Let's go for a ride in a Subaru powered Bug.

Somewhere in Mexico a little testing was done to get some rough times for an 1/8 mile run using a dragy.

[@volkybaru]

Such an awesome build! The level of craftsmanship is second to none!

[@porterlewis7503]

i dont mean to be off topic but does someone know a trick to log back into an instagram account..? I stupidly lost the password. I love any tricks you can give me

[@immanuelwallace7095]

@Porter Lewis instablaster ;)

[@porterlewis7503]

@Immanuel Wallace Thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and Im trying it out atm. Takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@porterlewis7503]

@Immanuel Wallace It worked and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy:D Thanks so much, you saved my ass :D

[@immanuelwallace7095]

@Porter Lewis Glad I could help :)

[@simpleman2004]

You are going to hurt a lot of feelings with this thing.

[@samowen7080]

Nope I love it

[@reynard101]

I love the super sleeper look. Must be fun to prey on unsuspecting "fast" cars.

[@jakubukleja2553]

A 500+ hp engine in a car that weighs 800kg. The only thing left is to add wings and a propeller.

[@MarkWarren-com]

@@jakubukleja2553 NSI (then Maxwell Propulsion) converted and sold EJ25's for use in airplanes.

[@k8dfi]

The engineering and fabrication on this project are absolutely ON POINT.

[@vincea1830]

Jaw dropped when you did a sub three second 0-60... Bravo, just wow 👏

[@RandysFiftySevenChevy]

Talk about being on point with the fab skills.. those welds were absolutely sanitary.

[@luisruiz3793]

I know beautiful tig welding.

[@jhans3278]

Nice grocery-getter! I’d like to see the eyes of the Porsche drivers you meet on the road.

[@grizz474]

I'm an old guy, had a few Dubs in my day....that's the coolest VW I've seen!!

[@rin_tinsilver3593]

I've seen builds like this before. But yours is flawless absolutely primo.

[@foxguyday]

Imagine if it was AWD

[@daled8221]

@@foxguyday Why? other than just to say it is, I don't see any reason. JMO

[@KeithProctorArtist]

Get this on Jay Lenos garage to show everyone.. amazing work

[@homefront3162]

phukk Leno

[@georgeharleydavidsonrider156]

Can’t agree with you more

[@bimmersc7104]

And it almost sounds like a stock beetle when just cruising ,,, thats awesome!

[@vetten76]

There’s nothing better than a sleeper. Very well done.

[@markbean5298]

Awesome is not even close to being a word to use in describing how truly unique this build is. Just incredible!

[@brettsalter3300]

A work of art flying through the world, speed only surpassed by its beauty. Hope you get to enjoy it every day.

[@pieterscheepers3373]

I have had my fair share of Bugs. Have had all sorts things done to the motors if not left standard. Yours iss by far the best sleeper I have ever seen. Kudos for sticking to the Boxster concept. Must have been quite a build getting it all stuck in there. I have seen (and raced against) various bugs that had Mazda B13s, VW ABF , short block V8s and a few other motor conversions. Mine was a pinned motor assembled and balanced in Germany and also a few other bits done to it. It had just enough power to almost wheelspin in every gear meaning I could accelerate evenly throughout and in so winning most of my races. The other guys had too much power losing traction, slipping gears, breaking clutches and shafts. Mine was never quite there and I always wanted to do a few more things to it but sold it eventually, to my regret. Yours is perfect. I will again get a bug, this time maybe do a Quatro conversion. There is lots of options available nowadays. Thanks man.

[@patrickmcdonald3427]

Amazing, and kudos for the great workmanship! I ran into this from John's vid of this build, linked from it because this "ride and drive" is separate. You should watch it also, and then you will fully understand. I ran into this by chance, on my youtube recommendations. What made me watch a "bug" video, has a little backdrop. I grew up w/ 'stangs, my 1st a '64 ragtop 289/C-4 rust bucket in '75, progressing to a '70 notchback 302/3spd, a '73 Mach 1 351CJ/C-6 project car, that while I was working on, bought and drove a '74 bug, from a shipmate in '79 for $1k, and it being a FL car, had A/C! It had a varied life in my family. Besides myself, my youngest sister used it to commute the 200 mile trip home for weekends from college, using the car while I was sea in the Navy, then my other sister driving it. I had bought a new '83 Mercury Capri RS 5.0/5spd. Fast forward to today, I have a friend who gave me a ride in her Bug, one that she said she always wanted. This was 5 years ago, but she still has a '74 Super Beetle w/ a 2180 cc, twin Webers, that she said makes about 250 hp. The car is silver, has no back seat, racing front seats and harnesses, and 235/60R15's. Granted, it is waaay more powerful than my stock Bug-pulls firm on shifts, and, sounds like a "V-8ized1600 dual port"...lol. THIS Bug, is a beast! I had just watched the build-up of it, and knew what 250 hp feels like, but almost 300 more? with a BFT and lots of boost? I had TEARS OF JOY from that 1st shift on! That's why I'm here! P.S. W/ factory A/C, power nothing, my title read 1814 lbs. !

[@bradcarter8174]

Thanks for the follow up video on your build, it was awesome to see that little monster scream down the road!😎👍

[@BC-ni3sk]

Unbelievable in every way: fab, paint, details, welding and of course performance. I'm very impressed and would say there isn't much on land sea or air that could compete with this car!

[@EvansBrosRacing]

Your 1/8 mile mph is good for low 10's in the qtr with a good launch , this thing is a beast , I watched the video of the build and wow , what a great job you did .

[@TheSponge33]

Just saw the build had to see it perform, was not disappointed 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👏👏👏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@BlackpoolRockTV]

I subscribed after seeing you on Nicole Johnsons detour channel, that's a great beetle. I once went to a Bruce Springsteen concert in the back of a beetle and the guy who drove us had a converted beetle to his disability so all the gear changers was next to the steering wheel

[@richardnadeau8932]

Now that’s worth it! Thanks for sending me the link! I spent many years at a Volkswagen garage doing collision repair in the 70s. I know them well. I also know/experienced the power of those Subaru engines. Your build was a great combination, and very well done!

[@boanderson5057]

You're a genius. But you already know that, don't you? The coolest build I've seen.

[@SharpByCoop]

6.95"et (10.70's @ 130 equivalent) on a sandy street. Well done!

[@DonVideoGuy007]

My girlfriend did an algorithim and she came out with 10.45 sec. @ 129.40 mph in the 1/4 mile.

[@monica93304]

Crickey mate!!!! That Supersleeper is a freaking handful!!!! Seems like you need more torsion bar. In the build video I can't remember what size you went up to. In my 67 Beetle that had 300 hp I ran 26mm torsions and the car didn't get sideways on me while running M & H Street slicks. I love the OG color of the Super. Fantastic build. I wish I had your welding skills. Your fabrication skills are of motor sport quality...

[@JohnReynolds661]

Hi Monica, thanks for the comment. The torsion bars are Sway-Away 23mm ( 1 mm over stock and 30% stiffer) and the spring rate feels correct and not too harsh. I can do a lot with the double adjustable rear shocks as well. It also has a torsion type LSD. The pulls you saw in the video were done at 25 psi. rear tire pressure. When I drop the tires down to 12-14 psi, traction is a lot better but the truth is the amount of power the car has well spin the tires in a throttle roll-on in first, second and even sometime third. A prepped race track will be better but then I will have to worry about wheel stands. Although the Nitto 555 drag radials aren't the best, I chose them because they don't have "race car" written in white all over the side walls because, after all, it's a sleeper not a full on drag car.

[@toddtriebler]

John this thing is just insane - well done!!

[@adventureal977]

I’ve enjoyed watching your build on Facebook.. SENSATIONAL .... a true craftsman.. let me know when you get tired of it 🙃

[@jeffscott3160]

The Furor would be proud. All kidding aside, awesome build. I had a Meyers Manx dune buggy in high school with a cammed dual port 1600 punched out to 1835cc. I can't imagine having this level of power in that though. I could barley keep the front wheels on the ground as it was!

[@charlesangell_bulmtl]

Führer, but he and Ferdinand basically stole the concept from the Czechs and a few others...

[@Topgun-0331]

Wow.. Loved the Build Video also.. if you're looking for a name for it.. I'd call her "Blue Bayou" "Blew Byou"

[@JohnReynolds661]

Clever and actually made me laugh out loud! Can I steal that name from you?

[@Topgun-0331]

@@JohnReynolds661 Absolutely... You Both Deserve It!

[@LemonySnicket-EUC]

But it's a Subarubettle !

[@donnajones1603]

You should race the dung beetle & farm truck on "street outlaws"...

[@garymeredith2441]

John I love what you did here this truly shows how you are a true Craftsman especially the way the car looks I love it I mean if you didn't start this car you could probably show this to a typical person they just said so that's just another VW that's why I look what you did right now I was going to put it I mean this separates you from the other guys out there that say they know how to build something this and you did this only two years oh my God I admire what you do here John this is this is fantastic and also the amount of money is spent doing this to I mean you used some expensive materials used a lot of good welding equipment I got I should have you come over and restore my 67 Camaro great job John keep up the great work .

[@JohnReynolds661]

A lot of people in the parking lot come to admire the car just because it's restored. Few notice anything different about the transplant and they don't ask, I don't tell.

[@phxfunfly9083]

I watched your 6.99 run at Bug-in today. Great run!!!!

[@JohnReynolds661]

Thanks, I also had a 6.87 but boy, do I suck at bracket racing!

[@grayeagleswolves]

Hello I found your channel last night when you were driving with the young lady loved every minute of that ride

[@DaveDGRGray]

John... That thing made my neck hairs stand on end! I absolutely love it! What a machine!

[@brucewayne9300]

I can only say one thing and that is out freaking standing good job any car enthusiast would fall in love with this car

[@jamwest3146]

I am speechless. What a beautifully executed project/ creation. Interior is so cool and the engine... wow.

[@blackwaterdogs4256]

Based on the existing performance figures, this bug will probably knock off quarter-mile times/trap speeds around low to mid-tens, at 125-130-ish mph. THAT is amazing ! Nice job, John !

[@Cartier_specialist]

Sweet mother that thing is fast. I'm surprised it don't wheelie.

[@jumpinjojo]

ghogue61 *doesn't.

[@vincea1830]

She wants to, front bumper lifts a solid 4 or 5 inches up when launched. That shit is nutty

[@alfavulcan4518]

@@jumpinjojo here we go again

[@hieroglyph321]

Holy shhhhhh..... wasn't expecting that beginning!..... SUBSCRIBED. Incredible work.

[@willhibbardii2450]

Outstanding VW Supper Sleeper Bug! I'm thinking eyelashes over the headlamps 🤣Happy New Year

[@physiques]

Look how fast the telephone poles fly by and take notice to the distance between them..... Lovingly Insane!!! Great build 👍

[@glenndickson7627]

That is impressive! I remember riding in my friends 72 Beetle. It was painfully slow.

[@mrsavedbygrace2569]

Never thought I'd see a bug going 100+mph. Awesome job on the build!!

[@bobanofat2585]

just brilliant how that beetle moves and looks . :D

[@foxwhiskey]

Absolutely great ! At the first moment I was thinking the beetle is a son of "Herby" ! 😂😅

[@voicefromgermany]

What a f.cking great project. Would like to drive the Beatle here on our Autobahn. Big double like from Germany!

[@tommygazelle]

Watching this video over and over really motivated me to turbo my bug. Having less than 300 hp, I can really tell that your setup is solid!

[@jdizzle6324]

This was my first car 23 years ago. Congrats on life John!

[@Scrooks1]

When I was in High School back in the 1970's I would go cruising Central Ave on a Friday night in my buddies 1968 Camaro. We would drag race other cars from light to light. One particular night, we pulled up alongside a VW bug and my buddy signaled over to the person driving that he wanted to race. When the light turned green, the VW hit the gas and absolutely stomped my buddies Chevy Camaro which had a 350 with some performance mod's. I was stunned at how fast that VW was and wondered what he had done to it. My guess was that it had a Porsche engine upgrade.

[@pablocruz62]

Growing up in Albuquerque in the 70’s there was a guy that was a really good mechanic. His thing was Chevy 327 and 350 and black lacquer paint jobs. He had beautiful 55 bel airs and trucks. You can imagine how strange it was to see a VW Bug in his shop. He did a front mounted 327 in that thing and of course black lacquer that was crazy deep. He mounted one seat right over the transmission. Looking at it from behind it looked like the drag slicks had about an inch between them. He had these wheelie bars that he could slide out if anyone doubted that it ran. Of course it was rarely seen on the street. But this was the 70’s

[@jessehatcher2767]

Amazing work!!!! Guy is a genius!!!! 6.90s 1/8mile for a Volkswagen is moving!!!!!

[@RandysFiftySevenChevy]

As a teen I would draw pictures of the rear of VW Bugs and Vans and all of them had fat tires sticking out just a little.

[@chadlegault9993]

Wow! Thank you for the driving video :)

[@MrHansen]

Very cool set up and quick to 60 at 2.97 seconds! Can only imagine what it would run with a PDK automatic transmission. You are going to raise a lot of eyebrows with unsuspecting victims at the stoplights.

[@sirfrydryk360]

omg, I'm in love with a bug... how do I tell my wife.

[@MotownVideo]

"hurt a lot of feelings"? Good Luck wiping the smile off your face just watching this thing disappear ( ͡❛ ͜ʖ ͡❛)

[@kurtwollermann2210]

you betcha

[@robertqueberg4612]

Hmmm.... Now you need to find a couple more gears for the top end. Speaking as a guy who went through the glass bodied dune buggy thing in 1968, and worked as a toolmaker for fifty years, I do salute your quality work, and dedication.

[@droceretik]

How do you now what the gearing and final drive ratios are? He is not using a Subaru gear box.

[@robertqueberg4612]

@@droceretik , I don’t know anything about the final ratios. It was only a remark, based on the short time that the bug went through the gears that it had. It was not meant to be taken seriously.

[@tymullins4666]

Have to say she is a beautiful ride. Has to be fun to drive, you should be proud of her.

[@tonyd7164]

i love the body roll and how it wiggles around under power. Awesome!

[@roddyjarrar728]

Your bug almost pulled a herbie and did a wheelie! 🤣

[@ricardoistudla8641]

That is so cool! Great job!! Sounds so good!

[@charlessnyder1855]

EMPI would be proud, nice job. 👍

[@noisefuljoy]

I thought that you'd be needing wheelie wheels. Really solid launches!

[@swright5690]

Impressive! I'd have been happy with stock hp from that Subaru motor (says the man with a 2012 2.5L I5 Beetle ;-) ) But that's just me. Love the color and craftsmanship you did.

[@ufochannel01]

saw your build i was impressed then but now wow this car is awesome!

[@ussweeneyd]

I nearly got my 73 front wheels off the ground once. Had to go back and move the horse off the road though 😳

[@JohnReynolds661]

Ha!

[@blanko8463]

67 baja bug, front wheels off the ground ... of course high centered hanging over a small drop. Lucky they are light and a couple guys can push and shove her back onto the high ground. And, lucky not to take the drop ... but, might have been exciting. Good thing my sister never saw the stuff we did (it was her baja bug). We'd was it before giving back ... and very lucky not to have rolled it ... going backwards down big hills we didn't make it up.

[@JChurchua]

how does this not have more views and more subscribers...

[@markthespark6459]

That thing is bad ass!!! She scoots. We got to race some day. I have a sleeper beetle with a twin turbo 5.3 LS in it. I might have you in hp but you definitely have me beat in traction. Good job Awesome car

[@JohnReynolds661]

That must be a hand full!

[@韓国J]

that's pretty nice. i have a 74 1303 S beetle right-hand drive and i'm waiting to win the lottery to be able to get it to sleeper status because right now it's in sleeping status..

[@mikeallen6127]

I want one....blue and all... It looks just like the one my grandpa used to have. just sounds and acts a little different..lol

[@briansanfordphotography]

I'd love to have a daily like this but more like 300 hp instead of 500. This thing is a beast.

[@09roushsupercharged26]

Domination by innovation!! Top shelf Sir....hats off to you.

[@samurai1833]

NGL that is one of the best builds I've ever seen

[@larrysilverman2099]

That thing is so sick and done perfectly!

[@youtubiefun]

oh shit!!!!! that's Tesla 0 to 60mph speeds! and almost as fast as a Bugatti Veyon! again, your are the man John.

[@scarbourgeoisie]

“Holy moly, that’s like looking up Yasmine Bleeth’s skirt!”

[@bcope8501]

Bwahaha that is nuts! More than awesome, another commentator called it porn. Completely agree, such a masterful build. Thanks for sharing.

[@mauriziopescatori4606]

Absolutely tops. Still, I have seen Beetles with Porsche flat-6s that look and *sound* absolute sleepers! ...until you floor it...😉

[@Ogsonofgroo]

Holy hell's bells man, somebody didn't like this beautiful little beasty? For shame, for shame.

[@skyboy1956]

Some owners of "60's muscle cars gave the thumbs down. Back then to be waxed by a '73 VW beetle would have been the ultimate humiliation.

[@kdpjsp]

Does it live up to all your expectations? My first car was a 1957 VW. It was a beast. All 36 HP.

[@randallmacdonald4851]

Tires, Dude! Tires tell you it's a sleeper. But, I saw your build. I knew it would be fast. I've driven stock bugs back in the 70's and this video just KILLS me! Bugs just don't DO that!!!

[@johnpitchlynn9341]

John Reynolds...a beautiful job well engineered and the craftsmanship was outstanding...never seen any better...That said it seems to me that you may have some front end instability there. Maybe you may need to add some weight to the front end and retune and rebalance the CG....with the suspension nose down because when you took off that nose came quite a bit. I owned a super beetle a very long time ago. Put a 2.0 Liter Porsche 914 engine in that car and I had the same kind of front instability and lift I saw in yours. So I added some front end weight and rebalanced the CG and suspension Nose down. That instability could be dangerous depending upon the road conditions and supercritical elevation of the road itself. Just a recommendation.

[@syncrosimon]

This is what the world needs right now👊👊🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@JonV-r7q]

WOW!!!!!!!!!! Really Nice Work. Congrats.

[@wafflesnfalafel1]

very nice - I came home from the hospital in a 70 beetle and learned to drive in the same car. Own an 18 WRX currently but that bug is still faster...

[@CarlosMagalhaesjr]

congrats.... beautiful project.

[@rogergroover4971]

Amazing build!

[@floydlarken3148]

I always thought it would be fun to build a sleeper rambler station wagon.

[@daled8221]

Excellent job!!! A whole lot of work! What's next?

[@JohnReynolds661]

V8 Corvair. It's on my channel.

[@lifesahobby]

Look at this yoke . Well done .

[@dre4011]

THAT 1303 IS AN ABSOLUTE BEAST!!

[@jeffpiatt3879]

Fantastic! Would love to have you build one for me!

[@MelodieKnapp-vm7kj]

Made my heart go potty pat! FUN!!!

[@MrTarmonbarry]

Looks absolutly stock apart from the rear wheels , great work

[@KN-lq4zv]

John this is fantastic.

[@fredbrackely]

Superb build!!!

[@jdmjd1989]

These roads look like the town I live in. I need to see this car in person if so haha .

[@jacobclayson2372]

Sounds like a rally car! I guess it kinda is with that dog box and turbo flat 4

[@helenlegallais4208]

It must be super light up front now

[@joshuaharmon7411]

Thank you for that. Wow what a job you did! Thanks for the reply video. Peace

[@tallpaul9475]

That is a bad-ass beetle. If you redo it, or build another, you should try to mate a split or oval window body, give it that really slow look.