# Official VWvortex Super Beetle Project Build Thread



## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

How does 500hp and AWD grab you? 


*VWVORTEX SUPER BEETLE* 

*01 - PROJECT INTRODUCTION* 

*02 - DISMANTLING BEGINS* 

*03 - REAR END REMOVAL* 

*04 - CUTTING AND SPLICING* 

*05 - SURGERY COMPLETE* 

*06 - SUSPENSION AND BRAKES* 

*07 - ENGINE WORK BEGINS* 

*08 - PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER* 

*09 - THE FINAL COUNTDOWN TO THE SEMA SHOW* 

*10 - SEMA BOUND*


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## silverspeedbuggy (Aug 8, 2001)

Eep!


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

Whaaaaaaa

Sent from Tapatalk


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## eunos94 (Mar 17, 2002)

Ya know what would be super? If my Beetle would stop unlocking and locking itself and if the dealer would replace my 5x soaked interior with one that doesn't smell like gym socks... I'm not even going to complain that they haven't fixed the upsy downsy yet. :banghead: 

Ok Ok back on topic. Can't wait for details of this project.


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

eunos94 said:


> Ya know what would be super? If my Beetle would stop unlocking and locking itself and if the dealer would replace my 5x soaked interior with one that doesn't smell like gym socks... I'm not even going to complain that they haven't fixed the upsy downsy yet. :banghead:


 Really? in a build thread

Sent from Tapatalk


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## eunos94 (Mar 17, 2002)

drtechy said:


> Really? in a build thread
> 
> Sent from Tapatalk


 meh grumble grumble just really annoyed with my car today as it won't stay locked... sigh


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## GTarr (May 17, 2012)

I'm loving the profile of that whale-tail spoiler.... very interested to see! :thumbup: 

GTarr


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

Beetle donor car arrived today. Six-speed manual, no sunroof, turbo in Platinum Grey. Car is down at APR along with the Golf R donor (former autoshow crusher car that VW had written off already) that will supply the AWD system and various support pieces. 

I'm just posting up a few teaser bits here in the Beetle forum till this more formally kicks off early next week. We'll be posting regular updates in this thread for everyone. 

500HP and AWD should make this a fun Beetle. :laugh:


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## silverspeedbuggy (Aug 8, 2001)

:jawdrop:


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## TragicallyHip (Jan 25, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> 500HP and AWD should make this a fun Beetle. :laugh:


 And you get paid for this too, don't you


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## jwcardy (Feb 22, 2012)

got my attention...


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## ViRtUaLheretic (Aug 17, 2008)

sub'd! 

I was hoping to see HPA make another monster, but this def works!


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Might rekindle VW's thoughts about actually making an AWD Turbo Beetle.


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## GTarr (May 17, 2012)

Forget the Beetle R, I want this one.  

GTarr


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

OOO Pretty cool, and you don't sound like some kid just talking big game. Sounds like you got what it takes to back these numbers up.opcorn:


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## Skimmy290 (Aug 19, 2012)

knew i shouldn't have clicked on this thread.... 
i'm not getting anything done now 
just going to wait for updates...


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## eunos94 (Mar 17, 2002)

Well well well now this I can get excited about.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

This could be the most anticipated event since sliced bread was first introduced to the 
masses. For those unfamiliar with the origin of sliced bread, note that in 1732 a duel 
developed in a country inn over the affections of a pretty wench who answered to the 
name Ba-bie. During the duel of swords, one of the combatants accidently slammed his 
sword onto the top of a nearby table where a loaf of bread was resting and for the first 
time known to man, a slice of bread was born. The man sitting at the table called out 
to the man by name, saying 'LeSlice, do it again !' Pierre LeSlice did do it again and now 
with two slices before him, the seated man called out to the bar keeper for some salted 
meat. He then placed the meat between the two slices of bread. The name of this man, 
it turns out, was The Earl of Sandwich and he was the inventor of the prepared food that 
bear's his name.


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## Skimmy290 (Aug 19, 2012)

ridgemanron said:


> This could be the most anticipated event since sliced bread was first introduced to the
> masses. For those unfamiliar with the origin of sliced bread, note that in 1732 a duel
> developed in a country inn over the affections of a pretty wench who answered to the
> name Ba-bie. During the duel of swords, one of the combatants accidently slammed his
> ...


 
Haha gotta love this site 
Always something new


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## VWBugman00 (Mar 17, 2009)

ridgemanron said:


> This could be the most anticipated event since sliced bread was first introduced to the
> masses. For those unfamiliar with the origin of sliced bread, note that in 1732 a duel
> developed in a country inn over the affections of a pretty wench who answered to the
> name Ba-bie. During the duel of swords, one of the combatants accidently slammed his
> ...


 Well that was random. I can't wait to see how this one turns out...


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## KahviVW (Feb 26, 2009)

[email protected] said:


>


 Bring it!


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## --DaRk-AnGeL-- (Oct 3, 2012)

Any more news on this yet?


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

--DaRk-AnGeL-- said:


> Any more news on this yet?


I've hear rumors that NASA wants to use it as a booster for one of their upcoming
rockets and the only problem is that all their astronauts are afraid to pilot it due to
the scary power levels planned for it.


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## --DaRk-AnGeL-- (Oct 3, 2012)

ridgemanron said:


> I've hear rumors that NASA wants to use it as a booster for one of their upcoming
> rockets and the only problem is that all their astronauts are afraid to pilot it due to
> the scary power levels planned for it.


:laugh:.... 

I'm happy to take that position! 

Strap me in and fire me up!


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

Our main project home page is now live *HERE*


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## ik04 (Jul 23, 2009)

*Color recommendation!*

Since you are looking for a unique, outrageous color for this project car, I suggest a chrome wrap with a pink/rose/salmon kind of color.
Kind of like the Mercedes Benz Electric SLS, but pinkish...

That would be an impressive sight!


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## l3it3r (Jan 25, 2004)

Wow! This will be epic. Cool concept for sure! :beer:


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## wraithkl626 (Dec 29, 2011)

Wow just WOW!!!!!!!!

I wish VW would have made some like this from the factory. This is an extremely awesome project that I will be watching closely. After you get the kinks worked out for all to see, I just might build my own in the future. Thank you for the new dream.


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

So this is on the main page now with more information then the build thread WTF mate. So you guys are looking to bust this out before the end of the month. Please give us a time line of the build or something. It would be cool to see what all goes into this car. If you guys are willing to share. I mean come on the most of us can only dream of doing a project like this.


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## Cort (Aug 18, 2004)

Well this should be interesting.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

*02 - Dismantling Begins*

So it begins...

To get this project started, there are a few things that need to happen in a certain order. First we need to get suspension parts and brakes on the vehicle so we can take final measurements for the wheels. The initial wheel design is locked down, but we need to get final dimensions both front and rear to make sure the offsets, back spacing, width and brake clearance is where we need it. So far we are discovering that there is a LOT of room in the wheel wells of the Beetle. In the rear we are potentially looking at 10" wide wheels if we wanted to - easily. That guess is with the stock suspension bits still in place and there is a strong likelihood that the Golf R pieces we we transfer over may be a bit beefier as we very quickly discovered with the front subframe.

So knowing that we wanted to lower the vehicle, we also wanted to ensure that we didn't adversely affect the handling (bump and torque steer). To help combat this we want to use TT-RS drop spindles. As Doug McClintock from APR points out, "The TT-RS drop spindles make a great change in bringing the control arms up and level with the tie rods. This decreases the bump and torque steer found when lowering the car by changing the camber circle. If you remember people changing to MK1 TT spindles on their MK4 cars, it's the same reasoning. We've had to do a couple of machining operations to make them work, but the were extremely effective on our MaxR project and that's why we elected to use them here."

So let's take a quick look under the rear end of both the Beetle and the Golf R below.










As you can see in the photo above, both the Golf R and the Beetle have a central tunnel that can support both the prop shaft for AWD and the exhaust routing to the rear. The multilink rear suspension common to both vehicles supports the Haldex AWD coupling. While there are some other minor differences, the main part that we have to deal with is the gas tank. Since the Beetle doesn't have to worry about the AWD system, the gas tank uses some of that empty space. The Golf R on the other hand has a saddle gas tank the straddles the prop shaft and exhaust. This tank requires a different sheetmetal floor pan. So we're going to have to do some major surgery to get the AWD system and gas tank into the Beetle. While we could go with a racing fuel cell in the hatch, we wanted to try and keep this installation as stock looking as possible, so we're going to be cutting some metal.

To install the suspension, we'd like to install those drop spindles we talked about previously and to install those spindles we'll need to swap over the Golf R front subframe. So out comes the stamped steel Beetle subframe:










Next the Golf R's front subframe is removed. In the photo below you can see the stock Beetle subframe above the Golf R front subframe. Note that the Golf R has a far more robust and completely aluminum subframe carrier unlike the Beetle's more simple (and heavier) stamped steel unit. Also notice how much more substantial the Golf R lower control arms are to cope with the additional horsepower:










In the photo below you can see the stock Beetle front subframe on the top made of simple stamped steel and beneath it the much beefier (and lighter) aluminum subframe from the Audi TTRS (middle) and Golf R (bottom). 










Why the Audi TTRS subframe? Well we discovered the Golf R front subframe doesn't bolt directly to the Beetle. Missed it by *that* much:










However APR had a TTRS aluminum front subframe laying around and decided to give it a try and it fit perfectly. This begs the question of whether VW started their CAD chassis/floorpan design process using the Audi TT as a base to start with. This would logically make sense since both cars have convertible versions and would be more similar in design than the regular Golf. Who knows for sure, but we have a subframe that matches and that's all that matters. So here is the TTRS subframe (bottom) and Beetle steel subframe (top) along with APR's beautiful lower aluminum control arms.










Lastly we test fitted the Beetle's steering rack and the H&R front sway bars on the TTRS aluminum front subframe and everything seemed to bolt right up. So far so good.

Our next installment moves to the rear end and we start unbolting everything back there to see what we're dealing with. Stay tuned...

For the full story layout and a gallery of high-res photos check out our Super Beetle article *HERE*.


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## HalvieCuw (Mar 20, 2003)

ttrs subframe lighter than the r/gti? If so does it fit on either of those?


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## Beets (Sep 22, 2012)

HalvieCuw said:


> ttrs subframe lighter than the r/gti? If so does it fit on either of those?


I wouldn't think the TTRS would swap into the gti since they used thenTTRS on the Beetle because the Golf R didn't fit the Beetle...


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## SchnellFowVay (May 20, 2001)

Beets said:


> I wouldn't think the TTRS would swap into the gti since they used thenTTRS on the Beetle because the Golf R didn't fit the Beetle...


This.

These are the best kind of build threads, because very few, if any, individuals would ever attempt to hack apart two nearly brand new cars to end up with a single one-off creation.

I am looking forward to this!

Also, when you say 500hp, are you guys thinking of swapping in the 2.5T out of the TT-RS?


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## Twizted_bunny (Jan 4, 2009)

Definitely excited to see where this goes! :thumbup:


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

SchnellFowVay said:


> Also, when you say 500hp, are you guys thinking of swapping in the 2.5T out of the TT-RS?


That's what we originally wanted to do. APR's upgrades to the 2.5 inline-5 turbo put it at 650hp. However finding the driveline parts when only the TTRS and RS3 use that engine makes it very tough and (especially if sourced in Europe) expensive. VW also wanted us to try and see what we could do with the EA888 2.0T FSI so we're going that route - for now.

This will be a Stage 4 upgrade similar to the Max R upgrades.

- j


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## Robski92 (Sep 26, 2011)

I'm liking this a lot.


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## RonJon749 (Apr 23, 2008)

I will volunteer my car, a 2009 GTI, for this. I will drive it all around keeping it clean, go to shows and promote! wuddya say??


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## SchnellFowVay (May 20, 2001)

[email protected] said:


> That's what we originally wanted to do. APR's upgrades to the 2.5 inline-5 turbo put it at 650hp. However finding the driveline parts when only the TTRS and RS3 use that engine makes it very tough and (especially if sourced in Europe) expensive. VW also wanted us to try and see what we could do with the EA888 2.0T FSI so we're going that route - for now.
> 
> This will be a Stage 4 upgrade similar to the Max R upgrades.
> 
> - j


:thumbup:


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## LindsayLowhan (May 29, 2010)

This is a great amazing stupendous build because this is exactly what I want out of a Beetle. a new Super Beetle. I have my popcorn. :thumbup::beer:


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## Aonarch (Dec 4, 2006)

I can't wait!


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## Issam Abed (Feb 12, 2004)

SchnellFowVay said:


> These are the best kind of build threads, because very few, if any, individuals would ever attempt to hack apart two nearly brand new cars to end up with a single one-off creation


 :thumbup:
Jamie this is amazing and I love the technical aspect of it!


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## Zorg2 (Dec 10, 2009)

Look amazing look forward to seeing it come together.


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

SchnellFowVay said:


> This.
> 
> These are the best kind of build threads, because very few, if any, individuals would ever attempt to hack apart two nearly brand new cars to end up with a single one-off creation.


Yea and which one of us would have had a TT-RS sub frame just laying around lol. I am just stoke because this is being documented for the open public to see. Most great cars that I have seen don't have a build threads or they have a build thread. Which is very vague on what the guy has done to over come headaches of building the car. Keep it up can't wait to see this at shows. opcorn:


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

Wow, well done! Some serious changes to be made...


This sure steps up the Vortex project car stories quite a bit from that recent Campanella White Toureg story where the focus was on a new set of floor mats. :laugh:


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## silverspeedbuggy (Aug 8, 2001)

I call dibs when Vortex decides to sell it (and I win the lottery).


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## FLATBLACKMK2 (Oct 10, 2003)

GREAT CREW TO GET THIS ALL GOING....
APR,1552,H&R,ETC 
can't wait to see the color scheme and wheels plus the monstah motah....
Jay Fay:beer::thumbup::heart:


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## Veedubgti (Mar 5, 2001)

This one's worth a subscription.


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## HalvieCuw (Mar 20, 2003)

make sure they have a video of when they dyno it


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## 20vtVdubb (Feb 27, 2008)

awesome!!!!


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

*03 - REAR END DISASSEMBLY*


So in our first installment, we removed the front subframe assembly and we are working out a way to get the stronger aluminum front subframe assembly onto the Beetle. In this installment we'll be working on the rear end of the car. Since the Beetle is a brand new model, we need to start getting stuff out of the way to see what we are dealing with. This means removing the multi-link fully-independent rear suspension, gas tanks and, in the case of the Golf R, the Haldex AWD coupling and associated drive shafts. Once those pieces are removed, we will be able to see most of the rear floorpan and exactly how much surgery needs to occur to make the AWD driveline swap into the Beetle.










After disconnecting the drive shaft from the Haldex coupling, the multilink rear assembly from the Golf R is dropped:










After pulling the rear suspension we are left with this:










After the Golf R rear suspension and Haldex coupling was removed the Beetle's multilink rear suspension came out next. Here is a photo of both rear multi-link assemblies out of the car:










Next out come the gas tanks. As seen in the photo below, the Golf R tank is on the left and the Beetle tank is on the right. The Golf R tank (left) has a saddle design to allow room for the drive shaft and exhaust. This means the floorpan design is different in the Golf R and we're going to need to do some surgery.










And finally here is the undercarriage with the rear suspension, Haldex coupling and gas tanks removed:










Next installment will be prepping for body modifications necessary to accommodate the Golf R's Haldex coupling and different multilink setup. We've also got some wheel information and will have engine buildout as well. Lots to do...

The full article with additional photos can be found *HERE*.

http://www.vwvortex.com/features/project-cars/superbeetle/super-beetle


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## LindsayLowhan (May 29, 2010)

I'm looking forward to wheel and tire choices.:thumbup::thumbup:


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Nice project.......but will never equal the level of excitement that was attained with 
the '1st' slice of bread brought to the public. Now, if you want to say the sandwich, 
which followed the slice, brought forth more excitement, we could get into a good
pro and con discussion regarding the total merits of both to decide the winner.


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## RoxanneIsMyFAST (Feb 18, 2012)

Usually I stay in the MKV section but I will pep over here a couple times a week. Looks like good stuff and HARD WORK! :beer:


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

My question to APR is how close is the exhaust on the Beetle to the GTI. The path looked pretty close.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

LEBlackRob said:


> My question to APR is how close is the exhaust on the Beetle to the GTI. The path looked pretty close.


Since Borlia did come up with a custom-fit exhaust for the TB, perhaps they could answer
your question? The actual pilot program was in California and not the Tennessese facility
that I believe now handles all TB exhaust orders and shipments.


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## RennbahnPolizei (Jun 8, 2011)

LEBlackRob said:


> My question to APR is how close is the exhaust on the Beetle to the GTI. The path looked pretty close.


They used a GTI exhaust on the previos VWvortex Beetle.



> Everything under the car looks like a virtual carbon copy of the Golf 6 GTI which is good news for the aftermarket. After installing the suspension and adjusting the ride height, we got ambitious and tried to fit the Borla exhaust we had lying around from our GTI project car and discovered that all the hangers were in the exact same locations. However the chrome exhaust tips came up about 2.5 inches short of the rear valance (Beetle has slightly longer rear overhang) and the middle pipe section needed exactly an inch taken out to make it fit. Aftermarket exhaust system manufacturers shouldn't have to modify their existing Golf 6 setups too much to make them work for the new Beetle. We also pulled a Forge carbon fiber dual intake system out of the box (also left over from our GTI project) and it bolted right up in the Beetle without any other mods. Bonus.


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## UnitedGTI. (Oct 1, 2007)

so much win!:heart:


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

*04 - Cutting and Dismantling*

More progress has been made today and we have lots to go over like usual. The majority of the day was spent cutting and splicing pieces out of the Golf R and moving them over to the Beetle. The main piece of the puzzle that is an issue is the spare tire well on the Beetle. The Beetle spare tire well is designed to hold a full-size spare and it simply won't work with the Golf R's AWD and multi-link suspension carrier. The Golf R has a space-saver spare and the tire well is much smaller. So we need to move the spare tire well from the Golf R to the Beetle. It turns out that the space saver sheetmetal section isn't particularly expensive and rather than hack up the spare tire well from the Golf R we ordered a brand new replacement sheetmetal stamping to trim into place. More on that in a moment...

We also removed the engine and trans from the Golf R and cracked open the transmission so we could install an SQS locking differential. Turns out we ran into a snag, but we'll get to that later.

First the factory welds on the Golf R need to be drilled out. There is a cross member that connects to two rear spring perches that needs to be removed from the Golf R and transferred to the Beetle. In the photo below the spot welds are being drilled out one at a time:










While that long process is moving forward, we've got to remove the seam sealer from the Beetle to get to individual seams of the sheetmetal to make sure we're getting a nice clean cut. Seam sealer is nasty stuff and again this is a long process...










In the photo below the cross member is freed from the Golf R and will be transplanted over to the Beetle.










There are a number of things going on at one time here. The photo below shows the Beetle up on the lift and you can see that we've temporarily installed the H&R adjustable coilover suspension and the Volkswagen Racing six-piston brake setup so that we could take measurements for our custom wheel setup. We'll have more on the suspension, brakes and wheels later.










So while surgery continues on the Golf R the cutting and removal of the rear spare tire well from the Beetle starts. In the photo below you the area to be cut has been cleaned of seam sealer and marked and the cutting has begun. There is a slightly different access hole (two to be exact) for the Golf R saddle tank that is different than the Beetle's location, so that needs to be cut out as well:










The Beetle tire well is removed:










Then the remainder of the Beetle transverse cross member linking the two spring perches is removed to make way for the Golf R piece:










And here is the Beetle with the necessary sheetmetal cleanly removed:










The transverse cross member removed from the Golf R is test fit on the Beetle:










In the photo below are the Beetle spare tire well on the left and the brand new Golf R space-saver spare sheet metal:










After the black Golf R spare well is trimmed to fit, it is dropped in place to make sure everything fits properly. Tomorrow it will be welded, seamed and painted. So far so good:










In other news the engine and trans were dropped out of the Golf R to get the transmission out so we can install a limited slip front differential for maximum performance. The SQS differential is a torque biasing limited slip front differential and was (up until last week) the only limited slip available for the AWD VW/Audi applications outside of pure racing differentials.

So out comes the engine and transmission:










Here the transmission is being disassembled:










Once the stock differential is pulled out of the transmission, the ring gear needs to be drilled out and installed on our new limited slip unit. 










However... the aftermarket SQS limited slip we received is the wrong unit. So another unit is going to have to be shipped ASAP from Europe so we can get this buttoned up ASAP. Here is a photo of the SQS limited slip diff that we received:










And in the last piece of news. If you remember back to our second installment we needed to use the Audi TTRS aluminum front subframe because the Golf R subframe wouldn't fit. That also means the aluminum Golf R lower control arms won't bolt directly to the Audi TTRS subframe, so we had to order TTRS aluminum lower control arms and those arrived today:









So tomorrow we weld, seam and paint the rear floorpan of the Beetle to get that buttoned back up.

*http://www.vwvortex.com/features/project-cars/superbeetle/super-beetle*


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## Babie (Jul 22, 2012)

OMG, I would not even know where to begin...all that for what..

It makes me dizzy to see all those parts out of a new beetle...

Why not just buy a type R. The average Joe Smoe does not have the funds for all that work.

just curious, new to this. I like my B just as it is...

Hey, who is doing the photo work, they are using HDR technology for these photos.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

If I continue next Spring with the upgrade to APR Stage III, including the addition of a
DXD 'Stage 3' Daily Clutch & Flywheel, I will have (minus only the AWD) my own version
of a Super Beetle. I've calculated that with all the upgrades already added, and then
including the aforementioned Stage III components, the toal cost of my car will have
reached $38,000 ($23,000 for the car and approximately $15,000 for upgrades). If you
add in the original sales tax on the car, I will have gone for $40,000.
P.S. - I would be curious to know what the estimated cost of the actual Super Beetle
project car would come up to if someone wanted it done?


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

ridgemanron said:


> If I continue next Spring with the upgrade to APR Stage III, including the addition of a
> DXD 'Stage 3' Daily Clutch & Flywheel, I will have (minus only the AWD) my own version
> of a Super Beetle. I've calculated that with all the upgrades already added, and then
> including the aforementioned Stage III components, the toal cost of my car will have
> ...


Well it is slightly more complicated. The motor is getting the equivalent of a Stage IV upgrade using nearly everything from the Max R build. That means it will be a torn down and rebuilt motor (forged pistons, new connecting rods, etc., etc.) on top of all the standard bolt on upgrades. 

Total cost for off the shelf parts wouldn't be hard to calculate. Labor can also be calculated out depending on who you have do the work. The last piece is where you get the AWD components from and how much that costs you.

-jamie


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## UnitedGTI. (Oct 1, 2007)

Just out of curosity what is happening to the r after it is stripped of all needed parts?


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> Well it is slightly more complicated. The motor is getting the equivalent of a Stage IV upgrade using nearly everything from the Max R build. That means it will be a torn down and rebuilt motor (forged pistons, new connecting rods, etc., etc.) on top of all the standard bolt on upgrades.
> 
> Total cost for off the shelf parts wouldn't be hard to calculate. Labor can also be calculated out depending on who you have do the work. The last piece is where you get the AWD components from and how much that costs you.
> 
> -jamie


I guess the only car build in the same league as yours would be the HPA Scirocco cars that I
believe were priced at $85,000 to $150,000. Their's were 'track only' cars but they too did add
AWD.


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

First I was like.opcorn:
Now it's like.


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## HalvieCuw (Mar 20, 2003)

[email protected] said:


> Well it is slightly more complicated. The motor is getting the equivalent of a Stage IV upgrade using nearly everything from the Max R build. That means it will be a torn down and rebuilt motor (forged pistons, new connecting rods, etc., etc.) on top of all the standard bolt on upgrades.
> 
> Total cost for off the shelf parts wouldn't be hard to calculate. Labor can also be calculated out depending on who you have do the work. The last piece is where you get the AWD components from and how much that costs you.
> 
> -jamie


When do the posts about engine mods start?


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

Early next week. I should have another update later today (Friday). I'm in Europe right now to drive the Golf 7 and my time zone and body are a little offset at the moment. 

-jamie


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## eunos94 (Mar 17, 2002)

[email protected] said:


> my time zone and body are a little offset at the moment.
> 
> -jamie


Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek she's turning into a boy!!!


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> Early next week. I should have another update later today (Friday). I'm in Europe right now to drive the Golf 7 and my time zone and body are a little offset at the moment.
> 
> -jamie


Nice you will have to let us know if 7 is a good thing for the golf.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

LEBlackRob said:


> Nice you will have to let us know if 7 is a good thing for the golf.


Just finished driving it. No doubt it is an awesome thing for Golf.


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## ajz9415 (Feb 7, 2005)

Wow this is really cool !!!


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## TragicallyHip (Jan 25, 2011)

You guys should be careful. You might void the warranty


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

TragicallyHip said:


> You guys should be careful. You might void the warranty


I make sure to put masking tape over my Stage II APR Badge on the trunk so no one
knows nuthin' when I have to go to the dealer !


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## Aonarch (Dec 4, 2006)

*FV-QR*

I saw it in person yesterday at APR. Looks awesome!


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## Aonarch (Dec 4, 2006)

ridgemanron said:


> I make sure to put masking tape over my Stage II APR Badge on the trunk so no one
> knows nuthin' when I have to go to the dealer !


Lol I use painters tape. Just give a wink, wink.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Those seats are the awesome Recaro Sportster CS ones that I have thought about 
installing. When last I spoke with Recaro they didn't assure me that I could utilize the
same '3 speed' heated seat level connections already in the Beetle. I do like the micro-
suede version in the photo, better than the all leather or all vinyl versions.


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## Aonarch (Dec 4, 2006)

ridgemanron said:


> Those seats are the awesome Recaro Sportster CS ones that I have thought about
> installing. When last I spoke with Recaro they didn't assure me that I could utilize the
> same '3 speed' heated seat level connections already in the Beetle. I do like the micro-
> suede version in the photo, better than the all leather or all vinyl versions.


They fit me perfectly at 6'2"!


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Aonarch said:


> They fit me perfectly at 6'2"!


I'm told that they are of a super-comfortable ergonomic design that keep you comfortable
even over long, sustained periods of driving. Still would like to know if the Super Beetle was 
able to use the 'already existing' 3-speed heat conncetions ?


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

*05 - Surgery Complete*

So in our last installment we cut the rear spare tire well out of the Beetle to fit the much shallower Golf R spare tire well. This is necessary to get the Golf R rear multilink suspension and Haldex AWD coupling to fit properly. So after test fitting the new Golf R rear tire well sheetmetal, the next step was to prep everything for welding. Here APR's techs get to work grinding and smoothing out surfaces to remove any paint, contaminants and other junk to ensure a solid weld that adheres properly:










Next up the welding begins:










Here is the rear hatch area after the initial welds are in place:










APR's techs add seam sealer, under coating to match the factory coating and a round of paint to bring it back to a nearly stock look:










The same was done to the undercarriage as well. You can also see where the transverse cross member from the Golf R was welded the entire length:










With that part of the project complete and drying, the next step is to remove the engine from the Beetle:










In the photo below is the Beetle engine bay minus one 2.0T. On the left side of the photo underneath the windshield fluid reservoir is the large stock engine mount.










Here is a closeup of the stock engine mount:










In the photo below is the stock Beetle motor mount on the left and the new Volkswagen Racing motor mount on the right. The Volkswagen Racing piece uses a stiffer bushing material and has less flex compared to the stock factory mount. By upgrading these bushings to a stiffer material, it will create a more direct transfer of power. The downside to adding a stiffer bushing material is that more vibration will be transmitted to the cabin from the engine. Volkswagen Racing specifically worked on a material that isn't has hardcore stiff as their actual racing bushings, but strikes a balance between a street performance and track material. APR has more information on the bushings *HERE* on their website.










Here is the new Volkswagen Racing engine mount now in place in the Beetle engine bay:










Next up are engine mods. The engine will be torn down and rebuilt with beefed up internals and a complete APR Stage IV setup. We'll also get to specifics on suspension and brakes this week, plus some sneak peeks at wheels and more. 

Stay tuned...

*http://www.vwvortex.com/features/project-cars/superbeetle/super-beetle/*


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

I opted for swapping my upper motor mount for the stiffer one that is in the Golf R.
Visually they look the same but the Golf R's comes out of the Audi Division which is
evident when you see the '0000' stamped into the unit instead of 'VW'. At full Stage II
I haven't experienced any vibration.


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## shankys_14 (May 26, 2011)

Are you guys swaping the R engine or keeping the 2.0T TSI?


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

shankys_14 said:


> Are you guys swaping the R engine or keeping the 2.0T TSI?


We are keeping the EA888 engine that came with the Beetle. It will be fully torn down and rebuilt.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

The Recaro Sportster CS seats, when fitted with a heat element, have the heat controlled
by a switch on the side of the seat. Since the Turbo Beetle is fitted with individual controls
on the dash, is it possible to keep those controls if Recaro Sportster seats are installed? For
the record, the Golf R has a different style Recaro seat and the heat is actively engaged by
two dials (one for each seat) in a similar area of the dash where our Beetle controls are. I'm
therefore hoping to keep my controls if I spring for Recaro's. Am curious to know if the Super
Beetle build is using the heater dash controls on the car?


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> We are keeping the EA888 engine that came with the Beetle. It will be fully torn down and rebuilt.


Cool would much rather see you guys do that motor up.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

ridgemanron said:


> The Recaro Sportster CS seats, when fitted with a heat element, have the heat controlled
> by a switch on the side of the seat. Since the Turbo Beetle is fitted with individual controls
> on the dash, is it possible to keep those controls if Recaro Sportster seats are installed? For
> the record, the Golf R has a different style Recaro seat and the heat is actively engaged by
> ...


Our car didn't have the heated seats to start with.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

*06 - SUSPENSION AND BRAKES*

Things are continuing to move forward as our SEMA deadline looms - less than two weeks. The H&R adjustable coilover suspension is on the car now in addition to the Volkswagen Racing 6-piston brakes. We've also started engine work, but more on that tomorrow...

*H&R ULTRA PERFORMANCE COIL OVERS*

We've had a long relationship with H&R Springs. The Germany-based company has been producing suspension components for more than 30 years. They make everything from simple lowering springs to full race setups to large-scale OEM applications for companies like Volkswagen. All products are made in Germany and exceed ISO 9001 quality assurance standards. H&R Springs North American facility is located in Bellingham, Washington and run by our friend Roland Graef. If you've never met Roland, you should as he is one of the nicest guys in this business and a diehard car guy. We gave Roland a call early on and told him about our little project and he made a few suggestions. "With Jamie detailing the parameters of the Super Beetle Project, I suggested an H&R Street Ultra Performance Coil Over. Having 500hp available on a street driven car requires a high performance suspension capable of handling that new found power. The new H&R Ultra Performance Coil Over fits in nicely between our Street Performance Coil Over and our RSS Performance Coil Over. The Ultra Performance feature H&R’s inverted MONO-TUBE shock design valved specifically for the H&R Ultra Performance springs. This coil over has a higher performance spring rate for more control and tighter handling which is a performance stage up from Street Performance but not as aggressive as the H&R RSS Coil Over. A project of this magnitude requires a proper suspension setup and we think this is the best compromise for the street and the track."










This particular H&R coil over application is specifically designed for the Golf R to work with the additional weight and the AWD multilink setup. The Ultra Performance Coil Over is a Golf R specific application and is new to the lineup. Like all of H&R's coil over products, it features adjustable threaded spring perches that allow you to raise and lower the suspension to taste (or for corner balancing) from 1.25" to 2.5". The Ultra Performance also has more aggressive spring and shock rates that split the difference between the Street Coil Over system and the full RSS race setup.

So we got everything straight away from H&R and we installed the suspension this week. In addition to the H&R suspension upgrades, we also continued replacing the stock soft-rubber bushings with upgraded bushings to firm everything up. We also added a few slick add-ons to reduce unsprung weight and bring our lower control arms more inline with the lower ride height.

In the photo below you can see that the multilink rear suspension and Haldex AWD coupling from the Golf R is now installed in the Beetle. Likewise we've installed the H&R Springs rear shocks and springs. The rear ride height is adjustable via the grey aluminum threaded perches on the top of the spring.










Another addition to the suspension mods are H&R Sport Sway Bars. The high tensile strength allows for a quicker turn-in and reduced body roll. H&R's sway bars are cold-formed from special HF alloy bar stock, have special forged seamless bar ends and come with exclusive Teflon composite bushings. Additionally H&R Sport Sway Bars are shot peened and heat-treated for increased durability.










The sway bars can be seen in this photo below as well as the Haldex AWD unit minus the drive shaft:










At the front we installed H&R's threaded adjustable coil over shocks and springs:










One of the great things about Volkswagen's family of components that are shared between various models is the ability to dig through the parts bin and see what we can upgrade. APR has spent quite a bit of time going through their race cars to find component sets that work better together for a given application, reduce weight and improve performance. If you remember back to our second installment, we borrowed the lighter and stronger aluminum front sub frame from the Audi TTRS. APR also used the TTRS drop spindle in the front suspension. This large knuckle is made of heavy cast metal on the Beetle whereas it is made of aluminum on the TTRS. The TTRS drop spindle also has a lower control arm connecting point that is lower than the stock Beetle piece. Since the TTRS was designed to have more of a ride height drop than a standard TT, Audi wanted to ensure that the lower control arms stay as close to flat as possible. This helps avoid problems like bump steer and makes the suspension work in the full range of motion it was designed to. The other benefit to the TTRS aluminum piece is that it is 4 lbs. lighter than the cast stock Beetle piece in additional to being far more substantial as you can see in the photo below. The aluminum TTRS drop spindle is on the left and the stock cast Beetle piece is on the right:










APR Australia worked with Harding Performance to create a polished aluminum lower control arm. In addition to being much lighter and stronger than the Beetle's stamped steel pieces, APR Australia says these are designed to gain 1.5 degreese of positive static caster, providing an "Anti Lift/Dive" advantage. Finally APR has installed an adjustable lower ball joint that gives us the ability to adjust camber. In the below shot you can see the new drop spindles and aluminum lower control arms:










Overall the entire chassis has gotten a ton of upgrades, from stronger lighter aluminum pieces to the upgraded bushings to the H&R suspension package. We can't wait to see how significant the improvements are. You can find more information on H&R's complete lineup at their website *www.hrsprings.com*.

*VOLKSWAGEN RACING SIX-PISTON 13.85" BRAKES*










With significant power comes the significant need to slow the car down. APR is the sole distributor for Volkswagen Racing's full line of performance upgrades and we felt this would be a great compliment to our project. Volkswagen's stock brakes are usually more than adequate for most uses. Even if you plan to run at the track, making an upgrade in the brake pads and changing the brake fluid to a high performance blend that can widthstand high temperatures makes a world of difference. Where a big brake kit like this one comes into play is when you need to repeatedly make stops from high speeds. The larger 13.85" slotted and ventilated rotors have more surface area and dissipate heat much faster than the stock rotors. The Volkswagen Racing six-piston calipers also have a much larger braking surface area with more even distribution of clamping force. The larger calipers are forged from aluminum and are lighter than the stock calipers. The design of the caliper also permits changing out the pads without removing the caliper which will be nice for those times we want to run a more aggressive race compound pad.

The Volkswagen Racing brake system is available in your choice of black, blue or red calipers, so we choose to go with the blue calipers.










In the rear we upgraded the stock Beetle rear brake calipers to the blue Golf R32 calipers that are larger and match the blue at the front end of the car.










For more information on the Volkswagen Racing brake system, check out APR's website *HERE*.

In our next installment we dive into the engine upgrades. Tons of photos and lots going on there so stay tuned...

http://www.vwvortex.com/features/project-cars/superbeetle/super-beetle


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## HalvieCuw (Mar 20, 2003)

when is the next installment? All engine mods at one time, or spreading them into multiple installments?


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## Aonarch (Dec 4, 2006)

*FV-QR*

Yaya!uqu!aay

yay!


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

HalvieCuw said:


> when is the next installment? All engine mods at one time, or spreading them into multiple installments?


Probably two days. There are a TON of photos. APR is actually a little bit ahead of where we are at with the installments.

-jamie


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> Probably two days. There are a TON of photos. APR is actually a little bit ahead of where we are at with the installments.
> 
> -jamie


That is good to hear. I want to see this car make dead line and make it out to SEMA.


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## HalvieCuw (Mar 20, 2003)

[email protected] said:


> Probably two days. There are a TON of photos. APR is actually a little bit ahead of where we are at with the installments.
> 
> -jamie


two days


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

HalvieCuw said:


> two days


Yeah I know. 

I have most of the article ready to go but need to clarify a few things to make sure it is correct. This Stage IV is mostly identical to the MAX R Stage IV but there are a few differences here and there with the EA888 versus the Golf R's EA113. Just want to make sure we've got everything correct. It will go up before noon tomorrow (Monday).

APR has a brand new engine dyno and super flow bench that are almost done, but not quite finished. We've decided to hold off on the head work specifically till after SEMA when the engine dyno and flow bench are complete. Previously APR used computer software to simulate different flow characteristics and that will continue. However they will also ensure that what is seen in the computer simulations happens in the real world on the flow bench. Since this EA888 project is unique, we told them it was fine to hold off on that work specifically. So we'll see what kind of power we make without the head work and with it. Should be interesting to see. 

Meanwhile the rest of the Stage IV is done and I believe back in the car. Hopefully I'll have first start-up video on Monday (tomorrow). The engine and trans are back together and installed in the car late on Friday. We always have a delay getting photos to us as the guys work late at night and Arin gets in the next morning to download photos and get stuff to us. Then we need to make sure what we are putting up is factually correct (best we can) and then build it out and make it live. 

Schedule for this week should be:

Monday - Engine Build
Tuesday - Engine and Trans mated and back in car - engine fired up and driveshaft dealt with
Wednesday - Seats installed/background and vehicle wrap gets put on car
Thursday - wheels (temporary for now - more on that later) and car gets loaded up for SEMA
Saturday - planned wheels go on car (hopefully) as does rear wing (hopefully again). Then out around Vegas area for photo shoot. Nothing like last minute!
Sunday - Super Beetle is rolled into SEMA show and first final beauty photos will be posted.

I'll be meeting the car out in Vegas to finalize the wheel and spoiler stuff. Then shoot the car out around Vegas area. I'll be making facebook updates soon as I hit the ground on Saturday with photos of progress. I'll also post up some photos once the car is in the show. Then I fly back home Sunday night. Repack, head to Jetta Hybrid first drive in Sante Fe Monday and Tuesday and then back to SEMA show Wednesday through Friday. Wednesday and Thursday the car gets judged for a potential Sony Gran Turismo award and Thursday night we'll find out if we won (would be cool as the car would get rendered as an add-on to GT5, but we're happy no matter what!). After SEMA the car will go to VW HQ on display for a little while then back down to APR for head work and anything else we need to tweak.

So we should have plenty to talk about for a while! 

Going to be a nutty week ahead!

-jamie


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

Damn sounds like you and the car will be busy for a while.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

*07- Engine Work Begins*

So begins our engine build...

Our plan all along is to be able to break into the 500hp realm with the EA888 2.0T that comes stock with the Beetle. However we don't want to slap a big turbo on this just to make crazy peak horsepower with lousy low end. That whole wait, wait, wait, wait, whoooooooosh-slam-redline rubber band thing just doesn't appeal to us. We wanted to make some decent peak power but still retain bottom end pull as much as possible. APR set out to accomplish just that with their MAX-R Golf R project and we wondered if the same could be done with the EA888 2.0T which is the newer version of the 2.0T than what is in the Golf R. After a few phone calls with APR, we felt confident that we could reach 500hp and still have a powerband with decent power under the curve. 

What APR's guys are going to do is install what they call a Stage IV turbo upgrade to our stock 2.0T engine. This will be a completely built motor that gets completely torn down, bored and honed .5mm over and rebuilt with a large number of upgraded and new components. To give you an idea of the number of pieces involved, take a look at the photo below of the rough equivalent of what we are doing (this photo is of the Golf R engine Stage IV which is nearly identical):











The complete list of mods includes:
- APR Stage IV GTX Turbocharger System
- APR Boost Tap
- APR High Pressure Fuel Pump
- APR Low Pressure Fueling System
- APR Rail Pressure Release Valve
- APR Intercooler System
- APR Stage IV ECU Upgrade with ESP Delete
- APR Stage IV High Flow Head
- APR Stage IV High Flow Intake Manifold RF Delete
- APR Stage IV Low Pressure Fueling System
- APR Stage IV High Strength Coated Pistons & Wrist Pins
- APR Stage IV High Strength Connecting Rods & Bearings
- APR Stage IV Balanced Rotating Assembly
- APR RSC Turboback Exhaust System
- DXD Racing Stage III Clutch
- Volkswagen Racing Short Shifter

So here is our stock Beetle 2.0T EA888 engine:











So the entire engine is torn down completely and any parts that will be used again will get a thorough ultra-sonic bath. Once that's done the block is bored and honed .5mm over to give the new pistons and rings a chance to seat properly. APR then painted the block red:











APR is testing suppliers for various components including the rods and pistons. Here are the new rods which get installed into the block. These will use the Golf R's ceramic bearings:











The crank is also balanced which means removing some material at key locations:











Once the bottom end is buttoned up, we move on to the head. We plan to do head work to improve air flow through the head. However APR's new engine dyno and flow bench aren't quite complete, so we are going to wait to do the head work after SEMA when we've got more time. So the Beetle's head is reattached to the top of the block:










One of the keys to this project is to try and maintain decent low-end torque as much as possible while achieving high-end horsepower to get us to 500hp. For this project APR recommended using the GTX2867R Turbocharger from Garrett Honeywell. The GTX2867R is a new turbocharger unit from Garrett that offers a lightweight billet compressor wheel with "next generation geometry" for extremely fast turbocharger spool and high-end airflow numbers. It’s able to spool very quickly while still offering the headroom necessary for top end power. 










In order to mate the GTX unit to the 2.0T it will need a new manifold, new exhaust, new oil and coolant lines, new turbo inline, new turbo outlet, boost and vacuum references lines, wastegate brackets and software modifications among other things. For an exhaust manifold we are using APR's trick Iconel manifold: 










APR's exhaust manifold is made from Inconel 625, which is a very high temperature nickel-chromium-based superalloy designed to withstand extreme temperature changes without expanding, contracting, melting or cracking under stress. This material is expensive material and a PITA to machine. APR's piece is also investment cast which results in a denser material and then CNC machined at their shop. APR has also designed the manifold so that the exhaust pulses are timed to hit the turbo charger at equal intervals for optimum spool characteristics.

Here is the engine with most of the bolt-on upgrades complete:










On the other side we can see the GTX turbo, the Iconel manifold and APR's turbo hoses:










With AWD now in the car, one of our main concerns is a clutch/flywheel upgrade. We need to have an extremely robust system in place as 500hp and AWD can be an easy recipe for a fried clutch. For this particular installation we're using a *DXD Stage III Endurance Clutch System*:










The Stage III Endurance system is designed for road racing. It’s able to hold quite a bit of torque due to the increased clamping force of the pressure plate and the increased coefficient of friction on the Kevlar disc.The flywheel is also upgraded with a DXD single mass steel design that’s made from hot rolled low carbon steel. It’s resistant to warping and perfectly suited for the disc’s friction materials. The lightweight flywheel will eliminate rotating mass attached to the engine, freeing up a little more power. The flywheel is being installed here:










So we head back to the transmission next. If you remember we had the wrong front limited slip differential sent to us. Well the proper unit arrived and we are finally able to get our transmission back together. So in order to more easily fit the bearing race over the differential it needs to be heated up:










Then the race gets installed on our now complete front limited slip:










Driveline lash then needs to be measured and shimmed if necessary:









While the transmission was out, we also installed a *Volkswagen Racing Short Shift Kit* to shorten up the shift throws:










Next we move to the front where we have started installing APR's front mount intercooler. This new intercooler has an expanded surface area, aluminum end tanks and will help keep those charge air temps a bit lower:










While that work is going on, we need to mount the Golf R saddle gas tank and deal with the fuel filler neck. To mount the tank requires new tank straps to hold it in place:










And here is the tank installed and buttoned up:










Next the Beetle's fuel fill neck needs to be mated to the Golf R's fuel fill neck. APR used fuel rated hose from their motorsports applications to connect the two pieces together. They also heated the two ends to give the tube ends a bead roll for the hose and clamps to grip:










Lastly, APR grabbed the traction control switch out of the Golf R and wired it up into the Beetle where it will be hidden in the glove box for now till we can get a proper Beetle ESP off button:










So our countdown to SEMA continues. Things are coming together quickly and we'll have lots of do over the next several days. Stay tuned for our next installment coming very soon...


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Lastly, APR grabbed the traction control switch out of the Golf R and wired it up into the Beetle where it will be hidden in the glove box for now till we can get a proper Beetle ESP off button[/COLOR]


Keep us posted if you find one, cuz i don't see anyone with it, I'll be hiding mine in the glove as well.


Sent from Tapatalk


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## SchnellFowVay (May 20, 2001)

[email protected] said:


> *07- Engine Work Begins*






I don't think those turbo hoses are large enough! 

In all seriousness, this is a great project! :thumbup:


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## vdub10golf (Jan 23, 2010)

:thumbup::thumbup:


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## Jedidub (Oct 6, 2010)

Wow


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

It's alive!


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## VWBugman00 (Mar 17, 2009)

Just a question...Why didn't you go with a bigger turbo? Isn't this turbo only rated to 475hp? I would imagine this turbo would have trouble getting the power you're looking for. The AWD drive-train and stock head (temporarily, I know), aren't these going to be limiting factors for your power goals? I might be talking out my rear right now, but I would think the GTX30 series would have been a better option for your power goals.


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## HalvieCuw (Mar 20, 2003)

VWBugman00 said:


> Just a question...Why didn't you go with a bigger turbo? Isn't this turbo only rated to 475hp? I would imagine this turbo would have trouble getting the power you're looking for. The AWD drive-train and stock head (temporarily, I know), aren't these going to be limiting factors for your power goals? I might be talking out my rear right now, but I would think the GTX30 series would have been a better option for your power goals.


biggest gtx that will fit that manifold


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## Derby Herbie (Mar 11, 2012)

AWESOME BUILD THREAD :thumbup:


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

*08 - PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER*

TICK, TOCK, TICK, TOCK...

SEMA is looming large and things are moving along - and rapidly. Lots to cover in this update, so let's get rolling...

Here is a quick shot of the engine back in the Beetle with APR's Carbonio carbon fiber cold air intake system:










And a view underneath where the TTRS aluminum front subframe and aluminum lower control arms are all buttoned up:










A last minute decision was made to use Volkswagen Racing camber adjustment plates up front. This will give us the most latitude when it comes to suspension setup:










Then it was off to the laser alignment rack:










There are a few more mechanical bits to address (driveshaft, exhaust and some shake down runs) but things are more or less ready mechanically for SEMA. So next we move on to the exterior...

One of the difficult things about this project (beyond pulling off an AWD conversion and complete motor rebuild in two weeks) is what to do with the exterior on our Beetle. The new Beetle has only been on the market for a short time and started to look high and low for any kinds of exterior mods that might be available. We called our friends at fifteen52 and they told us about a couple new products available from a Japanese company Alpil Newing that fifteen52 would be selling here in the States. They make a complete front and rear bumper replacement that we thought might work. We are critical bunch over here and didn't want to end of with some horrible Fast and Furious looking shogun kit. The Alpil pieces have a Porsche-esque design to them and would fit well with our performance theme. So fifteen52 rushed out one of the only sets in the U.S. and, if time permitted, we'd mount them up and see how they look.

Our first test fitting was the rear bumper which has cutouts for either the stock location or a centrally mounted dual tip system. The stock cutout slugs can be seen taped in place in this photo:










After looking it over we discussed it and decided to go the central exhaust route and use APR's Golf R exhaust system (modified for this application of course) with the optional Diamond Black exhaust tips. Why black? We'll get to that in a minute. So went ahead and did the fill work on the stock exhaust openings and also prepped the piece for mounting and to remove mold lines and other minor things from the bumper:










Next we slid the Alpil front bumper on to see how it looked. In the photo below the bumper is not bolted in yet, but you can see that the bumper uses all the stock mounting locations. The light color makes it a little tough to see the details, but overall the fit was pretty decent and only require some minor tweaks:










While the sanding and prep work were done to the bumpers, we moved on to the overall car color. With our Beetle RS project we decided rather than repaint the car, we would try a vehicle wrap to see how it looked and holds up to daily use. A vehicle wrap is a specially designed vinyl material similar to what you find at a sign shop. This vinyl is designed to stretch a bit (especially when heated up), be repositioned during installation and have built in air channels that let some air escape to avoid bubbles. It is far cheaper to apply to a vehicle than a show quality paint job and if we don't like it, we can always peel it off and try a different color. 

A few years ago the only vehicle wrap colors you could get were matte black, white, military green and a small handful of other colors. Today there are a wide variety of colors and we poured over lots of color charts trying to find something that would fit this project. We've always been a fan of Volkswagen's Rising Blue which is a signature color on the Golf R and Volkswagen's own Scirocco race cars. If we could find it in a matte finish even better. It turns out that a German vinyl company Oracal, just introduced 75 new colors back in July and one is nearly a dead match for a matte version of VW's Rising Blue. The Oracal color is called Azure Matte Blue Metallic.

So the installers showed up this morning and started working on wrapping our Super Beetle. First up is the roof:










With two people these large flat surface are easy to do and it is easy to make solid progress. Next we move on to the sides where the door, sills and c-pillar are done from one large sheet. Notice that the material can be lifted up and repositioned until pressure and heat are applied:










Here you can start to see that this particular color, while being a matte blue, also has a metallic in it and has different hues depending on the light. Another view from the front where you can again see the Alpil front bumper:










The next photo below is probably the best at showing the dynamic properties of this particular wrap material. We can't wait to get it outside...










And lastly how it looks once the material is down:










So it is about 11pm on Tuesday night and the truck comes to pick up our Beetle at 3pm tomorrow (Wednesday) to take it to SEMA. Expect a few more updates between now and then...


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## silverspeedbuggy (Aug 8, 2001)

That blue = WOW. Speechless.


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> *07- Engine Work Begins*
> 
> Lastly, APR grabbed the traction control switch out of the Golf R and wired it up into the Beetle where it will be hidden in the glove box for now till we can get a proper Beetle ESP off button:




If you find an ESP button please share I have yet to find one.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

*09 - THE FINAL COUNTDOWN TO SEMA SHOW*

T-minus 3 hours till we load up the Beetle and head out to SEMA and things are moving along nicely.

The APR boys worked till the wee hours of the morning installing the modified drive shaft into the Beetle. It turns out that not only does the Golf R drive shaft not fit in the Beetle, but neither does the Audi TT driveshaft. We anticipated this though and have a custom driveshaft on order. While we could have taken the easy way out and left the car in two-wheel drive till after the SEMA show, we agreed with APR that we wanted this sucker to have a functioning AWD system. So APR had to modify the Golf R drive shaft to fit. This meant cutting out a small section and welding the whole thing back together plus rebalancing it. Since we don't plan on doing any 6000 RPM clutch drops or drag racing in the next few weeks, the modified drive shaft will work just fine till we get back from SEMA.

So APR's techs had to weld in a driveshaft center bearing support:










Here is the modified driveshaft prior to installation:










So we thought it would be cool to do a custom logo for the car and find a creative way to build a badge to put on it. That's when we remembered that APR has a 3D printer that they primarily use for rapid prototyping of parts. We sent our Illustrator file over to APR and they extruded it and beveled it in CAD and then sent it off to the printer. This is the result straight out of the printer and being prepped for paint:










So let's talk about wheels. We approached our old friends at fifteen52 asking if we could do a special one-off wheel for the Beetle. We wanted to do something that has a nod to motorsports, but with a little retro flair and in a three-piece design. All was going according to plan until we attempted to build the wheels just two weeks before SEMA when we ran into a supply issue with the barrels for the wheels. So last Friday we found out that there could be an issue and we may not get these built in time for SEMA. If this were the only snag in the crazy-short-time-frame we tried to build this thing, then so be it. Worst case we get the wheels after SEMA, but we're still pushing literally to the day of show setup to get the planned fifteen52 wheels on the car. 

So we started making some phone calls and as you could imagine, we aren't the only ones looking for wheels to put on a car going to SEMA. The hopes of getting something custom made in the ultra-tight timeframe is tough. So I gave a call to our friend Lon Mok at HRE Wheels and asked what he might have. It turns out that HRE is going to make some big new announcements at SEMA, one of them being a new line of low pressure cast flow formed wheels called HRE FlowForm. This new lineup of wheels will launch with one design initially called FF01 in 19" and 20" fitments starting at 22 lbs. per wheel, available in Gloss Silver and Satin Black and starting at $2,900 per set. It turns out Lon had one set of 20" x 9" FF01's that he could send out immediately as a back up set of wheels. After scrambling to secure another set of tires, we mounted and balanced them and put them on the car for shipment to SEMA. These are one of only a small handful of samples made and don't even have center caps made for them yet. You're getting to see them here as a sneak peek before the official SEMA announcement. We'll have more on the fifteen52 wheels later in the week.










So we finished sanding and prepping the rear bumper for our center mounted exhaust:










As you can see in the photo below, that rear bumper is now wrapped and APR's guys are prepping a tape line to install the special badge on the back:










And the other side:










At the front, our wrap installers are busy dealing with the absolute worst part of the car to wrap - the front bumper:










And from the other side:










Our Oracal Azure Matte Blue metallic wrap color really pops with some daylight coming in. Plus the 20" x 9" HRE FF01's:



















And finally the placement of the badge letters starts...










We'll have another update later today when things are buttoned up and ready to ship...

As always there are much larger photos from this update in the article *HERE*.


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## silverspeedbuggy (Aug 8, 2001)

I loooooooove this and I can't wait to see the 'special' wheels.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

*10 - SEMA BOUND*

So our deadline to ship the car to Las Vegas for the SEMA Show has arrived. There is nothing more we can do for the next three days till it arrives in Vegas on Saturday. At that point I'll be meeting the car there to get the special rear wing installed and get our fifteen52 wheels mounted. Then we head out to the desert for a photography session and finally back her into the H&R Springs booth at the SEMA Show. The work to finish the car went on till the very last minute and we've got a few more photos to share. 

The guys installing the wrap tackle the front bumper which is the worst piece on the car. All those scoops, intakes and cutouts combined with the compound curves make it a real challenge.










While they continue at the front, APR installed our special Super Beetle badge that they 3D printed for us:










APR also modified the exhaust tips on their RSC Golf R exhaust system to work with our center cut out:










Finally our Super Beetle comes off the lift and finally sits on its own wheels mostly complete. We transferred over the stock turn signals and the stock driving lamps to the front bumper as well:










The rear wing has been removed and is in the rear hatch to be shipped out to Vegas in case we need it. However we have a different rear wing going on the car once it arrives at SEMA. Another view of the back as it is prepared to be backed out of APR's shop:










And FINALLY out in the sunshine...





































Then our Beetle gets loaded up for its two and half day journey to SEMA:




























So for the next several days we can take a little break and relax since there is nothing we can do at this point till I arrive Saturday in Las Vegas and we get the new rear wing installed and fifteen52's custom wheels. After some photos in the desert and maybe a little video as well it will finally hit the show floor where it will be on display in the H&R Springs booth for the entire week of SEMA. We've also submitted our Super Beetle project in the 10th Annual Gran Turismo Awards where our car will be judged by Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi himself. If it is chosen as the best European Modified at the 2012 SEMA Show our Super Beetle will be rendered and available as a download extra for Gran Turismo 5. So lots to look forward to and more to be done.

Lastly this would be a good time to point a few things out. APR's team managed to build this entire car in two and half weeks. The coordination of parts that needed to happen and certain tasks that need to be completed in a given order was tremendous. I'd personally like to thank Doug and his crew in the shops at APR that were in the trenches making this happen even at ridiculous hours. They are a first rate group and their attention to detail throughout this project exceeded every expectation I had. I need to give another big shout out to Arin at APR who went above and beyond to send me photos throughout this project even at odd hours. I'd also like to point out Roland at H&R Springs who constantly called me every time we made an update telling me how excited he was to see this actually happening. The fact that he also helped out with suspension upgrades and a preemo spot in his booth at SEMA is just more icing on the cake. HRE wheels stepped up with a back up set of wheels at the last minute when it looked like Matt and Brad at fifteen52 might have supplier issues, but in the end we'll get the wheels we originally planned on. Rory at Foam Molders who worked us in to produce the rear spoiler, Lisa at Oracal who helped us track down this new color in time to get the project done and Ed at Recaro who scrambled to find the necessary pieces to make this happen. Last but not least is our friends at Volkswagen of America who have supported this project and everything we do over the years. It isn't often that a manufacturer extends open arms to enthusiasts and an enthusiast website the way VW has.

All of this is what makes Volkswagen ownership different. For a company that sells relatively few cars in the U.S. market, VW has a following that is second to none and a vibrant aftermarket full of great people like those I mentioned above and many, many more. It is the reason 15 years later running VWvortex that I still love what I do.

As for Super Beetle? We aren't even close to finished yet. More updates coming soon. Thanks for reading.


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## Ponchotg (Oct 22, 2012)

That blue!!!! its just amazing!! nice wheels too!!


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

A car wrap? Lame, you do all that great drivetrain work and then slap a wrap on it. I just don't get it, probably ran out of time I'm guessing

Sent from Tapatalk


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## eunos94 (Mar 17, 2002)

drtechy said:


> A car wrap? Lame, you do all that great drivetrain work and then slap a wrap on it. I just don't get it, probably ran out of time I'm guessing
> 
> Sent from Tapatalk


I think it looks fantastic all while leaving the original paint intact and protected. What's so lame about that?


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

eunos94 said:


> I think it looks fantastic all while leaving the original paint intact and protected. What's so lame about that?


IDK, I just think you spend that kind of money and time on a project, to just skimp on the paint seems lame to me. I mean it makes sense for race cars as they are just going to get beat up, but are they going to be racing this thing regularly?


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## [email protected] (Jul 29, 2008)

LEBlackRob said:


> My question to APR is how close is the exhaust on the Beetle to the GTI. The path looked pretty close.


It's nearly identical. We've fitted on to a beetle before with minor adjustments. 

We also swapped in a 3.6L FSI VR6.


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## Kakarot (Mar 19, 2004)

front bumper available When?


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## bugzy (May 29, 2000)

Wow! Looking good!


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## eunos94 (Mar 17, 2002)

It's blue, rounded and get's me rock hard this should be nicknamed Viagra!!! :heart:


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## Derby Herbie (Mar 11, 2012)

Awesome looking car. Love the blue wrap! Only thing I would change (though very minor) would be to move that "Super" logo a little further up from Beetle logo, or position it like the logo in post #1.


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## Herbie3Rivers (Apr 12, 2003)

This car looks phenomenal! I love the color, but I agree. I would have rather seen it painted than wrapped. I'm a sucker for cars painted with a deep shine rather than the matte look. But I still ove everything about this car.


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## Cadenza_7o (Jan 23, 2001)

Will the car be tested....

- hp / torque
- accel speed
- braking
- slalom
- etc, etc...


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

Cadenza_7o said:


> Will the car be tested....
> 
> - hp / torque
> - accel speed
> ...


Yes.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

Official VW Press Release on Super Beetle and other SEMA highlights...

*Volkswagen Performance and Heritage on Display at SEMA 2012*

_VWvortex Creates a Super Beetle Project; Other Custom Show Car Builds Debut at SEMA 2012_

HERNDON, VA -- (Marketwire) -- 10/29/12 -- On the heels of a record year for Volkswagen of America, with sales through September up more than 37 percent year-to-date, the brand surges forward by highlighting the modern, iconic Beetle. Volkswagen's extensive heritage and memorable products have left an indelible mark on America's car culture, with customization being an integral part. To honor this rich tuner history, several suppliers and customizers used this opportunity to highlight the Beetle's bold design by developing a fleet of highly tuned show cars for the 2012 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas.

The current-generation Beetle is the boldest ever and is an ideal platform for enthusiasts. In 2013, the Beetle celebrates its 75th anniversary and the brand is kicking things off early with the introduction of the VWvortex ultimate Super Beetle show car.

"Volkswagen has an extensive enthusiast following with products like the Beetle, GTI, Golf R and GLI acting as the platform for some of car culture's most memorable aftermarket and show car creations," said Tim Mahoney, Executive Vice President and Chief Product and Market Officer, Volkswagen of America. "As we approach the 75th anniversary of the brand's most iconic product, it makes sense to honor the Beetle's heritage together with suppliers and customization partners at the auto industry's premier aftermarket show."

Collaborating closely with performance specialist APR, the VWvortex team set out to transform a 2013 Beetle Turbo into the ultimate 500-horsepower all-wheel-drive hot rod show car. Under the hood, the VWvortex Super Beetle features a long list of enhancements including an APR Stage IV GTX Turbocharger System that boosts horsepower from 200 to more than 500.

To accommodate the significant increase in power, APR updated the fuel system and added a high-performance intercooler system, as well as a host of Stage IV components including; an ECU upgrade; high-flow cylinder head and intake manifold; high-strength coated pistons and wrist pins; high-strength connecting rods and bearings; an upgraded balancer shaft; and a balanced rotating assembly. An APR RSC Turboback Exhaust System was added to improve airflow while a DXD Racing Stage III clutch and Volkswagen Racing Short Shifter have been employed to help put all of the newfound power to the ground.

Speaking of the ground, the Super Beetle will sit closer to it with an H&R Adjustable Coilover Suspension setup enhanced with Volkswagen Racing StreetSport+ Camber Plates and H&R Sport Sway Bars. Additional chassis stiffening will come from APR upgraded front/rear motorsport bushings and APR lightweight/strengthened front uprights designed for the Audi TT RS. With more power comes the need to improve traction, so the APR team fitted the Super Beetle with a 4MOTION(R) all-wheel drive system from the limited-edition Golf R, complete with an upgraded Haldex all-wheel drive race controller. A Volkswagen Racing six-piston, two-piece big brake system was brought in from the UK to handle more rigorous stopping duties.

Not only will the Super Beetle be one of the most powerful Beetles around, it will also be one of the most eye-catching. ORACAL(R) Series 970RA Wrapping Cast, a lightweight paint alternative vinyl film will cover the exterior of the project car in a stunning Matte Azure Blue Metallic while 19-inch fifteen52 three-piece Split Formula TR wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires will replace the factory equipment. Fifteen52 also provided a pair of more aggressive Alpil replacement bumpers produced by Japanese aftermarket tuner Newing. Inside, the driver and front passenger are greeted by RECARO Sportster CS seats.

The VWvortex Super Beetle will be on display at the H&R Springs booth from October 30 to November 2. For more information on the build-up of the VWvortex Super Beetle visit *http://superbeetle.vwvortex.com*http://superbeetle.vwvortex.com.

In addition to the VWvortex Super Beetle, the SEMA onslaught continues with four other tuned Beetle models and a high-performance Golf R project car.

Following is a brief overview of other Volkswagen vehicles on display at the 2012 SEMA Show:

european car Magazine "Beach Battle-Cruiser" Centered on the concept of building a beach battle-cruiser, european car Magazine captured the essence of the classic Cal-look Bug in a modern Beetle for the SEMA Show. The surf-inspired Beetle show car was designed to offer the ultimate one-stop-shop for beachgoers, providing everything needed for a perfect day in the surf.

The beach Beetle features a larger Revo Technik turbocharger, software upgrade, and intake and exhaust system: all-in-all, they help to boost output to an estimated 400-horsepower. Revo Technik also added an upgraded suspension and brakes.

Exterior updates come in the form of a unique body kit designed by FMS Automotive -- complete with a deployable shower system. Custom Fuchs Performance 19-inch wheels replace the factory pieces and are outfitted with Continental Extreme Contact DW tires. The interior receives new appointments from Katzkin Leathers featuring midnight black outers with military green suede inserts and top stitch for the seats.

The european car beach battle-cruiser Beetle show car will be on display at the FMS Automotive booth during the show.

For more information, visit: *http://www.eurotuner.com/news/eurp_1210_eurotuner_vw_beetle_turbo_sema_project/*http://www.eurotuner.com/news/eurp_1210_eurotuner_vw_beetle_turbo_sema_project/

Galpin Auto Sports (GAS) "Chopped Top" Beetle The customization team at Galpin Auto Sports and Galpin Volkswagen in Southern California have taken a modern Beetle, incorporated a number of vintage features and created a vehicle that harkens back to chopped-top Beetle models of the past.

One of the most striking design elements of this show car is the custom chopped roof; lowered 5.5-inches at the A-pillar and 2.5-inches at the B-pillar for the ultimate raked look. An equaling striking paint scheme was utilized in Onyx Black with Candy Apple Red metal flake.

The chassis on the Beetle was lowered and stiffened with Neuspeed lowering and springs sway bars. Vintage Porsche style hand-made, three-piece 20-inch wheels replace the factory pieces. Continuing the vintage feel, the rear quarter windows were sealed with vintage style scoops while the headlights and taillights were tinted to reinforce its new bolder appearance.

Inside, GAS replaced the seats with vintage-style black leather surfaces with red contrast stitching, added a custom matching headliner and painted interior trim panels and the IP with the same Candy Apple Red metal flake found on the exterior.

The Galpin Auto Sports Beetle show car will be on display at the entrance of the Central Hall.

FMS Automotive 1956 and 2012 Beetle models For the 2012 SEMA Show, FMS Automotive is paying homage to the timeless generations of the Volkswagen Beetle. With a 1956 and a 2012 Beetle, FMS Automotive will pay tribute to two definitive generations of the iconic Beetle.

The 1956 Beetle is a complete ground-up restoration, augmented with an upgraded performance powertrain, four wheel drilled disk brakes, full leather interior as well as modernized exterior styling through extensive body modifications and a contemporary paint scheme. The 2012 Beetle's modern design and heritage are highlighted with a custom two-tone tribute paint design. The show car's presence is enhanced with H&R springs, Rostra LED lights, and an in-house custom fabricated dual sport exhaust. Both the original and the tribute Beetles are shod with contemporary TSW wheels, wrapped in Nitto performance tires and highlighted in DuPont paint.

Both Beetle show cars will be on display at FMS Automotive's SEMA Show booth #20241. For more information on FMS Automotive visit their website at *www.foammolders.com/capabilities/automotive*http://www.foammolders.com/capabilities/automotive.

Rotiform Beetle The Rotiform team sought to integrate Volkswagen's heritage with its modern Beetle build, combining custom touches from the past through today. To start, an all-new rear axle was installed on this show car to accommodate an air suspension system from Air Lift. Once completed," Rotiform concave wheels were installed and wrapped in Nitto performance tires. With this unique setup, the Rotiform team is able to "lay-frame" on its modern Beetle, similar to what tuners of the classic air-cooled models did decades before.

In addition to wheels and suspension, the Rotiform team shaved the engine bay for a smoother look and changed the entire vehicle's color using 3M's Matte Gray Aluminum vinyl wrap, harkening back to classically tuned Beetles. On the inside, the show car's factory interior pieces were replaced with parts from other available trim levels to produce the desired classic Beetle theme.

For more information, visit *www.rotiform.com*http://www.rotiform.com.

H&R Golf R Legendary suspension specialist H&R selected a Carbon Grey Metallic 2013 Volkswagen Golf R as the foundation for a SEMA show car. H&R started with what it knows best--the suspension, replacing the stock setup with its Street Performance Tuner Coil Over suspension featuring lightweight aluminum front struts and rear dampers and a ride height that's 1.3 and 1.6 inches lower in the front and rear respectively. To improve rigidity, H&R added a thicker 26mm Sport Sway Bar in the rear.

Classic silver 19-inch BBS Super RS wheels -- extremely popular with Volkswagen enthusiasts -- replace the stock 18s and are wrapped in the new high-performance Pirelli P Zero Silver tires. Factory Golf R brakes have been modified with drilled and slotted Baer Decela Rotors while brakelines have been upgraded to the new Phantom series G-Stop kit from Goodridge, featuring special black poly-coated stainless steel.

On the outside, special European parts from ECS Tuning were added including original Golf R LED taillights with a rear foglight and factory rearview camera. Inside, WeatherTech(R) FloorLinerDigitalFit(R) floor liners protect the interior carpet while the factory head unit was replaced with the more advanced RNS 510 multimedia system featuring HD video with Travel Link, Live Traffic, and a 60GB hard drive.

The SEMA show takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center Tuesday, October 30 through Friday, November 2.


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## SMG8vT (Oct 8, 2004)

Cool project but I hate the front bumper.


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## RennbahnPolizei (Jun 8, 2011)

I want it as a poster! Last picture please!


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## veedublvr (Feb 2, 2001)

Neither one of those wheel fitments look good :thumbdown:. 
The color looks a bit light almost like satellite blue.


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## 210thumper (Oct 20, 2010)

love the color!!! really diggin that rear spoiler too.....where did yall get the bigger spoiler???


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## Derby Herbie (Mar 11, 2012)

Color reminds me of B5 Blue on Dodge Challenger few years back. Awesome!!

Hope we get to see some in-car action video at some point, after SEMA Show is over.


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## cWade (May 26, 2010)

Love the rear bumper treatment and no spoiler.:thumbup:


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## drkreign (Sep 2, 2005)

Not feeling the new rims, definitly prefer the first set MUCH more.......but I'd give both my testicals to own that car no matter what rims it has on it. BEAUTIFUL car guys, I envy you for doing it :beer::beer:


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## silverspeedbuggy (Aug 8, 2001)

I think the new wheels were photoshopped on since it took them a little longer to get them from the manufacturer. While we are waiting on more photos, here's a few that make it look much much better:


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## 85GTI (Dec 19, 2000)

The wrap looks great. It has a beautiful specular quality that paint cannot achieve.


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

85GTI said:


> The wrap looks great. It has a beautiful specular quality that paint cannot achieve.


Out of your mind, you obviously have never seen a true show quality paint job. Wraps can't give nearly the depth that paint can

Sent from Tapatalk


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## JETTAWOLFS98 (Aug 13, 2002)

Looks great.


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## silverspeedbuggy (Aug 8, 2001)

drtechy said:


> Out of your mind, you obviously have never seen a true show quality paint job. Wraps can't give nearly the depth that paint can
> 
> Sent from Tapatalk


But this is a matte finish, so no depth is needed.


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## Derby Herbie (Mar 11, 2012)

The Super Beetle is even getting very positive attention among the Camaro crowd over on another car site I visit, Camaro5.com

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258546

The "Pregnant 911" comment over there is kinda funny


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

So it has been a crazy few days here at the show. We’ve gotten a huge response to our project and it has been judged for the Gran Turismo Awards. We’ll find out tomorrow night if it wins anything. Tomorrow Mr. Gran Turismo, Kazunori Yamauchi will come by the booth to see the car and get a walk around tour. Ultimately he picks the finalists in Best European, Best American, Best Asian, Best Hot Rod and Best SUV. Then he chooses a grand prize winner that gets their car rendered in the video game.


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## TragicallyHip (Jan 25, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> ...it has been judged for the Gran Turismo Awards.... Then he chooses a grand prize winner that gets their car rendered in the video game.


I kinda hope you don't win, as if you do, I would be forced to buy a PS3 and Gran Turismo xx just to drive this car. Can't you enter a Forza V competition instead 

Cheers,
Dave


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## JETTAWOLFS98 (Aug 13, 2002)

You must win. The Beetle is awesome. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

*Super Beetle Wins Gran Turismo Best European Import at SEMA 2012!*

Well today was another crazy day at the show. The founder of the Gran Turismo video game franchise, Kazunori Yamauchi and his entourage of video cameras came by personally to look at our Super Beetle project. Our Beetle is a finalist in the Gran Turismo Awards which takes place tonight. We have won the award for best European Import for SEMA 2012. There are five categories in total (best European, American, Asian, SUV/Truck and Hot Rod) and Mr. Yamauchi himself picks the overall winner which will then get rendered into the Gran Turismo video game. In person Mr. Yamauchi is a very humble person but clearly a car enthusiast as he was genuinely excited to talk about the car.










He asked a number of questions about the car regarding not only what modifications we did, but why we did them and what our overall goal was for the project. 



















Overall he spent about 20 minutes looking at every detail. He even crawled around on the floor looking at the modifications under the vehicle as well. In the end he wished me luck and told him it was an honor to be considered. Especially considering the competition at a show like SEMA where nearly every car has countless numbers of hours put into it. 

Here is the link to the GT Planet blog post on the finalists. If I had to pick one car to win it all, it would be the Eckerts Mach Forty - that thing is a beautiful work of art.

*http://www.gtplanet.net/the-2012-gt-awards-finalists-winner-to-be-chosen-tonight/*


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## jwcardy (Feb 22, 2012)

congrats guys. the car looks awesome


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

What does the sticker over the exhaust say. Car turned out great guys nice work.


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## bugzy (May 29, 2000)

Congrats Jamie!

Was excellent speaking with you this week and the car looks amazing!

Amazing job turning the Beetle into such a beast.


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## JETTAWOLFS98 (Aug 13, 2002)

Congrats!!!!


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## jwcardy (Feb 22, 2012)

Has there been any further testing of the Super Beetle? Has it hit the dyno yet or pissed off any unsuspecting victims?


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

The car is headed to the body shop to have the front and rear bumpers removed, filled, sanded and fitted properly and then painted the factory Platinum Grey. Once that's done we'll rewrap the front and rear bumper so it is perfect. Then it goes back to APR to get the head, fueling and dyno time done as well as a number of other things remaining on the punch list. 

Here is a not very exciting couple of video clips I stitched together. We were trying to be very careful with it.

-jamie


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## Derby Herbie (Mar 11, 2012)

Sounds Awesome!!


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

Saw the car in person yesterday at a cars and coffee event in Great Falls, VA, thanks to Andreas from VW HQ who brought the car out. In a lot full of Ferraris, Lambos, and all sorts of vintage stuff, the Super Beetle really drew a crowd. :thumbup:

I can see why you're getting the bumpers redone, they're a little wavy and rough in spots. 

But otherwise, this thing looks awesome. Very well done! :beer:

Here's a couple photos courtesy of evosky (hope he doesn't mind):

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8341/8173022006_4e5694eeb2_c.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8204/8172992069_6ae613de54_c.jpg


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## 85GTI (Dec 19, 2000)

drtechy said:


> Out of your mind, you obviously have never seen a true show quality paint job. Wraps can't give nearly the depth that paint can
> 
> Sent from Tapatalk


I so glad you are able to read my mind and determine what I have and have not seen.

Regardless, the wrap looks great and is beautiful in it's own way. It is not paint and thus should not be compared to it. I knew that, why didn't you?


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## Krazee (Jan 26, 2003)

[email protected] said:


> The car is headed to the body shop to have the front and rear bumpers removed, filled, sanded and fitted properly and then painted the factory Platinum Grey. Once that's done we'll rewrap the front and rear bumper so it is perfect. Then it goes back to APR to get the head, fueling and dyno time done as well as a number of other things remaining on the punch list.
> 
> Here is a not very exciting couple of video clips I stitched together. We were trying to be very careful with it.
> 
> -jamie


What line of ORACAL wrap did you guys use? I am looking at their website.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

Krazee said:


> What line of ORACAL wrap did you guys use? I am looking at their website.


970RA


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Jamie, do you have any thoughts with regard to Stage 2 Daily Clutch upgrades offered
by South Bend vs APR's DxD? South Bend seems to make a point about stating that they
have a truly silent design available in theirs. I'm into spirited street-driving with my Stage
II 'Six-Speed' Beetle and if I go to K04 I'm definitely going to need to put in a clutch that
can handle 380 ft/lbs of torque.


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## HalvieCuw (Mar 20, 2003)

any updates on this?


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

HalvieCuw said:


> any updates on this?


After extensive research, including talking to my professional tuning maestro (Mike @
Tyrol Sport), I decided to go for the South Bend DXD Stage 2 Daily set up which can
handle up to 380hp and 400ft/lbs of torque. Since I'm only going up to an APR K04,
and not Stage III, the 'spirited' street driving I do will be no problem at the 366hp and 
380 ft/bs of torque the K04 is rated for. The clutch kit was $949 with no tax and
free shipping from 'Four Season Tuning' and an additional $150 for the 'silent design' 
upgrade. Mike (at Tyrol Sport) made it clear that the clutch will not be totally silent but
'chatter' would be much less than standard high-performance clutches. I went for the
Stage 2 Daily because the Endurance level clutch would not have similar OEM characteristics
as the Stage 2 Daily has and is really for serious tracking of the car. Will have it installed
on the 26th of December but I'll 'baby' it for the first 1000 - 1500 miles to allow it to settle
in properly.


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## SchnellFowVay (May 20, 2001)

ridgemanron said:


> After extensive research, including talking to my professional tuning maestro (Mike @
> Tyrol Sport), I decided to go for the South Bend DXD Stage 2 Daily set up which can
> handle up to 380hp and 400ft/lbs of torque. Since I'm only going up to an APR K04,
> and not Stage III, the 'spirited' street driving I do will be no problem at the 366hp and
> ...


While this is very interesting, I think the person who posted for updates was referring to updates on the SUPER BEETLE, not on your new clutch.

Either way, post up pics of your car when all of the work is complete!


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## SMG8vT (Oct 8, 2004)

SchnellFowVay said:


> I think the person who posted for updates was referring to updates on the SUPER BEETLE, not on your new clutch.


:thumbup:


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 1999)

Sorry guys, missed this post. Looks like you sorted out the clutch choice though.

The SuperBeetle has had the bodywork done on the bumpers (completely removed the wrap from bumpers, dismounted, sanded, filled, sanded, filled, primed and factory paint) then had the wrap installed correctly this time and it all looks a ton better.

Car leaves this week to go back to APR for more work. Should have some updates in coming weeks.

Here it is after bodywork in front of VWoA HQ:


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## VWNDAHS (Jun 20, 2002)

[email protected] said:


> Sorry guys, missed this post. Looks like you sorted out the clutch choice though.
> 
> The SuperBeetle has had the bodywork done on the bumpers (completely removed the wrap from bumpers, dismounted, sanded, filled, sanded, filled, primed and factory paint) then had the wrap installed correctly this time and it all looks a ton better.
> 
> ...


Absolute perfection!


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

I'm starting to like it more, definitely still wish paint would have been done though. Drivetrain is awesome for sure!

posted by Tapatalk


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## bugzy (May 29, 2000)

These wheels are sexy.


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## Milo1975 (Feb 16, 2010)

*2012 Jetta TDI, Similar Build. Require front control arm information*

APR, 

Why did you end up having to get front control arms made for this project? I'm just curious to hear if the TTRS control arms would not work due to track width or something? Is my only choice to have custom control arms made?

I see Super Pro has a control arm kit listed for the gti but not for the TT. 


I am building a 2012 Jetta TDI with similar mods, I have ordered the TTRS front sub frame and steering knuckles but can seem to decide which control arms to use.....

Have already converted the rear end to IRS with aluminum control arms and knuckles. 

Thank you

Miles


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