TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Feb 13, 2025 6:15 pm

1962 convertible beetle full weight. Running 205/65 15 with a Benco 3.88 street transmission. 2.5 adjustable rear drop plates with no addition lowering. Koni adjustable rear shocks, kafer bar, mid mount, rear strap and possible modified berg traction bar when I get the car back.

Putting a turbo on my 2332cc and am thinking about upgrading the torsion bars. I have read through some threads and am looking at either 28mm, 29mm, 30mm sway ways.

I know I may need to upgrade the transmission in the future, but for now this one will due with only 2000 miles.

All new stock trans mounts and torsion bushing. What size torsion bars and does it matter between swayaway and off brand?

28mm? 29mm? 30mm?

Mostly street driven, wendsday night drags ( keeping radials for now ) and not a true daily driver. Weekend hotrod.

Appreciate your input,

Justin

Thu Feb 13, 2025 6:24 pm

That car is a swing axel and has short bars. I would probably do 28mm bars and see if you can out a sway bar on the bar too.

Thu Feb 13, 2025 7:27 pm

I put 29s in my 2000lb with me in it 1960 bug. And I only went with them because 30s weren't available at the time. Mine is lowered a bit in the rear, and was dragging the sump on the drag strip with the stock torsions. I went with the bigger bars since the car isn't a gutted potato chip race car, but a fully trimmed street driven car, with a whole bunch of added weight added to it. It drove fine on the street, launched way less squatty, and overall made me happy.
As of now I've pull all of the go fast stuff out of it, other than the SAW bars and spring plates, it still rides just fine rolling down the road, even with the reduced weight.

Thu Feb 13, 2025 7:35 pm

Chip, with the 29s, what tires did you use and how did they effect the launch?

Thu Feb 13, 2025 8:18 pm

Thanx for the response so far. I will keep digging into this and see what I can find. Was thinking 29mm, but that was a jackass compromise between the 28 and 30 I’ve read about. Nice to heard some real person data on a full weight car and 29’s. Don’t mind spending the money, just really hate guessing if some one is willing to offer up some advice and data.

Appreciate it

Justin

Thu Feb 13, 2025 9:16 pm

jpaull wrote: Chip, with the 29s, what tires did you use and how did they effect the launch?
I can't say what they really did to the launch times. I really didn't spend enough time on the track in the car to get solid data before it retired from drag racing. But looking at photos and videos, it definitely helped with the squatting. As I said, it was a sump dragger when the power was being thrown at it, never had that issue with the new bars. M&H 6x26 slicks.

Thu Feb 13, 2025 10:17 pm

Chip wrote: jpaull wrote: Chip, with the 29s, what tires did you use and how did they effect the launch?
I can't say what they really did to the launch times. I really didn't spend enough time on the track in the car to get solid data before it retired from drag racing. But looking at photos and videos, it definitely helped with the squatting. As I said, it was a sump dragger when the power was being thrown at it, never had that issue with the new bars. M&H 6x26 slicks.

Appreciate the feedback. That especially makes sense with the slicks.