Gerrelt’s garage

This website is all about my 1973 Volkswagen 1303 S (in US: Super) beetle.I like doing modifications to it. My goal is not to make it the fastest beetle in the world, but my aim is only to make it more driveable and low on maintenance. The modifications must make the car more fun to drive.

(filmed during a holiday in “das Bergisches Land”, a region in Germany)

Looking for my Raspberry Pi page? See:   Raspbery Pi page logo

Youtube Youtube channel
 Facebook logo Facebook page (not really active)

One of my modifications is a roof/rear window spoiler. It turned out, more people liked this spoiler, and asked me to create one for them to. So I am now producing and selling this spoiler:

VW beetles with Gerrelt spoiler

Click here for more details.


See the menu on the left. There you can navigate to the pages where I describe the switch to an Alfa Romeo engine, and some miscellaneous modifications like LED lights, rear anti-rollbar etc. The modifications not (yet) documented are:

  • glassfiber standard width fenders
  • glassfiber front decklid, original shape
  • glassfiber rear decklid with louvres
  • one piece windows
  • Volkswagen Polo front seats
  • 3 point safety belts in the front and in the back
  • electronic rear pop-out window
  • temperature and volt gauge
  • thicker front swaybar
  • front strut tower brace
  • lowered aprox. 4 cm in the front, and aprox 1 cm in the back
  • ATS alloy wheels

Furthermore you can find some VW beetle related documents in the menu on the right, which you may find interesting. And there is something about my VW beetle history.

My beetle was also used in a dutch television program, Blik Op De Weg. See: Youtube link to episode .

40 Comments

  1. Hallo was kostet der Schöne spoiler?? Passt der nur auf 445 Scheiben oder auch die 405 heckscheibe?? Würden sie auch nach Deutschland versenden? Gruß Gregor

  2. Hello – it really looks great, what you have build. Congratulations. I really like the sound, better then VW or Subaru.
    How are your experiences whith fuel consumtion? Could you get a green label for it?

    best regards

    Karsten

    • Hi Karsten,

      Thanx!
      The fuel consumption is now around 1 liter per 13 kilometers, no matter how hard I drive it. Which is not bad, it’s better then the stock VW engine.
      We don’t have “green labels” in the Netherlands for oldtimers, so I don’t know.

      Greetings,
      Gerrelt.

  3. Hi, I’m interested in the roof spoiler and followed a link for shipping but I honestly couldn’t understand the shipping rates and would like to know how much much would be the total shipped to the US. I’m giving you my email.

    Thanks.

  4. Hi.
    I have an Alfa 1.7 16v engine that I would like to install into my ’71 bug.
    I just wondered if you could help with what parts I would need for the conversion?
    I am based in the U.K. so I’m not sure what would need to be shipped in etc.
    Also, do you know if the rear valance will fit back on, or whether it needs relief cuts around the cam covers?
    All the best,
    Andy.

  5. Hoi, mooi project. Ik overweeg om in onze T2b bus een andere motor te plaatsen. Zit nu een 2.0L flat 4 in. Had niet eerder gelezen dat Alfa boxers eventueel ook passen. Ik begrijp veel, maar kan zelf weinig. Kan jijzelf tegen betaling of ken je iemand anders die hierbij helpen kan? Woon zelf omgeving Rotterdam.

    • Hoi Rik,

      Voor een T2b bus is misschien een Subaru motor meer geschikt. Er zit een bedrijf op Texel die Subaru motoren inbouwt in bussen, zie:
      https://www.delta-rv.nl/index_revenond.htm

      Maarrrr… op hun site zie je vooral T3 bussen, en die zijn al watergekoeld en hebben dus al een radiateur aan boord. Dit maakt de ombouw een stuk eenvoudiger.
      Bij jouw bus moet er een plekje voor de radiateur, koelwater buizen, verwarming etc. gevonden worden. Dit zal de kosten enorm omhoog gooien.
      Het aantal man-uren zal erg hoog zijn, en daardoor zal zo’n ombouw serieus geld (hele ruwe schatting: 5000 euro of meer) kosten.

      Groeten,
      Gerrelt.

  6. Hi Gerreit,
    I need your help.
    I lost my VIN Plate and I need a new one.
    do you know a company which produce VIN Plate and mey I get a contact?

    • Hi Branko,

      In which country are you? In some countries it might be illegal to use a replicated VIN plate.
      In the Netherlands, the VIN number in de floorpan is the one that identifies the beetle.
      I don’t know of a company that makes exact replicas of VIN plates, I had one made by a company that uses laser-engraving.
      It’s not embossed like the original plate, so one can clearly see it’s a replica.

      Greetings,
      Gerrelt.

  7. BONJOUR,
    Quel tarif pour la paire de spoiler pour montant de pare brise et ainsi que le spoiler sur vitre arrière?

    Cordialement

  8. Hi gerrelt really like your car mate. Thinking about doing my rear brake conversion the same as you and was wondering if there would be any reason the same could not be done to the fronts as my 72 has drums. Could you foresee any major problems as other that sizing it all up? Was going to look into using 914 rear discs on all four wheels???

    • Hi Nick,

      I think it will be quite difficult to use the 914 discs on the front. And the benefits aren’t great either.
      Are the 914 discs bigger then the standard front disks?
      Either way, the offset will probably be different, which means you will have to create a bracket for the caliper.
      It wouldn’t be my choice, personally I would look into adapting 944 front brakes. Although….. those discs are for 5 wheel lugs, which means you have to change wheels too…hmmm..

      Greetings,
      Gerrelt.

  9. Hi!

    I love your website.

    Did you notice much improvement from the strut brace?
    same for the thicker swaybar?

    Which one was a greater improvement?

    Also, I wanted a rear spoiler very badly, I measured the rear window on my 1974 super beetle and it measured just under 46cm! Is there any way you could make a spoiler for that type of rear window?

    Your website is a great resource for us beetle guys too. Thankyou.

    Alex.

    • Hi Alex,

      The stutbrace I really can’t tell. I haven’t driven the car without it. I mainly installed it to prevent metal-fatigue in the strut-towers.
      The thicker front swaybar is really noticeable. Much more stable in fast corners and less sensitive to wind from the side.
      So the thicker swaybar is the winner here!

      Your window should be the right window. If you measure 46 cm, it must be the largest window, on which the spoiler should fit.
      The 44 cm is measured from the middle of the window seal at the bottom to the middle of the window seal at the top. Differences in window seals might explaint he 2 cm you are measuring extra.

      Greetings,
      Gerrelt.

      • Thanks for the quick reply.

        I will have to pursue the swaybar. I have a 2ltr subaru engine in my bug and I don’t like how it feels at 90mph+

        I also plan to try get a kamei “front spoiler” (looks like an air dam to me). A splitter would also be awesome but I haven’t seen any anywhere.

        Could I purchase one of your lovely rear spoilers?

        Thanks again!

        Alex.

  10. Wow, it looks great. 20 years ago, I also had a 1303, but I went all out for power and speed. I fitted the 2 Litre Porsche 214 engine, bored out to 2.4 Litres, and installed a pair of Dellorto dual carbs. The cooling was looked after by a custom fiberglass hood fed by the 911 11-blade fan. I extended the sump capacity by another 2 Litres. I also used the 911 electronic ignition, and fitted Porsche disc-brakes all round. Top speed was about 125 MPH at 7,000 revs with the standard gearbox.

  11. Gruß. Ich komme aus kroatien Ich möchte etwas Ähnliches mit meinem Fehler machen, einen Alfa Romeo 33 Motor einsetzen. Ich frage mich, ob ich das Getriebe des Alfa Romeo einsetzen muss

  12. Hello Gerrelt
    I´m Gerd from GWD in Germany. My Motorsprt-Friend Dirk gives me your
    contact adress.
    I would like to have one rear window spoiler. Let me know how we can prceed further.

  13. Hallo Gerrelt,

    Ik heb interesse in de achterruit spoiler en de raingutter-fillers.
    Ik geloof dat de achterruit spoiler wel gaat passen, maar lever je ook raingutter-fillers voor VW1200 uit 74?

    Vriendelijke groet,

    Romy.

  14. Hallo würde gerne den Spoiler für die Heckscheibe haben wollen
    Bitte einen Preis inkl Versand nach Deutschland

  15. Hi! I just want to congratulate you on the open air folding roof info. I’m taking mine out this week and the info that you posted is very helpful. Thank you!!

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