Vintage Volkswagen Beetle Rides on S2000 Underpinnings

Coolest Swap Yet?

We've seen plenty of S2000 engine swaps in our time, with Honda's F20C and F22C1 powering everything from BMWs to vintage Fords and even Jeeps. But this Volkswagen Beetle built by Garrett Dawson and recently featured at The Drive might just take the cake as the coolest swap we've seen yet.

Photos: Garrett Dawson

Perfect Pair

Dawson quickly discovered that the S2000 and Beetle share a nearly identical wheelbase, and that is what drove this wild creation. He already had an old Beetle that he planned on restoring, and when he came across a totaled S2000 for a mere $1,000, the idea of mating the two made too much sense.

Photos: Garrett Dawson

>>Join the conversation about this Beetle/S2000 right here in the S2Ki.com forum.

It's a Match

"A good friend that works for a towing company sent me a Snapchat of a wrecked 2005 AP2 S2000 sitting at an impound/repair facility in Connecticut," Dawson told The Drive. "Immediately my brain started turning, googling dimensions. I went to the Beetle with a tape measurer, and soon I had gathered everything I needed in my mind to be able to pull it off. Wheelbase matched perfectly; 94.5 inches."

Photos: Garrett Dawson

>>Join the conversation about this Beetle/S2000 right here in the S2Ki.com forum.

Joy Ride

"I spent Saturday cutting the mangled little Honda... [but] by lunchtime [on Sunday] I ratchet strapped the steering column up into place, put a milk crate onto the floor pan, and proceeded to drive the chassis around the neighborhood," Dawson said. After that, he proceeded to remove 9 inches from the sides of the rolling chassis and a foot from each end in total to make it fit underneath the Beetle body.

Photos: Garrett Dawson

>>Join the conversation about this Beetle/S2000 right here in the S2Ki.com forum.

Hurry Up, Slow Down

Surprisingly, the whole thing came together in short order, though it isn't finished just yet. "It took me just two weekends to make them one for the most part," Dawson said. "I work quickly which I have to with everything going on in my life. Owning nine other project cars that also need attention is also tough but not the worst problem to have. What really pushed back progress was ordering widened fiberglass fenders in May of this year—I didn't expect them to arrive until late September."

Photos: Garrett Dawson

>>Join the conversation about this Beetle/S2000 right here in the S2Ki.com forum.

Sorted Out

As one can see from the pics, the Beetle needs wider fenders to cover the chassis of the S2000, and Dawson has some on order now. So for now, the tires are sticking out a bit, but that will be solved soon enough. In the meantime, Dawson is working on sorting out where to put things, like the radiator that will be relocated to the trunk.

Photos: Garrett Dawson

>>Join the conversation about this Beetle/S2000 right here in the S2Ki.com forum.

Drive and Enjoy

In terms of appearances, Dawson will leave the ratty Beetle pretty much as-is, but he has big plans for it, regardless. "Exterior will get little to no love on the paint," he said. "Besides matching the fenders to the body. I'd say it will definitely be out at some local car shows turning heads. A track day is a possibility but not first on the list. I've always built my vehicles to be driven, enjoyed, and abused."

Photos: Garrett Dawson

>>Join the conversation about this Beetle/S2000 right here in the S2Ki.com forum.