T-Bucket is how we call hot rods based on the Ford Model T, but as you can tell, this fellow here isn’t an American automobile. What started life as 1974 Volkswagen Beetle now features a good ol’ small-block V8 with loads of engine and chassis modifications, hence the “Volksrod” designation.
Offered by Gateway Classic Cars of St. Louis, the white-painted VW is “a pretty heftily customized build” inside and out. The 5.7-liter plant, for example, boasts Edelbrock heads and valve covers, custom headers, and an AVS2 carburetor. Thanks to improved atomization of the fuel when transitioning from idle to wide-open throttle, the carb is more than adequate for this application.
Priced at $23,000 as per the online listing, the hot-rodded Bug is spinning a 3.73:1 rear end with the help of a TH350 automatic transmission from TCI Automotive. Widely considered as one of the best GM designs ever, the Three-Fifty is popular with quarter-mile racers and manual-to-automatic conversions.
Even though the Volksrod doesn’t feature super-sticky drag radials, the considerable width of the rear tires and skinny runners up front should give you an idea about the straight-line performance. “The suspension and frame have been modified or custom-built to suit all the modifications,” and even the undercarriage has a few rough spots, the Vee-Dub before you is tough as nails.
The coilover suspension for the narrowed four-link rear end has drag racing written all over it. When launching off the line at full throttle, stock shocks just aren’t enough to transfer the weight effectively to the rear of the car. Coilovers, on the other hand, are easily adjustable, responsive, and very consistent.
Hopping inside the Beetle, you’re welcomed by two bolstered seats with lap belts, no seats out back, and a fuel cell. Pop the hood, and you’ll be treated to a part of the red-painted frame and a couple of shock absorbers instead of the original four-cylinder boxer with up to 1,600 cubic centimeters of displacement.
Priced at $23,000 as per the online listing, the hot-rodded Bug is spinning a 3.73:1 rear end with the help of a TH350 automatic transmission from TCI Automotive. Widely considered as one of the best GM designs ever, the Three-Fifty is popular with quarter-mile racers and manual-to-automatic conversions.
Even though the Volksrod doesn’t feature super-sticky drag radials, the considerable width of the rear tires and skinny runners up front should give you an idea about the straight-line performance. “The suspension and frame have been modified or custom-built to suit all the modifications,” and even the undercarriage has a few rough spots, the Vee-Dub before you is tough as nails.
The coilover suspension for the narrowed four-link rear end has drag racing written all over it. When launching off the line at full throttle, stock shocks just aren’t enough to transfer the weight effectively to the rear of the car. Coilovers, on the other hand, are easily adjustable, responsive, and very consistent.
Hopping inside the Beetle, you’re welcomed by two bolstered seats with lap belts, no seats out back, and a fuel cell. Pop the hood, and you’ll be treated to a part of the red-painted frame and a couple of shock absorbers instead of the original four-cylinder boxer with up to 1,600 cubic centimeters of displacement.