Apr 17, 2022 3:59 pm

Onceler wrote: Cut, re-clocked, and welded the center of the tubes. I usually had to do it twice.

I got this down to a science back in the day - I figured out how much turn to have the best lowering without rubbing..and welded that. The adjust-A-beams I tried once -did not like them. They did not feel right on a tight turn - felt like something was moving in the frontend. The cut/weld style was my favorite- rode just like stock. YOu have to use the Berg Wedges to restore the proper rake and longer bolts on the bottom. Then the steering box have to be turned some to the new angle.

The back side - I got that to a science too... I know how many splines which direction..on the inboard or outboard side.

I lowered lots of bugs and buses back in the day. the bus is way more involved in the front.

Everyone has to experience everything on their VW - is the way to fully understand and define your love for it.

Enjoy -

Sun Apr 17, 2022 7:09 pm

In the late 60's I put a Select-A-Drop on my '68 Ghia and rotated and went up in rear torsion bar size but lower ride height. At the time I had Koni adjustable shocks on it, they were considered great at the time! I would love Friday night as we had 2 local cruise/drag locations on the streets of Mesa/Phoenix. I used to love sending BB Chevy's home!

Sun Apr 17, 2022 7:20 pm

I even narrowed the rear 4 inches to hide a 10" slick while lowered in a Ghia. This required cutting the 5 inch tube and moving a few things including the spring plate mounts.

the car was badass until it got hit and totalled. I never did another one.

Mon Apr 18, 2022 9:14 am

I carried 2 big girls in the back and 4 cases of Mickey's in the front. :wink:

Mon Apr 18, 2022 7:20 pm

Dropped from spindles ( ready for disc brakes ) made a 2 1/5 " drop

Put stock shocks on the front and left my air adjust shocks on the rear

Use 195 15 tires on the rear

Firestone low profile tire on the front. Was reluctant to use the low profile on the front due to stories about hitting pot holes and cracking my western turbine wheels.

Then tire guy laughed " weight from engine in the front and tire pressure of 18 psi you will never break a rim.

I have my Joe Cali Sliced front bumpers with license plate with big rubber frame so when it hits an object it swings back in place.

Mon Apr 18, 2022 7:24 pm

that 55 is hella sexy :shock:

Mon Apr 18, 2022 7:43 pm

I lowered mine with the jack.one of those racing jacks. never found any place to race it so I use it to raize and lower my cars.

Tue Apr 19, 2022 8:26 am

Chickensoup,
if you are talking about my bug it is 74. I made it look old.

My front and rear fenders are Creative fiberglass..

Early wider front fenders so I could use early headlights and Porsche 1956 Grilles

All chrome was removed except my bumpers which were 74's

License plate and light removed from rear deck and lowered, under rear bumper.

Tue Apr 19, 2022 5:29 pm

nextgen wrote: Chickensoup,
if you are talking about my bug it is 74. I made it look old.

My front and rear fenders are Creative fiberglass..

Early wider front fenders so I could use early headlights and Porsche 1956 Grilles

All chrome was removed except my bumpers which were 74's

License plate and light removed from rear deck and lowered, under rear bumper.

i was refering to the blue gasser chevy

Tue Apr 19, 2022 6:22 pm

Chicken soup.
You just blow my ego, ha !! Got me on that one.

Yes his car is amazing, to bad I did not show his interior.

Tue Apr 19, 2022 8:13 pm

Pretty sure I'm missing a leaf or two in the front. I didn't do it, I got it like that. It handles decent, but if you hit a pothole, you are gonna know about it.

Tue Apr 19, 2022 8:35 pm

try driving a link pin car resting on the bump stops through a field. your cheeks will be absent of feeling.

Wed Apr 20, 2022 8:04 am

I put in a mid engine support with bump stops and had to loosen them to the sweet spot of only making a light contact. I felt every bump in the road.

With the support you don't need it to be too tight, just want to prevent twisting movement when needed.

Wed Apr 20, 2022 11:29 am

Well, being a type 3 guy, I just turned torsion bar splines front and rear 8)

Wed Apr 20, 2022 3:13 pm

That is how I lowered my

914.