VW Beetle Tow Vehicle Popularity

[MC1]

There seems to be a growing interest in the modern Beetles popularity when used for towing glass eggs. To start with they appear to have more than enough power 150HP, 170TQ.

A buddy has an 08 Beetle and he is thinking about getting back into towing.....something??? From the ones out there that are using them as TV's how do you feel about them? Thnxs

2008 Volkswagen New Beetle S 2dr Hatchback 2.5L 5-cyl. 5-speed Manual Features and Specs

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by MC1

From the ones out there that are using them as TV's how do you feel about them?

Probably best to actually ask "the ones that are towing with them" in the pics you posted. Or if that's too hard, you might post a source to the pics so anyone actually interested can do so

[Darwin Maring]

While traveling through Greece I passed a Caravan (Camper) going up hill being pulled by a WWII VW Kubelwagen.

[Bob Miller]

The VW Type-181, known in the United States as "The Thing" and bearing a basic resemblance to the WWII Kublewagen, was the standard military vehicle in Germany from 1969 until well into the late 80's. I suspect that's what you may have seen. What few original Kubels that are left are far to valuable (and at 32 hp, underpowered) to be used as a TV.

There are several large organizations for them here and in Europe and I have several pics of VW-181's towing caravans at a meet I went to in Germany a number of years back. And yes, they had to have the Westfalia made hitch to tow, the hitches were very rare and commanded a very high price even then.

In the 80's & 90's my family ran The VW THING/Type-181 Registry with 2600+ members world wide.

[Darwin Maring]

Mr Miller. You are absolutely correct about the Kubelwagen. I most definitely identified it right away as I passed it going up hill in my 1974 Yellow VW Thing. We waved at each other.

I drove our Thing in Turkey for 2 Years and also through Greece, Italy, Austria and several more years here in the US. I presently own a White VW 1974 Thing.

[Shirley LaMoine]

MCI - Where would one be towing? A VW might be OK towing a small trailer at sea level and on the flatlands. Towing at high altitudes over 10 thousand feet mountain passes are a whole different story.

[Jeff in Salinas]

Did not expect to see 'Things' mentioned on this site. :-)

Bob, I was a member of your registry during that time. Still have my '74' in the garage, back in project status. Just need some time.

I never would have thought of towing something with the original engine.

[Bob Miller]

The Westfalia hitch was limited to 450 kg trailer weight (about 950 lbs) which meant that Caravans were either like the aluminum skinned Eriba Puck or others that had single layer fiberboard walls. One I was in actually had the walls shaking in a mild windstorm.

After my wife and son passed away I sold my last one (Also a 74) and left the THING world behind, too many memories.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by Shirley LaMoine

MCI - Where would one be towing? A VW might be OK towing a small trailer at sea level and on the flatlands. Towing at high altitudes over 10 thousand feet mountain passes are a whole different story.

An interesting thought Shirley. Doing a little math.....

A VW towing a 2,000lb egg would weigh about 5,800lbs. The 5 cyl engine has 150 HP. That would work out to about 38lbs per 1HP.

The average 300HP full size pick up towing say a modest 6,000lb box travel trailer would weigh about 12,000lbs. That works out to 40lbs per 1HP. (not as good as the VW/egg combo.)

Sure there are other factors to consider but it looks like it would do the mountains fine. Would really like to hear from folks that have towed with these bugs.

Also note... Our 1993 Nissan Van had 150HP and it's GVWR was 5,800lbs. No big deal driving the van through the mountains when fully loaded.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

"The Thing"

There is something eye catchy about those Things!, but don't think they would be much of a TV.

[steve dunham]

My memory of the "Thing" is of driving to Northern Minnesota to go deer hunting. It was a 4 1/2 hour drive and the interior of the vehicle never got above freezing even though the heater was on full speed . It was so cold inside the "Thing" that the beer froze during the ride . I was young so I didn't care but now at my age never again

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

My memory of the "Thing" is of driving to Northern Minnesota to go deer hunting. It was a 4 1/2 hour drive and the interior of the vehicle never got above freezing even though the heater was on full speed . It was so cold inside the "Thing" that the beer froze during the ride . I was young so I didn't care but now at my age never again

Never owned a "Thing" myself, but it sounds like they had the same heater that came stock in the several Beetles I did own. One of which was the 1960 model in which I learned to drive.

That heater had two temp settings: "frigid" and "frostbite".

[Bob Miller]

The other extreme was with the 73's, they had an Eberspracher gasoline heater, that was made for the military versions that would blast you out on the coldest winters day. 74's only had the infamous fresh air heater that used heat exchangers off of the engine. That, incidentally, is why the rear bodywork was changed for 1974, otherwise the fresh air heater could draw in exhaust gas.

[Darwin Maring]

Francesca, The Thing was just a different body on top of the same Floor Pan as the beetle. Same engine and heater.

[Anthony]

I never owned a "Thing", but you couldn't give me a beetle. I pushed one from Amarillo to Waco one summer back in the 70's. The biggest POS you ever saw. The throttle went out, starter went out, wipers, etc. if you can picture us pushing it off every time we stopped. We used some twine for a throttle and tied it to the radio knob. We went through a monsoon and had to use a squeegee for wipers. No Sir, y'all can keep the Beetles.

Oh yeah, one more thing I remember about Mr. Beetle. I swear the tires came off a tricycle cause every time we hit a bump it rattled your teeth!!!

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Francesca, The Thing was just a different body on top of the same Floor Pan as the beetle. Same engine and heater.

Unfortunately the Beetle floor plan was not used on the THING/Type-181. It was a unique pan more shaped like the Karman Ghia pan. It didn't taper in towards the front. In fact, you could, with a slight amount of mods, put a KG pan under a Thing body.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Anthony

I never owned a "Thing", but you couldn't give me a beetle. I pushed one from Amarillo to Waco one summer back in the 70's. The biggest POS you ever saw. The throttle went out, starter went out, wipers, etc. if you can picture us pushing it off every time we stopped. We used some twine for a throttle and tied it to the radio knob. We went through a monsoon and had to use a squeegee for wipers. No Sir, y'all can keep the Beetles.

Oh yeah, one more thing I remember about Mr. Beetle. I swear the tires came off a tricycle cause every time we hit a bump it rattled your teeth!!!

Unfortunately a lot of Beetles suffered from a total lack of routine maintenance. In their day they were ultra simple, very dependable, economical and easy to repair.

Just like an FGRV that isn't maintained and gets water leaks, there are just some things that have to be looked after.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Unfortunately a lot of Beetles suffered from a total lack of routine maintenance. In their day they were ultra simple, very dependable, economical and easy to repair.

Just like an FGRV that isn't maintained and gets water leaks, there are just some things that have to be looked after.

You are probably right. All I know is my adventure in one would make a great comedy movie!

[Bob Miller]

The aircooled VW's were sorta the SCAMP of automobiles.... LOL

[War Eagle]

Had a '71 Super Beetle during grad school. GREAT car - except - my then girlfriend (now wife), had to use an ice scraper on the INSIDE of the windshield so we could see in the winter because there was absolutely no heat getting from the rear engine to the windshield to defrost even our breath as it hit the ice-cold windshield. Oh, the memories. I'd love to have that little bug back....