Identify this front end.

Post here about...well...anything!
Post Reply
User avatar
BaileySims
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 626
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 6:52 pm
My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 4WD
Location: Texas
Contact:

Identify this front end.

Post by BaileySims »

My neighbor and I found this heavy ass go kart at a metal shop on the other side of town and picked it up for 50 bucks. The guy who owned it said he had got it in a trade over 20 years ago. The front end he claims was put together from a Volkswagen. I was wondering if anyone here knows anything about VW'S enough to help me identify what it came off of, if what was said is true. All I'm trying to do is convert it to disk brakes so I can clear up the rear end and put in another motor.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
WAGON MAFIA.
Blood, sweat and beers.
jimcrazy
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 515
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:33 pm
My tercel:: 1985 4wd 1986fwd 1983 4wd

Re: Identify this front end.

Post by jimcrazy »

looks like early 70s bettle
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Identify this front end.

Post by Petros »

it is almost certainly from a type 1 VW beetle. later bugs had strut front end, the earlier ones all used this double torsion bar suspension.

there should be lots of after market parts for it, they are very durable but kind of heavy (the reason they went away from it). I owned a "sand rail" type dune buggy (welded tube frame) once when I lived in califiornia, it used this front end. the van and the early Porsches used something similar, most parts are interchangeable, but not all so you may want to verify the fit of the parts you get. Very likely it is the bug, (they are the most common and cheap) and likely it has some of the torsion springs removed since that buggy is lighter than a beetle. the torsion spring is a stack of long thin leaves, some can be reoved to make it softer spring rate.

there should be lots of brake up grade parts for it, likely there are kits with a few parts, and you buy the rest of the brake parts from a wrecking yard.

what is that thing anyway? swap whamper? old sprint car? big go cart?
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Identify this front end.

Post by Petros »

looking at it again, it looks like someone cut it down to make it narrow. I have never seen a vehicle use this narrow of a tortion front end. like it was cut down by the previous owner. do you have any history on it? why not ask the guy you bought it from.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Identify this front end.

Post by Petros »

you might find this useful, looks like that steering gear box is used on all standard beetles 1950-1971 (not super beetle):

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewt ... &start=120
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
User avatar
BaileySims
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 626
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 6:52 pm
My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 4WD
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Identify this front end.

Post by BaileySims »

Awesome, thank you both. That's what I was suspecting it would be but couldn't be sure on the year. I have to go back to the metal shop sometime next week to get some flat stock to mount the motor. I'll have to ask him more about it then. Maybe the guy he got it in a trade from might still be around.

This thing was put together really well, especially the engine setup he had in there. I wish I would have taken pictures of it before I blew it apart. It was a late 60's or early 70's JLO motor from an old snowmobile. After doing a bit of research turns out those motors are not so good.

I'm trying to get it going as soon as I can, so for now I plan to just throw a brake rotor on the rear jack shaft and run a master cylinder, caliper and line to that. It will work fine with this 200cc 5 speed motor I have running now. Future plans include a 1000cc gsxr motor that I have to rebuild l, then I'll definitely have to do the front end disk conversion.

I'll get some more pictures of it when the other parts get in later this week. This thing should be a lot of fun.
WAGON MAFIA.
Blood, sweat and beers.
User avatar
helipilot77
Top Notch Member
Posts: 382
Joined: Tue May 03, 2016 9:03 pm
My tercel:: 1984 SR5 wagon
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Identify this front end.

Post by helipilot77 »

It also isn't a 1960 or earlier front end because they had king pins rather than ball joints. Might be mid sixties or seventies.
. / TOYOTA
./_| |/|/ |]
Post Reply