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I'm COMPLETELY lost when it comes to Type 3's........Well I've got a junker 68 sitting here, which nobody wanted to buy, or even but parts off of...sooo...... DRAG CAR!

I'm going to keep it on a floor pan with a cage. What can I do to strengthen up the rear end? All of the stock body/torsion mounts in the rear will most likely be gone, and I'm planning on raising the trans 4", as well as narrowing it 3" per side (already got 3" axles from my bug, since I went with a bus box). I've got a turbo 2 liter capable of 500hp ready to go. Should I just weld some steel tube to the center of the belly pan, and under the torsion housing, and then tie the cage in to the frame horns? Is there a better way? Or maybe use a bug pan, with Type 3 pan halfs? Also, I'm going to switch the beam out for a narrowed balljoint Type 1 beam.

Does anyone have any detailed shots of the rear of a type 3 pan? With and without the torsion housing attatched would be VERY helpful.

OK after HOURS of searching through pictures on various websites, I think I've found a good way to do it.

Weld the "wishbone" portion to the center belly pan. Weld a couple of gussets from the center of the torsion, to the top of the tunnel (similar to the gussets made, when raising the trans 3 or more inches on a bug pan). Cut off the last 3" on each side of the torsion (shock tower included). Weld some big tabs on each side of the torsion and fabricate some ladder bars with a heim joint mounted to the torsion tabs. Make a custom midmount, and rear trans mount (3" or more, depending how much you want to raise the trans), then build shock mounts and run coil over shocks. And don't forget to remove the E-brake handle, and mount the shifter box on top of the tunnel (I will be running a staging brake anyways)

It sounds like alot of work, but I think it can be done in 2 or 3 weekends.....Now onto "pie cutting" the front "bulk head" or what ever you'd call it on a type 3....Bulk head tubes?

Post some pics as you go(!)

It's a slow, low budget project, and I'm heading to AZ. for a couple months....hopefully i can get started on it when I get back. I was lucky enough to find a type 3 guy with a bare pan, so I got a good look at what's going on with the rear end. I think everything will work. I'll post some pics when i get started on everything. Now if I can just find some good used coil overs with a small price tag...LOL