Resto to GL on my 73' 1303 ( newbie )

[1303bug]

Hey guys I've decided to restore the bug to german look.
Its a 1973 1303 with a 1300 engine , it says 1303s on the decklid but ive been told its not a "S" .
got lots of time on my hands. ive been on the eircooled.com forum but was told to go here cause you guys know everything and anything about converting a superbeetle to German Look


never done this before so im going at it as a newbie

ah ive got so many questions.

so ill let the pictures do the talking , to get me to where i am.

This is how i got the 2 years ago in manchester,
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/IMG_3468.jpg~original
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/IMG_3467.jpg~original
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/IMG_3466.jpg~original
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/IMG_3462.jpg~original


this is where i am at now , fenders off interior out glass out
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/21533_1273208303960_1042486702_3078.jpg~original
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/21533_1273208383962_1042486702_3078.jpg~original

got a bit of rust here ...
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/21533_1273208783972_1042486702_3078.jpg~original

http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/bugday2resized.jpg~original
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/IMG_5254Large.jpg~original
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/18733_1281245344881_1042486702_3080.jpg~original
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/18733_1281246024898_1042486702_3080.jpg~original
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/18733_1281244984872_1042486702_3080.jpg~original

so thats that part sorted, :)

next up im looking at going from this
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/beetle1303before.jpg~original
to this
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr346/vwbeetle73/1302s%20celine/gl2010.jpg~original

[1303bug]

I want to install Porsche brakes all round , porsche teledials or turbo twists and a 944 interior.
i know that none of the Porsche stuff "fits right in" no matter what they tell you.
So i can use 944 rear suspension arms and brakes complete on my 1303 chassis or i can fit the early non turbo brakes and caliper brackets on my 1303 rear arms. I also need to search out a 1303S box .

ive been told that on the front the 944 spindles and brakes complete can be made to fit with a Kerscher 19mm ball joint but they fit up with mad positive camber so i need to re-engineer a way of making the camber more reasonable.

ill also need slim coilovers if i go for wider wheels with a deep offset. Kerscher make them or Topline in the US and that there's another way of getting early non-turbo 944 brakes on the front with the use of a simple caliper made up and some machining done to the 944 hub to move the bearing locations closer together.

have i got this right so -far ?

[1303bug]

so is the easiest way to go for the porsche early aluminium non turbo arms ?
something like this ? ttp://www.cal-look.com/forum/cal-look-high-performance/porsche-944-trailing-arms-on-a-vw/ (http://www.cal-look.com/forum/cal-look-high-performance/porsche-944-trailing-arms-on-a-vw/)
or
go with steel arms you won't need the 944 spring plates or drive shafts, you can either use the beetle items or transfer the brakes over onto your beetle rear arms. The Porsche arms are the same width as the beetle ones so you won't need wider wings or anything unless you go for mad wheels.

or is there another option ?this has been racking my head for months now . and what about the front end ?

[wrenchnride247]

Looks like you have a good plan so far, and have been doing your "homework" on what bits fit.

If you want to add track to the rear go aluminium. If not, stock bug arms will be fine.

[evilC]

so is the easiest way to go for the porsche early aluminium non turbo arms ?
something like this ? ttp://www.cal-look.com/forum/cal-look-high-performance/porsche-944-trailing-arms-on-a-vw/ (http://www.cal-look.com/forum/cal-look-high-performance/porsche-944-trailing-arms-on-a-vw/)
or


or is there another option ?this has been racking my head for months now . and what about the front end ?

Hi,

We bought a 1303 that was labelled a 1303S (it had a 1600tp with front drum brakes).
For the upgrade I bought a complete 924S undercarriage thats the same as a 944N/A that gave me new, more robust front struts that also allowed me to get rid of the press in ball joints by simply fabricating a new TCA. The new TCA is the same length as original and with the max adjust on the inner pivot and the 924S stub axle I have achieved 1 1/2deg neg camber. The 924S single pot brakes are used along with the drilled stub axle for the speedo (the VW bearing cap even fits the 924S hub). New uprated dampers and springs are added plus a strut brace.
At the rear the alloy trailing arms are used with 924S spring plates, TBs (23.5mm), TB cover and cap. The rear set up provides for big disc brakes, and camber and toe adjustability. The camber adjustability is particularly useful. I modded the rear spec to have 928S4 4 pot calipers as the balance with the standard Porsche single pots is all wrong. I fitted a 944 anti-roll bar at the rear with fabricated hangers (I could have gotten them off the 924S tube) and heim joint adjusters. The driveshafts are 944 (the 924S ones were off an auto car so were different side to side) with VW181 output flanges. New uprated dampers were added naturally. The alloy trailing arms push the track out and the 928 calipers also needed clearance so I fitted wide wings all round. 16" rear wheels with big offsets could solve the extra track and clearance issues.
Getting the whole undercarriage was well worth it as it provides all the bits necessary and should be cheaper than collecting individual items. My 924S undercarriage cost me £65 plus £110 for 928S4 calipers plus £50 for a pair of 944 driveshafts (still got the 924S auto ones for spare CVs) and £100 for the output flanges IIRC. The rear AR bar was £20. New springs, dampers and poly bushes were around £420.
If you want coilover front struts then the 924S ones lend themselves to adding sleeves and 2 1/4" springs (spring rate 100lb/in+).
I wouldn't go for 944T undercarriage as IMO its very expensive and the only upgrade worth having is the calipers over the standard 924S/944 N/A

Clive

[1303bug]

thanks clive
my 1303 has front discs but only a 1300 engine ... ?
so it has to be a 924s undercarriage , it cant be a 924 cause i just found this one http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/motorbikes/1300554 it says 944 but its a 924 hence the 4 bolt wheels..does that mean you needed to get 5x130 hubs or did you use 4 bolt pattern wheels ?
what does the n/a stand for ? and what is TCA and Tb ? im a newbie so dont know these acronyms yet :)

>should i not have the same style calipers on all four wheels or is it ok to have different brakes, i.e more powerful on the rear compared to the front ?
> so i shouldnt use the 944 single pots if i get 944 non turbo ali arms like these pictured http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo191/sawmilljim/018-4.jpg~original
http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo191/sawmilljim/020-4.jpg~original
>what wheels did you use ?
> it all seems more complicated to me , but is what you did better handling and performance wise than using the 944 non turbo set up ?