VW Beetle1303S
Discussion
The 1302 and 1303 referred to a different body shell, rather than an engine size. They both had macpherson strut front suspension instead of a torsion bar setup, and a slightly more bulbous bonnet. The 1302 still had a pretty much flat windscreen like the torsion bar Beetles, but it was then replaced by the 1303 which had a curved windscreen and a plastic dash with the speedo in a bulge in the plastic dash top. It also got the larger "elephant foot" round back lights. The 1303 was the only beetle that had the curved windscreen.
They still carried on making the torsion bar Beetle at the same time, but I think only with smaller engines (ie the 1302/1303 became the higher end models). When the 1303 was discontinued after a few years, the original torsion bar Beetle still carried on, right up to the fairly recent South American imports.
On torsion bar beetles, I think the number (1300, 1500, etc) always referred to the engine size.
They still carried on making the torsion bar Beetle at the same time, but I think only with smaller engines (ie the 1302/1303 became the higher end models). When the 1303 was discontinued after a few years, the original torsion bar Beetle still carried on, right up to the fairly recent South American imports.
On torsion bar beetles, I think the number (1300, 1500, etc) always referred to the engine size.
Edit because my info was incorrect!
I had a 1974 1303 which was a 1300cc from the factory. The 1303S was a 1600cc factory engine.
The 1302S had the 1600cc engine as well.
Worth noting that there is every chance in the world that any car you are looking at will have had either a fill engine swap or work done over it's life. Best to get the Engine code from the unit itself and figure out what it is here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/engine_le...
I had a 1974 1303 which was a 1300cc from the factory. The 1303S was a 1600cc factory engine.
The 1302S had the 1600cc engine as well.
Worth noting that there is every chance in the world that any car you are looking at will have had either a fill engine swap or work done over it's life. Best to get the Engine code from the unit itself and figure out what it is here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/engine_le...
Edited by PhantomPH on Monday 23 February 11:56
AJB said:
The 1302 and 1303 referred to a different body shell, rather than an engine size. They both had macpherson strut front suspension instead of a torsion bar setup, and a slightly more bulbous bonnet. The 1302 still had a pretty much flat windscreen like the torsion bar Beetles, but it was then replaced by the 1303 which had a curved windscreen and a plastic dash with the speedo in a bulge in the plastic dash top. It also got the larger "elephant foot" round back lights. The 1303 was the only beetle that had the curved windscreen.
They still carried on making the torsion bar Beetle at the same time, but I think only with smaller engines (ie the 1302/1303 became the higher end models). When the 1303 was discontinued after a few years, the original torsion bar Beetle still carried on, right up to the fairly recent South American imports.
On torsion bar beetles, I think the number (1300, 1500, etc) always referred to the engine size.
Spot on.They still carried on making the torsion bar Beetle at the same time, but I think only with smaller engines (ie the 1302/1303 became the higher end models). When the 1303 was discontinued after a few years, the original torsion bar Beetle still carried on, right up to the fairly recent South American imports.
On torsion bar beetles, I think the number (1300, 1500, etc) always referred to the engine size.
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