Table of Contents Introduction & acknowledgements 7
Introduction 7
Acknowledgements 10
Workshop procedures, safety, and
tools 11
Workshop procedures and safety 11
Tools 12
Chapter 1 Chassis, suspension &
brake design 14
The chassis 14
Steering gear 17
Brakes 17
Suspension 18
Front suspension 18
Rear suspension 19
Later versions 21
Chapter 2 Front suspension &
brakes 23
King and linkpin front suspension 23
Disc brake conversions for king and
linkpin suspension 24
King and linkpin suspension and
brake maintenance 26
Lowering or raising king and linkpin
front suspension 28
The steering gearbox 31
Torsion-bars 31
Track-rods 33
Custom and Speed Parts disc brake
system 35
Porsche 356 brake parts 36
Renewing brake shoes, wheel
cylinders and bearings 38
Ball-joint front suspension 39
Ball-joint maintenance 40
Dismantling ball-joint suspension and
overhauling brakes 41
Front shock absorbers 42
Fitting disc brakes 43
Renovating calipers 46
Aftermarket calipers 47
Calipers from other vehicles 47
Porsche components 48
Using five-bolt drums 50
Raising or lowering ball-joint
front suspension 51
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Chapter 3 Rear suspension &
brakes 55
Swing-axle suspension 55
Improving handling with swing-axle
suspension 56
Adjustable spring-plates 60
Urethane bushes 61
Solid mounts 63
Rear brakes 64
Replacing brake shoes 67
Fitting rear disc brakes 68
Oil seals 69
Fitting calipers and discs 70
Axle gaiters 71
Transmission oil 72
Independent Rear Suspension 72
Replacing CV joints 74
Standard units 74
Uprated units 75
Fitting Porsche stub-axles to Beetle
A-arms 75
Fitting Porsche 944 rear disc brakes 76
Removing the Porsche rear suspension
and brakes 77
The handbrake 79
Porsche brakes 79
Anti-roll (anti-sway) bars 80
Tyre clearance 81
Obtaining parts 81
Chapter 4 The chassis 83
Removing the VW Beetle
bodyshell 84
1302/03 Beetles 85
Shortening the floorpan 86
Cutting the chassis 90
Welding the chassis 92
Modifying the shortened chassis 92
Cables 93
Swing-axle to IRS conversion 94
Frame-Head Swap 96
Beetle cables and pedal
assemblies 97
Accelerator cables 97
Handbrake cables 97
Heater cables 97
Clutch cable and pedal assembly 98
Hydraulic clutches 99
Gearshifters and locking shifters 100
The 'Quickshift' kit 100
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Gearshift locks 101
Conclusion 102
Appendix 1 Suppliers 104
UK & EU Suppliers 104
US Suppliers 105
Appendix 2 Chassis numbers &
transmission codes 107
VW Beetle Chassis Numbers
1940 - 1968 108
VW Beetle Chassis Numbers
1969 - 1986 109
Transmission codes 110
Glossary of terms 111
Index 126 |