1973 VW Karmann Ghia Chassis

Swing axle and I.R.S. refer to the different type of transmissions found on classic VW models. Swing axles are found on early models, while I.R.S. transmissions are found on late model VW's.

See our Link Pin Shim chart with quantity, size, and placement of shims.

Follow along as we walk you through how to remove the front link pin beam. This is the first step to lowering, narrowing and adding stopping power to the front end.

Rebuilding link pin spindles is a difficult and time consuming job. Follow along as we walk you through how to properly break apart and put back together a link pin spindle system.

When you are making modifications to your front end, be it after market wheels, drop spindles or even lowering your vehicle, installing a narrowed beam is a crucial step for proper installation. Follow along as we walk you through how to properly install a narrowed link pin front beam into a VW.

Our Tech covers how to measure and adjust the front beam to get the height set to exactly the position you like.

Our Tech shows you how to pull your old struts and install new adjustable strut inserts. The adjustable struts allow up to a roughly 3.5 inch drop from stock height.

Whether you are installing new drop spindles or have rebuilt your own, proper installation of spindles is a crucial step for driving safety. Follow along as we walk you through all the steps needed to be taken for proper link pin drop spindle installation.

If you've ever thought about lowering the back end of your VW, this is the video for you. Follow along as we show you step by step how to lower the rear end of a vintage Volkswagen Beetle.

Follow along as we walk you through the installation of the sway bar, brake rotors, brake calipers, narrowed tie rods and a pair of KONI classic adjustable shock absorbers.

Replacing the accelerator cable is a fairly simple task but the clutch cable replacement is a bit more involved as the pedal assembly has to be removed. Follow along with our tech as he shows you how to replace both cables in our 1963 Resto-Custom Beetle Project.

A camber compensator is a great upgrade for VW swing axle transmissions and installation is quick and simple. Follow along as our VW Tech shows you how to install the compensator and make your swing axle equipped VW handle much more predictably.

If you notice oil leaking from your swing axles or see cracks in your axle boots, it may be time to replace them. Follow along as we show you all the steps needed to replace your swing axle boots.

If your transmission mounts have separated or you are clearancing your 6 volt transmission for a 12 volt flywheel then we have got a video for you. Our tech covers removing a swing axle transmission and then shows you how to grind down the bell housing of the transmission so it will accept a 1300 or larger engine with a 12 volt flywheel.

Installing a swing axle transmission takes some work but isn't very complicated. No special tools are needed, just a jack, some stands and some basic tools. We're installing new transmission mounts along with a rear transmission strap to secure the transmission to the chassis.

If you are swapping out an old 6-volt transmission for a 12-volt flywheel, you will need to make room for it by grinding down the transmission bell housing. This can be a very dangerous job. Please watch this video for proper procedures as well as safety precautions.

When you are restoring a VW, or any vehicle for that matter, there are always repairs that are unplanned. For us it means more opportunities to show all you at home another repair. Follow along as we show you how to replace a transmission throw out shaft.

We got the front steering and suspension bolted on to our 1971 Super Beetle in our last video, now we will get the steering column reassembled so we can turn the front wheels. Follow along with our tech as he covers the assembly and installation.

The chassis has been cleaned up and painted after we did the rust repairs and installed new floor pans. Now we’re going to cover the last bit of tear down on it before reassembly.

We install new axle bearings and spacers into the trailing arms before installing the rest of the rear suspension and brake parts. Follow along and enjoy as our chassis comes together.

Replacing a clutch cable in a VW Beetle, Karmann Ghia, Thing or Type 3 requires removing the pedal assembly which in our opinion is a poor design. Wouldn't it be so much easier if there was a hole on the other side of the tunnel? We think so, we've done it before and we do it again.

We're going to remove most all of the remaining parts down to a rolling chassis. Follow along with our tech as we near the end of our disassembly!

Rusted out floor pans are a common problem for many VW Beetles and where the driver side pan on our chassis was in good shape the passenger side wasn’t. So, while we have the body out of the way, we replace both pans so they match.

While we were replacing the floor pans in our 1971 Super Beetle we also had to repair the front frame head support. This area is often referred to as the Napoleon's Hat understandably. While we could have cut off the entire section as we did have the replacement, our tech prefers patching in the ends.

We're ready to pull the body from the pan of our 1971 Super Beetle Restoration project but, as we have a Super Beetle, there are a few steering and suspension components that need to be disconnected. We'll cover the disassembly of these last few items and by the end of this video we will finally be ready to remove the body from the pan.

We picked up a rebuilt Pro Street Flyer Transmission from The Wright Gearbox to install in our 1971 Euro Look Super Beetle. Follow along as we install it in our restored chassis with urethane transmission mounts and a rear transmission support kit.

We're prepping and installing new CV Joint Axle Assemblies and we’re going to mock up our rear truss bar in this video. Follow along as we finish up the chassis, all in preparation for the body to be set in place!

While we didn't have to lower the rear of our 1971 Super Beetle, we wanted to give an idea of how the car will look before we pull it apart. Lowering the rear suspension on a Beetle does not require anything other than tools and time.

We'll install a clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing. The installation is pretty straight forward, there isn't much too it but our tech will cover some of the differences in late model versus early model clutches