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Michael,  Bruce Thanks!

DWP , thanks but removing the beam is the last thing on my mind. I want this car stiff, the beam will most likely be welded to the lower part as well. The rear torsion tubes are alreay welded to the chassis on the ends and will also be tied in with the cage at the top of the shock mounts.

Here's photo of the lower front beam supports that DWP referenced.  They are an easy add on to any Speedster or dune buggy.  Made by Empi but not much for them to screw up. Easy bolt on but may interfer with front bumper brackets. The second photo is of their upper ones which probably isn't as easy to install on a Speedster.

Empi 3842 Front Lower Axle Beam Support Tubes For Vw Baja Bug, Pair Image result for vw bug front beam support

CSP has a version too --- but much more $$$ - $199 Euros (and higher quality).

CSP-Front Suspension Stiffener

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A further note on caster- ball joint Beetles came with 2' 30" (+ or - 30") caster while Porsche Speedsters had 5'. VW front suspensions, when lowered by adjusters, Select a drop or cutting tubes the car will LOSE caster and it can become a bit of a handful even at legal highway speeds and downright dangerous as you go faster. I have personal experience with this, at one time having built a Cal Look bug that was work to keep straight at 60 mph and was almost uncontrollable at 100 mph. I knew nothing about caster 35-40 years ago.

For a car to be safe at higher speeds there needs to be more caster than stock. Most people here that have addressed this run 5-6' caster. Normally this is accomplished with shims under the bottom beam. Gene Berg Ent. caster wedges http://www.geneberg.com/cat.php?cPath=12_384_2917 are 5.9 mm (.236") thick and will add 2.36'. If you're welding the front beam in don't forget to take this into account.

Hope this helps. Al

The car will only need 2 sets of shims if it's lowered a fair bit with only adjusters or cutting the beam. Using 2 1/2" drop spindles doesn't change the caster, so even if you lower the front a little more with the beam then 1 set of shims is usually enough to get it safe at higher speeds. Usually this is checked when the car is complete and it's getting aligned, so if you're intent on welding the beam in place, be sure of where you are before committing.

The issues with drop spindles- they add 1/2-5/8" track each side, which some people don't like. There seems to be enough fender clearance in most instances. There are also some cast aluminum 15" wheels which just touch the bottom ball joint area. IIrc some Rivieras have this problem. I have heard of guys managing to clearance the area in question to fit. 

Yoda out (for now, but know you can't get rid of me!)

Brock:  All of the shim sets I've seen are about 1/8" thick, which gives you 2-1/2º to 3º of increase.  How many you use depends on where they get your caster to after install.  On my last alignment, adding a second shim on one side wasn't quite enough but a third shim was too much so we cut a segment out of a piece of electrical conduit (about 3/16" wall) and there we were.

Most set-ups run two per side (or one 1/4" I guess) behind the lower torsion tube to get you to about 5º - 7º of caster.  If you have a stock of thin-wall steel tubing (pipe) with the same ID as the OD of your torsion tube, you could make a set yourself - there's not much to them.

On a lowered car, they will greatly reduce bump steer and wandering at turnpike speeds.

Drop spindles would change caster because the front of the car drops relative to the back.  The change in angle would offset some of the existing caster.

A piece of a pipe wouldn't be the same as a shim.  A pipe has a different radius inside and out.  A piece of pipe would have a uniform thickness.  A shim has the same radius on both sides - it matches the tube and tapers toward the edges.

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