Hi Everyone, This is a more in-depth look at the differences between the Porsche 356 and the Volkswagon Beetle with a bit of driving thrown in for good measure. Many times you hear people calling the 356 a Beetle... Are they right? Let's take a look! Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
For some of us old timers, the Porsche 356 Cabriolet Coupe is the most beautiful automobile ever built. I still remember the day in 1967 as a freshman college student I saw both my first and second. Thanks to the ME profs who had restored them.
This is a wonderfully detailed explanation of the subtle, yet important differences between two cars with a common ancestry. The 356 appears too minimalistic to have any degree of refinement - but now I know how wrong I was! Thank you!
Nice video! Never had a Porsche, but I had and loved two VW’s. My first car was a used ‘64. In ‘68, I traded it for my first brand new car, a shiny red ‘68 Beetle, which cost me just a nickel less than $2K. It was a great, super reliable car, and I wish I still had it. It saw me through the last half of my USAF hitch, four years of college, dating, a honeymoon, and the first two years of marriage. Good times! Funny you mentioned carburetor icing. I experienced that on my ‘64. I was driving across Kansas on a cold winter day. The car started to lose power and slow down. I pulled over, pump the throttle a couple of times, then BANG!, the ice broke loose, was ingested, then everything returned to normal. That’s why they put carb heat on light aircraft!
For me the Beetle is a nostagia car, my parents had one of the last new ones in 1975. My sister had a few banged up 50s-60s models in the 80s. I remember the Beetle was very unstable on a windy bridge, it could be blown into the next lane with a big gust of wind. Very slab sided I guess. The Porche is a beautiful dream sports car, but I never saw any growing up. I saw one in Newcastle NSW in 2019, my first time to see a real one!
really good job Franny!!!!!! I had a Ghia in college and I took it to my mechanic for some work one afternoon. He was running behind so he told me to take his 356 back to class so he could finish up. Wow, I thought it would be maybe 20% better, but it was like double the car from my perspective. Drove through the campus after class like I was somebody--lol Started to go on to Mexico with the 356 and give up on the rest of the world!!!!! What a great experience!!!
We speak the same language. I'm a long time VW Beetle owner/operator. I have a 69 that was stone stock when I purchased it in 1984. Currently it runs with 1776 cc that I built to my own specs. Lots o' fun. Your judgement about double clutching while downshifting on the VW is solid. Just so you know, from 4th to 3rd is no problem, really solid. From 3rd to 2nd, however, is very different! I've encountered this with every Beetle I've driven. And that is that the 2nd gear synchro is under-designed and requires a solid heel-toe double clutch for an aggressive down-shift. To that end I've adjusted my brake peddle to be long so I can heel-toe. The stock brake peddle adjustment does not allow that. I've always wanted to drive a 356. Your review helps although from what you've said I can also conclude that I prefer owning my Beetle. Tanx!
Respect! Your'e knowledgement is bigger than mine. I'm stil driving my fathers Käfer since my age of 14. Almost for 44 years. Last saturday, i prevent an engine-fire. Fuel-hose-leakage. Change it. Suddenly i took the brass-pipe on carburator-cover out.
Good to see you, Franny. I appriciate your knowledge, but being an aircooled airhead, I really like your obvious enthusiasm. One of the cleanest 356's, I have ever seen. I have had a VW most of my life, mainly because they are a study in simplicity. So much so, even I can maintain them. Thanks again to you both.
My friends and I ran all over the place in VW Beetles back in the late 60's and 70's and we did all our own wrenching but I still feel like I just got schooled. Nice job Franny.
My 1974 Porsche 914 also has cooling fins. It's a 2.0 type 4 VW engine but it is different from the original type 4. Porsche redesigned the cylinder heads and shrouding. It has 2, 40mm double barrel carburetors, higher compression pistons, and a slightly more aggressive cam to take advantage of the 40mm carbs.
I had a '74 superbeetle. Wonderful, fun car to drive, reliable as a timex. The one thing I wanted, was a/c. Sitting in traffic, in the sun, was a nightmare in the summer.
Great video. The cars are only similar in general design. A lot of things on the 356 are different by being more refined in their design. Your example is perfect. Just compare the brake drums, but not just the cost. Seeing the difference tells a lot about the cars. Thanks.
Awesome comparison. You are so blessed to have driven a 356 and own it. One of my things on my bucket list is to drive one. I owned. A 1968 beetle convertible. The reason was it was the closest thing to a Porsche this was circa 1884 my first car!
Nice video, for a nicer exhaust on the Bug get a vintage speed Abarth ,deeper tone and a few extra HP, stainless so it won't rust. I drive a standard 40 horse bug daily for ten years and once my Dad had a karmann Ghia 1600 for the day, he told me my bug was nicer to drive,he said the Ghia was too heavy and poor all-round vision.
I had a '68 beetle and I loved it. It took me everywhere(cross country) and I had it for 7 years. It made me a lifetime VW/Audi guy. It is amazing that cars had 50-60 hp back then and we still did 60-65 mph. I now drive a 1994 Audi S4 and that car is a legend.
I wanted to mention a couple of things in the video that made me smile. First, when you were reviewing the Porsche you pointed out a feature that you called "Porschie. That was classic Franny and I say that with respect for your style. Also you stated the curb weight of the VW as 1800lbs and later, during the wrap-up, you complained that the VW felt like it "weighed a ton!". I love it and love your videos! Keep them coming. I need to go now as my '67 VDub fan belt needs tightening - it's a Beetleie thing.
I thoroughly enjoyed the comparison between a VW Beetle and a 356 Porsche. As most people know, Dr Ferdinand Porsche is credited with being the primary designer of both cars, although his son “Ferry” Porsche contributed a lot towards the 356. Part of the reason for this is that Dr Porsche ( Ferdinand senior ) was interned in a French prison ( French prisons are notorious for very uncomfortable existence [ rather than living ] conditions ) almost immediately after the NAZI defeat of WW2. This was reputedly because he DID design many German war machines and was thus defined as a NAZI collaborator. Porsche senior never joined the NAZI party, and many people believe that his 2 year imprisonment was so that the French could use his design skills to help the French design their own version of a people’s car. Irregardless of how a person views this imprisonment, one thing is clear...Dr Ferdinand Porsche WAS found guilty of patent infringement against the Czechoslovak automotive designer Hans Ledwinka ( the Czech auto manufacturer Tatras chief designer ) and the earlier designed Tatra 97 was remarkably similar to the later designed VW Type 1 ( Beetle ). Hitler even told Dr Porsche, after riding in a Tatra 97, that “ this is the kind of car I want for my roads “. In 1965 VW paid Tatra 1,000,000 Deutsche Marks in an out of court settlement regarding this patent infringement issue. Everyone is entitled to interpret this payment however they wish, but to me ( an automobile history buff and general “car enthusiast “ ) this tarnishes the Porsche design reputation significantly. As mentioned, I truly enjoyed Franny’s comparison of the VW Beetle to the Porsche 356. I look forward to viewing more “ Heidi and Franny’s Garage “ videos. Darren G. 🇨🇦
I own 65,66 and 67 beetle. I've restored them all so I know a thing or two about them. First of all a356 is more than just a little bit higher trim level. You can buy a beetle for the price of 356 drum set up. Price wise its not even close. Performance level between stock 356 and stock beetle is hardly comparable. The thing that is nicer for the beetle though is that you can upgrade yourself for a very reasonable cost.My 65 is 2054cc with well over 100hp. All my dash gauges are 356-Speedo,tach,oil pressure,oil temp and voltmeter.Those alone cost me dearly. I made a set of headrests in the style of 356. Alas it is still no 356 but I love it.Price is just too high for Porsche though I love both.
Hi Scott, and this wasn't a very fair comparison as there are a number of years between them, but it is what we had. The trim level is very different, but that has always been the difference between VW and Porsche. Still, I love that Porsche has held on to the rear engine design even after VW gave it up and was still producing air cooled up to '98. They are both great for different reasons.
scott ecoff Agreed. Usually had a VW, because could never afford a Porsche. Now that I can afford one, afraid I am too old. This video makes feel, maybe not.
Great video Franny! The 356's exhaust has a wonderful aggressive snarl to it, but of course I love the Beetle's tweet as well. I'd be glad to drive either one!
I was amazed the first time I drove a 356. I really thought it would tweet right along. Completely surprised! Funny, at first I thought it was actually rod knock ;) Both cars tell you so much just by the sound :)
I enjoyed this one. I always wanted to get in an old beetle again and compare. I remember the feel of the door and the overall gestalt being so similar you can absolutely immediately see, feel, smell the family resemblance. Thank you,
Very good video and interesting test drive. I totally agree with your test drive of the beetle. I think it would be good to do a test drive between the 356 and the sporty version of the beetle: the Karmann-Ghia Type 14. As from 1967, it had front disc brakes and the profile was better designed for top speed. Looking forward
a converted 68 autostick with added clutch tube and extended shift coupler becomes a standard 4 speed beetle with the same ground clearance as the 67 Karmann -Ghia type 14 motor with I.R.S., weld in some solid steel floor pan halves, then you have a beetle with 356 sport car like suspension that won't even feel a convoy of diesel trucks on a two lane highway blow by it at 65 mph +
Great video. An interesting idea would be to compare similar years on these cars. Thanks for the well presented and very informative comparison. Looking forward to seeing many more videos.
Beautiful engine sounds on both vehicles. Good to see both cars driven hard and so well. Should try a hill in my 1200 Bug thou! I have to slip stream trucks hehe. Great video feels like I’m the passenger
Great video, Franny. I currently own a Cayman but I have owned a number of Beetles in the past. Fun cars to drive and I actually enjoyed working on them. Everything just seemed right about them.
Loved this. In addition to general knowledge of the vehicles, you are full of profound bits of insight and wisdom. Thanks for sharing. What a great channel! Liked and subscribed.
Great details and observations. I loved the territory around your test drives! It'd be nice to see those fields and mountains a little later in the day when the colors pop. I've always wondered what makes that VW "tweet" like you said. Maybe I'd come to like it, but right now I don't know. It sounds like something is coming loose to me. But I know it's the normal engine noise.
Oh, the little tweet is mostly due to the baffles in the tailpipes. They have lots of round holes and I think that causes that signature sound. It is a very happy sound :)
I may be in the minority but I choose the beetle. I drove a '76 all though high school and part way though college and had to get rid of it when it started having fuel injection problems and was rusting out as I needed something reliable to get me to school and work...and by that time it was becoming a classic car! When I turned 40 I bought a '78 convertible and I LOVE and pamper it. He only sees nice weather (unless he subs for my regular car) but hibernates from the first snow fall until the spring rain washes away the salt on the road.
Great Comparison between the two cars . I almost built a replica 356 and now i wish i would have . My 1971 Beetle has a custom built racing engine that I built that would have been perfect for the 356 replica .
My is convertible with matching number engine and transmission. The interior is in very good shape and it all original. Most of the exterior paint is original accept the front nose is retouch
Nice job explaining the differences between these two cars that were designed by the same man. A beetle from the same year would have been a better comparison, but it was great anyway.
I love all your videos. Although I've never owned an air cooled "real" Beetle, I grew up surrounded by them and have had many adventures in them with my friends (yes, I'm that old). I am trying to buy one today and the closest I've gotten so far is a 2008 VW Rabbit I5 2.5 liter which I love (completely made in Wolfsburg). It would be nice to know which of your cars in the videos have had the hardened valve seats retro-fitted to run on unleaded gas. Thanks again for wonderful videos!
Shifting the Beetle; I remember my dad's '61 had a red line at about 15 miles per hour, two red lines at 30, three red lines at around 45; we were told those were the shift points. Don't know how long that continued (whether or not the one you drove had that) but that's where we knew to shift.
I so wanted to show that on the Beetle, but the spedo actually broke on the way over to our house! Those marks are the speed to stay between for those gears. Almost as bad as over-revving is under-revving for those engines. German cars require you to pay attention and take responsibility for driving properly and maintenance. It is just the way they are ;) I love that about them :)
@@HeidiandFranny I like when cars work and I like fixing them or at least help or try to.I just don’t like spending a lot of money, and there is so many things that can go very wrong.
Both cars serve a distinct purpose and were built to those specifications. Well shown and described in your video. I just love how the Porsche is 11 year the senior to the VW and is still more advanced and elegant than the Beetle. Great comparison and contrast. I have to say I think after your statement at 23:50 about the sound of a 4 being flat deserved a rim shot sound effect.
The thing is, you didn't put 2 cars head to head of the same year. When you show the faucet (valve) for the heater I thought of my old 1958 VW sedan and the fact it had the same valve on the floor. The levers to control heat was a 60's innovation and was versatile in that it allowed the option of having just one side on if desired. Although it's kind of like wishful thinking having this more detailed control over the heating system. $6,000 for a 356 brake drum? DAMN!
I totally agree with you, many of the details (e.g. heatingsystem, fuelpump and distributor location etc.) are just differences between the model years. A beetle was nearly identical to a Porsche 356 in the early years.
Great video! nice vw beetle! The sound that the constructor Ferdinand Porsche is taken from nature. He told me that he was considering the blind as he worked with the engine sound. He also told me that the beetle is equipped with shock absorbers, rather than suspension. The pits and the bumps on unpaved back roads inform the driver. That car offered freedom for many young back in the 1970. You could drive anywhere you wanted. How about some unpaved back road shots?
I own a Beetle in Brazil (1975 1300 Standard, Brazilian Spec) and I've never heard of this channel of your. But it's a really well done video. I really like it. Congrats on your channel and on your cars! Cheers from Brazil
Both are wonderful cars. Boy, oh boy, considering the price of parts on that magnificent 356, I might have to choose the beetle. Either would be a heck of a car to own!!!
It is a little misleading possibly. Normal maintenance parts aren't that bad and those drums are from Porsche Classic. But, repo parts are cheaper, but not as good and easy enough to spot. VWs are getting expensive too I suppose.
Hello Cutie I could listen to you talk cars all day long.. Had a 67 vw first year of 12 volt my first car, in 1985 I did a mediocre restoration I was 15 .. Sonoma county CA had plenty of cars I was always told it was "clean" The 1.8 dual carb swap, along with the 5 slot 911 wheels had it unique. Cracked the block coming back from Lake Tahoe in 88 and it sat for a year. 19 and desperate for $ I sold it and drove our family fleet of Subarus. Oh Chrysler Lebaron and Dodge Daytona seats fit beautifully in the bug.. Have a great day
Also my washer fluid was pressured via the spare tire.. And always had a basic toolbox with wire generator belt.. I looked at this because I was always under the impression that the "pan" underpinning were the same.. So long uninformed I decided to research and I chose to look at this. I do torture myself doing this, I think about the ones that got away. My uncles 72 911t that sat under a cover that I always wanted to tinker with.. He had beautiful taste in cars just bad judgement also didn't know how to treat them well.. Got to illegally Cruise his Red with tan leather Mercedes 190SL fully almost Concorse restoration.. Sorry watching this flooded my memory of those days when I could be the car gal I always have been..
Nice comparison video, Frannie. And it's the only one of its kind. By the way, the tweet in the Beetle's exhaust is commonly referred to as "fweem" in Beetle enthusiast circles. Just an fyi.
You said your not a fan of 4 cylinders. You should do a video on the 69 Saab with the Ford V4 engine and 4 on the tree. I never heard of a v4 till i bought one for $200 in 2001. Ended loving it and the car it self. Of course the previous owner turned it into a convertible.
I just found this vid by accident and i dont want to critise or blame other folks but, especially for the yanks, its important to explain the details from - many - similar looking cars. I'm working with Saab and old Mercedes and i observed much often in u.s.-forums the users just botch together what looks similar but not meant from factory to fit into another model. Engines from a 9000 into a 9-5 a.e. The bugs and the T1 buses catched my attention. So thank you for the explanation, Lady.
Yeah, mods are so popular too and it isn’t always going to work or be best for the car. If you do end up watching other videos, Franny runs into some issues with the VW from someone else’s mod.
You should compare a Ghia convertible to your 356. I know that Car and Driver compared a Ghia with a Speedster in 1970 and found that the Ghia out performed the Porsche in almost every category. This was enjoyable.
Lotta nitpickers in the older comments. Good to see there are so many perfectionists in the world who have made their own worlds perfect and thus have time to find imperfections here. ;-) Fun vidya. You may "need" to add a '60s bug to the car party in the garage, altho reality says that any of your current fleet is more fun to drive. I did see a comment below asking whether you'd review a new beetle (starting 1998 and forward). Hard to see the point of that. You might as well review a Toyota Camry. True, I do not have much love for the new beetles. Thanks for your review. Your style and the content is so very well done.
Nice vid. If I had a dollar for the number of times someone has told me they knew someone who put a porche engine in a beetle, Id be able to afford to put a porche engine in my beetle haha
Hi Franny, what is the little button next to the clutch pedal in the 356? I think my cousin’s beetle had it too but I barely remember cause I was too little.
Lovely video, thanks ... love both cars for different reasons ... do you know which seats you have in the 356? They look just right ... was thinking they would look great in a Beetle. Thanks, happy sailing :)
The head rests were an option that you could get with 356s, and we knew someone who actually got his 356 with just one side! When we had our original seats recovered, we found a set of after-market head rests that looked similar to the original ones. We hoped that if we were to get in a car accident in that car that they might just be enough support for our necks. You can find them. You just have to look around for the head rests at 356 parts places. Good luck on your quest! Heidi
Right? Porsche Classic just started re-manufacturing those drums which is great because they were very hard to source or get refurbished, but over $2K? At least you can get them I suppose... The Ferrari is expensive to get parts for and there are a lot you just can't get...
VWs never actually had 3-piece cases on production cars but the case was designed by Porsche for VW’s early 1950s diesel. They elected not to produce the car because it had acceleration of 0-100 KM in 60 seconds. Porsche wanted to go to a bigger engine and ended up buying it from VW. Zenith carbs could really suck down the gas. While my 356B Super Roadster got 43 mpg on the road, it got about 1.5 mpg in SCCA autocrosses.
A beetle with extractors sound much like the Porsche. If you can try a type3 in good original condition the ride quality is very good and smooth , braking twin wheel cylinders in the front pretty good .they compare with a new car if it's not windy. 65hp standard with twin carbs with electric choke , but the best thing is to disconnect them as they run for to long .nice porsche by the way
I really liked how you compared and contrasted the two vehicles. The more I see "Lemon Drop" the more I may consider a '69 as opposed to 70-74. While the '73 has a special place in my heart the '69 just looks better to me. You also HAD me looking at the 356 until you mentioned the price of a drum! 🙂 Any other years to consider or stay away from in your opinion? My research indicates the '67 was a year with some one time changes and as such is more difficult to procure parts. Again, your videos are absolutely wonderful however there is one slight drawback...the excitement you instill is most likely gonna cost me some money, but what the heck!
Hey! First of all great video, I really had a hard time when looking for a beetle -to some similar porsche review, I feel people don't treat them or see them as the icon they were, and still are as for me(both of them). All that aside, I remember you said the 356 engine has 60 horsepower, right? I think my 99' fuel injected(mexican) 1597cc beetle has those same 60 hp, so I'm thinking maybe my car accerlerates at the same pace the 356 did, which is super cool because like you said when you accelerate on 4th gear on the highway for example, you start hearing the engine tweet and feel the response on the acceleration, and I too, love the sound of the beetle engine, I daily drive it.
Are you really sure? Check out this site on Blaupunkt Radios: derwhites356literature.com/New356Stuff/BlaupunktRadioID.html Your grandfather's 1965 radio would be a later transistor unit. This is an earlier tube unit. F
Thank you for posting all these great videos, your garage is incredible! I´ve always been obsessed with old Porsches. One of my greatest dreams is to own a Porsche 912, but I´m only 22 years old and finishing my engineering degree. Since these cars are getting more and more expensive, I´d like to ask you if it would be relatively easy to mount a Volkswagen engine on a 912 body to make it cheaper and more reliable? I know there are many differences between the two engines, but would it still be possible? Thank you!
Have you considered a 944? I assume not, because you want air cooled. What about a Ghia? VW engines do not sound correct in P cars. They sound like beetle engines. Feel free to email us through the website. We can brainstorm.
I just found this comparison video. It would be interesting to compare the 1958 356A T2 to a 1958 Karmann Ghia. I've read that the 356A was faster, should be, but the Karmann Ghia actually handled better. I may be kind of prejudiced since we have a 1971 Karmann Ghia!
I should do that! Double-clutching would be good too. The 356 is a true "heel toe" and not a "roll toe" I always try to double clutch in the 356 and I found myself doing that in the Turbo the other day!
Hi Everyone, This is a more in-depth look at the differences between the Porsche 356 and the Volkswagon Beetle with a bit of driving thrown in for good measure. Many times you hear people calling the 356 a Beetle... Are they right? Let's take a look! Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
For some of us old timers, the Porsche 356 Cabriolet Coupe is the most beautiful automobile ever built. I still remember the day in 1967 as a freshman college student I saw both my first and second. Thanks to the ME profs who had restored them.
This is a wonderfully detailed explanation of the subtle, yet important differences between two cars with a common ancestry. The 356 appears too minimalistic to have any degree of refinement - but now I know how wrong I was! Thank you!
Love both, but the Beetle is what I have and for that very reason you mentioned Cost of parts are less for the beetle. great Vid.
Nice video! Never had a Porsche, but I had and loved two VW’s. My first car was a used ‘64. In ‘68, I traded it for my first brand new car, a shiny red ‘68 Beetle, which cost me just a nickel less than $2K. It was a great, super reliable car, and I wish I still had it. It saw me through the last half of my USAF hitch, four years of college, dating, a honeymoon, and the first two years of marriage. Good times! Funny you mentioned carburetor icing. I experienced that on my ‘64. I was driving across Kansas on a cold winter day. The car started to lose power and slow down. I pulled over, pump the throttle a couple of times, then BANG!, the ice broke loose, was ingested, then everything returned to normal. That’s why they put carb heat on light aircraft!
For me the Beetle is a nostagia car, my parents had one of the last new ones in 1975. My sister had a few banged up 50s-60s models in the 80s. I remember the Beetle was very unstable on a windy bridge, it could be blown into the next lane with a big gust of wind. Very slab sided I guess. The Porche is a beautiful dream sports car, but I never saw any growing up. I saw one in Newcastle NSW in 2019, my first time to see a real one!
Very interesting beautifully produced video! Next time drag race!!
Right! That would have been interesting ;)
BTW is 356 5 speed gearbox?
really good job Franny!!!!!!
I had a Ghia in college and I took it to my mechanic for some work one afternoon. He was running behind so he told me to take his 356 back to class so he could finish up.
Wow, I thought it would be maybe 20% better, but it was like double the car from my perspective. Drove through the campus after class like I was somebody--lol
Started to go on to Mexico with the 356 and give up on the rest of the world!!!!! What a great experience!!!
That's a great story! I bet it was pretty well sorted then. I really love the little 356. The absolute essence of a sports car :)
We speak the same language. I'm a long time VW Beetle owner/operator. I have a 69 that was stone stock when I purchased it in 1984. Currently it runs with 1776 cc that I built to my own specs. Lots o' fun. Your judgement about double clutching while downshifting on the VW is solid. Just so you know, from 4th to 3rd is no problem, really solid. From 3rd to 2nd, however, is very different! I've encountered this with every Beetle I've driven. And that is that the 2nd gear synchro is under-designed and requires a solid heel-toe double clutch for an aggressive down-shift. To that end I've adjusted my brake peddle to be long so I can heel-toe. The stock brake peddle adjustment does not allow that. I've always wanted to drive a 356. Your review helps although from what you've said I can also conclude that I prefer owning my Beetle. Tanx!
Respect!
Your'e knowledgement is bigger than mine.
I'm stil driving my fathers Käfer since my age of 14.
Almost for 44 years.
Last saturday, i prevent an engine-fire.
Fuel-hose-leakage.
Change it.
Suddenly i took the brass-pipe on carburator-cover out.
Good to see you, Franny. I appriciate your knowledge, but being an aircooled airhead, I really like your obvious enthusiasm. One of the cleanest 356's, I have ever seen.
I have had a VW most of my life, mainly because they are a study in simplicity. So much so, even I can maintain them. Thanks again to you both.
Great comparison of two timeless designs. Well done!
My friends and I ran all over the place in VW Beetles back in the late 60's and 70's and we did all our own wrenching but I still feel like I just got schooled. Nice job Franny.
These kind of videos are my favorite next to the repair videos that Franny does too.
Great video, I too love the sound of the air cooled VW’s. I would love to see your reviews of the Splitscreen Bus, and a Karmann Gia. 😎
Yes, more VW reviews would be great!
My 1974 Porsche 914 also has cooling fins. It's a 2.0 type 4 VW engine but it is different from the original type 4. Porsche redesigned the cylinder heads and shrouding. It has 2, 40mm double barrel carburetors, higher compression pistons, and a slightly more aggressive cam to take advantage of the 40mm carbs.
I had a '74 superbeetle. Wonderful, fun car to drive, reliable as a timex. The one thing I wanted, was a/c. Sitting in traffic, in the sun, was a nightmare in the summer.
I love the way you change the gears..smooth and steady
Great video. The cars are only similar in general design. A lot of things on the 356 are different by being more refined in their design. Your example is perfect. Just compare the brake drums, but not just the cost. Seeing the difference tells a lot about the cars. Thanks.
Awesome comparison. You are so blessed to have driven a 356 and own it. One of my things on my bucket list is to drive one. I owned. A 1968 beetle convertible. The reason was it was the closest thing to a Porsche this was circa 1884 my first car!
Nice video, for a nicer exhaust on the Bug get a vintage speed Abarth ,deeper tone and a few extra HP, stainless so it won't rust. I drive a standard 40 horse bug daily for ten years and once my Dad had a karmann Ghia 1600 for the day, he told me my bug was nicer to drive,he said the Ghia was too heavy and poor all-round vision.
I had a '68 beetle and I loved it. It took me everywhere(cross country) and I had it for 7 years. It made me a lifetime VW/Audi guy. It is amazing that cars had 50-60 hp back then and we still did 60-65 mph. I now drive a 1994 Audi S4 and that car is a legend.
i really enjoyed this one keep it up Franny 👍
I wanted to mention a couple of things in the video that made me smile. First, when you were reviewing the Porsche you pointed out a feature that you called "Porschie. That was classic Franny and I say that with respect for your style. Also you stated the curb weight of the VW as 1800lbs and later, during the wrap-up, you complained that the VW felt like it "weighed a ton!". I love it and love your videos! Keep them coming. I need to go now as my '67 VDub fan belt needs tightening - it's a Beetleie thing.
I thoroughly enjoyed the comparison between a VW Beetle and a 356 Porsche. As most people know, Dr Ferdinand Porsche is credited with being the primary designer of both cars, although his son “Ferry” Porsche contributed a lot towards the 356. Part of the reason for this is that Dr Porsche ( Ferdinand senior ) was interned in a French prison ( French prisons are notorious for very uncomfortable existence [ rather than living ] conditions ) almost immediately after the NAZI
defeat of WW2. This was reputedly because he DID design many German war machines and was thus defined as a NAZI collaborator. Porsche senior never joined the NAZI party, and many people believe that his 2 year imprisonment was so that the French could use his design skills to help the
French design their own version of a people’s car. Irregardless of how a person views this imprisonment, one thing is clear...Dr Ferdinand Porsche WAS found guilty of patent infringement
against the Czechoslovak automotive designer Hans Ledwinka ( the Czech auto manufacturer Tatras chief designer ) and the earlier designed Tatra 97 was remarkably similar to the later designed VW Type 1 ( Beetle ). Hitler even told Dr Porsche, after riding in a Tatra 97, that “ this is
the kind of car I want for my roads “. In 1965 VW paid Tatra 1,000,000 Deutsche Marks in an out of court settlement regarding this patent infringement issue.
Everyone is entitled to interpret this payment however they wish, but to me ( an automobile
history buff and general “car enthusiast “ ) this tarnishes the Porsche design reputation significantly.
As mentioned, I truly enjoyed Franny’s comparison of the VW Beetle to the Porsche 356. I look forward to viewing more “ Heidi and Franny’s Garage “ videos.
Darren G. 🇨🇦
I absolutely love the beetle :) it's been my dream car ever since I saw Herbie :)
Hi Jen,, They are really cool!
Oh this brings back memories herbie was the best
I own 65,66 and 67 beetle. I've restored them all so I know a thing or two about them. First of all a356 is more than just a little bit higher trim level. You can buy a beetle for the price of 356 drum set up. Price wise its not even close. Performance level between stock 356 and stock beetle is hardly comparable. The thing that is nicer for the beetle though is that you can upgrade yourself for a very reasonable cost.My 65 is 2054cc with well over 100hp. All my dash gauges are 356-Speedo,tach,oil pressure,oil temp and voltmeter.Those alone cost me dearly. I made a set of headrests in the style of 356. Alas it is still no 356 but I love it.Price is just too high for Porsche though I love both.
Hi Scott, and this wasn't a very fair comparison as there are a number of years between them, but it is what we had. The trim level is very different, but that has always been the difference between VW and Porsche. Still, I love that Porsche has held on to the rear engine design even after VW gave it up and was still producing air cooled up to '98. They are both great for different reasons.
scott ecoff
Agreed. Usually had a VW, because could never afford a Porsche. Now that I can afford one, afraid I am too old. This video makes feel, maybe not.
Great video Franny! The 356's exhaust has a wonderful aggressive snarl to it, but of course I love the Beetle's tweet as well. I'd be glad to drive either one!
I was amazed the first time I drove a 356. I really thought it would tweet right along. Completely surprised! Funny, at first I thought it was actually rod knock ;) Both cars tell you so much just by the sound :)
Well done! I've a 1983 beetle an I love it so much.But I would like to have a 356 too. Both are very beautiful and unique cars
Great comparison of two Classics. Well done guys, thanks also for the father day suggestions. All the best SoulDave
You bet!
I enjoyed this one. I always wanted to get in an old beetle again and compare. I remember the feel of the door and the overall gestalt being so similar you can absolutely immediately see, feel, smell the family resemblance. Thank you,
Very good video and interesting test drive. I totally agree with your test drive of the beetle. I think it would be good to do a test drive between the 356 and the sporty version of the beetle: the Karmann-Ghia Type 14. As from 1967, it had front disc brakes and the profile was better designed for top speed. Looking forward
Yeah, we like to.
a converted 68 autostick with added clutch tube and extended shift coupler becomes a standard 4 speed beetle with the same ground clearance as the 67 Karmann -Ghia type 14 motor with I.R.S., weld in some solid steel floor pan halves, then you have a beetle with 356 sport car like suspension that won't even feel a convoy of diesel trucks on a two lane highway blow by it at 65 mph +
Another phenomenal video from you gals! Keep up the great work😄
Great video. An interesting idea would be to compare similar years on these cars. Thanks for the well presented and very informative comparison. Looking forward to seeing many more videos.
Beautiful engine sounds on both vehicles. Good to see both cars driven hard and so well. Should try a hill in my 1200 Bug thou! I have to slip stream trucks hehe. Great video feels like I’m the passenger
Great video, Franny. I currently own a Cayman but I have owned a number of Beetles in the past. Fun cars to drive and I actually enjoyed working on them. Everything just seemed right about them.
They are an amazingly good mix for the first car out the shoot. That Cayman is an amazing car! Heart of the 718 Spyder that one.
So entertaining! Greetings from The Woodlands, TX!
Excellent video! Always look forward to watch your new videos, very informative and well produced!
perfectly explained. I wish I could have both of them。
I love that my new 992 has a shared gene pool and history with the original Ferdanand Porsche .. the Beetle
Loved this. In addition to general knowledge of the vehicles, you are full of profound bits of insight and wisdom. Thanks for sharing. What a great channel! Liked and subscribed.
No Franny, thank you! You are so knowledgeable, and you convey it quite well.
Great details and observations. I loved the territory around your test drives! It'd be nice to see those fields and mountains a little later in the day when the colors pop. I've always wondered what makes that VW "tweet" like you said. Maybe I'd come to like it, but right now I don't know. It sounds like something is coming loose to me. But I know it's the normal engine noise.
Oh, the little tweet is mostly due to the baffles in the tailpipes. They have lots of round holes and I think that causes that signature sound. It is a very happy sound :)
What a great job you do on All of your videos! Thank you
I may be in the minority but I choose the beetle. I drove a '76 all though high school and part way though college and had to get rid of it when it started having fuel injection problems and was rusting out as I needed something reliable to get me to school and work...and by that time it was becoming a classic car! When I turned 40 I bought a '78 convertible and I LOVE and pamper it. He only sees nice weather (unless he subs for my regular car) but hibernates from the first snow fall until the spring rain washes away the salt on the road.
Great Comparison between the two cars . I almost built a replica 356 and now i wish i would have . My 1971 Beetle has a custom built racing engine that I built that would have been perfect for the 356 replica .
It must be wonderful drive this cars that you haven't words for express what you feel. Excellent video Franny!
I have a 1959 356 with the same exterior color and interior as your 356 and it is wonderfully to drive too.
Is yours a coupe? There is a '58 coupe in our area same color in and out. I see it at C&C now and then.
My is convertible with matching number engine and transmission. The interior is in very good shape and it all original. Most of the exterior paint is original accept the front nose is retouch
Nice job explaining the differences between these two cars that were designed by the same man. A beetle from the same year would have been a better comparison, but it was great anyway.
I love all your videos. Although I've never owned an air cooled "real" Beetle, I grew up surrounded by them and have had many adventures in them with my friends (yes, I'm that old). I am trying to buy one today and the closest I've gotten so far is a 2008 VW Rabbit I5 2.5 liter which I love (completely made in Wolfsburg).
It would be nice to know which of your cars in the videos have had the hardened valve seats retro-fitted to run on unleaded gas.
Thanks again for wonderful videos!
This is a great video! I really like that you can hear the difference.
Just stumbled upon your channel! You guys deserved a lot more subscribers! Top notch!
Much appreciated!
👌Great video. I drive my '71 SuperBeetle all the time.
_( No freeways )_ 🚘
Shifting the Beetle; I remember my dad's '61 had a red line at about 15 miles per hour, two red lines at 30, three red lines at around 45; we were told those were the shift points. Don't know how long that continued (whether or not the one you drove had that) but that's where we knew to shift.
I so wanted to show that on the Beetle, but the spedo actually broke on the way over to our house! Those marks are the speed to stay between for those gears. Almost as bad as over-revving is under-revving for those engines. German cars require you to pay attention and take responsibility for driving properly and maintenance. It is just the way they are ;) I love that about them :)
@@HeidiandFranny I like when cars work and I like fixing them or at least help or try to.I just don’t like spending a lot of money, and there is so many things that can go very wrong.
Both cars serve a distinct purpose and were built to those specifications. Well shown and described in your video. I just love how the Porsche is 11 year the senior to the VW and is still more advanced and elegant than the Beetle. Great comparison and contrast. I have to say I think after your statement at 23:50 about the sound of a 4 being flat deserved a rim shot sound effect.
The thing is, you didn't put 2 cars head to head of the same year. When you show the faucet (valve) for the heater I thought of my old 1958 VW sedan and the fact it had the same valve on the floor. The levers to control heat was a 60's innovation and was versatile in that it allowed the option of having just one side on if desired. Although it's kind of like wishful thinking having this more detailed control over the heating system. $6,000 for a 356 brake drum? DAMN!
$2000 for the drum.
I totally agree with you, many of the details (e.g. heatingsystem, fuelpump and distributor location etc.) are just differences between the model years. A beetle was nearly identical to a Porsche 356 in the early years.
Great video! nice vw beetle! The sound that the constructor
Ferdinand Porsche is taken from nature. He told me that he was considering the
blind as he worked with the engine sound. He also told me that the beetle is equipped
with shock absorbers, rather than suspension. The pits and the bumps on unpaved
back roads inform the driver. That car offered freedom for many young back in
the 1970. You could drive anywhere you wanted. How about some unpaved back road
shots?
I own a Beetle in Brazil (1975 1300 Standard, Brazilian Spec) and I've never heard of this channel of your. But it's a really well done video. I really like it. Congrats on your channel and on your cars!
Cheers from Brazil
Welcome to the channel! We have many folks here from Brazil courtesy of Marcelo Tonella :)
Yes, he's a big supply of beetle related DIY content around here
It’s absolutely wonderrrrrrfullllll..!
What size motor did the Beetle in this video have? 1300cc or bigger?
Both are wonderful cars. Boy, oh boy, considering the price of parts on that magnificent 356, I might have to choose the beetle. Either would be a heck of a car to own!!!
It is a little misleading possibly. Normal maintenance parts aren't that bad and those drums are from Porsche Classic. But, repo parts are cheaper, but not as good and easy enough to spot. VWs are getting expensive too I suppose.
Love both cars, will get a 356 when I win the lotto. lol I have 2017 Boxter and love it.
Hello Cutie I could listen to you talk cars all day long.. Had a 67 vw first year of 12 volt my first car, in 1985 I did a mediocre restoration I was 15 .. Sonoma county CA had plenty of cars I was always told it was "clean"
The 1.8 dual carb swap, along with the 5 slot 911 wheels had it unique. Cracked the block coming back from Lake Tahoe in 88 and it sat for a year. 19 and desperate for $ I sold it and drove our family fleet of Subarus. Oh Chrysler Lebaron and Dodge Daytona seats fit beautifully in the bug.. Have a great day
Also my washer fluid was pressured via the spare tire.. And always had a basic toolbox with wire generator belt.. I looked at this because I was always under the impression that the "pan" underpinning were the same.. So long uninformed I decided to research and I chose to look at this. I do torture myself doing this, I think about the ones that got away. My uncles 72 911t that sat under a cover that I always wanted to tinker with.. He had beautiful taste in cars just bad judgement also didn't know how to treat them well.. Got to illegally Cruise his Red with tan leather Mercedes 190SL fully almost Concorse restoration.. Sorry watching this flooded my memory of those days when I could be the car gal I always have been..
Just subscribed I'm hooked wish I had a someone like you near by me. Keep up the videos.
Nice comparison video, Frannie. And it's the only one of its kind. By the way, the tweet in the Beetle's exhaust is commonly referred to as "fweem" in Beetle enthusiast circles. Just an fyi.
Huh... I've never heard that before... Thanks!
You said your not a fan of 4 cylinders. You should do a video on the 69 Saab with the Ford V4 engine and 4 on the tree. I never heard of a v4 till i bought one for $200 in 2001. Ended loving it and the car it self. Of course the previous owner turned it into a convertible.
I just found this vid by accident and i dont want to critise or blame other folks but, especially for the yanks, its important to explain the details from - many -
similar looking cars. I'm working with Saab and old Mercedes and i observed
much often in u.s.-forums the users just botch together what looks similar
but not meant from factory to fit into another model. Engines from a 9000 into
a 9-5 a.e. The bugs and the T1 buses catched my attention.
So thank you for the explanation, Lady.
Yeah, mods are so popular too and it isn’t always going to work or be best for the car. If you do end up watching other videos, Franny runs into some issues with the VW from someone else’s mod.
ne of the best car videos ever very informative opens a new page to my understanding Porsche 356
Though I can never afford one.
awesome video. Both of them are jewels
Very interesting, thank you!
Thank you for your in depth review. Just got my dream car the Vw Beetle. I love your vids its so informative.
Congrats!! They are great cars!
@@HeidiandFranny thanks! been fascinated by the VW bug since i was a kid. And i hope to learn more from your videos. ♥️
@@ludjmobile784 keep it original. They still look the best that way.
You should compare a Ghia convertible to your 356. I know that Car and Driver compared a Ghia with a Speedster in 1970 and found that the Ghia out performed the Porsche in almost every category. This was enjoyable.
Veeeery nice, new Sub here! Congratulations for the channel !
Lotta nitpickers in the older comments. Good to see there are so many perfectionists in the world who have made their own worlds perfect and thus have time to find imperfections here. ;-)
Fun vidya. You may "need" to add a '60s bug to the car party in the garage, altho reality says that any of your current fleet is more fun to drive.
I did see a comment below asking whether you'd review a new beetle (starting 1998 and forward). Hard to see the point of that. You might as well review a Toyota Camry. True, I do not have much love for the new beetles.
Thanks for your review. Your style and the content is so very well done.
Thanks!
This is a really cool comparison!
Another great video, love it!!
beautiful old cars love them both but it's the Porsche for me, great video, well researched informative and a great commentary, very watchable :)
Thanks Roger! When you drive the 356 you instantly know it is a Porsche. Not sure how, but you do :)
love your work.. thanks
Thanks Al!
i love the vw best--always did,their're so cuite thank again for your nice videos just so help-ful
Great!
Very good!!!! Congratulations...
Thanks!
very nice review with good concept.
Thanks!
Nice vid. If I had a dollar for the number of times someone has told me they knew someone who put a porche engine in a beetle, Id be able to afford to put a porche engine in my beetle haha
Hi Franny, what is the little button next to the clutch pedal in the 356? I think my cousin’s beetle had it too but I barely remember cause I was too little.
Hi Jose, There are actually two... One is for the brights and the other (with the larger black base is, believe or not, the windshield fluid pump!
Awesome video Air cool life 😎
Lovely video, thanks ... love both cars for different reasons ... do you know which seats you have in the 356? They look just right ... was thinking they would look great in a Beetle. Thanks, happy sailing :)
They are the standard 356 seats. You would have to find a set somewhere and probably get them recovered. They are pretty comfy :)
Thanks! sorry for the noob question. They looked different to me with the head rests.@@HeidiandFranny
The head rests were an option that you could get with 356s, and we knew someone who actually got his 356 with just one side! When we had our original seats recovered, we found a set of after-market head rests that looked similar to the original ones. We hoped that if we were to get in a car accident in that car that they might just be enough support for our necks. You can find them. You just have to look around for the head rests at 356 parts places. Good luck on your quest! Heidi
I would like to have the steel rack for the engin H6. Where can get this
Great video as always ! Price difference for brakes... Embarassing.
Right? Porsche Classic just started re-manufacturing those drums which is great because they were very hard to source or get refurbished, but over $2K? At least you can get them I suppose... The Ferrari is expensive to get parts for and there are a lot you just can't get...
I like them both... good vid on both cars
Nice video!
Thanks!
VWs never actually had 3-piece cases on production cars but the case was designed by Porsche for VW’s early 1950s diesel. They elected not to produce the car because it had acceleration of 0-100 KM in 60 seconds. Porsche wanted to go to a bigger engine and ended up buying it from VW.
Zenith carbs could really suck down the gas. While my 356B Super Roadster got 43 mpg on the road, it got about 1.5 mpg in SCCA autocrosses.
How did you get the engines so clean?
Just a bunch of elbow grease :)
A beetle with extractors sound much like the Porsche. If you can try a type3 in good original condition the ride quality is very good and smooth , braking twin wheel cylinders in the front pretty good .they compare with a new car if it's not windy. 65hp standard with twin carbs with electric choke , but the best thing is to disconnect them as they run for to long .nice porsche by the way
I really liked how you compared and contrasted the two vehicles. The more I see "Lemon Drop" the more I may consider a '69 as opposed to 70-74. While the '73 has a special place in my heart the '69 just looks better to me. You also HAD me looking at the 356 until you mentioned the price of a drum! 🙂 Any other years to consider or stay away from in your opinion? My research indicates the '67 was a year with some one time changes and as such is more difficult to procure parts. Again, your videos are absolutely wonderful however there is one slight drawback...the excitement you instill is most likely gonna cost me some money, but what the heck!
No. We are not experts in Beetles. We cannot recommend any particular year.
Mais vous avez un véritable garage de rêve ! félicitation :)
Merci beaucoup!
Heidi and Franny's Garage avec grand plaisir :)
Hey! First of all great video, I really had a hard time when looking for a beetle -to some similar porsche review, I feel people don't treat them or see them as the icon they were, and still are as for me(both of them). All that aside, I remember you said the 356 engine has 60 horsepower, right? I think my 99' fuel injected(mexican) 1597cc beetle has those same 60 hp, so I'm thinking maybe my car accerlerates at the same pace the 356 did, which is super cool because like you said when you accelerate on 4th gear on the highway for example, you start hearing the engine tweet and feel the response on the acceleration, and I too, love the sound of the beetle engine, I daily drive it.
The M band is NOT “marine band”, it is shortwave, not used in the USA. My grandfather’s 1965 Mercedes-Benz 190D sedan had the same radio.
Are you really sure? Check out this site on Blaupunkt Radios: derwhites356literature.com/New356Stuff/BlaupunktRadioID.html Your grandfather's 1965 radio would be a later transistor unit. This is an earlier tube unit. F
Thank you for posting all these great videos, your garage is incredible!
I´ve always been obsessed with old Porsches. One of my greatest dreams is to own a Porsche 912, but I´m only 22 years old and finishing my engineering degree. Since these cars are getting more and more expensive, I´d like to ask you if it would be relatively easy to mount a Volkswagen engine on a 912 body to make it cheaper and more reliable? I know there are many differences between the two engines, but would it still be possible? Thank you!
Have you considered a 944? I assume not, because you want air cooled. What about a Ghia? VW engines do not sound correct in P cars. They sound like beetle engines. Feel free to email us through the website. We can brainstorm.
I just found this comparison video. It would be interesting to compare the 1958 356A T2 to a 1958 Karmann Ghia. I've read that the 356A was faster, should be, but the Karmann Ghia actually handled better. I may be kind of prejudiced since we have a 1971 Karmann Ghia!
Great stuff! Any chance you'll do a heel/toe shifting video??
I should do that! Double-clutching would be good too. The 356 is a true "heel toe" and not a "roll toe" I always try to double clutch in the 356 and I found myself doing that in the Turbo the other day!
@@HeidiandFranny I'd love to see that!
I like the sound of the 356's exhaust better. Put a non restrictive exhaust on both than they'll both sound better.