Hi new here

Currently gathering parts for a first time SWB build.

Excited to get involved!

Aj

Hi, plenty of helpful advice and friendly people on here, you will have your buggy together in no time! 

Welcome, new SWB build from a donor beetle you will need to read the manual and perhaps chat with Paul.

Welcome from the north west. As Snoopy says, have a chat with Paul1953

  doing the same, gathered some big bits, need lots of smaller ones!

Welcome.

Where are you based ?

Welcome aboard - looking forward to hearing about the build 

Any questions, no matter how daft or repetitive, fire away on here   

It`s a hi from me. 

Just to be certain.... Are you planning a build on an existing shortened beetle chassis or are you planning to use a donor chassis, cut it, and reweld back together in shortened form?  (Severing & rewelding does require IVA inspection in order for the buggy to be fully road legal).

Either way, with the experience of hindsight, I would opt for a donor post 1965 production. That is to say non-king & link pin front end. This will allow you to source a beetle with existing disk brakes and ball joint suspension. You cannot remove front drums from a k&l suspension and fit standard disc brakes in their place. K&L front beam is different from ball joint version and they are not interchangeable.

Don`t opt for any Beetle pre- 1962 production. (Unlikely as they are few and far between now) Their front end tie rods stub axle & pitman arm taper sockets are different to later years and there is no steering damper.  As Dave says ask any question there are lots of guys here on the forum who will help all they can.

Hi again, thanks for the welcome. 

South east London based, Greenwich area. Anyone else in the area? I'm an electrical-mechanical engineer so have half an idea what I'm doing. Reading lots of manuals anyway!

Building on an existing shortened chassis with appropriate V5, no donor car just gathering parts for now. Rebuilding a fruity type 4 2.0 and proceeding with a sidewinder tub

When I have a bit more time I'll try and get a build thread together.

Aj

You will have no problems with this. I would consider strengthening the offside & nearside floorpan outer "U" channels with square tubing or similar. My only piece of advice is if you source items via fleabay be careful. Awfull lot of total junk on offer. (Ask me how I know this) 

You will have no problems with this. I would consider strengthening the offside & nearside floorpan outer "U" channels with square tubing or similar. My only piece of advice is if you source items via fleabay be careful. Awfull lot of total junk on offer. (Ask me how I know this) 

The chassis I have already has 1 inch box section welded around the perphery of the floor pans.

Now just deciding on whether to fit weld in brackets for IRS rear and gearbox I already have, or just save the bother and stick to the swing axle rear end I also have.

Welcome to the site   A swing axle rear end works fine in a buggy with the heavier type 4 engine but you might have to do a calculation for gear ratio's for what tyre size you are going to use and then work out which gearbox you might need. With swing axle gearbox's there are 3 to choose from

Rob

You will have no problems with this. I would consider strengthening the offside & nearside floorpan outer "U" channels with square tubing or similar. My only piece of advice is if you source items via fleabay be careful. Awfull lot of total junk on offer. (Ask me how I know this) 

The chassis I have already has 1 inch box section welded around the perphery of the floor pans.

Now just deciding on whether to fit weld in brackets for IRS rear and gearbox I already have, or just save the bother and stick to the swing axle rear end I also have.

Ask yourself a question and then decide... Why have the US off-road guys stuck with swing axle and king and link pin systems for off-road for so long. (Baja 500 & 1000 for example). It is only in relatively recent years that the us aftermarket has gone crazy with ultra expensive, inovative, suspension conversion parts\kits.  With swing axle\ negative rear camber\light weight body you just have to be careful in the wet and snow. The back wheels can tuck in like crazy if you push it in such conditions. (feel free to ask how I know this   )

IRS is going to help keep the wheels from cambering if you are running the buggy high or low.  Most like a little negative camber when dropping the ride height.  It's more when you raise and get the positive camber things can look a bit off. 

welcome buddy