Dave the 66 is the last year of the glass over headlights (sloping
ones)

Rag top modles would be 63 down were the parts are harder to find and
more expensive.

57 was the last yr oval with W decklid.

you will want to go with a CB performance drop spindle disc conversion
front end kit.

I would think you would be better off with a street 1776 or build a
2110  T1  not that the T4 conversions arn't cool, it just that you
should beable to get all the power you need with out major changes.

Mario

I'll chime in with some Euro spec stuff, seeing as how you are in the
UK. VW's sold in the US market were not exactly the same.

1968 was the first Euro beetle to get upright headlights.

Those were only available in the 1302S and 1303S models, along with the
1600cc dual port engine. I believe those started around 73 (flat
windscreed super beetles started in 71 I think, but no discs yet?)

I'm sure they did make them both ways.
You can still find them for sale, but they are very desirable and
somewhat rare.

Those were factory made. More desirable and rare, yes. The actual
convertibles were more quiet than the steel roofed sedans, some say,
because of the extra padding and no resonating metal. Some say they were
warmer too in the winter, due to better insulation. I dunno.

Not really, not so much it would make a difference. Unless you go way
old, early 50's and stuff. 60's parts are easy to find, even new. (Poor
quality repros, usually)

Brainfart, can't remember

Dropped spindles are a safe way to lower the front some 2" or so, or was
it 2.5... steering geometry doesn't change with those, so no other mods
are needed. In addition, if you plan on installing disc brakes, you will
need to get disc brake spindles anyway. Two birds with one stone... get
disc brake DROP spindles and you get a lower front AND you can mount
factory discs up front. (From a 1300S beetle, 1500 beetle, or Karmann
Ghia - they are all virtually the same.) Bearing sizes may differ and
brake pads may be different between different caliper models. There's
one pin and two pin calipers out there.

There are countless ways to more power. A T4 conversion is expensive and
requires a little more work than souping up the 1600. Each can be made
just as powerful. As a rule of thumb, the T4 lasts longer and is a very
strong candidate for big torque, and power up to 150hp. For power closer
to and beyond 200hp, the T1 kind of takes the lead.

PARTS are expensive for the type 4, and not as easily available as they
are for the T1.

Having built up both, I would recommend a T1 1600 based engine for your
needs.

So now that we have limited our base engine choice to the 1600 T1, you
need to decide some basic things about the nature of the beast.

You can keep the engine a 1600cc, and just make it produce more power.
That means the engine will need to rev higher to make the power.

OR you can make the engine bigger, and make more power at lower rpms.
This is generally more driveable, and reliable way to more power.

OR you can do both, if you get real power hungry. :D

A sensible 1600cc street engine would make roughly 75hp.

With bigger cylinders, you can get 1776cc or 1914cc reliably. Expect to
get around 100hp or a hair more from a conservative daily driver state
of tune. Better torque than what you'd get from a 1600 even if it made
the same power.

You can also get a stroker crankshaft, those would bump the displacement
even bigger, in several various combinations with different cylinder
sizes. You can go all crazy and get close to 3000cc, but that's not for
a beginner.... lol. Let's say around 2300cc is still relatively easy, in
terms of stroker building. (Which is always a great deal more difficult
and detail dependent than just fitting bigger pistons and cyls)

One more alternative for more power is Turbocharging. You can buy
complete kits that contain almost everything you need, designed for a
1600cc base engine. It would drive like a stocker, until you gave it
enough gas to get the turbo going, then it would make a LOT more power.
Easy driveability and good fuel economy with a light foot, but nice
power boost on command for when you need it.

Of course, you start craving for more power after each engine build, and
you'll eventually end up with a 3 liter turbo or a Subaru STi transplant
in the future with 600hp..

What I', trying to say is, there is almost no limit to what you can do,
engine wise.

Jan

Dave Angel.. do you have 2 accounts on here?