• Registered: 2009-06-25
  • Posts: 558

Topic: Old VW ads

Ok, so I've been going through some of the old ads archived at type-14.com, and the recurring statement is that you you can max out a stock air cooled 4 without problems. I'm wondering if people are just being more cautious now since the cars are older, or was VW was pulling our leg?


Some quotes from their ads are below...

1957: "...beauty that can take abuse day-after-day, year-in-year-out --- and like it! For example, this spirited, lively car can be driven at full throttle for as long as you like."

1964: "Top speed is also cruising speed"

1966: "It'll do 82 mph all day."

1967: "Max. and cruising speed 82 mph."

1970: "maximum and cruising speed 86 m.p.h."

1974: "cruise at an easy 90 m.p.h. all day.


Paul

  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Registered: 2005-09-10
  • Posts: 2,336

Re: Old VW ads

Thanks for posting those Paul...looks like the top speed kept "creeping" up as engine displacement increased...some interesting statements!

- Nick

1979 Super Beetle Convertible
  • Registered: 2009-06-25
  • Posts: 558

Re: Old VW ads

Bug In My Nose wrote:

Thanks for posting those Paul...looks like the top speed kept "creeping" up as engine displacement increased...some interesting statements!

- Nick

Yeah it did creep up with displacement. I don't know about the "90 mph all day" thing, seems my ears would go out! It might be because the sound deadener inside the rear storage compartment has been replaced with plywood and a piece of carpet in my car. And, I suspect the missing engine compartment seal between the right rear fender and the firewall is letting in a lot of noise. It's just another thing on my list to fix...

  • From: Minnesota
  • Registered: 2004-09-17
  • Posts: 46

Re: Old VW ads

Hmmm, my '66 at 82 mph all day, now?

Well, everything is in primo shape but I don't know about 82 all day not that I want to attempt this. My sweet spot is 62 mph, everything sounds in balance.

Maybe this next engine should get blueprinted and a CW crank. Great ad statements though. Makes me wanna dig out my collection of old LIFE VW ads I have.

Dennis C~

  • TomB
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • From: Austin, TX
  • Registered: 2004-03-27
  • Posts: 1,095

Re: Old VW ads

1966: "It'll do 82 mph all day."

Doesn't say what it will do the next day...

  • From: somewhere over the rainbow USA
  • Registered: 2006-07-26
  • Posts: 1,889

Re: Old VW ads

I thought that was interesting too. remember back a few years ago and all the dead bugs and buses on the interstates trying to prove those numbers? DOA because they could not do it. But then VW tested theirs on a test truck under controlled conditions with proper maintenance.
I have heard the 36HP can take the balls to the walls driving, one speed -floored. LOL

burrhead

A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion.
  • Registered: 2009-06-25
  • Posts: 558

Re: Old VW ads

Oldbugss wrote:

Hmmm, my '66 at 82 mph all day, now?

Well, everything is in primo shape but I don't know about 82 all day not that I want to attempt this. My sweet spot is 62 mph, everything sounds in balance.

Maybe this next engine should get blueprinted and a CW crank. Great ad statements though. Makes me wanna dig out my collection of old LIFE VW ads I have.

Dennis C~

Yeah, I don't know what my precise sweet spot is, but I know it's not that 82 either! I'll have to feel it out a bit more, but it does feel more "in balance" between 60 and 65 like yours. What bothers me is the crankshaft design with the forward pistons combined mass sharing the same journal position. The two rear pistons also share the rear journal position, so you have one journal being yanked one way at the same time the other one is yanked the other way, so there are a lot of uneven crankshaft forces going on. As long as you have a good crank, you could get away with a lot of rpm's, but I'm still not comfortable with it unless it's a forged crank or a roller crank.

Dennis, is the CW crank you mentioned a roller crank? I have heard people running roller crank engines at 7,000 plus rpm and have a longer service life than a standard crank at 4,000.

Paul

  • Registered: 2009-06-25
  • Posts: 558

Re: Old VW ads

TomB wrote:

1966: "It'll do 82 mph all day."

Doesn't say what it will do the next day...

"Rrr rrr rrr clank, Rrr rrr rrr clank"

Lol!

Paul

  • Registered: 2009-06-25
  • Posts: 558

Re: Old VW ads

burrhead wrote:

I thought that was interesting too. remember back a few years ago and all the dead bugs and buses on the interstates trying to prove those numbers? DOA because they could not do it. But then VW tested theirs on a test truck under controlled conditions with proper maintenance.
I have heard the 36HP can take the balls to the walls driving, one speed -floored. LOL

Yeah, and two bugs and three of those buses belonged to us, and one was a 21 window! The buses overheated and dropped a valve (guess which one?), but the matching blue and red '69 bugs were killed by my mother who ignored the oil light. I don't recall any of the above being perfectly maintained, of course

On the flip side, the last VW my father bought was a 72 SB. It had every option in the book and he maintained it to the letter. He had a mechanic named Klaus who was terrific, and my dad would not hesitate to do any service he recommended. That bug was driven cross country several times, loaded, sometimes with a large roof carrier AND a bike rack on the back. Usual speed was between 65 and 70 if it could get up there depending on the wind. He parked it in the driveway (still there!) after a dozen years of heavy use, and although he had the valves done a few times, the case has never been opened, even after 400,000 miles.

Paul