1973 UK 1303S Big Beetle

[Caledfryn]

I've used this forum an awful lot for research and reference and, with the encouragement of a couple of you on here, I thought I'd try and put something back in This is my first resto, and I'm no expert, so go easy eh! I've done quite a few bits already so I'll post as if I was starting now (if that makes any sort of sense!) Eventually I'll catch up with myself and I'll post as it happens (which will be very slowly!)

Our non-European friends may not know about the 'Big' Beetle.
http://www.sebeetles.com/big/

There's one at the back alongside a 'Jeans' and a 'City'.

In the UK, they came in three metallic colours: gold, blue and green

As standard, mine came with:
- L95C (Y6) Moosgrün-metallic (Green to you and me)
- A brown cloth and vinyl interior with beige carpets and door panels
- 5 1/2J 3t34 GT Steels
- 1600cc engine
- Front disk brakes
- Wood effect dash insert and wooden gear knob
- Blaupunkt radio
- Bumper overiders

An ex girlfriend had bought one many years ago sprayed a horrible dark navy blue. Neither of us had a clue it was a special edition, but there were glimpses of the metallic green paint and I loved the colour.

The car was extremely rotten and was scrapped about 20 years ago - the decklid lives on however!

And there's a glimpse of Moosgrün - why the hell would you spray over that colour?

Anyway, roll forwards twenty years or so and for my 50th, and this was up for auction on eBay in Llandudno - about 30 miles up the North Wales coast from where I live. It was an amazing surprise present from my partner A good friend (and fellow 03/Super owner picked it up in secret and dropped it off at the house. Fair to say I was lost for words.

These pics were on my birthday when it arrived.

Superficially, it looked pretty good, but like most Supers, once you started to dig in, holes appeared! This was not unexpected and it was always going to be a full body off, nut and bolt resto from the start.

To be continued ......

[Michael Ambrozik]

Keep the supers alive. It looks super nice and the colors not bad either. And welcome back.

[creative native]

Helo a chroeso yn ôl, ffrind Cymreig! Cymraeg yw fy nhad a Indiaidd Americanaidd yw fy mam.

I believe I would have been lost for words as well, having been presented with such an amazing gift. That is love! I agree that the metallic Moss Green is a beautiful color and even better is that it has appropriately matched upholstery. Green and tan shades are simply classy together.

I hope you post more photos your beautiful Super Beetle 1303 S in the future, especially of the interior.

[Rome]

What a wonderful surprise to receive the Big in the color that you like!

Big's wheels were never available on US-spec Beetles in the ET34 offset. The only Beetle that had the 5.5" Sport Wheels was the 1973 Sports Bug (aka yellow-black racer) but those had even more deep dish, with ET26. When the struts were redesigned for '74, VW just stayed with the 4.5" wheels for the US market from then on- either the hubcap or the sport styles.

Factory-installed front disc brakes- that's a treat which no Beetles ever got in the US market- neither Supers nor Standards.

Is that a GTI or GTD on the right?

[tzepesh]

What a wonderful surprise! Congrats on your effort, you start with a very nice car and and will end up with a top one! I'll follow.
_________________
'74 1303S, L98B Viperngrun (extra glitter), German Look
'64 1200, Sea Blue, under restoration

[Dodgy]

Nice! Looks like your 1303 has a couple other VW friends to hang out with!

Looking forward to following your progress!
_________________
'75 1303 (current project) owned since 1989!
'72 Squareback - full resto completed 2008 - now sold
356 Speedster kit, completed 2005 - now sold

[creative native]

I found this and thought you'd want to see it, if you've not already.

http://www.sebeetles.com/big/

[Igpoe]

What is big about it?
_________________
'73 super.

[creative native]

[TK-CS]

"BIG" was a special edition (1600cc) of the '74 Super Beetle in Europe. In parallel there was the "CITY" (1300cc). See first picture on this page.

Super Beetles in Europe are named 1302 ('71 & '72) and 1303 ('73 to '79).
"S" stands for 1600cc (with front disc brakes), "L" for luxury package, "LS" is the combination of both and hard to find as a non-convertible.
_________________
AC:
'71 1600LE (Type 3 Notchback FI/AT) Sunroof
'75 1303 (Super Beetle) 1600DP, Sunroof
WC:
'77 Audi NSU Ro80
'88 GTI 16V
'91 Corrado G60
Daily:
'04 Passat Wagon 2.0TDI
'13 Passat Wagon 2.0TSI

[260KMN]

I think the overriders were an extra option. I had an Ontario blue Big (L95M) years ago, that didn’t have overriders. Good luck with the resto,
I always loved the Moss Green colour.