Recommended Front Sway Bar out of stock

Call Kirk at Vintage.

You might also try Mid America Motorworks, VW parts.

Also JBugs.

I have been running the 3/4" bar from CB performance for 17 years.  It is identical to the one from Aircooled.  Either one will be fine.  Make sure you lube BOTH the bar (which slides back and forth as well as twists) and the Urethane bushings with the included silicone grease, otherwise it will start squeaking next season.

http://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/4023.htm

I waited a couple or three months for a Kafer brace from Aircooled, only to find they STILL didn't have them in with no ETA.  Bought one in the next ten minutes from CIP1 and had it in the car in four days.   I don't think the Aircooled site tells you, when ordering, if something is in stock - at least I don't remember seeing anything.  You have to call them and get surprised.

thanks Gordon! placing the order now. 

@Gordon Nichols Any knowledge of the Fast Fab Truss bar?

Nope, sorry. @Michael McKelvey, maybe?

There were two that I looked at - one had 1-1/4" bars and heim joints everywhere for adjustment.  I thought that one, while impressive, was a bit too much bar for my 'tearing up back roads' needs, so I went with one with 3/4" bars from Bug Pack.  Remember - I have an IRS rear with both Kafer Brace and Anti-Sway bar.

From my car manual:

The Kafer brace overcomes flexing of the long torque arms of the frame horns (holding the transaxle to the frame) under hard acceleration and cornering. The stock VW system, while well designed, did not envision 150hp engines or the kinds of stresses seen on tracked cars, so the Kafer brace was invented. This brace forms a triangle between the transaxle lower mounts at the frame horns and the top of the shock absorber towers, with a cross-brace going between both shock towers. Using the brace provides significantly improved frame stiffness to the rear of the car. This, in conjunction with an anti-sway bar, provides for much flatter and more controlled cornering under hard acceleration (provided that the tires are pumped up!)

The Kafer Bar used is a ¾” inch diameter tube version from California Import Parts (CIP1), their P/N C12-6518-11. It is produced by Bug Pack.

Nicely adjustable and easily allows you to preload either side.

I am impressed that Gordon would know I have the FastFab version.

I picked it because it has the 1" diameter tubes rather than 3/4.

Right now I have an issue with the heat lever hitting a tube on the driver's side. I am hoping I can rotate the tab that connects on the end of the frame horn a bit to get some clearance.

What shocks are recommended to use with that sway bar? I've got the sway bar, but don't want the harsh ride associated with the gas shocks

Use the Cofap oil-filled shocks. Cheap stock-type shocks work well with these light cars.

Does anyone know what Kirk uses on his builds?

The front seems bouncy/harsh.

KYB GR-2 do not ride harsh, but they control wheel movement better than the COFAP stock shocks. If you are more interested in a good compromise between ride and handling, they are the right choice.

I've had the GR-2s on mine for years now and am quite happy with them.  You've probably already thought of this, but what are your front tire pressures set at?  With so little weight up there you don't want it very high.  I run 18-20 psi up front and approx. 28 in the back.

Thanks for the heads up- I've got the KYB Gas-a-just shocks on the front of my Beetle- but knew they'd be too stiff for the Speedster- I think I'll try the GR-2's on it

the old Beetle tire pressure was 19 in the front- I've always run a little short of 20 just so it doesn't ride like Fred Flinstone's car 

front is 22 psi, rear 26

Sway bar came in, no way will this fit without the bumper mod, dang it. Was hoping to get by without doing it. Simple project turning into more complicated. 

James Garrett posted:

Sway bar came in, no way will this fit without the bumper mod, dang it. Was hoping to get by without doing it. Simple project turning into more complicated. 

It's not too difficult. I took mine off in a few minutes, cut the pieces off, took everything to a welder and had them done while I waited. Granted, the welder was my brother but others have gone to muffler shops or even the community college to have them welded. Painted them black and reinstalled them.

Front sway bar installed, the brackets were the easy part. If you have anyone that you don’t like just have them install a front sway bar on our cars. What a pain that was...now onto the camber compensator...

Some tips for future readers. 

Front sway bar: don’t tighten up one side then the other do both at the same time. Make sure the notch you cut in the bumper brackets is at least 6inches deep, use channel locks or clamps to squeeze the clamps. Grease the bushings inside and on the bar. 

Camber compensator: put the rear on jack stands so the axles drop, use a jack to jack up each side of the CC to finish it up.