Mods
1968 beetle converted to 95" wheelbase tube frame sand-rail with aluminum panels and DZUS fasteners. Drop spindles with Karmann Ghia disc brakes and 14x6.5 Cragar wheels up front. 4-speed IRS transaxle with spider gears, rear drum brakes with 15x10 Cragars. \r Engine: 1776cc type 1 aircooled, forged internals, big heads with port/polish, dual springs, upgraded rockers, stainless valves, and chromoly pushrods. Big oil pump with full flow case and an external oil cooler. Garrett T28 utilizing a Dellorto side-draft carburetor for fueling, and a Devils Own methanol injection system for charge cooling. 1 5/8th exhaust manifold with slip joints and afterburner style downpipe, with stainless foodgrade intake track. MSD BTM handles ignition timing, still on bosch 009 distributor with points. Colder plugs and high output coil along with a MSD 2-step module @ 3800. Custom dash with GPS speedo, boat tachometer, oil temp/pressure, boost, A/F ratio, and indicators for turn signals and 2-step.
Build story
Well started out hanging around a drag racing/customs shop a few years ago and decided to take on a project of my own. Saw this in Williamson NY on the way to Rochester, an old farmer was running it through apple orchard and around town. Brought it home and started tinkering after school and work during the winter in an uninsulated garage.When I got the buggy it was running on 3 cylinders and pretty rough all over. The guy was involved in dirt racing and put the aluminum panels on, and fit a "bigger bore kit on it", the motor was going to need an overhaul and I started coming up with a plan.
I did a lot of research on beetles and their powerhouses, decided I had to build something to keep up with the muscle car guys at the shop; people have done everything to these cars! Coming from Subarus I knew I wanted this to be boosted. Buddy had an old Garrett turbo I got for next to nothing and that finalized what the bug would become. I stumbled upon a book: "turbomania" by Bob Tomilson, about turbocharging the type 1 Volkswagens. I spent a couple months collecting old hot rodding parts and assembling the motor and doing some serious fabrication on the tube chassis. The new motor had larger oil passages, machined case and heads for bigger cylinders, big valves and dual springs in the heads, chromoly push rods, forged crank and internals, bigger oil pump and deep sump to supply turbo vital oil and keep temps down. Not wanting to build again, I went over kill and ended up with borderline race engine. The motor is a 1776cc that Revs out to 6000rpm. MSD ignition and Garrett t3 turbo. Currently on 14psi but with alcohol injection plan to push for 18-20psi.
After the project snowballed it stretched all the way into summer and I didn’t get in on the road until middle of August, I put 1500 miles on it before storing it for the winter that fall. Now the buggy has close to 5000 miles and is still going strong! After almost quadrupling the original HP I was encouraged to upgrade breaking upgrade braking and handling. Type 3 Karmann Ghia disc brakes up front and a rebuild of all front suspension components happened in the spring along with some other drivability concerns. Plans for over winter are new transmission and to go through all the rear suspension and braking equipment. Would like to take it to auto-x events/ and bring it to the strip again. 1500lbs with driver and tools/full gas tank.
Since last spring I have reworked the turbo hotside and stepped down to a gt28 turbo for even faster spool and a better flowing header. I also converted the original 1968 generator to an alternator to better manage ignition system and creature comforts.
The automotive community I found online while obsessing with my project changed my life, people on youtube sharing the same passion for building and putting in outrageous amounts of effort just to share it with us! Bad Obsession is the OG, i think they were around episode 12 when i started watching and the Binky project was so over the top and everything i wanted to do in the future. It is my dream to achieve any level close to them, they have changed how I look at designing anything and are continuously inspiring, just overall quality human beans. At the same time I was watching boostedboiz as just a wee little lad, taking outrageously fast/sketchy/cheap builds out on the street and walking all over everybody. Their positive energy and seeing the success of what they could do, as kids in their garage also inspired me and they are some of my favorite automotive youtubers to date. I am also very excited to see all the new judges this year especially PFI speed! I haven’t watched TV in years, only youtube- genuine quality content and real people, not some hollywood BS. Thank you guys again for this opportunity for all of us to still participate in automotive events and allowing us to continue sharing our passion together on an even bigger platform.
check out even more on le insta: https://www.instagram.com/franzdubber/
I did a lot of research on beetles and their powerhouses, decided I had to build something to keep up with the muscle car guys at the shop; people have done everything to these cars! Coming from Subarus I knew I wanted this to be boosted. Buddy had an old Garrett turbo I got for next to nothing and that finalized what the bug would become. I stumbled upon a book: "turbomania" by Bob Tomilson, about turbocharging the type 1 Volkswagens. I spent a couple months collecting old hot rodding parts and assembling the motor and doing some serious fabrication on the tube chassis. The new motor had larger oil passages, machined case and heads for bigger cylinders, big valves and dual springs in the heads, chromoly push rods, forged crank and internals, bigger oil pump and deep sump to supply turbo vital oil and keep temps down. Not wanting to build again, I went over kill and ended up with borderline race engine. The motor is a 1776cc that Revs out to 6000rpm. MSD ignition and Garrett t3 turbo. Currently on 14psi but with alcohol injection plan to push for 18-20psi.
After the project snowballed it stretched all the way into summer and I didn’t get in on the road until middle of August, I put 1500 miles on it before storing it for the winter that fall. Now the buggy has close to 5000 miles and is still going strong! After almost quadrupling the original HP I was encouraged to upgrade breaking upgrade braking and handling. Type 3 Karmann Ghia disc brakes up front and a rebuild of all front suspension components happened in the spring along with some other drivability concerns. Plans for over winter are new transmission and to go through all the rear suspension and braking equipment. Would like to take it to auto-x events/ and bring it to the strip again. 1500lbs with driver and tools/full gas tank.
Since last spring I have reworked the turbo hotside and stepped down to a gt28 turbo for even faster spool and a better flowing header. I also converted the original 1968 generator to an alternator to better manage ignition system and creature comforts.
The automotive community I found online while obsessing with my project changed my life, people on youtube sharing the same passion for building and putting in outrageous amounts of effort just to share it with us! Bad Obsession is the OG, i think they were around episode 12 when i started watching and the Binky project was so over the top and everything i wanted to do in the future. It is my dream to achieve any level close to them, they have changed how I look at designing anything and are continuously inspiring, just overall quality human beans. At the same time I was watching boostedboiz as just a wee little lad, taking outrageously fast/sketchy/cheap builds out on the street and walking all over everybody. Their positive energy and seeing the success of what they could do, as kids in their garage also inspired me and they are some of my favorite automotive youtubers to date. I am also very excited to see all the new judges this year especially PFI speed! I haven’t watched TV in years, only youtube- genuine quality content and real people, not some hollywood BS. Thank you guys again for this opportunity for all of us to still participate in automotive events and allowing us to continue sharing our passion together on an even bigger platform.
check out even more on le insta: https://www.instagram.com/franzdubber/