'68 fenders on a '71 superbeetle?
 

hi, newbie here...

i was just wondering if it was possible to fit the 68 and later-style fenders on my 1971 superbeetle. I want the standard look, but with the strut suspension of the superbeetle. i was thinking of getting the whole front-end fiberglass or c/f.

p.s.---has anyone done this? :confused:

a front end will not work on a superbeetle (1302/1303) cos the struts mount on the inner fenders, so they have to be metal and fixed properly to the whole car to widthstand the loads of the suspension.

As for fenders ive seen the old ones (with thee slopping headlights for 1303.

Im not sure the 1302 fenders are interchangeable with the 1303. I think the aren't.

Hope i helped

Chris

Rear fenders are the same but the fronts are not. You may be able to get a fiberglass front end that looks like a standard but wider for the super front end.

When I read the question the first time, I assumed it was about the rear fenders only. That way, one could get earlier taillights on their Super. (In the US, the taillights went larger for 1971 and 1972.) Swapping for 1968-70 rear fenders would be easy.

A 1968-specific front fender would still have the upright headlamp, so I don't see the reason for wanting it over a '71 Super front fender. The only difference -- a big difference at that -- is the '68 fender would be shorter. Even if shorter front fenders were somehow fabricated to work, the longer hood would be even more pronounced.

To get pre-1967 headlamps, Creative Car Craft makes fiberglass fenders for that. You can only get them as wider than stock, however.

ok so i just want to get things straight here. i was talking strictly about the front fenders only. i just figured that the bolt- arch that the fender bolts to might be exactly the same circumference as the '68-on standard beetle bolt arches. that way they would be a match- although the front bolts would have nothing but the apron to bolt to, at least the look could be achieved.

btw, by the "look" i mean the whole front fender in general and not just the headlamp style. i dont really like how the fender is rounded off at the bottom front end.

---i noticed that maybe with a 68--> apron the standard hood could be made to fit on the front of the car as well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...e.jpg~original
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...d.jpg~original

I think that the super front hood is wider then a standard. I was at a junk yard today and they had a standard hood and super hood leaning against each other and there is a big difference.

The front fenders won't just bolt up. You would be in for a lot of one-off fabrication that would have to be done just right as it will affect the suspension.

Beyond that, I'm not an expert. It is possible that it would be easier to do the entire front as a one-off from scratch -- with easier being relative and possible being operative.

thanks so much for the input guys. after glancing over the standard and superbeetle hoods i did recognize the differences in shape and size more. i believe the 71 hood is the longest (front to back) of all the vw-beetles. also it seems to be wider toward the front slope. and the nose is definitly wider at the tip. this could be remedied by using the standard apron- however- i found out that the front fenders for the 71 might actually be slightly longer than the standard fenders. this would be due to the fact that vw decided to widen and lengthen the front of the car to able to lay the spare tire down, and accomodate the new strut-style suspension. i dont think it would be that hard to fabricate a custom mounting system for the struts, that way i could just use the one-piece front end. jjust need to weld cross-members between the struts and then back through the firewall and onto the pan somehow. or onto the body.

muahahaha it can be done!! well on a later-model super that is....check out this members ride!!!! even the hood is pre-67. just takes a good welder.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...d.jpg~original

Well, I am not going to repeat what I already said. But there is still plenty of work to be done.

The front track of a 1967, 1971 and 1975 standard Beetles are 51.4, 51.6 and 51.5 inches, respectively. The front track of a 1971 and 1975 Super Beetles are 54.1 and 54.9 inches, respectively.

If fiddling around with the welding so the parts fit together is the definition of a "good welder," then so be it. That picture already looks unnatural even to a technoklutz like me. Even welded such that it would be strong enough not to fall apart, I don't see any advantage to it apart from the How-Bout-That Factor.

Wow factor or not the idea behind mods like this is to combine features of year models that the owner likes. I own a 74 Super that I plan to put 65 style fenders on the front. Why because I like the countersunk headlights behind the glass. Will I use fiberglass pre-made fenders for this? Probably not as I prefer metal. Will it take a lot of time and work to do this? You bet but it will be totally worth the time. To me.

Might as well ask why bother at all an just buy a new car.

No kidding.

I didn't ask anything. It was your post that had all of the questions when you were interviewing yourself.

If you're going to be offended by me, make sure it was something I said rather than your defense mechanism kicking into gear. The answers I gave were honest and accurate. I was trying to be helpful. After that, you can put up a 40-foot mast and sail your car down the interstate if that's what you want to do.

Naw tried that. Not enough room to tack back and forth with the wind. Plus with a 40 footer you have the terrifing possibilty of just blowing right over. :)

:D :laugh: :) Good one.

Which member's ride is this? I've always had a yearning to build a standard early body style with chopped super roof and curved screen...
Rich