How fast do you cruise?

[Jimbug57]

I ran my 1600 single port (in my 70 sedan) almost flat out for 42 hours straight. I held it to the floor all the way across I80 from Salt Lake City to the Nevada line, not to mention held it to the floor across much of Nebraska and Wyoming also. It would almost go 100 MPH when floored. That was in 1975. I drove from Detroit, MI to San Jose, CA in 42 hours. Stopped and napped a couple of times. That car had the original factory motor.

Back in the 90's I used my 1600 single port in a different 1970 sedan to travel all around the midwest while working. This one had a motor I built in my basement. I did many stretches of 85 and 90 MPH for 4 to 6 hours without having to floor it. Always ran like a champ, never had any problems.

Once I went passed a cop on the other side of the freeway doing just over 90 MPH. I figured he'd cross over and nail me, but I guess when he saw I was in a bug he figured his radar must have been broke!

I've never understood why people think bugs are so slow on the highway. When my wifes grampa asked if I could make 65MPH in my bug, and I told him I could go 90 all day long, I don't think he believed me.
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[OldsCool]

I regularly see 70 mph in mine. I'm sure that the later model 3.88 transaxle has a lot to with it. I just did a top-end rebuild on it about 2k miles ago, so I'm not really pushing on it yet, but I don't see why I couldn't get 100 mph out of it once the rings are fully seated, and I'm not scared to give it the flat-out treatment I'd also like to lower it beforehand, too. As-is, it's pretty sketchy in the handling department, especially with high-wind gusts

[Miguel Arroyo]

I have cruised up to 85 mph on my 1600 SP without flooring it. Normally I cruise at 65 mph.

[psnider]

With my steering and brakes being questionable at best, I keep my everyday driver 72 super below 65 mph on the highway. I could probably get 85 mph out of mine but I don't like hospitals.
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[Glenn]

I generally cruise at 80mph when on the open interstate.

Living in the North East it's hard to safely drive faster with all the cars and potholes.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
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[71superbee]

I once drove 80mph from Atlanta GA to Columbus OH in my 71 Super. I stopped twice to eat and take a leak. I did 70 to 80+ to and from work everyday for 2 years in the same bug till she finally gave out. Completly trashed the engine. I had Motorkars (www.motorkars.com) build a brand new stock 1600. I drive a little more conservatively now.
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[KillerTux]

70 mph @ 3200 RPM. Seems like a good speed and keeps up with the traffic.
Same speed for the autostick too.
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1964 Beetle Convertible

[glutamodo]

While I've heard of people pushing their bugs that hard before, I always have to wonder how accurate their speedometers are. Since I've seen many that weren't even close to being right. Plus, I wouldn't want to push a stock, relatively unbalanced and definately uncounterweighted engine that hard for very long.

Out here in wind and hill country, it's pretty much impossible to maintain a speed, (unless your target is 50-55MPH) and I range anywhere from an actual speed of 85 down to 60 on the interstate. If the wind if favorable, I can average 70+my baja and 65+in my big-bore 40HP bug

-Andy

[rayzor30]

A few years back I was doing 93 in my stock 73 sedan. At least that's what the cops radar read as he wrote out my ticket.

I still remember him saying, "Congratulations, that's the fastest bug that I ever gave a ticket to," as he handed me the paper. Great, I get the trooper with a sense of humor!

With my 79 I top out at about 85 or 90, even with the dial kadrons. They need to be adjusted though.

[taza_one]

I live in LA so I don't get to cruising speeds much but when I'm on the freeway I'm usually going 65-75. I hit 90 going downhill on the 2 freeway. I don't like to push it though. I don't know how healthy my engine is right now. It's a 74 super but I checked the engine # and it's a 70 or 71 I think. The one that had more horspower?

[Bugorsh]

My engine likes to cruise at about 80-85mph on the freeway and will run like that all day. It's a 1904cc though, not a stocker.
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[PierreDeKat]

Slow and steady wins the race -- that's my motto.

Let all the other cars pass, because in ten years, every single one of those cars'll be scrap metal, and I'll still be driving my bug.
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[VWGirl]

i've had my bug doing 90 on a few occasions... but i try to keep it at about 65... the gas milage is soooo much better at that speed!
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[brent lehr]

75 to 80 mph on a long trip, a little faster on short highway trips. That's with a 1776 in my 71. I've checked the seedometer with my GPS and with the tach and it registers a few mph slow. Speedometer only registers 90 mph but I've had it past the oil pressure light a few times. Pretty stable too.

[i_want_a_pre_49_ratbeetle]

my 71 super took it to close to 85mph 1 time on interstste i try to avoid interstates but cruise at 70 on them when i absolutely have to but normally i cruise backroads & seldom get past 65mph i prefer to keep good mileage im running a 1641cc engle 100 cam solex 28 carb 009 dist getting up to 35mpg
Randy

[theredbarn]

You know I just run at the posted speed limit. I'm not in any big hurry!

[oasis]

I generally cruise 60-65 MPH. I will go faster with my stock '71 Super but I won't sustain it. It is still the original engine and there is no sense in pushing it.

Someday -- hopefully soon -- I will update and upgrade it. Then, I will drive as I do with my other cars. That means doing middle-lane speeds. Around here, that can mean anything from 60-80. (I generally only get frisky when traffic is light.)

[Everpress]

I'll go below the speed limit... 135's up front on a '65, roughly lowered 2.5 in.... I hit a bump on an on-ramp, and the name "on-ramp" took a whole new meaning.
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1969 Bay Camper
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[Thingster]

I kept my 1300 bug to 65 since that's what it wanted to cruise at. The 1600 DP in the '67 I had liked to run 70-75. No need in making the car run faster than it wants to.

Justin
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[Plantman]

When I'm on the freeway I'll go with the flow, usually around 65-75 and the bug feels comfortable there. Sometimes it is a little faster depending on our moods, mine and the car, sometimes slower if there is a truck, with tires bigger than my car, on my bumper. Then when they pass, looking down their nose at me, I'll blow past them at 90-95. I don't really know if it is that fast, my speedo only goes to 90. David
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