ACVW Project coming my way

I am going to inherit my first air cooled vw. It is a ~63 convertible bug that the in-laws purchased for my daughter. Body is straight and clean, the car is complete, but taken apart. The motor is a fresh pro re-built that has been sitting for a couple of years.

I was looking for my next project and they offered to let me finish this one. My biggest concern is having enough power to not be dangerous. City traffic runs between 45-60 on arterial roads. Who are the main go-to's for power for these motors? I am not concerned with originality, a turbo and EFI would be Ok with me. Any idea which way to turn?

'63 VDubs were perfectly capable of driving at highway speeds.

Are you saying this car is for your daughter? Leave it alone.

The most dangerous thing about an air cooled VW for a young driver is not the power level. It's the poor brakes, lap seat belt, lack of crumple zone, and general engineering. I guess you could put ABS and air bags on the list if you want to.

Actually, the passengers are also dangerous. The car is so cool, everyone will want to ride and distract the driver, or wave while it is going by.

Upgrade the brakes, install a better seat belt (3 point), and leave it slow. Slow is the best protection against the lack of a crumple zone.

It would not be a daily driver, it would be a weekend cruiser/3rd car. I did not consider the belts, but brakes are on the list for upgrade.

My concern is not so much top speed, but getting from 0-50. Most of the roads around here are 2-3 lanes each direction with a center dual turn lane. With traffic coming better than 50mph at nearly all time, getting across the 3 lanes on a left turn is a concern.

The freeway heading out of town is often 90+ mph up and down the mountain. Going 40 up the hill is outright dangerous and I would like to be able to maintain at least 70-75 up the hill.

Was it a stock rebuild? I ask because it's so easy to have upped the cc's while rebuilding.

It's still 1,192 cc or was it upgraded to the 1300 or 1600?

40hp isn't much but my 1600 was fine with both acceleration and cruising. Iirc the 1,100cc made a hair under 34hp

Yep, stock motors aren't terrible. If anything I'd get a later model stock 1600 dual port and leave it at that. They will do just fine. Put better brakes on it, and focus on other issues.

FWIW I'm a huge fan of aircooled VWs but I'd be hesitant to put my daughter in one as a new driver. They lack any kind of safety features and they require a bit more effort to drive than a modern car. That's not necessarily a bad thing, focusing on the task at hand is a good thing, just make sure she's up to it.

For a bug to be comfortable at 75 I think power is the least of the problems, I have only driven one but even 65 feels pretty fast.

I have found out it is a 1600, he did not remember if it is a single or dual port. I think I will follow advice and run it as is and worry about it later. There is plenty else to do. It needs it all beyond the engine and trans. Wiring harness, paint, interior, new top.

It isn't just about power to get a bug to cruise comfortably. It is gearing. Even an expensive "freeway flier " transmission with 3.88 gears and a 0.86 fourth is gonna be spinning the hell out of a 1600 at better than 80mph. And it will be a dog at low rpm.

A 2180 with a porsche 5 speed perhaps?

I grew up in bugs. My pops was a hardcore enthusiast and all of them were hot rodded and i remember a lot of time spent in the right lane and a lot of overheating on long hills.

My 1st car was an ACVW and yes newer seat belts are a must as are brakes. I got a ticket for 70 in a 55 going down hill so it will do it with a 1600 but you don't really want to very often. It's a cruiser for sure. I loved mine but I understand why people are hesitant to put new drivers in them now I that I have gotten a little older. Still that should be a very fun weekend car.

Single or dual port the 1600 should be fine for you. We drove a very worn out stock dual port from NJ to New Orleans and back on modern highways without issue. Cruising at 65-70 and occasionally breaking 75 on a flat stretch.

We're swapping a bridge ported 13B into a Super Beetle. You could do the same to assuage your concerns about power.

A 1600 should make it liveable. My first two VW were 36hp and 40hp. Now those are slow. Plenty of friends had later ones and they would keep up on the interstate and this was when it was 70mph, before the drop to 55.

The bus I drive most days does fine with a stock 1600 and reduction gear boxes, but 55-60 is all it will do on the highway.

I have a 1600DP in my baja bug with a weber and a few other mods. You really have to run it hard to get anywhere fast and it sure doesn't feel like it likes it. I hate to say it, but honestly, for a DD with a young driver, I'd pick a different car. Keep the bug as a fun cruiser, but something else for a DD. That or budget some serious money to modernize the beetle and start from the ground up on it.

I had a superbeetle with a 2.0 type four shoved into it's backside. It would easily break 100mph.. but as said above, it's weakpoints were the brakes (good for one good stop before fading away to nothingness) and a suspension that wants to swap ends like a Porsche 911 turbo circa 1976

Cotton wrote: I hate to say it, but honestly, for a DD with a young driver, I'd pick a different car. Keep the bug as a fun cruiser, but something else for a DD.

The op wrote this a few posts up:

"It would not be a daily driver, it would be a weekend cruiser/3rd car."

ebonyandivory wrote:

Cotton wrote: I hate to say it, but honestly, for a DD with a young driver, I'd pick a different car. Keep the bug as a fun cruiser, but something else for a DD.

The op wrote this a few posts up: "It would not be a daily driver, it would be a weekend cruiser/3rd car."

ahh missed that part. Beetles are fun cruisers for sure, but with the desired speeds listed, like maintaining 70-75 uphill, it's going to need some work.

I drove a stock SB for a year and with a little known tuning trick I was able to hit 90mph easily. It also had an exhaust kit.

In reply to Cotton:

I think we agree (iirc) on many things including this subject.

For me, most of my cruising/pleasure driving is within back road drives. Having said that, I've put plenty of highway miles on my Samurais that had very little bodywork, LOUD 33" Super Swampers and a 1.3 liter. I just got used to driving in the right-most lane.

I'd upgrade the brakes FIRST then the other stuff would get done as I had the time.

I was young an stupid enough to drive an unregistered-uninsured Beetle with a leaking master cylinder from Clinton Ma. to the South Shore at night. I used the emergency brake a lot that night.

God, kids can be stupid.

End of hijack, sorry, OP!

1600+ dual port is about all anyone will mess with if they're building an engine for an ACVW these days. I have an Intermeccanica Roadster with a 1600dp, dual DelLorto FRDs, an Engle cam and a few other little touches. The engine is supposed to put out around 75hp, which is plenty enough to get up to ~90mph. It would go faster, but I won't. Manual steering, manual brakes, lap belts, etc etc. It is a miracle anyone 40+ survived to adulthood.

Look into a "Freeway Flyer" transmission if you're worried about modern traffic speeds. Put discs on the front if it has drums. Make sure the drums on the back are well-adjusted (or convert to discs,) and that the hydraulics are in good shape.

If you haven't driven an old car in a while (or ever,) you really forget how bad they were. "Character" gets old real fast. Edit: You also forget how fun it is having excellent visibility and ~1600lb chassis in my case.

Depending on your usage, get antique tags and Hagerty insurance. Mine is ~$350/yr for a $25k policy. The liability limits are similar to my other auto policies.