Wanted: Tow Bar for Beck Speedster

I've lost the pictures of the bar I fabricated for my Spyder, which should be adaptable for use with a Beck Speedster.....   I'm sure Danny P. can help out here as I stole his basic design for the bar I used....   Danny, you're on.....

Not sure if the application would work for Beck, but FWIW, this is tow set-up for my VS Speedster;

I bought a standard Empi tow bar ($75) and made following mods...

  1. Distance between the tow vehicle and Speedster was very close. So I added 18" length (with cross-brace for additional strength) between torsion tubes brackets and rise to hitch. Total length of tow bar = 72" 

   2. Tall SUV towing low Speedster > Modified rise to hitch >12" total height

   3. Fabricated tow-light attachment for luggage rack. Could not see Speedster in tow so I attached white antennae.

Very nice set up Jim!

Pete

So Jim, which car did you paint to have them match?  ; - )

Every year I drive 1500 miles return to Hot August Nights in Reno and am considering a trailer cause I just wonder if the half shafts are designed to freewheel for that distance in hot weather.

Jimbo's bar is done in the same manner as the ones Danny and I made....  

Flat towed mine 1K miles VA to FL with modified stock bug tow bar.  Had to narrow 4" to clear CMC front bumper brackets. Cut existing welds and twisted arms to Speedster - then rewelded.

rswardrop....where are you located ?

I'm in Northern California. Thanks, everyone, for your help. 

Regular tow bar won't work on a Beck because of the way the front beam is incorporated into the chassis.  We've made a few of them, a few different ways, so there are a few options but all require a bit of fabrication.

You wouldn't happen to have a price on a tow bar, would you, Carey?

Lane, if I'm correct, and I really don't know that I am, You may end up with a similar bar to mine. Carey can verify, or maybe you can take a picture near the front beam on your car. On a Spyder, the frame rails run inside the shock uprights on the beam. Each rail on my chassis is 1.5" tube, so I needed a 3" narrowed towbar as well as longer and lower to clear the bodywork. Let me know if your Speedster is similar. I ended up using two towbars to make one, a regular for the ends that attach to the beam, and a Super Beetle bar which happens to be the right width. Hope that helps some.

Danny is correct, except on the speedster you also have a 1" gusset boxing in the inside edge of the front beam (also serves as a fixture point for the removable access panel)  You need to either 1) notch this area to clear the tow bar clamps or 2) modify the tow bar beam clamps to go around this gusset.

We have also made tow bars that bolted into the bumper bracket supports.  Requires removal of the bumper, but on our car, the main bumper support is 3" wide, 1/4" plate steel fully welded into the chassis.  I would not suggest this on other cars...

I don't recall what I charged the guys to make these bars (haven't done one in probably 8 years or better) I just recall it being a PITA and time consuming.

Pictures of my towbar work. I got the narrowed bar from a seller on the Samba. The bar is actually made to pull VW Busses but met my needs for being narrower and longer.

Note: The "Beetle Bar Measurements are reversed! 47" high...30" wide.

The Beetle Bar was sacrificed for it's attachment points which were welded to my new narrowed Towbar.

I have about 2000 miles on my towbar so far!

My towbar is actually two halves. It can be unbolted and the 1/2 that attaches to the car can be tied up and stay on the car. You can see 2 bolts on each side in the pic where it comes apart. I just usually remove the entire bar when not in use though.

~WB