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Wizard of Rods
Lens: DA50-135 Camera: K3 
Posted By: crossed-up, 07-23-2019, 03:10 PM

I put this back on the road a couple of months ago. Its still a bit rough around the edges but is great fun. This evening was the first chance I've had to go out get some shots other than those in the garage. It's a Wizard of Rods VW conversion I did back in the 80's (purist look away now) and was my first car. This is it's latest incarnation after several rears of intermittent work














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07-23-2019, 03:53 PM   #2
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I absolutely love the shots and the car! Really cool and refreshingly different. I see no grill on the front, so I assume the engine is located where Dr. Porsche dictated.

I've never seen one of these conversions and I want one!! Will it hold a flat 6?

I envy your talent; I couldn't pull something like this off any more than I could fly off the roof!

Her
07-23-2019, 04:17 PM   #3
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Nicely framed shots.

What's under the hood of that beast?
07-23-2019, 04:43 PM   #4
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I really like the photos. Brings back some fond memories for me. My first car was a 1973 orange Super Beetle. It was fun to drive and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

07-23-2019, 06:03 PM - 1 Like   #5
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I also really like it. The rear almost looks like it has a bit of Porsche 356 mixed in it's DNA. I've always been a big air cooled VW fan, particularly the Beetle. I had three, back in the '60's..my first car a '61 Type 1, second VW...a '64 Beetle and my last VW was a '69 Type 1 Deluxe, with the 1500cc engine.

I actually took the '69 to the drag strip and my time was 19.4 seconds @ 68.5 mph in the 1/4 mile. Not too shabby for a stock V-Dub...well, I did have Taper Tip exhausts...$ 9.95 at the VW dealer and when installed at the same dealer...an extra $ 4 CAD.
The advertising literature of the period... promised a deep, mellow (mellow was big in the '60's ) exhaust note...but I don't recall anything about any claims for more HP/torque.

As the other poster inquired...what do you have in the engine bay ?
07-23-2019, 07:50 PM   #6
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Red & VW go together
07-24-2019, 03:41 PM   #7
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That's a really cool car, and nice shots.

07-25-2019, 09:53 AM   #8
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now that's a bug i'd love to drive ! dave m
07-26-2019, 11:50 AM - 1 Like   #9
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Thanks for all the kind words, and sorry for the lack of response.

To ans wer some questions:

Yes Jer, the engine is still where Dr. P. intended. Its nothing special, and given drum brakes, swing axles and skinny 145/165 tyres its probably just as well! For those that know V dubs its basically a 1600 twin port with twin Kadron carbs and Engle 110 cam, on some mildly ported heads - and as is the way with VW stuff these days a frustrating exercise in making a varied collection of variable quality parts of German, Brazilian, Mexican and Chinese origin fit and play nicely together! Sorry, but no pics of it in situ, I'll post something up later, but here's a shot part way through build/mock up.



I believe some have managed to get a flat 6 in a bug, but you need to shift things about a bit and concoct a way to support the rear of it as in a 911.

Regarding lessor's 356 comment, I sort of consider it as a poor man's 356, and the only way back in '84 that was going to be able to get close to real one. I'm even further away from one now with the stratospheric prices their fetching now.

It was all based on a wreck of a '61, the best bit of which was the roof...which was the main part to be cut off and there it away

The original sales brochure. The kit was developed by hot rodder Chris Boyle, but the design has been copied and is become known generically as a 'Wizard'.



Price list

07-26-2019, 02:00 PM   #10
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Your '61 VW modified triggered some pleasant memories. Thanks for the additional photos and that souped up engine looks pretty good to me. You have a beautiful roadster and I'm sure it's a delight to drive.

As mentioned before, my first car...was a '61 Beetle Deluxe. Great car, I learned an awful lot about driving with that, especially in our 5.5 month long winters. I weighted the front end down, just a bit to change the weight distribution and allow the front tires to get a steering grip on our snow/ice covered winter roads out here.

I still miss that car quite a bit...durable, could take hard driving from an 18 year old quite well. I recall taking it out on a 'high speed' run on the Trans Canada highway...after a long run got it up to 72 mph...which is what the VW owner's manual claimed it would do (truth in advertising was alive and well in 1961) .

I'm not even sure the Mounties would of pulled me over at that speed. Of course in '67-'68 they were using late '60's Chevy full size sedan (police package) with 427 cubic inch V8/390 horse power, highway patrol cars and I doubt very much if it would take them long to catch up with me.
07-26-2019, 04:23 PM   #11
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I'm impressed! I couldn't take on a project like this any more than I could fly off the roof of my house. Congrats!

Jer
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