VW Beetle Performance Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Upgrading Engine, Transmission, Suspension and Brakes (Motorbooks Workshop) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Built way back in 1936, this 985cc four-cylinder engine was the true forefather of the Beetle's familiar aircooled unit..." (more)
Key Phrases: urethane bushes, dual carburettors, equalizer spring, Gene Berg Enterprises, Super Beetle, Pauter Machine (more...)

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Product Description

Your Volkswagen Beetle is not only the worlds most popular car, but a favorite for those of you who cant wait to wrench out every ounce of performance and handling from your Bug. This detailed guide shows you how to upgrade your Bug for total performance and reliability.

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Product Details Paperback: 120 pages Publisher: Motorbooks; 1st edition (December 13, 1997) Language: English ISBN-10: 0760304696 ISBN-13: 978-0760304693 Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,625 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in these categories: (What's this?) #6 in  Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Trucks & Vans #10 in  Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Parts #10 in  Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > History

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
Built way back in 1936, this 985cc four-cylinder engine was the true forefather of the Beetle's familiar aircooled unit. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
urethane bushes, dual carburettors, equalizer spring, fast road use, aftermarket heads, spider gears, intermediate housing, axle beam, dropped spindles, fast road car, rocker assemblies, stroker crank, caster angle, mild street, race fuel, transmission mountings, stud pattern, aftermarket wheels, dual springs, rubber bushes, positive camber, clutch pressure plate, axle tubes, spring plates, street engine

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Gene Berg Enterprises, Super Beetle, Pauter Machine, California Look, Karmann Ghia, Dura Blue, South America, Street Eliminator, German Car Company, Talbot Horizon

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Books on Related Topics (learn more)

Baja Bugs and Buggies by Ron Sessions

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How to Modify Your Mopar Magnum V-8HP1473 by Larry Shepard

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VW Beetle by Keith Seume

Discusses:

• urethane bushes
• dual carburettors
• axle beam

Baja Bugs and Buggies by Ron Sessions Discusses: urethane bushes spider gears rocker assemblies Aircooled VW Engine Interchange Manual by Keith Seume Discusses: dual carburettors aftermarket heads rocker assemblies How to Modify Your Mopar Magnum V-8HP1473 by Larry Shepard Discusses: rocker assemblies stroker crank mild street How to Build Hot Rod Chassis by Timothy Remus Discusses: urethane bushes spider gears dropped spindles Loading...

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	53% buy the item featured on this page: VW Beetle Performance Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Upgrading Engine, Transmission, Suspension and Brakes (Motorbooks Workshop) 4.0 out of 5 stars (8) $18.21
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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews 5 star:  (2) 4 star:  (4) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.0 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 23 of 25 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Touches on all important aspects of building a custom Beetle, November 16, 1998 By A Customer A great 'how to' book that gives you general guidelines in all the important areas as to how to go about building a custom Beetle. Probably not quite detailed enough for an experienced Beetle customizer looking for all the latest and greatest mods. It's aimed primarily at someone doing this for the first time. His other book, 'Air-Cooled VW Engine Interchange Manual' (5 stars), is the next step down as far as detail is concerned and concentrates on engine specific information. 11 of 12 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Beginner Book but Dangerous, December 12, 2002 By  Cynthia Kisner (Killingworth) - See all my reviews I found Vw Beetle Performance Handbook by Keith Seume the perfect book for a beginner. It has valuable information on all aspects of building a car Suspension, Brakes, Transmission, and Engine. I will definetly use much of the upgrades he described. Yet I find many of his engine modifications dangerous. What I mean by this is he says for the ultimate motor. Get an 84x94 engine, 44x37.5 heads, MSD 6AL, merged header with turbo muffler, and Weber 48 IDA's. This is all in all good advice yet he completely neglects valvetrain geometry and connecting rods. Without strengthening the valvetrain you will most likely suck a valve putting a piston through the case and wrecking the rod. Without stengthening the rod the most likely reaction to this would be a snapped connecting-rod effectivley wrecking you crank, head, and case. His vague descriptions could ultimately wreck YOUR case, connecting rods, piston, heads, and your bone-stock valvetrain geometry. In summation a good beginner book but his vague descriptions could paint you into a corner. I would definetly recomend you read a more specified book like VW Interchange Manual before attempting any major modifications. 8 of 9 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars More than Just Engines!, May 25, 2001 By A Customer This book is great, it deals with most of the issues surounding Beetle perfomance. There are a lot of books around detailing how to uprate your engine, but this book also deals with suspension and more importantly braking systems!		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars vw book very good! The book is very well written and it is very interesting for a VW fan. I recommend this book. Published 4 months ago by Roger P. Hunt 5.0 out of 5 stars VW Beetle Performance Handbook The VW Beetle Performance Handbook was for someone more technical than me. Published on May 22, 2007 by Brian J. Sullivan 3.0 out of 5 stars Not enough info This is a good book for a green v dubber. There isnt enough info in this book to build your own hot vw with out buying other books also. Read more Published on March 24, 2005 by Osorio Batres Silvia Rebeca 4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderfull book for the beginner Let me congratulate the author for the thoughtful and simple layout of the book first. It covers the beetle's mechanical history in a concise manner as well as instructs the "will... Read more Published on August 26, 2004 by ARJUNA MEDAGAMA 4.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Beginner Book I found VW Beetle Performance Handbook a very informative book especially for a beginner. It had musch usefull information that I will surely apply to my car. Read more Published on December 12, 2002 by Cynthia Kisner Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks; 1st edition (December 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760304696
• ISBN-13: 978-0760304693
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,625 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #6 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Trucks & Vans
  #10 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Parts
  #10 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > History

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Touches on all important aspects of building a custom Beetle, November 16, 1998

By A Customer

A great 'how to' book that gives you general guidelines in all the important areas as to how to go about building a custom Beetle. Probably not quite detailed enough for an experienced Beetle customizer looking for all the latest and greatest mods. It's aimed primarily at someone doing this for the first time. His other book, 'Air-Cooled VW Engine Interchange Manual' (5 stars), is the next step down as far as detail is concerned and concentrates on engine specific information.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Beginner Book but Dangerous, December 12, 2002

By	Cynthia Kisner (Killingworth) - See all my reviews

I found Vw Beetle Performance Handbook by Keith Seume the perfect book for a beginner. It has valuable information on all aspects of building a car Suspension, Brakes, Transmission, and Engine. I will definetly use much of the upgrades he described. Yet I find many of his engine modifications dangerous. What I mean by this is he says for the ultimate motor. Get an 84x94 engine, 44x37.5 heads, MSD 6AL, merged header with turbo muffler, and Weber 48 IDA's. This is all in all good advice yet he completely neglects valvetrain geometry and connecting rods. Without strengthening the valvetrain you will most likely suck a valve putting a piston through the case and wrecking the rod. Without stengthening the rod the most likely reaction to this would be a snapped connecting-rod effectivley wrecking you crank, head, and case. His vague descriptions could ultimately wreck YOUR case, connecting rods, piston, heads, and your bone-stock valvetrain geometry. In summation a good beginner book but his vague descriptions could paint you into a corner. I would definetly recomend you read a more specified book like VW Interchange Manual before attempting any major modifications.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More than Just Engines!, May 25, 2001

By A Customer

This book is great, it deals with most of the issues surounding Beetle perfomance. There are a lot of books around detailing how to uprate your engine, but this book also deals with suspension and more importantly braking systems!