GAZ adjustable shocks

[modok]

I think it's interesting you didn't prefer the 26mm bars.
I admit the ride is stiffer, but I'm so glad to be rid of the roll steer and squat/dive with braking and accelerating. The 26mm bars with gr2 shocks was NFG, too bouncy, but with heavier shocks much better.

In THEORY it makes sense, to have softer bars and heavy shocks....but doesn't that mean it STILL has as much dive and squat and jacking as before but it just does it more gradually?

OR simply a decision of RIDE QUALITY?

[ps2375]

That explains ALOT! I had considered a wider fender in the recent past. 2" would be all I'd need too. Much better than narrowing the beam. I had even considered the drop spindles with adjusters to raise the front an inch or so.
I was in Australia back in the 80's when in the Navy, and they had Bugs running around down there that appeared to be wider from the factory, wide enough to notice that they were wider. I never got to followup on that. Those fenders could work too, if they were closer.

Thanks for the info. And they are in Prescott, AZ, it would be a good reason to drive down and visit my father and bring back some fenders. That would be nice.

How well would a stock bumper fit to a 2" wider fender, or will it? I guess the drop spindles aren't going anywhere just yet. And I have yet to finish the airdam I'm making for this car, I may not need to lower it yet. But all that will get sorted after I get the motor back together w/ upgrades.

Back on topic, I know GAZ rear shocks are in this car's future, and very possibly a set for the front.

[esde]

[nextgen]

PS the only change in the bumper was in the height not the with the are stock width.
_________________
email: [email protected]
The TYPE IV UPRIGHT CONVERSION MANUAL
BEETLE MAGNETIC DEFLECTOR SHIELDS
LETS TALK DUBS https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joe+cali+ghia https://letstalkdubs.libsyn.com/ep-200-joe-cali-ty...qI3xJTCzjs

[ps2375]

[nextgen]

Well, I almost forgot, it has been so long since I did it, the part of the mounting bracket that attached to the Original bumper cannot fit into the much smaller opening . It is simple to make a single bar that is drilled and tapped that will into the bumper and all you have to do is drill one hole in the bumper to attach to the bracket. I used Stainless Steel Hex Bolt, they look Techy and cool.

My original reason for making such a thin bumper was to be able so show the clean lines of the car, yet actually have the original bumper in place, to protect
when parking. I did it 30 years ago and surprised I never saw another bug with it. Some of my customers in Europe Copied mine and after the Cali Style Upright Conversion called them the Cali Style Sliced Bumpers. Funny one guy said Cali is a guy we are not talking about the State of Calif. Cal-look is different.

BTY keep your original bumper do not buy after market, they suck.
_________________
email: [email protected]
The TYPE IV UPRIGHT CONVERSION MANUAL
BEETLE MAGNETIC DEFLECTOR SHIELDS
LETS TALK DUBS https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joe+cali+ghia https://letstalkdubs.libsyn.com/ep-200-joe-cali-ty...qI3xJTCzjs

[ps2375]

Thanks for the additional info. I figured since you reduced the height of the bumper so much, that a modified bracket/mounting was needed. I was just so struck by your first post with picks talking about fitting those tires under the fenders with the drop spindles. I was thinking how do people do that? Then you explain the fenders, like I said, I had contemplated them already and then moved on to other things, like getting my motor back together.

I have a long way to go with this car, shocks will be the next big thing, the rears have been on it for ever(possibly 30+yrs) and the fronts are used Bilstiens. It did sit for a good part of that time. I'm going for a quick well handling car that can also be somewhat comfortable. When my father built the current motor in it, he was living in the White Mountains of AZ, and would drive the Salt Canyon to Phoenix, there have been many a domestic (and a few import) sporty cars that couldn't hang with/shake the powder blue Bug on that road.

Some updates will be required to deal with the advancements of today's better engineered sporty cars and their better equipment. But few of them will sound as good as the dual IDF's do.

[nextgen]

It is better to use standard shocks up front especially if you want dropped front spindles.

The reason -- Gas shocks like KYB will raise the car 1" So you send the money for 2 1/2" spindles and wind up with 1 1/2" drop.
Front
_________________
email: [email protected]
The TYPE IV UPRIGHT CONVERSION MANUAL
BEETLE MAGNETIC DEFLECTOR SHIELDS
LETS TALK DUBS https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joe+cali+ghia https://letstalkdubs.libsyn.com/ep-200-joe-cali-ty...qI3xJTCzjs

[nextgen]

Before

After

_________________
email: [email protected]
The TYPE IV UPRIGHT CONVERSION MANUAL
BEETLE MAGNETIC DEFLECTOR SHIELDS
LETS TALK DUBS https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joe+cali+ghia https://letstalkdubs.libsyn.com/ep-200-joe-cali-ty...qI3xJTCzjs

[ps2375]

Here is mine with the Bilstiens and standard spindles;

And same shocks with drop spindles;

The wider fenders would certainly do the trick.

[nextgen]

Wow perfect comparison!!!!

you can just do the front to save a few bucks but only go to a just enough to make a full fender well look. Too wide looks like a hack job.
_________________
email: [email protected]
The TYPE IV UPRIGHT CONVERSION MANUAL
BEETLE MAGNETIC DEFLECTOR SHIELDS
LETS TALK DUBS https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joe+cali+ghia https://letstalkdubs.libsyn.com/ep-200-joe-cali-ty...qI3xJTCzjs

[ps2375]

They don't make a 1" wider fender, that I saw, so the 2" will have to do. They will make the off-season narrow tires look even narrower.

As for only doing the fronts, that may or may not look funny. The rears are for the most part flush and don't rub at all.

[nextgen]

What year is your car. Is it a 73 or 74 from your stock to mine, chrome,
early fenders, relocated rear license plate, sliced bumpers and early fenders.

I an now see the difference. BTY mine was your color blue and was an automatic.
_________________
email: [email protected]
The TYPE IV UPRIGHT CONVERSION MANUAL
BEETLE MAGNETIC DEFLECTOR SHIELDS
LETS TALK DUBS https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joe+cali+ghia https://letstalkdubs.libsyn.com/ep-200-joe-cali-ty...qI3xJTCzjs

[ps2375]

It is a 69 with later turn signals fr&rr (as my father was intent on being seen from the side). And the car was originally white and my father changed it to Sierra Blue, a GM color, I most often remember seeing in those two tone pickups. And the wheels are polished aluminum Gurney look-a-likes that were on the car in 74 when it came into my father's possession.

[nextgen]

You can do so much with a Bug body.... My wheels are Western Wheel Turbines.

Funny I was in Manhattan and pulled up to a early Corvette and we both gave each other the thumbs. Then we looked at each others wheels and laughed, we had the same wheels, his were just larger.
_________________
email: [email protected]
The TYPE IV UPRIGHT CONVERSION MANUAL
BEETLE MAGNETIC DEFLECTOR SHIELDS
LETS TALK DUBS https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joe+cali+ghia https://letstalkdubs.libsyn.com/ep-200-joe-cali-ty...qI3xJTCzjs

[ps2375]

OK, I ordered a complete set from the dealer in Florida. Great guy to work with and it was only about $450 for them shipped to my door. I have the fronts on "1" and had the rears at "11". the fronts are really nice and ended up setting the rears to "7". It rides very nice and expansion joints and rough roads are hardly noticed. The only thing that is difficult is the adjusting knob for the rears is inside the lower mount and can be a little hard to get to to adjust. Other than that, So far I am very pleased with their performance.

I'll see how they do when I firm them up for some really spirited driving up in the mountains. I expect they will be just fine and will allow me to fine tune handling as I please. I do have a sway bars front and rear, so a softer shock can be a bonus for ride and not give away the store for handling under normal conditions and will be a boon when I firm the shocks up. (I hope)