ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

I was wanting to lift the back of my body up about 2" and leave the front were it is. The rear is very close in the fender well area. I am planning on putting adjusters on the Front End to lower it. Going for the Raked look like the old Hot Rods. I have followed the threads suggesting using Composite, Steel etc. But being new to the buggy scene I just dont know which is best for the money and sweat. Please Help!!!!
I currently use 14" rims all the way around but would like to go to 15" on the Rear. Tire size hasnt been determined yet.

My kids Bradley GT was drafty, and needed a new body seal. You know those long tubes that people put under their arms to float in a pool. I think they are called swim noodles. We split them with a razor knife, and it makes an air/water tight seal. Maybe you could cut them lenthwise on a slant, and stack themto get the rake you want. Paint black when done, they only come in bright colors.

I doubt that you need a body lift kit for 1/2 of the car??

Are you sure that the settings on the rear springs are correct? It looks like an IRS pan and I can't tell from this view, but maybe you just need to re-set the torsion bars?

Check out any VW manual to see how to do it.

Good luck,

Boston Bob E

Good Point I will look into adjusting the rear torsion bars. It is a swing axle and it looks fairly close to level on the axle tubes now and didnt want it more than that but the rear tires are so close to the fender well. I was looking for a raked look by using a rear only lift.

I'd consider dropping the front with spindles..

MiniTs look best with rake.. your front end looks jumped up..

You can get different tires rubber height to fit your craggars..

I believe I will first put ballast weight back on front end. Gas tank is in rear. Car is kinda squirrely if you hit a bump. Maybe the extra weight = to the Gas and Tank will stablize the suspension(lower front end) I will then only have work with the Swing Axle.

OK, from the photos, I thought you have the long torsion bars normaly found in an IRS and that's all I based the IRS comment on. If you have a swing axle car, with long torsion bars, they do interchance, but that's different?

I agree, get the back end up, drop the front end somehow, and, that's good looking Berry car!!

Boston Bob E

Did you ever figure out the ride height problem with your car yet? I have a body similar to it that sits on a full length pan. Mine has been in the building stage for close to 15 years now. It is apart again. I have IRS in the rear and B/J in the front.

My body does not sit as low in the rear as yours does. Putting a mild preload in might help but… you need to be careful on how much you do put in as the swing axle wants to tip the rear tires in at the bottom if you go past a certain point (do you have a preload chart?) in lifting your buggy. To r eset them you will need an angle gauge which is not expensive.

Since yours is for the street, I wonder if the shocks with springs on them might be an easy fix (preload is still the best though). With your tank is in the rear, you are carrying close to 80 lbs of additional weight in the rear with the tank full (using the weight of water at 8# per gallon, and yes gas is lighter, but ten gallons is 80#... approx).

Hope this helps. Lee