Justin Dawson's 1953 Oval Window VW Beetle

Tuesday, 18 September 2007
Jon Gilbert
1 Comments

Justin Dawson's 1953 VW Oval Beetle

Having sold his Resto Cal Beetle, Justin Dawson was set on buying a Porsche 356. That was until he was offered the opportunity of a lifetime…

Check out the full story in the May 2007 Issue of VolksWorld. Available through back issues!

Chassis modifications
Suspension: Lowered 4.5 inches at the front, standard height at rear. Puma narrowed and adjustable front beam. CB Performance dropped spindles. Uprated, narrowed anti-roll bar. Spax adjustable front shocks. Koni steering damper. Koni Red adjustable rear shocks
Brakes: Standard VW front disc brakes with Porsche pattern hubs. Goodridge braided brake hoses. Dual-circuit brakes with two Oval reservoirs. Porsche 914 rear discs with Audi TT hoses and Golf Mk4 callipers.
Gearbox: Gene Berg front gearbox mount. Rancho Performance Pro Street gearbox: 4.125 ring and pinion; 3.78 1st; 2.06 2nd; welded 1.26 3rd; welded 0.89 4th; Super Beetle mainshaft; Super Diff; heavy-duty side plate; steel shift forks. Sway-A-Way race axles.
Wheels: Chrome 'n' detailed 5J x 15 Porsche Fuchs with Michelin 145 ZX front tyres. Chrome 'n' detailed 6J x 16 Porsche Fuchs with Fulda 195/60 x 16 rear tyres.

Engine tech spec
2110cc stroker built by John Gurney
Case line bored and clearanced by VW Speedshop
Scat-forged 82mm Volksracer crank
Scat 12lb chromoly flywheel, eight-dowelled
Scat H-beam rods
Mahle 90.5 stroker barrels and pistons
Teflon buttons
Total Seal piston rings
Scat C35 cam (286 degrees duration, 0.466in lift)
Straight-cut cam gear
Scat followers
Chromoly pushrods
Scat 1.25:1 ratio rockers
CB Performance 044 cylinder heads, fully ported and polished by John Gurney
44 and 37.5mm stainless steel intake and exhaust valves
48IDF Webers with match-ported Scat Trak manifolds
MSD 6AL ignition module with rev limiter; Blaster coil; billet distributor and h/d plug wires

Ancillaries
Remote-mounted Kymco oil cooler with electric fan and thermostat; Scat 1.5-quart deep sump (polished); Bernard Newbury breather box; extra Bugpack breather box; System 1 remote oil filter; Schadek oil pump with Gene Berg full-flow take-off plate; electric fuel pump with 3.5psi regulator; stainless braided fuel lines; modified Gene Berg 1¾in hear wrapped header, modified A1 stainless / ceramic coated muffler; Kennedy Stage 1 clutch with 1700lb pressure plate; traction bar