Super Beetle (?) based TD

[Royal]

     I have seen a number of TD replicas advertised as being based upon a Super Beetle chassis.  It was my understanding that all of our VW TD’s were based upon the standard chassis.  So, either I am wrong or the ads are. 

     Does anyone have a TD with the MacPherson strut front end like found on Supers? 

     I believe that the strut front end is the only “tell” between a standard and a super that would still exist after the body were removed during a VWs metamorphosis into a TDr.  

 

??? . 

[newkitman]

In my TD Assembly manual, found in the download section on the left, there is an Appendix that deals with the Super Beetle front end. I’m not sure if anyone in the registry has one. There probably is though.

Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The Shack

[edward ericson]

The struts won’t fit with TD fenders and the TD hood. If you have a Super you have to remove the strut front suspension and install a beam suspension. (Apparently this involves a fair amount of cutting, welding, swearing, etc.). You’d then have a TD on a “Super” chassis but the chassis would not be any different from the standard chassis.

Here’s a pretty good accounting of the differences between the standard and “super.” Note that after the strut suspension was installed all the changes had to do sheet metal–the stuff that we tear off in order to make a TD.

edsnova2012-04-27 07:37:37

[Royal]

Isn’t is so that the Super with the struts removed is identical to a standard beetle?  In other words the chassis is not “super” any more? 

[edward ericson]

Yes, I think that’s right. If you look at the link above under “pretty good accounting” you see a list of common myths about the Super: that it has a bigger engine, more power, better brakes, etc.

The later ones had front disks but those get cut off on a beam install. I think people are just generally ignorant & can’t be bothered to research what they already think they know.

I’m no different.

[Royal]

Ok, that is what I thought.  Thanks Ed. 

 

[Paul Mossberg]

Nicely done Ed!

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[Scott A Chynoweth]

Mine started life as a super,converteted to standard,without the help of the conversion kit,wich in itself doesn’t seem to exsist.Home fabbed.And alot stronger

[Author]

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