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1974 Volkswagen Beetle "Volksrod" Flaunts 350 Chevy V8

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.
1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap 49 photos
Photo: Gateway Classic Cars
1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap1974 Volkswagen Beetle hot rod with 350 small-block V8 engine swap
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.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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