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Hello
I would love to build a midengined bug and I believe there are many advantages to benefit from by using the steel Bug bodyshell. If I were to use a type1 sedan body I'd simply swap the all torsionbar type 1 floorpan with a 550 Porsche spyder like tubular chassis frame. There many 550 kit frames to take inspiration from. The bug bodyshell attached to a spyder style frame would help to form a safety cell and could also help to improve the torsional stiffnes of the chassis. Because of the longer wheelbase of the bug fitting a flat six aircooled 911 engine and etc. should be very easy. The body would require to have its rear luggage comp. floor to be cut out and a new firewall behind the front seats to be fabricated. But this would be easier (and cheaper) to do To construct an all new custom spaceframe and a composite body would be quite labour intensive and would cost alot of $$$.
A second way to make use of the original bug body would be to choose the Superbeetle route. The Supers body structurer would lend itself much better as a load carying part of a custom frame body combination. For inspiration look at the 1996 911 GT1 series race cars. With that car Porsche proved that by using the front of a 993 chassis.(extremely modified of course) it was possible to build a world beating midengined race car. When using a Supers body the front could use all late model 944 Brake- Spindle assembly and custom lower A arm front suspension. At the back (middle of the car ) an air cooled flat six or even watercooled one could be fitted. The rear susp could be from a Boxter or some custom double wishbone susp. could be fabricated (like that of a 9111 GT1). I wonder if anyone has used the steel bug body as a load carrying part with a custom chassis application?
And if I hab the means of fabricating my own spaceframe chassis chose the beatiful Ariel Atom style spaceframe. That way any VW Golf (or similar) drivetrain could be used.
I'd say there's enough inspiration at Porsche. Have fun while dreaming.:silly:
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