One more time...whats difference between bug, beetle, superbeetle???
JustLuukn
I'm confused...Please help me distinguish between bug, beetle, superbeetle
pertaining to its body size, performance, and extra amenities. I'm in the
market for a convertible superbeetle. I keep hearing conflicting stories
about the similarities and differences between each of them.
Someone...please set the record straight for me.
Thank you.
Neb79
Hehehe....I prefer to call them "beetles", just because that is what
they were called when they were made. I think "bug" was just adapted to
them.........(a beetle is a bug..right?). Or, even to get really
technical, a "bug" is slang for "beetle". A bug is a beetle, a beetle is
a bug...bla bla bla....
Insect...hmm
Hitler said that they should be streamlined, like beetles..........=)
A superbeetle is different than a regular beetle however. a super beetle
has macphereson (sp?) struts instead of a balljoint or linkpin front end
in the front, has a shorter hood (doesn't go down like an earlier beetle's
hood), BIG turn signals in front/back (later beetles do
too)...and...hmm........some have flat windshields, but some have rounded
windshields (curved around). The easiest way to tell if the windshield is
flat is to look at the front suspension.....
anyway, have fun
=)
Ps...... does anyone else have any info about a T-4 (is it t-4? that's
what I heard) Volkswagen 411. I was driving by our airport, and I noticed
a silver car, that looked like a squareback, but had 4 front headlights
like a jaguar.......I looked closer, and it was a VW, and all it said was
411.........it had a padded dash/steering wheel, so it was a later car,
but other than that, I don't know hardly anything about it....anyone?
/ben
'69 beetle
'56 beetle
bend...@yo.mamas.net
Ed Bareiss
Eeesh, this one again? :) I'll give it a shot one more time...
The Type I VW Sedan, or "Beetle," or "Bug," or whichever you feel like
calling it, ran production from late 40's thru to the present, where it
is only available in Mexico (NO you can't get one and drive it here)...
The Superbeetle ran production from the 71-79 model years (someone
please correct me on that if I'm wrong) and, although very similar, had
some very noticeable differences from the "standard" beetle:
- The front end utilizes McPherson struts instead of torsion tubes.
- The front pan curves under below the bumper, with a long row of
louvers added.
- The front hood itself is a bit shorter, and rounded at the back
(near the windshield) more on the 73+ models, because...
- The 73+ models have a rounded windshield, allowing for about 6" of
extra dashboard depth.
Other than this, the two are essentially identical. Same Everything
behind the front door "A" pillars. Same engines and transmissions
available, mostly the same interiors and sunroof availabilities, and
very few differences to the pans (again, I stand willingly corrected
if this last one is in error). I believe any late convertibles you
find as US spec cars are all Supers with FI.
-Ed
JustLuukn (just...@aol.com) wrote:
: I'm confused...Please help me distinguish between bug, beetle, superbeetle
You're welcome!
John Connolly
just...@aol.com writes:
> I'm confused...Please help me distinguish between bug, beetle, superbeetle
> pertaining to its body size, performance, and extra amenities. I'm in the
> market for a convertible superbeetle. I keep hearing conflicting stories
> about the similarities and differences between each of them.
> Someone...please set the record straight for me.
>
> Thank you.
Bug is a knickname that people use to mean both super
and reg beetles....
The regular beetle uses a torsion bar front axle beam, and the super uses
Macpherson struts up front (they look like coil springs, and
have the "shock" inside the spring). The beetle has standard
shock absorbers.
The super was introduced in the US in 1971, and has a "flat"
windshield (it isn't really flat, it just looks that way). This
windshield was used on the beetle even today... However, the
Super Beetle went thru a major redesign in the 1973 model year,
and sports a "curved" windshield. It also got a shorter,
rounder hood. In 75 the super got Rack and Pinion steering too..
The 73 and newer Supers have an "americanized" dashboard too.
All convertibles are Super beetles starting in 71. This was
because the convertible (or cabriolet) is supposed to be the
most deluxe model they offer. the super bugs ride better, have
a tighter turning radius, and have a bigger gas tank. They also
have a larger trunk. If there is a problem in the front end,
the super bug will let you know by shaking like shit
though.....The reg beetle "hides" alot of the problems in the
front suspension.
This is just an outline, I hope it helps...
I like Supers myself... I call em' "stupid Beetles"..
John
--
John Minyard Saichuk
JustLuukn (just...@aol.com) wrote:
: I'm confused...Please help me distinguish between bug, beetle, superbeetle
: pertaining to its body size, performance, and extra amenities. I'm in the
: market for a convertible superbeetle. I keep hearing conflicting stories
: about the similarities and differences between each of them.
: Someone...please set the record straight for me.
: Thank you.
Bug and beetle are synonyms and include any VW with the traditional "bug"
shape. Standard sedans (referring to model, not transaxle) have torsion
bar/trailing link front suspension. Early cars had king pins, later
(66-on) had ball joints. All standard sedans have flat windshields and
dashes. Superbeetles have a MacPhereson Strut front suspension, and are
completely different from the windshield forward. The first supers
(71-72) had the same flat dash and windshield of their contemporary std.
sedans. In '73, the super got a curved windshield and totally new and
safer dash.
As an aside, curved dash supers meet current safety
regulations concerning the distance from the occupant's head to the
windshield, while std.s do not.
Lights, wiring, interior, rear suspension/drive is the same for
super and standard sedans and convertibles of the same year.
I believe that from '73 on up, convertibles were only availible
as supers, while in '71 & '72, std. sedans, std. convertibles, super
sedans, and super convertible models could be had. 1975(?) was the last
year for the super sedan, '77 was the last year for the std. sedan, and
the super convert. was availible until '79, with a few being sold in '80.
BTW, supers handle better, have 75% more trunk space, seem to
have more leg room, ride smoother, and are ugly from the front if it is
stock.
Hope this helps
John
'73 Super
Doug Fitzpatrick
In message <53e63m$c...@llnews.ll.mit.edu> - Lawrence Artz <ar...@ll.mit.edu>
writes:
:>Regular Beetles had no defroster fan,
:>Supers had them.
My '76 does.
:>Supers had a rear window defogger as the Beetles didn't.
Again mine does.
Regards,
Doug
dfit...@axionet.com
Delta, BC, Canada
Jan Andersson
Doug Fitzpatrick wrote:
>
> In message <53e63m$c...@llnews.ll.mit.edu> - Lawrence Artz <ar...@ll.mit.edu>
> writes:
> :>Regular Beetles had no defroster fan,
> :>Supers had them.
>
> My '76 does.
>
> :>Supers had a rear window defogger as the Beetles didn't.
>
> Again mine does.
>
> Regards,
> Doug
Almost all the beetles have defoggers back here, in fact,
I can't remember ever seeing one without. (well, newer than ovals).
No fan in regular beetles, though.
Cars exported to different countries differ in some details,
especially US/European models. And also some modifications
are made after the cars reach their destination, depending on the
local laws and climate.
Jan
Timothy Fricker
Excerpts from netnews.rec.autos.makers.vw.aircooled: 9-Oct-96 Re: One
more time...whats d.. by Jan Ande...@tele.teleb
Okay, from what I can recall from personal experience and the Idiot Book
and Bentley's, in the US the standard beetle got the rear window
de-fogger in 69, but lost it again sometime before 73 (my 73 didn't have
one). The super always had one.
As for the fan in the front, supers had them always, and the standard
got one in 76, but since the standard was dropped in the US shortly
after that (77?).
TF
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Doug Fitzpatrick
In message <53e63m$c...@llnews.ll.mit.edu> - Lawrence Artz <ar...@ll.mit.edu>8
Oct 1996 18:21:42 GMT writes:
:>Regular Beetles had no defroster fan,
I looked it up. From "The Beetle, the chronicles of the people's car,
production and evolution facts and figures Vol. #1 by Etzold."
"1975
After production of the VW 1303 ends, the custom model for the US market
is upgraded with equipment comparable to the European 1200L: chrome window
surrounds, improved sound insulation, two speed fan, heated rear window."