The Volksrod is a hot rod made from a Volkswagen, popular in the California street bar scene. Its air-cooled engine and rear-engine layout make it suitable for desert racing, and it can be easily modified for more power. The Volkswagen’s unit body construction allows for unique alterations, and the Volksrod has become a respected hot rod alongside traditional iron-built rods.
A Volksrod is a hot rod built from a Volkswagen. The Volkswagen has been used to create many types of hot rods and kit cars due to its simplicity and ease of disassembly. The air-cooled engine and transmission layout generally make the Volksrod a good match for first-time builders and seasoned veterans. In the United States, the California street bar scene has given rise to the Volksrod as a more affordable option for early American cars that is the heart and soul of street bar.
By simply removing the fenders and engine cover and adding oversized tires, the Volksrod can take on a Baja racer image. The Baja bug has been very successful on the desert racing circuit due, in part, to the air-cooled engine. The Volksrod’s rear-engine layout allows the driver to aggressively attack desert terrain without worrying about puncturing a radiator and overheating. The rear engine also provides a good balance for a race car that will encounter a lot of big jumps and tricky landings.
The Volksrod’s air-cooled engine also converts very easily into a powerful racing engine. Many aftermarket manufacturers offer kits that increase the displacement of the Volksrod engine. This, along with a wide range of intake designs and header exhaust manifolds, allows builders to create plenty of horsepower out of the small engine package. Many respected engine manufacturers agree that there is no faster engine from 0 to 40 mph (0 to 24.84 kph) than a Volkswagen.
Subtle body lines and rounded fenders make the Volkswagen a clone of many of the most favored cars of the 1940s. Resembling a 1940s Ford, the Bug’s body modification makes it a legitimate hot rod. The unit body construction of the Volkswagen allows builders to create many alterations that simply aren’t possible with a full frame vehicle. Thus, the world of hot rodding has embraced the Volkswagen and allowed modified versions of the classic little Bug to sit proudly alongside traditional hot rods.
The fiberglass dune buggy bodies of the 1970s have given way to radically cut and modified Volksrod creations that rival Detroit’s iron-built rods. There is a whole culture dedicated to the Volksrod and improving its image in the world of sticks. By promoting events featuring the small hot rods across the country, the clubs have advocated for Volkswagen to become a viable option as a hot rod base.
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