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73 Sports Bug road test from back in the day

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  • 73 Sports Bug road test from back in the day

    Taken from Road & Track magazine.  Acceleration not so great, but check out that .70G handling ... guess that the optional 5.5" and 175 tires (vs. 4.5" and 165 tires) made a difference.  ;D





    You have to wonder who at VW specified H-rated tires for a car that could only go 130 mph over a cliff, or being pushed by another car. Maybe it was all that was available from Pirelli in that size.

    cheers
    Ed N.
    Ed Nicholson - Caledon Ontario - a bit NW of Toronto
    07 Mustang GT with some stuff
    88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe 5-speed

  • #2
    Re: 73 Sports Bug road test from back in the day

    That's pretty neat. Those H rated tires may have done it, but I'm wondering how much of an effect the newer MacPherson strut front suspension helped out compared to the older torsion bar setup?

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    • #3
      Re: 73 Sports Bug road test from back in the day

      Wow, 46 horsepower! I think dirt bikes make more power than that now, don't they? ;D
      Just groovin' to my own tune.

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      • #4
        Re: 73 Sports Bug road test from back in the day

        On a positive note, it actually DID zero to sixty

        My fabulous web page

        "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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        • #5
          Re: 73 Sports Bug road test from back in the day

          My kawasaki 600 is in excess of 100Hp. What surprised me was the braking distance from 80mph (238ft). How often would these things get up to 80mph?
          Escaped on a technicality.

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          • #6
            Re: 73 Sports Bug road test from back in the day

            At the dragstrip it's as quick as our van.

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            • #7
              Re: 73 Sports Bug road test from back in the day

              Originally posted by fast Ed
              Taken from Road & Track magazine. Acceleration not so great, but check out that .70G handling ... guess that the optional 5.5" and 175 tires (vs. 4.5" and 165 tires) made a difference. ;D




              You have to wonder who at VW specified H-rated tires for a car that could only go 130 mph over a cliff, or being pushed by another car. Maybe it was all that was available from Pirelli in that size.

              cheers
              Ed N.

              I sold tires for many years at the retail level and I often asked the same question, "Why would such a car be outfitted with "H" rated tires?" Well, after a week spent in Greenville, SC at the Michelin Sales Training Center, I learned the answer. Higher speed rated tires offer much more resistance to rolling off the rim during extreme cornering maneuvers. This keeps Beetles from behaving like turtles.



              Ron
              It's really no different than trying to glue them back on after she has her way.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: 73 Sports Bug road test from back in the day

                Definitely ... H-rated tires generally have stiffer sidewalls as part of the deal to achieve the speed rating.

                And how often would you be up to 80 mph? Not very. :P

                The 0-30ish for around town isn't bad, it's just when you need to get up to highway speed from a dead stop that you have to plan ahead. That's why I want to go with the EFI and Roots blower on mine.


                cheers
                Ed N.
                Ed Nicholson - Caledon Ontario - a bit NW of Toronto
                07 Mustang GT with some stuff
                88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe 5-speed

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: 73 Sports Bug road test from back in the day

                  Originally posted by fast Ed
                  And how often would you be up to 80 mph? Not very. :P



                  When I owned my Beetle, it was quite often! LOL!

                  1600 SP with Holley Bug Spray manifold, Carter BBD 2BBL, Bosch 049 distributor, TRW cam... that thing thumped! I never got a chance to run it through the 1/4 mile, but on the 1/8th, it would put down 8.40's @ 90mph.


                  I miss the good ol' days.



                  Ron
                  It's really no different than trying to glue them back on after she has her way.

                  Comment

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