SuperBeetle or Not? Here's two sure-fire ways to tell if your car is a Super Beetle. 1. The spare tire lays flat in the trunk. 2. If you have struts in the front instead of shocks.. ----- The Standard Beetle (VW 111 sedans) has torsion bar suspension and the Super Beetle (VW 113 sedans and convertibles) has McPherson strut-type front suspension. Supers have several other differences as well. Because of the front suspension, the spare tire lies flat and luggage space is increased to 9 cubic feet. The STD beetle's spare tire is upright and the trunk has 5 cubic feet of space. All American Super Beetles have vents or louvers in the front air dam, below the front bumper. European supers did not have these vents unless fitted with AC. American Super Beetles have a two speed interior fan as standard equipment (euro models did not). The interior fan was not available on STD beetles until '76. "What years were Super Beetles made?" Super Beetle production started in 1971 and continued until 1975. All convertibles 1971-1979 have the Super Beetle strut-type suspension. "I have a 73 Beetle with torsion bar type suspension... I thought only supers were made after '71? What gives?" This is a common confusion. Standard Beetles were made up until '77 (in U.S., they are still made in mexico). So VW made both the STD and Super for several years. '71 and '72 Super Beetles have flat windshields. In europe these were also called 1302's. '73 and later Super Beetles have curved windshields. In europe, these were also called 1303's. ----- I have a 71 Super - kind of the best of both worlds. In 71 & 72 the Supers still had the flat windshield and old-style dash (as well as smaller tail lights). Even people that are familiar with VW's can't always tell the difference. -- The huge change in the front of the superbugs (compared with the standard bugs), upset a lot of purists who were used to small changes in the beetle each year. The superbug does have a few problems that don't show up in the standard bug too - the strut towers attach to the body, not the floor pan (so you can't roll a floor pan around without a body on it). It really means that with harsh treatment, the tower tops (the body) can lean in towards each other and cause suspension alignment problems. There is a fix of course - a strut placed between the towers to hold them apart. Supers also have more problems with the front end - the "super shimmies" is a common problem. They drive very nicely if everything is tight and lined up properly, but they can not take the punishment of the standard bug. They have more storage space up front - a big plus. They were much more expensive to produce than the standard bug and when Japanese imports started making big inroads during the 70s, the superbug became uneconomic to produce, so they were dropped it and only the standard bug continued after 1976. -- I was wondering what digit and in what place in the vin designates a "super" beetle ? sorry but i'm new to supers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here's how the numbers work. Up to 1965 the chassis number was just a continuously growing number, ending in about 6.5 million. From 1965 onwards, the first three numbers tell you about the car/model, then comes the actual chassis number. So 115,360,280 translates as 1 - type 1 (bug, thing, most KGs). 2 means it's a van/kombi etc and 3 means it's a notchback/fastback etc. 1 - body type = sedan. 5 for cabrio, and from 1973 a 3 denotes curved screen superbug) 5 - the model year 1965. 360,280 - the actual chassis number In 1970 they made more than 1 million bugs, so they added a new digit before the "real" chassis number. 110,2xxx,xxx. 110 says it's a 1970 beetle (0 for 70) and the next number is always a 2 until it tips over 1 million and becomes a 3. They chose 2 as the primary number as it's the 2nd decade of this numbering system, so... 111,2xxx,xxx is a 71 standard or superbug 111,3xxx,xxx says it's a 71 over 1 million 112,2xxx,xxx is a 72 standard or superbug 113,2xxx,xxx is a 73 standard bug 133,2xxx,xxx is a 73 superbug (curved screen) 153,2xxx,xxx is a 73 cabrio --- http://www.1302super.com/page22.html How to calculate the birth date of your 1302. The Chassis and Production plates located on the front apron of your car, adjacent to the bonnet lock will look like this: *** On the Chassis plate the chassis number will begin either with 111 or 112 ('71 or '72). This tells you the model year (not calendar year) - '71 models were built from beginning 8.70 until end 7.71, '72 models were built from beginning 8.71 until end 7.72. Now go to the Production plate (painted in body colour). The number rotated 90 degrees clockwise is the factory and brochure body colour no. The next no. is the calendar year week, then the production day (Monday is Day 1), then the factory production code. So, above car is a '72 model, factory/brochure paint code 18 (Gentian Blue), built in the 51st week of 1971 - no '72 model 1302's built in the 51st week of 1972 - on a Tuesday. ------------- The basic 1302 front strut assembly design continued on into the '73 1303 models until 1974 when the steering knuckle and its mounting was revised. Rack and pinion steering was introduced for the 1975 models. _______________________________________________________________ Perhaps only theFord Model T is the only other car to have such a remarkable history and truly amazing following of owners and Bug Lovers. The vehicle traces its roots back to the late thirties when an inexpensive vehicle using an air cooled converted aircraft engine was designed and manufactured to serve as a military liaison vehicle for the forces of Germany. When the war ended the "people's car" or "Volks Wagon" was born and first appeared in North America in 1949. ---> ---> ---> ---> ---> ---> ---> ---> ---> http://www.geocities.com/aussiebug1970/years.html ~~~~~~ ---> 1970 (1 Aug 69 to 31 July 70)... ...US models get 1600cc single port engine. US models get larger turn signals and side reflectors on housing. Two sets of air intake slots added to engine lid. Pressure control valve added to lubrication system. Solex 30PICT/3 carby on 1600 models (30PICT/2 continues on 1500 models). Diaphragm clutch springs to 1600 models - requires less pedal pressure. US head restraints reduced in size. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---> 1971 (1 Aug 70 to 31 July 71) Chassis 111,2000,001 - 111,3200,000 Engine D 0,675,000 - D 0,835,006 34bhp(DIN) 1200 Engine AC 0,000,001 - AC 0,003,239 40bhp(DIN)1300 Engine AB 0,000,001 - AB 0,141,591 44bhp(DIN)1300 Engine AF 0,000,001 - AF 0,000,444 46bhp(DIN)1600 Engine AD 0,000,001 - AD 0,360,022 50bhpDIN 65bhpSAE 1600 Engine AE 0,000,001 - AE 0,558,000 47bhpDIN 60bhpSAE 1600(USA) Dual port 1600 engine. Three part induction manifold. Solex 34PICT/3 carby. Combination vacuum/centrifugal distributor. Activated charcoal filter to catch fuel fumes. New larger oil cooler mounted ‘doghouse' style and venting to atmosphere - gives better cooling to No 3 cylinder. Bigger capacity (wider) cooling fan. New clutch throw-out assembly and ball release bearing. Headlights go off when ignition off. ‘Eyebrow' vents behind rear window for improved cabin ventilation. Superbug with McPherson strut (vertical coil spring) front suspension introduced, (Standard beetle still in production too). Bigger front brakes (drum brake models). Larger oil pump. Different camshaft retainer (4 rivets). Wiring for VW computer analysis system added late 71. In Australia, 1300s are standard beetles, 1600s are superbugs. In the US, both super and standard beetles are offered with 1600 engines. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---> 1972 (1 Aug 71 to 31 July 72) Chassis 112,2000,- 112,3200,000 Engine D 0,835,007 - D 1,000,000 34bhp(DIN) 1200 Engine AC 0,003,240 - AC 0,006,700 40bhp(DIN)1300 Engine AB 0,350,001 - AB 0,699,001 44bhp(DIN)1300 Engine AF 0,000,445 - AF 0,000,801 46bhp(DIN)1600 Engine AE 0,558,001 - AE 0,917,263 47bhpDIN 60bhpSAE 1600(USA) Engine AD 0,360,023 - AD 0,598,001 50bhpDIN 65bhpSAE 1600 Engine AH 0,000,001 - AH 0,005,900 47 bhp(DIN)1600(USA) Engine lid gets 4 sets of air slots. Smog control models get extra ‘plumbing'. New steering column. New double vacuum distributor with vacuum retard (5 degrees ATDC) at idle. EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) added. New muffler. Modified 3rd and 4th synchro rings to reduce noise. "Baja bug" introduced. Karman Ghia gets disc front brakes in US (already from 67 in other countries). Wheels change from 5.6x15 to 6.0x15 in late 72. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________