[vujade]

it sounds like this shop is perpetuating the lies & BS that the Us VW magazines have done for the last 20 years.

Type 4's are not that hard to adapt to your Beetle. They are not a mystery. They have been using them forever in Europe. This shop probably has no experience with them and out of fear of the unknown is trying to talk you into what they have experience with, a 1776 Type 1.

As far as saying that late models are crap, this is more BS!
How can late models be crap, when they have better rear suspensions (IRS), better front suspensions on Standards (Ball Joint) & better front suspension on Supers (struts). Later models also had collapsable steering columms & late late model Supers had Rack & Pinion steering. So how are any of these things crap?

As far as finding reputable custom shops, keep asking here and elsewhere on the net from others in your area.