I had a 73 Super Beetle. Kind of an oddball year as well. First year for the curved windshield, big taillights, padded dash, etc. Also the only year for the big taillights and non-impact bumpers.
Love it, I own a '73 that needs a lot of love. May I suggest to the lady owner that she updates the front brakes to disc, very easy to do now that everything is apart. It makes a difference, you know, and it's reversible and safer, and easier to check the pads than it is to check brake shoes. Great job, Chris, as always.
Right you are, that's why my '70 has disc brakes on all four coners, as does my Vanagon and Jetta. My SB I converted to front disc brakes, baby $tep$...
Chris,I always love watching your videos. So informative and accurate. I appreciate what you do so much. I've been fighting cancer since 2018 and hopefully for now am cancer free. I have one more operation and pray for yearly check ups from then on. Once I'm back on my feet I'm hoping to get another bug. Very interested in supers. Could you possibly do a history video on the supers? Thank you again for all you do....Darryl Taylor
Hey Darryl thanks for chiming in. I wish you the best in fighting cancer, beat that guy to the ground! =o) A supers video is definitely something to consider.
In Australia the '74 Superbugs didn't have the shock absorber bumper mounts in the front and the rea, instead they had a rubber mudguard mounting insert that was designated to fill in the larger hole for the shock absorbers.
I've owned a '64, '66, '68, '69, '70, and a '74 super sunbug and I miss the '74 the most by far. Its was the nicest riding and the smoothest driving bug I've owned. As a driver the super is the way to go, as a collector '64 was the coolest.
I have a '74 superbeetle my dad and I are working to restore! :) Unfortunately, it has some issues running as it was inactive for a very long time (kind of feels like it's about to turn off but then is ka-puts and keeps going) Gonna have to keep looking into it. Appreciate the video!
My First Car in Ohio, Bought it for 800 Bucks in 1981 Drove it For 1.5 years till I left for Boot Camp. Heat non Existant in front because of rusted out Heat Enchangers under Non Existant Running Boards. Remember Scraping Ice of the Inside of the windows in the winter. Lol Salt And VW Bugs Did Not Cooperate! This one looks Pretty Clean , What State was your Client From? Has to Be A Southwest Car! My Floorboards Fell throgh!
It's nice to see a '74 Super receive a little love. If I had one, these would be my plans for it:EXTERIOR: Light Ivory (color offered on Bugs from '73 to '75) with multiple lacquer coats; dual rear-view mirrors; Gila window film; Rain-X wipers and window treatment; locking fuel cap; LED headlights and taillights. (Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to mention mine would have an original sunroof.)CHASSIS: POR-15 Solution; modern-design tires that would look "'period" (if they exist, that is, probably from Coker Tire or someone); satin-finish wheels with chromed VW hubcaps; Wilwood 4-wheel disc brakes (rotors would be studded) with Type II master cylinder. ENGINE: dual-port 1600: insulated casing mounts; all ports ported, port-matched, and polished; stock crankset cross-drilled for enhanced lubrication; lubrication system drilled and tapped for "full flow" with remote oil filter; Total Seal rings; K&N air filter; Mallory Uni-Lite distributor; Berg "oil light" dipstick; ceramic-coated exhaust manifolds. (Thinking back to the lubrication system, perhaps I should just ask Chris if one of those aftermarket oil pumps with a filter adapter might work as efficiently.)TRANSMISSION: insulated casing mount; "Berg '5'" conversion; cogs cross-drilled for enhanced lubrication; stock shifter with Berg short-throw kit. INTERIOR: red seats and door skins; black armrests and carpeting; full DynaMat insulation; I.C.E. A/C kit; RetroSound sound system.Of course, as is the case with some of us, I'm a little short of the, oh, I dunno, $40,000 or so it would take for Chris to build such a 'Super to my specs. If I may say so, however, I feel my approach to the car strikes much closer to practical than the "show cars" we always see in "Dune Buggies & Hot VWs." You know the ones I'm talking about: the butchered 'Splits and 'Ovals packing a blown 2332 under the engine lid with the original drum brakes to slow them down. Now, if I could just come up with the remaining $39,995...
Sounds awesome! Mine would be way more simple and closer to stock though. Basically, I want kind of a half baked rally replica. I want it to basically look like the old Monte Carlo rally cars but without the decals/stickers. Exterior: 4 old school Hella off-road lights, hood painted black to match the rally cars, might consider adding a spot light as well. Wheels: Silver Porsche 356 wheels (no hubcaps). I don't know much about smaller sport tires, so whatever I can find. Engine: Internally stock, dual weber carbs, Jbugs performance kit, as well as an old Abarth muffler Interior: Stock steering wheel, half roll cage and that's it. hopefully I will do it one day.
here in Kentucky there is a guy with a vw yard that's got like 80 vws in it idk if you would be interested in any thing he has but lots of good parts there just all stacked up in the woods
I had 2 '73s, one Regular, one Super. I worked on a few 74+ Beetles (I think '76 was the last Regular Beetle and the rest were Super Beetles - in the USA. Many 1-year "issues" were because VW had to keep up with the changing Automotive Safety and Emissions Specifications. It got too expensive for VW to keep up with these changing standards, so the last Beetle in the USA was the '81 though the Beetle and Super Beetles were still being made in Germany, Mexico and Brazil until '09 (I think). If you think this is bad - you should see a California '75+ Beetle - they had Catalytic Converters in them.... Talk about a rare item - the catalytic converter, not the Beetle!
The 1974 super beetles where also the last year to have steering boxes and the 1975 and later super beetles had rack and pinions which is why I want a 1975 or 1976 super beetle sedan and 1976 last year of the super beetle sedan
Well... if tuned correctly, you could get mid 30s. Some folks get close to 40mpg. Anytime you upgrade or modify, the mileage goes down. On my 70 convertible that has a 1600sp motor with a big bore piston and cylinder kit on it, nothing major, it almost chops the mileage in half. So with correct timing, distributor, carb, pistons and cylinders, I would say 32 mpg. Something like that.
Any corrosion issues with those rear eyebrow vents behind the rear windows? I heard they rust from the inside out, which makes me not want to get one that has them (if I ever manage to get one, that is). :D
Well I had that on my '72 Super. Ended up getting whole new complete rear quarter panels (and had to pay a lot for shipping because they were coming from England). The good news is that there are no cutouts for the crescent vents. The bad news is that the indentations are there.
I'm curious about your lift. Did you have to buy special arms to accommodate the narrow stance of the Beetle? or, were the standard arms sufficient? I'm in the market for a lift, and I want to be able to use it for more than just my '70 Sedan project. Thanks! I enjoy your videos!
Christian good morning Wii you not electrical conection diagram of superbeattle 1974 i Enedina helo tomado sirena it front cero circuit diagrama i will appreciate it greetings frompuerto rico god bless
Great looking car. Nice work. Good to see a late model Super being done to a high standard
I had a 73 Super Beetle. Kind of an oddball year as well. First year for the curved windshield, big taillights, padded dash, etc. Also the only year for the big taillights and non-impact bumpers.
Love it, I own a '73 that needs a lot of love. May I suggest to the lady owner that she updates the front brakes to disc, very easy to do now that everything is apart. It makes a difference, you know, and it's reversible and safer, and easier to check the pads than it is to check brake shoes. Great job, Chris, as always.
Héctor no adjustments either.
Right you are, that's why my '70 has disc brakes on all four coners, as does my Vanagon and Jetta. My SB I converted to front disc brakes, baby $tep$...
Thanks for this video. I'm close to tackling Super floor pans for my friend John.
Very nice chris i have a 74 super and a 76 normal beetle
Very nice.....mine is Lt. Blue.....glad it will stay on the road for many more years...
Chris,I always love watching your videos. So informative and accurate. I appreciate what you do so much. I've been fighting cancer since 2018 and hopefully for now am cancer free. I have one more operation and pray for yearly check ups from then on. Once I'm back on my feet I'm hoping to get another bug. Very interested in supers. Could you possibly do a history video on the supers? Thank you again for all you do....Darryl Taylor
Hey Darryl thanks for chiming in. I wish you the best in fighting cancer, beat that guy to the ground! =o) A supers video is definitely something to consider.
@@classicvwbugs thanks brother,I appreciate you
Praying for you Darryl 🙏 Wish you all the best!!!
In Australia the '74 Superbugs didn't have the shock absorber bumper mounts in the front and the rea, instead they had a rubber mudguard mounting insert that was designated to fill in the larger hole for the shock absorbers.
I've owned a '64, '66, '68, '69, '70, and a '74 super sunbug and I miss the '74 the most by far. Its was the nicest riding and the smoothest driving bug I've owned. As a driver the super is the way to go, as a collector '64 was the coolest.
Am surprised people prefer standard beetle over super beetle.
I have a super, I like the larger trunk. No cold air coming through the dash in the winter too!
I hope you do more 74 build stuff.
I have a '74 superbeetle my dad and I are working to restore! :) Unfortunately, it has some issues running as it was inactive for a very long time (kind of feels like it's about to turn off but then is ka-puts and keeps going)
Gonna have to keep looking into it. Appreciate the video!
73 was also a one year only model. New rear fenders with conventional bumper mounts. Unique defroster vents one year only on super beetle
73 Exactly. Narrow bumper mounts with elephant feet tail lights.
My First Car in Ohio, Bought it for 800 Bucks in 1981 Drove it For 1.5 years till I left for Boot Camp. Heat non Existant in front because of rusted out Heat Enchangers under Non Existant Running Boards. Remember Scraping Ice of the Inside of the windows in the winter. Lol
Salt And VW Bugs Did Not Cooperate! This one looks Pretty Clean , What State was your Client From? Has to Be A Southwest Car! My Floorboards Fell throgh!
It's nice to see a '74 Super receive a little love. If I had one, these would be my plans for it:EXTERIOR: Light Ivory (color offered on Bugs from '73 to '75) with multiple lacquer coats; dual rear-view mirrors; Gila window film; Rain-X wipers and window treatment; locking fuel cap; LED headlights and taillights. (Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to mention mine would have an original sunroof.)CHASSIS: POR-15 Solution; modern-design tires that would look "'period" (if they exist, that is, probably from Coker Tire or someone); satin-finish wheels with chromed VW hubcaps; Wilwood 4-wheel disc brakes (rotors would be studded) with Type II master cylinder. ENGINE: dual-port 1600: insulated casing mounts; all ports ported, port-matched, and polished; stock crankset cross-drilled for enhanced lubrication; lubrication system drilled and tapped for "full flow" with remote oil filter; Total Seal rings; K&N air filter; Mallory Uni-Lite distributor; Berg "oil light" dipstick; ceramic-coated exhaust manifolds. (Thinking back to the lubrication system, perhaps I should just ask Chris if one of those aftermarket oil pumps with a filter adapter might work as efficiently.)TRANSMISSION: insulated casing mount; "Berg '5'" conversion; cogs cross-drilled for enhanced lubrication; stock shifter with Berg short-throw kit. INTERIOR: red seats and door skins; black armrests and carpeting; full DynaMat insulation; I.C.E. A/C kit; RetroSound sound system.Of course, as is the case with some of us, I'm a little short of the, oh, I dunno, $40,000 or so it would take for Chris to build such a 'Super to my specs. If I may say so, however, I feel my approach to the car strikes much closer to practical than the "show cars" we always see in "Dune Buggies & Hot VWs." You know the ones I'm talking about: the butchered 'Splits and 'Ovals packing a blown 2332 under the engine lid with the original drum brakes to slow them down. Now, if I could just come up with the remaining $39,995...
Sounds awesome! Mine would be way more simple and closer to stock though.
Basically, I want kind of a half baked rally replica. I want it to basically look like the old Monte Carlo rally cars but without the decals/stickers.
Exterior: 4 old school Hella off-road lights, hood painted black to match the rally cars, might consider adding a spot light as well.
Wheels: Silver Porsche 356 wheels (no hubcaps). I don't know much about smaller sport tires, so whatever I can find.
Engine: Internally stock, dual weber carbs, Jbugs performance kit, as well as an old Abarth muffler
Interior: Stock steering wheel, half roll cage
and that's it. hopefully I will do it one day.
Yay for Super Beetles!
very tidy. wish my 1303 frame head was in that condition
Nice. I have super beetle called Big in Sweden. A Gold one.
here in Kentucky there is a guy with a vw yard that's got like 80 vws in it idk if you would be interested in any thing he has but lots of good parts there just all stacked up in the woods
Sure, but its got to be the old stuff. Splits, ovals, sunroofs, verts, etc
Where in Kentucky? I live near Lake Cumberland and am looking for my first beetle. Thanks!
I had 2 '73s, one Regular, one Super. I worked on a few 74+ Beetles (I think '76 was the last Regular Beetle and the rest were Super Beetles - in the USA. Many 1-year "issues" were because VW had to keep up with the changing Automotive Safety and Emissions Specifications. It got too expensive for VW to keep up with these changing standards, so the last Beetle in the USA was the '81 though the Beetle and Super Beetles were still being made in Germany, Mexico and Brazil until '09 (I think).
If you think this is bad - you should see a California '75+ Beetle - they had Catalytic Converters in them.... Talk about a rare item - the catalytic converter, not the Beetle!
The 1974 super beetles where also the last year to have steering boxes and the 1975 and later super beetles had rack and pinions which is why I want a 1975 or 1976 super beetle sedan and 1976 last year of the super beetle sedan
I thought it was the location of the bumper shock holes that made the '74 rear fenders one-year only.
Nice!
Chris we love watchin your vids thanks! I was wondering if you would know what kind of gas mileage I will get in a 73 beetle 1600. all the best
Well... if tuned correctly, you could get mid 30s. Some folks get close to 40mpg. Anytime you upgrade or modify, the mileage goes down. On my 70 convertible that has a 1600sp motor with a big bore piston and cylinder kit on it, nothing major, it almost chops the mileage in half. So with correct timing, distributor, carb, pistons and cylinders, I would say 32 mpg. Something like that.
Any corrosion issues with those rear eyebrow vents behind the rear windows? I heard they rust from the inside out, which makes me not want to get one that has them (if I ever manage to get one, that is). :D
no thank god, the car was pretty solid.
Well I had that on my '72 Super. Ended up getting whole new complete rear quarter panels (and had to pay a lot for shipping because they were coming from England). The good news is that there are no cutouts for the crescent vents. The bad news is that the indentations are there.
I'm curious about your lift. Did you have to buy special arms to accommodate the narrow stance of the Beetle? or, were the standard arms sufficient? I'm in the market for a lift, and I want to be able to use it for more than just my '70 Sedan project. Thanks! I enjoy your videos!
this was an old lift we bought from a shop that went out of business, it was made in the 60s
73 super a one year car?
did you guys remove the Death pillar foam and if so, what process did you use?
This makes me cry, because i have the same car, same color :( But not that beatyfull
Do you have the finished video of the super?
Yes, please go to my website www.classicvwbugs.com and go to the build a bug section.
Thanx chris i will as i mention y have a 74 and want ideas
The 1973 is better due to smaller bumpers.
David Gold I just bought a 73 Super. I was happy to see the flat blade bumper brackets.
Christian good morning Wii you not electrical conection diagram of superbeattle 1974 i Enedina helo tomado sirena it front cero circuit diagrama i will appreciate it greetings frompuerto rico god bless
Super Beetle hate in 3, 2, 1....
Hello, not hating the supbug.
Yeah, fuck supers!.....Wait a second, I own a 74 super beetle..... 8)
Who would hate on the Super Beetle? There's more love for the New Beetle than there is for the Super (which I'll never understand).