Hi- I am looking at various VW front torsion bars from Sway-A-Way. I am trying to relate them to the original VW Bug bars in size and type. Porsche used 6 split leaves starting with the A. I am not sure what the Pre-A used.

How many leaves did VW use and were they split or solid? Thanks.

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Cliff Murray

 

'55 Cabriolet Racer

'57 Speedster

'59 Sunroof

'63 Coupe Pushrod GS 2133

'67 911 S

For link pin Beetles, there's actually 8 'leaves' on the top torsion. Some of them are split, and some are solid. That's for the top tube.

Here's a pic.


And a real world greasy one.. (actually this is a bad pic, he took out one of the split ones to get it back in the torsion arm).


The bottom tube has 6 full leaves.

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Anand-Thank you. Porsche used 6 layers of split in two leaves...if I remember correctly. They were welded at the ends. I assume that 6 split layers are softer than 6 solid width layers.

Sway-A-Way says that the 7 layer/leaf(not split) is 5% stiffer than stock VW but I have no idea if that is due to design or material differences...and how does that relate to the 356 part.

Am I wrong or did the Pre-A have 5 solid leaves....or 5 split...or 6 solid???

_________________

Cliff Murray

 

'55 Cabriolet Racer

'57 Speedster

'59 Sunroof

'63 Coupe Pushrod GS 2133

'67 911 S

Call Danny at KYMCO, here in So Cal. he is about a block from my shop and there Mon. - Wed. .....949-842-2255. He is our regional VW expert and a great guy.

.................................................Jim.

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Jim Liberty

Thanks Jim. You are a Pre-A man...are the front bars 5 solid or 5 split leaves?

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Cliff Murray

 

'55 Cabriolet Racer

'57 Speedster

'59 Sunroof

'63 Coupe Pushrod GS 2133

'67 911 S

I can truly say I don't know. I have not taken that part apart. And, I'm not really a Pre A guy. Just had a few come my way in the past few years. I will say, I do love these old girls.

...........Jim.

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Jim Liberty

If you were restoring East Coast cars the torsion tubes would be rusted away and the bars would be exposed!!!

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Cliff Murray

 

'55 Cabriolet Racer

'57 Speedster

'59 Sunroof

'63 Coupe Pushrod GS 2133

'67 911 S

CJ, you that is so true. I bought a '53 from Western New york a number of years ago. After six months of chasing rust, I gave up and parted it out. That said, I just finished a '63 S-90, that came from MI., and it was in wonderful shape. The owner had it 30+ years and only drove it in the summer.

I'm working on a '54 Sunroof now, and it came to from a man in OR. who loved it for 39 years. The only metal I have replaced are parts of the battery box, and the nose (Accident damage). Everything else will be original to the car.

..............................................Jim.

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Jim Liberty