60s VW Beetle towed vehicles

Correct. Non Super Beetles used a tow bar that attached to the axle tube. No axle tube on a Super Beetle.

Models before the Super Beetle used a special VW tow bar that connected to the front suspension assembly. Not a "regular" towbar, whatever that may mean; in that era, when cars had real bumpers, a lot of tow bars were bumper to bumper attachments, we used them to haul minor undrivable wrecks in, or to take junkers out to the yard.

Lizzie..._anyone_ can tow a riceburner.

I put about 150 pounds of lead ballast weights and the toolbox in the front of my '71 Bug; the squirreliness stopped and it didn't blow around near as much.

It was very easy to strip the nuts/studs holding the screen cover in. Ask me how I know....

Also, seals were known to start leaking if you put too much oil in.

Wish I still had the beast. It's the only car I ever had that never made me walk.

10 minutes to pull an engine ? What took you so long ? :)

lizzie wrote:
Wow! This is a really timely discussion for me. I had my '71 Super Beetle Convertible pulled out of storage last week and towed it to Florida to a restorer. I got his estimate today and am trying to decide whether or not to go forward with it. We presently tow a 24" TT but think that in a few years we will want a B+ or C- and might want to use the Bug as a toad. For the price of a first class restoration we could buy a late model small car with a/c and automatic transmission. I bought the car in 1979 from my first cousin, who bought it new. Three of our five children drove it to college. But is the restoration worth it? I am agonizing over this. lizzie

A Super Beetle has a completely different and much more sensitive front suspension than the earlier beetles and regular late model beetles.

No idea how it will tow-- I would ask those who have towed one with the McPhearson Strut front suspension before going forward with the idea of restoring it to tow.

J-Rooster wrote:
A buddy of when tows his 60's Beetle all four down with no problems.

It must be a Northwest thing, Our bugs just tow better. :)

Wow! This is a really timely discussion for me. I had my '71 Super Beetle Convertible pulled out of storage last week and towed it to Florida to a restorer. I got his estimate today and am trying to decide whether or not to go forward with it. We presently tow a 24" TT but think that in a few years we will want a B+ or C- and might want to use the Bug as a toad. For the price of a first class restoration we could buy a late model small car with a/c and automatic transmission. I bought the car in 1979 from my first cousin, who bought it new. Three of our five children drove it to college. But is the restoration worth it? I am agonizing over this. lizzie

Thanks to all who replied to my VW tow questions. I think I have all I was looking for.

Ivylog wrote:
I learn how to pass in a 36 HP beetle... you lay back and when you think there's a hole coming up, you get a running start and turn off the AC IF it had one. I still use this technique and in the MH and I do not turn the AC off and it's a lot easier to see what's coming up. You run the bungee to the seat because the VW is so lite on the front.
A tow bar is only $100 and pins to the front axle lower torsion bar. I would be afraid of trying to put a "normal" tow bar that folds up as there is very little structure in the front of a beetle.

CG Dawson, I believe I answered his question and why: " You run the bungee to the seat because the VW is so lite on the front." Granted I did not feel it necessary to say "from the bottom of the steering wheel and you adjust it by where you position the seat".