I have no clue.....

[hey its antman]

Things I know:
I know this car is a 71 super Beetle
I want to replace the bumpers and head light benzel.
I know I want a roof rack.
I even know the wheels I want to put on this car.
I want something simple that I can install myself......
I will get these 17's to fit on the drum set up without changing to rotors. ( I hope )
I want to lower this car without going broke.
I want to be able to lower the car and raise it whenever I need to.
My front struts have the three bolt set up.
JCW.com seems to be the site of choise for me

Things I don't know:
How do I lower this car at all four corners?
Who has the cheapest good set up for what I want?
Will I have camber problems like the hondas? Opppssss.....
I will not pay $1000 for a set of coilovers for this car.
Whats up with this adjustable narrow control arm or something like that?
Will I need this to not have rubbing on my tires? ^above
Where are the sites that will supply everything i need all at once?
Why can't I one stop shop for all of this stuff?

Yeah, I'm a rooky!! If you guys don't understand any of this ask the questions and I will help to the best of my abilities. I was upset when I was writing this.....

From this video I felt like I was there with them.

[zen]

ok, where to start on this one.

first, you can't always have your cake and eat it to. if you want to adjust height at the drop of a hat, it will cost you. coilovers are the best way to allow that functionality on the super. with a standard you could go adjustable beam.

rear height is easy. just adjust your spring plates on the torsion bars to the height you want. do some searches. plenty of info on how to accomplish that.

front on a super. there are many custom options. none will be one stop or easy. if you want bolt on, Topline Maxx Struts are the best way to go. gives you room for bigger rubber too.

rims in 4x130 are not overly common. they are out there, but few and far between. i would suggest going with 2.0 liter Fuchs if you want to stay with that bolt pattern. it won't get you to 17's, but they look great and are affordable...and bolt on.

and JCW sux. you get what you pay for. and their stuff doesn't cost much. hit the links section on the main page or the links page on volksport.net for a ton of sites with good products.

[hey its antman]

thanks Zen

If I go with the "Topline Maxx Struts". Would I have to get all four corners? I want to have a company like CP1 to make me a set of drums in 4 x 100 lug pattern. That will cost me around $300 for all four....

You right about having my cake and eating it too. Give me some other ideas as to front struts and lowering it up front without going $400 plus? think cheap but decent!

I pick JCW because I just want the small stuff. Headlight benzels and brows, cal bumps w/ lights, and rear bump, and seat covers, door cards. They aren't good for that?

Fuchs please, I'm having a tuff time with my 914 wheels now. They dolt right up but the rub the front struts a little. I refuse to buy spacers for this car but, I might head off to the shop after this for just that!! mo money, mo money!!!

What will I need to make this work? I just want the fenders to match up nicely with the tires with no rubbing in turns.
205 45 17 tires
17 x 7 or 17x 7.5 inch rims w/ 40 et - 45et
redrilled drums all they way around
You fill in the rest!! ( strut wise and other stuff that i will need )

Thanks again, I know alot of folks won't respond because I don't have the post history but, get over it!!! Turn the computer off if you aren't going to say anything and go to :yawn: ......

[NO_H2O]

The Super (1302 1303) stock strut springs are too large in dia. to let you put wide rubber up front. You can get adjust-s-struts and a tapered sport spring from TopLine or others that will give you more room but the MaxxStruts will give the most room of all your bolt on options. After you have the struts you select installed then you will have to measure and see what wheel/tire combo you can fit under your fenders. Be sure to measure both sides as these old VW's are sometimes a little different from side to side. A MaxxStrut at its highest setting is a 2 - 2.5 inch drop in front. I can't speak for the Adjust-a-Strut as I have not owned any. John at TopLine is very helpfull.
As for the rear of a Super, it is the same as a Standard. No struts in the rear. It is a torsion bar set-up with shocks. You can get a (slightly) adjustable spring plate for the rear and some (slightly) adjustable coil overs for the rear and get some adjustment from that, otherwize you need to re-index the splines one the torsion bars to rais or lower the car.

[Supa Ninja]

Germanlook=$$$, your willing to spend 300 big ones on custom drilled drums, but not 400 on the struts to make the 17's work on your car . Figure out what kind of 17's you want, maybe the Porsche stuff will work for you. The single pot 944 brake pieces aren't a lot and if you get the 2 bolt struts instead of three it will nearly be bolt-on. Just do a lil searching on ebay and wreckers. I don't know what your mech skill level is, but GL is advanced stuff.
Rear can be lowered for free with some patients and proper research. The biggest piece of advice is to do lots of research and figure out what you want to make of your super. There is a ton of other options out there then just the cheap CIP1 or jcw.com crap to mount on your vee dub.

Good luck

[hey its antman]

Originally Posted by Supa Ninja

Germanlook=$$$, your willing to spend 300 big ones on custom drilled drums, but not 400 on the struts to make the 17's work on your car . Figure out what kind of 17's you want, maybe the Porsche stuff will work for you. The single pot 944 brake pieces aren't a lot and if you get the 2 bolt struts instead of three it will nearly be bolt-on.

Yeah, I know what I said!!! I don't want any porsche wheels because its already been done. I want something in chrome if i can help it. Everyone keeps saying two bolt struts. My car have three and I will be sticking to that. I'm seeing me have to use spacers at some point. I gave you guys the specs of the wheels 40et - 45 et 17 x 7 w/205-45-17 tires. Sorry to sound like a U know what but, I'm feeling like I'm repeating my self over and over again. Maybe Ishould just have it painted first and worry about the other stuff later. Anyone running "Wire wheels"?? I'm going for the Maxx struts set up and 4 drilled drums. The wheels will be easy to get. Just don't say porsche wheels. i have a set from the 914 already and I don't want to buy spacers to make them fit the front but, I might have to bite the bullet on that one. Sorry for the long post. I reseaching right here....

[zen]

you asked for advice on particulars and you are getting some pretty sound suggestions. no one is saying you have to go Porsche. there are many ways to skin this cat. that is what makes the German Look so much fun. the idea is just to find ways to upgrade the performance of the car. running drum brakes all the way around is far from an upgrade and the concept of the German Look, but understandable where budgets are concerned. maybe it is a short term strategy. i don't know.

seems like you are more concerned about the looks than the performance. you are willing to drop $300 on 4x100 drums (and willing to put your life on the line with those drum brakes) and possibly another $50-$100 on spacers so you can fit some good looking rims. why not spend that $300 on a front disc kit (which can be in a 4x100 pattern) so you can stop with confidence? several of GL.com's sponsors have different disc kits allowing all kinds of combinations of calipers and bolt patterns. may be worth looking at.

long way to my point, but my suggestion is...concentrate on getting the performing at a higher level before working about cosmetics. suspension and brakes upgraded to a level of performance that will have you enjoying the car more and be able to drive with confidence goes a long way. even small mods to a stock engine can make a big difference (esp when the suspension is dialed in). a good looking car that is slow and drives like crap wears quickly.

just my thoughts. sorry for the length.

[volkdent]

I think the title of the post might say it all...sorry

[oasis]

First off, there's nothing wrong with being clueless -- as long as you know it (which you admitted) and you're researching your way out of it (which you stated in your last post). I'm sure a significant amount of my posts are research oriented. Heck, I didn't even buy my Super until a year and a half after my first post here.

Now, about your project.

Originally Posted by hey its antman

this car is a 71 super Beetle ... I even know the wheels I want to put on this car

By the way of coincidence, mine is a '71 Super and my first "known" was the wheels I wanted. I was willing to abondon ship on these wheels if their feasibility didn't exist. I don't think you will need to abandon ship either. But, a wheels-first approach is much more research intensive. Be prepared for that.

Originally Posted by hey its antman

I want to lower this car without going broke ... I want to be able to lower the car and raise it whenever I need to ... How do I lower this car at all four corners? ... Who has the cheapest good set up for what I want? ... I will not pay $1000 for a set of coilovers for this car

The only set-up I ever found which allows raising and lowering at will was Kerscher. But by the time you have them shipped from Europe, it will be $1000.

Originally Posted by zen

first, you can't always have your cake and eat it to. if you want to adjust height at the drop of a hat, it will cost you. coilovers are the best way to allow that functionality on the super.

Very true.

Originally Posted by hey its antman

If I go with the "Topline Maxx Struts". Would I have to get all four corners? ... Give me some other ideas as to front struts and lowering it up front without going $400 plus?

Originally Posted by NO_H2O

You can get adjust-s-struts and a tapered sport spring from TopLine ... but the MaxxStruts will give the most room of all your bolt on options.

MaXX struts are $449, I believe. You may be able to go with Adjust-a-Struts and Sports+ springs from TopLine. I don't know. NO_H2O's suggestions in his post are worth re-reading in their entirety. As he said, talk to Jon at TopLine. But if Adjust-a-Struts and Sports+ would work with the wheels you want, the cost would be less. The struts are for front only.

Originally Posted by hey its antman

Anyone running "Wire wheels"?? I'm going for the Maxx struts set up and 4 drilled drums.

Originally Posted by hey its antman

I want to replace the bumpers and head light benzel ... I know I want a roof rack.

Originally Posted by hey its antman

I want to have a company like CP1 to make me a set of drums in 4 x 100 lug pattern. That will cost me around $300 for all four

Okay, here's where I'm going to come down hard on you. Don't take it personally. I mean it in a constructive sense.

Firstly, I hope your query is in reference to seeing if anyone has done the wire wheel route before rather than researching wheels. I know you said you didn't want to go the Porsche route because that course of action has been played. If you're researching wheels, we are all chasing our collective tails.

Secondly, it sounds like you decided on MaXX struts. That could make TopLine your one-stop shop. As stated in other posts, there are other sponsors of this site that could be as well.

Thirdly, TopLine has front disk brakes for $299 (I think). It is bolt-on enough my shop thinks I can help. TopLine can have them drilled for a 4x100 pattern. (They did mine in a 5x100 pattern). They can redrill your rear drums that way as well, but you may want to research some place locally for that.

I would abandon ALL other modifications -- cosmetic, functional or performance -- before I would abandon converting the front brakes to disk.

In my opinion, Volkswagen making Beetles and Super Beetles with a 1600cc engine and not making the front brakes as disks as they did in the European arena was inexcusable.

The difference in price in re-drilling your four drums and going with TopLine's front disks in a 4x100 pattern with re-drilled rears can be offset by roofracks, bumpers and the like.

Those accessories can be had later when the budget allows.

That's my opinion.

[hey its antman]

never personal always pleasure!! Thanks for that and thanks for looking out. I'm doing just what you the Dr. has ordered...

[volkdent]

I think first off you need to get really clear on what you want the car to look like, as it sounds like that is most important to you. Then leave $ aside and work backwards from the wheels.

!) After deciding what wheels you want, select the bolt pattern that is most common (therefore least expensive), probably 4X100, then buy the wheels and tires. Narrower tires are easier to fit upfront obviously.

2) Buy at least front disks drilled for 4X100 or whatever, and then drums drilled for rear and put them on, then bolt on the tires.

How much money do you have after that? What else can you afford to do? How does the offset look?

Space out if you have to with spacers, keeping in mind if you go too far you may have to go for studs.

You want to drop it next? Back end is easy, just search for "how to lower the rear" and you'll find tons of info. Up front you then know how much room you have to work within, and you can call up Topline or whoever and get the least expensive kit to lower your car.

Money unfortunately is easy to spend, and there are many ways of getting these parts, new, used, Ebay, retail, 5 finger discount, so we don't know how much you have to spend, we can just tell you how to get to the point you want to get to if you are CLEAR on what you want to end up with.

As my dad would say "There ain't no free lunch" and "It ain't worth doing unless its done right".

Jason