Schofields (not far from where I live) has a good reputation for everything he sells (though he can be a bit expensive).  The full size pans halves are £210 plus VAT and 1.2MM thick.  Never used them myself but I know a few Beetle owners who have used them and they were really happy.

https://www.alanhschofield.com/ourparts/prod_6371250-Beetle-Floor-Pan-Half-Left-7379-111701061Q.html
https://www.alanhschofield.com/ourparts/prod_6371254-Beetle-Floor-Pan-Half-Right-7379-111701062Q.html

Thanks for that , it's surprising the variation in quality of these panels 

I've always used the thinner, cheaper pans, I've just found they need some reinforcement in the areas of the seat mountings. You could also add a square or round reinforcement under the outer lip of the chassis, this is what Bruce Meyers recommend in Manx instructions.

I've always been a advocate of the thick pans.  My last set came from GSF and they were the highest gauge I could find at the time (again about £250)

Probably the best place to look for them now would be Custom and Commercial.  Their panels seem to be superior to other manufacturers.

Always worth signing up to their newsletter.


If you decide to go down the route of buying a LWB FF buggy we have a metallic blue colour available which is very close to the original Marathon Beetle colour.

I've always been a advocate of the thick pans.  My last set came from GSF and they were the highest gauge I could find at the time (again about £250)

Probably the best place to look for them now would be Custom and Commercial.  Their panels seem to be superior to other manufacturers.

Always worth signing up to their newsletter.


If you decide to go down the route of buying a LWB FF buggy we have a metallic blue colour available which is very close to the original Marathon Beetle colour.

Must admit I'm strangely drawn to a LWB FF with the freaky looking roof , anyone got one , what are peoples thoughts , pros and cons ?

Must admit I'm strangely drawn to a LWB FF with the freaky looking roof , anyone got one , what are peoples thoughts , pros and cons ?

Speak with Gordon - Roadrunner  ^^^

He will answer anything you want to know as he not only has one, but He makes them too !!



And from first hand experience, I can tell you that the roof is so easy to fit and remove as necessary   

As Dave says speak to Gordon. I really like the design, nice and low for getting in and out and that roof reminds me of a Herman Munster hot rod model I once had

An FF moulded in pale blue flake with a cream roof and wide Marathon wheels would be so cool...

I don't have the roof but I do have a LWB FF. Best looking shell there is, that's why I bought it..... in 1985 (it's a mk1) 

I don't have the roof but I do have a LWB FF. Best looking shell there is, that's why I bought it..... in 1985 (it's a mk1) 

How many marks are there? What are the differences?

I've always been a advocate of the thick pans.  My last set came from GSF and they were the highest gauge I could find at the time (again about £250)

Probably the best place to look for them now would be Custom and Commercial.  Their panels seem to be superior to other manufacturers.

Always worth signing up to their newsletter.


If you decide to go down the route of buying a LWB FF buggy we have a metallic blue colour available which is very close to the original Marathon Beetle colour.

Must admit I'm strangely drawn to a LWB FF with the freaky looking roof , anyone got one , what are peoples thoughts , pros and cons ?

Yes as said the black one is mine.  We haven't sold many of the roofs, 2 out there other than mine and one of those is in the Netherlands. The roof was moulded from Buggy Pete's which was an original late 80s one.

We have done the roof in flake before.

Pros and cons.

Pros: It fastens tight, holds down at high speeds.  and is very good at keeping you dry even without doors, also helps with the wind noise/chill. Strong enough to fit roof bars and mount a roof box filled up. The hard top is much cheaper than a custom soft top.

Cons:
Currently no doors so you do get wet in side wind conditions and rain does have a tendency to follow the body lines inside. Weekend trips where you don't want to risk it you have the roof on in glorious sunshine, taking it off when you arrive.

I've always been a advocate of the thick pans.  My last set came from GSF and they were the highest gauge I could find at the time (again about £250)

Probably the best place to look for them now would be Custom and Commercial.  Their panels seem to be superior to other manufacturers.

Always worth signing up to their newsletter.


If you decide to go down the route of buying a LWB FF buggy we have a metallic blue colour available which is very close to the original Marathon Beetle colour.

Must admit I'm strangely drawn to a LWB FF with the freaky looking roof , anyone got one , what are peoples thoughts , pros and cons ?

Yes as said the black one is mine.  We haven't sold many of the roofs, 2 out there other than mine and one of those is in the Netherlands. The roof was moulded from Buggy Pete's which was an original late 80s one.

We have done the roof in flake before.

Pros and cons.

Pros: It fastens tight, holds down at high speeds.  and is very good at keeping you dry even without doors, also helps with the wind noise/chill. Strong enough to fit roof bars and mount a roof box filled up. The hard top is much cheaper than a custom soft top.

Cons:
Currently no doors so you do get wet in side wind conditions and rain does have a tendency to follow the body lines inside. Weekend trips where you don't want to risk it you have the roof on in glorious sunshine, taking it off when you arrive.

Do the roof bars in the picture come with the kit , and what is the biggest size wheel Tyre combo that I could fit ( thinking about banded steel with standard offset )

No the roof bars and windows don't come with it. The rear has an oval indent where the window would go and the sides are smooth, I cuts the round holes in myself.

The roof bars are from an Auda A4 advant and dust down by 140mm to fit.

I'm running 275/60r15non the rear on a 8j wheel.  You should be able to get 10j and 315 wheels to fit, depending on the offset.

Fronts I was running 205 wide on and 8J, now back to 195

If I were building a new buggy from scratch it'd have to be a lwb, I'd never consider a swb with all of the IVA test and registration hassles. There have never been so many good looking lwb buggies out there as there are nowadays.

I built this a few years ago from spare parts that I had lying around and a reject body, it was a truly great car!

It's an early shape Jas buggy.

Can I ask where the battery sits in this , what size wheels/tyres were fitted and what windscreen did you use ? cheers Jon

The battery was mounted in a fibreglass box sunk into the offside rear shelf/seat area, a bit like this.



Wheels were 8 1/2 X 15 and 6 X 14 1970s American slot mags (Appliance make) fitted to wide 5 (66-67 Beetle) drums with adapters. Tyres were 275/60 X 15 and 185/60 X 14.

The screen was a bit tricky as the Jas scuttle is a little narrower than most at 41 1/4" wide but I was lucky as Buggypete off this forum had a second hand one possibly off an old Manta Ray? I got the glass cut by a local forklift truck dealer.

https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/small-glass-fibre-red-battery-box-320mm?gclid=Cj0KCQjwz7uRBhDRARIsAFqjulnacOzYoaHGsbTNYwPWQHZkoaMPQ3tbxHubyRIcziMSB5__DR1Jr94aApkdEALw_wcB

Thanks , do you get any trouble with the speedo readings with the 14" wheels or did the 60 profile compensate for that ? cheers Jon