The start of the Super Beetle Baja experiment, on my Brother's, 1973 Super Beetle.

73 Super Beetle with 3" body lift and custom front suspension lift and reinforcement.

All the patch panels are welded in and the trim holes welded up and smoothed.

This Baja kit was the 1st Super Beetle Baja kit sold by Johnnys Speed & Chrome.

The tilt front end is finally tilting. The bumper was made from a modified regular Beetle, baja bumper.

2-1973 SUPER BEETLES. The scoop on the roof is functional, the oil lines were run in the car just to keep the car looking smooth.

Here it is, during the after paint reassembly . The one piece tilt front end is fastened to the tilt bumper at the license plate mount.

The struts were dropped at the upper mount. The strut must be kept at the proper angle to maintain the geometry. The top of the struts were tied together and into the cowl. The steering box and idler arm were dropped from the body and reinforced so there would be no lateral movement. The control arms were fitted with urethane bushings then the trailing arm mounts were reinforced then the trailing arms were boxed.

Rear quarter view.

Cruisin around Silver Lake.

Headed for test hill in Silver Lake.

Making a half hearted attempt at test hill...No paddles and not much engine.

It sure looks much more dune worthy with the paddles on it.

It's alot more fun splashing thru the puddles in the Baja then the buggy.

High speed pass thru the flooded flats in Silver Lake Dunes.

October 1988 The demise of the Super Beetle Baja and nearly the demise of my Brother.
My Brother was on his way to work @ 5am traveling at 55 mpg on the Interstate when a drunk driver traveling in excess of 100 mph ran into the left rear of the Baja.

The Baja skidded sideways then rolled several times and endoed a few times off into the ditch.

The roof scoop had a functional oil cooler in it.

Notice the reinforced Super Beetle front suspension is in good functional condition.

I think the damage to the front of the cage/roof happened when the car rolled/endoed over the guard rail.

It's hard to see in the photo but the left side cylinders and head were torn off the engine.

The 1 1/2" .095 cage held the roof up.

This is the first time my Brother saw the car.

The car struck the left rear of the engine and the left rear tire and literally pushed the torsion housing forward on the left side of the car.

October1988-12

The roll cage did deform. My Brother actually pulled the steering column out of the car while holding on during the ride.

You can tell by the bottom of the 1/4 panel that the torsion housing was pushed forward.

My Brother came out of the accident with a severe head laceration (Roll Cage),broken collar bone, Broken ribs, punctured lung (probably steering wheel), broken lower leg (dash), Broken thumb. He spent 10 days in the hospital.

The drunk driver pulled his car (actually his sister's) over to the shoulder and ran away on foot leaving my Brother hanging out the window of the car,unconscious in 20 degree weather.
He mistakenly left his wallet on the front seat of his car. The drunk had no insurance and neither did his Sister. He was a counter person at Burger King.
PLEASE DON"T DRIVE DRUNK!