Welcome Volkswagen Enthusiasts!

This site is dedicated to passing on (and gaining) knowledge about working on your own car. In my case, I work on Volkswagens, but am a fan of many other makes and models.  We’re going to have some fun working on some projects, but be careful kids, you might learn something along the way.

I will be working on a 1973 Super Beetle in this series. From the windshield forward it is a “Super Beetle”; Behind the windshield, it is just like a regular Beetle. The “Super” has a curved windshield, larger trunk area, different trim, and a strut based – redesigned front end. So this means, as far as the engine and rear focus areas of the car, you can use this for a Beetle of similar years.

Volkswagen designed the Super Beetle for the 1971 production year to keep Beetle sales going, while at the same time, trying to design a vehicle to replace it. They produced the “Super” in Germany for the US market all the way up to 1978, selling off the remainder in 1978-79; then shifted production to Brazil and Mexico, where it continued to be produced until 2003.

The “’73 Super” is not a desirable Beetle, and now I know why. It was a “one-off” year for VW as they tried new things that did not stick around to the next production year. This means that parts are hard to find, and if so, they are either really cheap or really expensive. I would recommend the ’75 and up Super Beetles, but you’d have to smog it in California, to which, Beetle engines are not environmentally-friendly. Do your research before buying a vehicle…