Trish_M
Full Member
1950's Home Made Bondwood "Bettie Moonya"
Posts: 275
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Post by Trish_M on Oct 10, 2010 14:51:10 GMT 10
Hi there guys,
it's been ages since I posted on here, Hubby and I are biting the bullet and are planning our first adventure.
I am buying a VW Beetle 1960 and already have a Hawthorn Van, it's single skinned and quite light. I am wondering if anyone knows the towing capacity of a VW beetle. It won't have the original engine, but a Mazda rotary.
Hubby will be riding his Harley and myself in the yet to be customised beetle. We have two kids to bring so the Hawthorn with its bunk beds would be ideal, but I am hoping that the VW can handle it?
Your comments are very much appreciated!
Cheers,
Trish.
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Trish_M
Full Member
1950's Home Made Bondwood "Bettie Moonya"
Posts: 275
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Post by Trish_M on Oct 10, 2010 19:27:42 GMT 10
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sheppo
Full Member
Love my Juke box car.
Posts: 420
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Post by sheppo on Oct 10, 2010 21:00:27 GMT 10
 G'day Lacem, i have had rotary's back in the early days and i feel you may not get as much pulling power as you may think. Rotary's make good horsepower but not a lot of torque which is what you need to pull a van especially as you will be putting it thru a VW gearbox which have large gaps between ratios and large heavy gears. As i remember i don't think you will find a towbar on any of the RXs for that reason, it will also drink as much as a V8, they go like stink but are buggers on fuel.  GOOD LUCK with it just the same, i hope you prove me wrong.  Sheppo
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Post by DC3Td on Oct 10, 2010 21:21:52 GMT 10
Hi Lacem. Forum member Veedubnuts towed his Slumbercoach teardrop with his dak dak. You might ask him. Also forum member Greedy might know something as being a vw man. I used to have a 74 (1600 twin port) dak which i towed my teardrop with briefly (around the block) to gauge its 'fitness'. Towed good but i wasn`t convinced that on trips away that it`d be good for it. cheers gordon
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Trish_M
Full Member
1950's Home Made Bondwood "Bettie Moonya"
Posts: 275
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Post by Trish_M on Oct 11, 2010 0:28:43 GMT 10
Thanks Sheppo and Gordon, for your replies, after looking into things hubby and I have decided that it might be best for him to build us a teardrop.
Dave is a Cabinet Maker by trade and has fitted out and built many's the 5th wheeler ect, so this wouldn't be such a challenge for him. We are still thinking on how the teardrop will fit the four of us (12 year old daughter is my height and the 8 year old is fast catching up) and had two ideas the first being a small 2 person tent and the teardrop for the kids (one day would be just us). The other idea being a crazy one and not really thought through and that is "cabana" type awnings with bunks in them (crazy and unsure if it is do-able)!
We were also thinking if he built two that one could "finance" the other!
I'm still cracking up at "dak dak" where did the term originate?
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Post by DC3Td on Oct 11, 2010 6:11:08 GMT 10
Hi Lacem. Listen to a wee dubs motor! dak dak dak dak. Most if not all teardrops basically have just enough room for two people to sit/sleep in so the idea of attaching a canopy or adding a tent as you have two more bods to keep in mind would be the way to go. You can still get army type canvas bunks as they take little room to store if you look for them. Baby pot belly stoves which stand under 18" in height provide more than enough heat for cold winter nights. Cost nothing to run & are safer than having an electric heater plugged in. Oh yeah, the bonus 1600 motor you got with Ruby can be worked to probably 2100cc. An 1835cc big bore kit would be more reliable though i think. Add twin carbs,extractors,009 dizzy,shave the flywheel around 50% & add a quick shift gear stick. *** The quick shift shortens the distance you move the gear stick into each gear. It also eliminates the push down, across & in to select reverse. I bought an $85 unit which had a ring grip attached to stick so to select reverse you`d slip your third finger into it,lift & straight back into reverse. *** cheers gordon
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Trish_M
Full Member
1950's Home Made Bondwood "Bettie Moonya"
Posts: 275
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Post by Trish_M on Oct 11, 2010 7:42:57 GMT 10
Wow Gordon, you sure know what you're talking about! I think we'll get the 1200 motor in Ruby going and work on the 1600 to put back into her at a later date, I never knew that what you suggested was possible, I wonder if hubby could do it or I'll have to find an awesome mechanic! I have never seen a pot belly small enough for a teardrop, can you suggest where I might find a pic of one? A canopu is definitely the go, hubby has the day off so I'm off to tell him now! Thanks!  |
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Post by melburgorbust on Oct 11, 2010 11:46:18 GMT 10
The other option for power is to go down the subaru engine route. Kits exist to fit them, far more powerful, but you would need to consider engine cooling and the beetle is still a light car, so you would only be legally allowed to tow a fairly small caravan regardless of power.
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Post by DC3Td on Oct 11, 2010 14:07:25 GMT 10
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Trish_M
Full Member
1950's Home Made Bondwood "Bettie Moonya"
Posts: 275
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Post by Trish_M on Oct 13, 2010 14:35:16 GMT 10
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice and links, I shall keep you posted on how we go!
I still have to find an "everyday driver" two Tuesday's ago an 87 year lady reversed into my car at breakneck speed and wrote it off. 7 other cars were damaged but mine is beyond repair. I had a Mazda 323 Astina I bought it about a year ago for $7000 it was a lady one owner and an absolute dream with power windows, remote locking, air con, tinting, spoiler, alloys and many other features so it was worth way more than that to me. The insurance assessor has told me that market value is $4000 so that is all I have to spend!
I have been looking on eBay and the Carsales website as Ruby the VW is no way ready for the road. I live in remote Western Victoria and it is hard to find decent cars here!
So after Ruby is home and safely squared away my urgent search begins!
I have a hire car till Tuesday, it is quite nice, I wish I could keep it!
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Trish_M
Full Member
1950's Home Made Bondwood "Bettie Moonya"
Posts: 275
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Post by Trish_M on Oct 13, 2010 21:21:40 GMT 10
Okely, shall PM you again, must have made a typo! NBG I like it, I'll use that one on Facebook and see who gets it!
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G'day Lacem, i have had rotary's back in the early days and i feel you may not get as much pulling power as you may think. Rotary's make good horsepower but not a lot of torque which is what you need to pull a van especially as you will be putting it thru a VW gearbox which have large gaps between ratios and large heavy gears. As i remember i don't think you will find a towbar on any of the RXs for that reason, it will also drink as much as a V8, they go like stink but are buggers on fuel. 
GOOD LUCK with it just the same, i hope you prove me wrong. 
