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Production numbers

Chassis Numbers

 This list gives a survey of the chassis produced up to the end of each calendar year. Note that VW adopted the "Detroit" practice of model year introductions in late summer. VW chose August 1st. So, calendar year and model year are not the same. Since the Ghia Chassis was considered a Type 1 frame, the consecutive chassis numbers also include "Bugs". The July dates refer to the last chassis built in that model year. For example, '66 production starts in August of '65 and by the end of July 1966, over 1,021,300 Type I chassis were built ... Mostly Beetles.

Weights and Measures

Platform frame with tunnel-shaped center member - Front axle bolted to frame head, engine/transmission unit bolted to frame fork - Independent suspension: double cranked trailing arms at front, swing axles with trailing arms at rear - On vehicles with Automatic Stickshift: independent rear wheel suspension by trailing arms and diagonal links.
Torsion bar springing, double-acting telescopic shock absorbers, stablizer at front
On vehicles with four speed synchromesh transmission equalizer spring at rear.
Roller steering with maintenance free tie-rods and hydraulic steering damper
Hydraulic four-wheel dual circuit foot brakes, disc brakes at front
Mechanical hand brake effective on rear wheels

Wheelbase                   94.5 in (2400 mm)

Turning circle diameter     37 ft (11.25m)

Track at front              51.6 in (1310 mm)

Toe-in                      .08 to .18 in (2 to 4.5 mm) unladen

Camber                      30' +- 15' unladen

Track at rear               53.3 in (1350 mm)

Wheels                      4 J x 15 safety rim wheels

Tires                       5.60 S 15 4 PR tubeless

Tire Pressures              With 1 or 2 occupants:

                            front 16 psi (1.1 kg/cm2), rear 24 psi (1.7 kg/cm2)

                            Fully loaded:

                            front 17 psi (1.2 kg/cm2), rear 26 psi (1.8 kg/cm2)

                            For long, high speed trips, the pressures should be

                            increased by 3 psi (0.2 kg/cm2) at front and rear.



ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Voltage                             12 volts

Battery                             44 Ah

Starter                             0.7 hp

Generator                           max. 360 watts, early cut in

Ignition                            distributor with vacuum spark advance

Firing order                        1-4-3-2

Basic ignition timing               TDC  - engine at operating temperature

Contact breaker gap                 .016 in (0.4 mm)

Spark plugs                         Bosch      W 145 T 1 -|  or plugs with similar

                                    Beru       145 / 14   |- values from other

                                    Champion   L 95 y    -|  manufacturers

Plug thread                           14 mm

Plug gap                            .028 in. (0.7 mm)



DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS

Length                             163.0 ins. (4140 mm)

Width                               64.3 ins. (1634 mm)

Height                              52.4 ins. (1330 mm)

Ground clearance                     5.9 ins. ( 150 mm)

Unladen weight (ready for use)      1918 lbs. ( 870 kg)

Permissible load                     727 lbs. ( 330 kg)

Gross vehicle weight                2645 lbs. (1200 kg)

Permissible front axle load         1102 lbs. ( 500 kg)

Permissible rear axle load          1565 lbs. ( 710 kg)

Permissible trailer weights

    Trailer with brakes             1100 lbs. ( 500 kg)

    Trailer without brakes           880 lbs. ( 400 kg)



CAPACITIES

Fuel Tank                           10.6 U.S. galls (40 liters; 8.8 Imp galls)

Engine                               5.3 U.S. pints (2.5 liters; 4.4 Imp. pints)

Rear axle and transmission           5.3 U.S. pints

  On vehicles with Automatic Stickshift:

  Torque converter circuit   approx. 7.6 U.S. pints ATF (3.6 liters; 6.3 Imp. pints)

  Rear axle and transmission approx. 6.3 U.S. pints Hypoid oil (3.0 liters; 5.3 Imp. pints)



Brake sysem                  approx. .53 U.S. pints (0.25 liter; .44 Imp. pints)

Oil bath air cleaner         approx. .95 U.S. pints (0.45 liter; .79 Imp. pints)

Windshield washer            approx. 3.6 U.S. pints (1.7 liter; 3 Imp. pints)



PERFORMANCE

                             Four speed synchromesh transmission   Automatic Stickshift

Maximum and crusing speed         82 mph. (132 kph)                   80 mph (128 kph)

Acceleration time from

0-50 mph (0-80 kph)              approx. 13 seconds                   approx. 15 seconds

Climbing ability

1st gear                           45%                                 Driving range L 36%

2nd gear                           23%                                 Driving range 1 22%

3rd gear                           13%                                 Driving range 2 15%

4th gear                            8%