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68 Berry mini T4
Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2022
Posts: 2
Location: Kentucky
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 Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2022 9:31 pm Post subject: Beetle Frame head |
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Hello,
Can I put a 66 ball joint frame head on a 65 platform? I have to replace the original 65 due to rot.
Thanks |
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runamoc 
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2006
Posts: 5600
Location: 37.5N 77.1W
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| Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2022 6:48 am Post subject: Re: Beetle Frame head |
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something changed between '65 and '66, so I'd say no. You would have to do some mods to get a link-pin frame to use a ball joint front end
_________________
Daily driver: '69 Baja owned 44 yrs - Plan B: '81 Rabbit Diesel LS Deluxe - Plan C: '72 Ghia
Yard Art: 2 Sandrails
Outback: '69 Ghia - '68,'69,'70,'72 Beetle - '84 Scirocco, GTI - Pair of '02 Golfs-
VW Wiring = It's just wires |
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68 Berry mini T4
Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2022
Posts: 2
Location: Kentucky
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| Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2022 9:25 am Post subject: Re: Beetle Frame head |
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| Thank you |
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Busstom
Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2014
Posts: 3841
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2022 5:22 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Frame head |
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| runamoc wrote: |
| something changed between '65 and '66, so I'd say no. You would have to do some mods to get a link-pin frame to use a ball joint front end |
Can you elaborate on this? I know the spread between the upper and lower tubes got wider in '66 to accommodate the ball-joint front suspension style, but what changed at the interface to the tunnel?
If the OP is changing out the whole framehead, which attaches to the tunnel just ahead of the Napolean's hat, I would've thought that he could switch over to the later piece without complication....unless the body changed in front of the gas tank to accommodate the "taller" front suspension beam, thereby restricting him to use the 65-earlier framehead/beam combo. |
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runamoc
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2006
Posts: 5600
Location: 37.5N 77.1W
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| Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2022 5:57 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Frame head |
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most VW owners want to get a LP front end instead of a BJ front end. A how to for replacing the BJ for a LP front end. I guess you could do the reverse to get a BJ front end on a LP frame.
http://vw.zenseeker.net/FrontSuspension.htm
_________________
Daily driver: '69 Baja owned 44 yrs - Plan B: '81 Rabbit Diesel LS Deluxe - Plan C: '72 Ghia
Yard Art: 2 Sandrails
Outback: '69 Ghia - '68,'69,'70,'72 Beetle - '84 Scirocco, GTI - Pair of '02 Golfs-
VW Wiring = It's just wires |
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Busstom
Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2014
Posts: 3841
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2022 6:08 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Frame head |
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| Cool. So 68 Berry can probably do it if he has access to a BJ framehead, makes sense. |
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runamoc
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2006
Posts: 5600
Location: 37.5N 77.1W
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| Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2022 5:23 am Post subject: Re: Beetle Frame head |
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| Quote: |
| Berry can probably do it |
It looks like it will require some serious welding skills
_________________
Daily driver: '69 Baja owned 44 yrs - Plan B: '81 Rabbit Diesel LS Deluxe - Plan C: '72 Ghia
Yard Art: 2 Sandrails
Outback: '69 Ghia - '68,'69,'70,'72 Beetle - '84 Scirocco, GTI - Pair of '02 Golfs-
VW Wiring = It's just wires |
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nitro_rat
Samba Member
Joined: January 15, 2011
Posts: 68
Location: Lufkin, TX
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| Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2022 1:40 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Frame head |
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| runamoc wrote: |
| something changed between '65 and '66, so I'd say no. You would have to do some mods to get a link-pin frame to use a ball joint front end |
If you are replacing the actual pan head it is just as easy to do a link pin as it is to do a ball joint unit. The exact same amount of welding is needed either way... |
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VW_Jimbo
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016
Posts: 9954
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2022 6:46 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Frame head |
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| nitro_rat wrote: |
| runamoc wrote: |
| something changed between '65 and '66, so I'd say no. You would have to do some mods to get a link-pin frame to use a ball joint front end |
If you are replacing the actual pan head it is just as easy to do a link pin as it is to do a ball joint unit. The exact same amount of welding is needed either way... |
Agreed! But you have to be very well jigged up for this task. If it is 1 degree out of line with center, in any direction, the alignment will be off. At this point it is still correctable, but get to the 5 degree mark and it is redo time!
The way I have replaced a frame head is by building a jig, welded to the tunnel and braced to the pan, which allows an old front beam to be used as the locator. To do a change in suspension types may mean a jig which has only the lower beam as the set point and a segment of angle iron placed for the proper camber.
Sure it is possible. Sounds like alot more on jig building!
_________________
Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
| TDCTDI wrote: |
| Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
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