VW Beetle: The greatest (parts) car of all time!

No other automobile ever produced has sacrificed itself to so many different pursuits. VW's were the basis for the vast majority of kit cars for many, many years. Their engines have been found in everything from sand rails to formula vee race cars to airplanes to air compressors. The simple, yet effective front suspension is used on a variety of homebuilt cars and trikes.

Here are some examples of VW parts uses you may not be aware of:

• Volks-air air compressor. This kit allows you to convert a beetle engine to a two cylinder engine and two cylinder compressor. It consists mainly of a new camshaft that allows the rear cylinders to continue to function as an engine, while the front cylinders act as an air compressor. This unit will supply 58 CFM at 100 psi.
• 1/2 VW airplane engine. This is a VW type 1 engine that has had the case and cylinder heads cut in half and is therefore a two cylinder engine. The advantages for experimental aircraft are many: light weight, ready parts availability, no cooling system. The engine makes 35+ horsepower and weighs only 87 pounds.
• Formula Vee race car. This is a all-out race car utilizing VW engine, transaxle, and front suspension. The rear suspension is just about as simple as it can be and the cars are very light weight. With ~170 horsepower they are surprisingly fast. They are also surprisingly affordable, with used examples in excellent condition available for less than $10,000.