Originally published at: Passengers react to a 517 rear wheel hp 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle | Boing Boing
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I love the idea of sleeper cars. But going 115mph or more in a super beetle that has the gas tank in the front seems a tad…risky, even with the roll cage.
Here’s a video with more on the car:
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Hey, do you mind if we go back and pick up my guts?
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I think I like this 600 HP electric bug better - so much smoother it’s not nearly as clear how powerful it is in the footage.
0-60 in 3.2 seconds when configured to regular road tires for street legal use in the UK. The maker thinks with stickier tires for a straight track it will do 0-60 in 2 seconds.
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That was awesome. By the Maker, Sir you have truly wrenched a good one.
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3:04
Pretty good looking weld bead.
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Only a sleeper until it’s keyed on!
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those were fun, but not nearly as much as “Formula 1 driver takes wife for a lap”
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The workmanship is admirable.
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Subaru engines have long been a favourite swap for Beetle (and VW Bus) conversions. More power than a Porsche swap, and cheaper too:
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Not just that. It’s a rear-wheel drive with a narrow wheelbase. It seems like an unstable platform. Nicole Johnson even comments “Did you know it was going to get squirrelly?” when he swerves during an acceleration, and his response is “No.”
This guy (above) gets the nomination for coolest guy in the room. He never loses his composure— and you can tell he’s not trying to not lose his composure. He sees what the VW can do, and he gives an impressed but unfazed “Not bad. Not bad at all.”
Bonus NSFW
Has anyone else noticed that stank face the driver gets when he’s accelerating?
It is clear what is happening: he is having sex with his car.
I had to look away.
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I will see your 600hp electric bug and raise you a 1500hp jet powered bug:
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Go old school. Turbonique for the win: Turbonique delivered the rocket cars that Detroit was afraid to build | Hagerty Media
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His response that he never knew when his vehicle was going to go squirrely under acceleration, including swerving into the oncoming lane, did not bode well for the driveability of that bug. Plus, he took a car noted for being unbalanced and heavy on the rear wheels and made it even more so.
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In the late 1960s in Fort Lauderdale, there was a “sleeper” with an Olds Toronado (GM’s first front-wheel-drive car) engine in the back seat, making it basically a mid-engine car. I never caught up with the owners - but the car was known to street race on US1 (AKA Federal Highway), blowing off Corvettes and others with ease.
Possibly even better if you understand italian…
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