Nine_14
May 13 2015, 08:16 AM
DBCooper
May 13 2015, 08:38 AM
Ha, that's from back when I lived down there. I think VW meant the "SP" to mean "special project" or something (I've also heard it was for Sao Paulo) but the car got the nickname of "sem potencia", or "no power." Didn't sell well and didn't last long, meaning it's pretty rare today even in Brazil.
I just realized that it might actually have a tenuous 914 connection. Very tenuous. It was a VW do Brasil project to replace the Karmann Ghia down there, while the 914 was a collaboration to (in the beginning, in part) do the same up here.
Root_Werks
May 13 2015, 10:27 AM
Always liked the SP2's, bought a Puma because I couldn't locate a good SP2 years ago. Brazil had some pretty cool VW based cars.
toolguy
May 13 2015, 10:36 AM
I can picture this with a nice carb'ed six. . .
flipb
May 13 2015, 10:37 AM
Pedrinis from a 914?
Dave_Darling
May 13 2015, 10:41 AM
They certainly are nice looking! But yeah, with the standard 1600 Type I mill, they did not go as nicely as they looked. They were a heavier, sexier Bug. (Much like the Ghia was!)
Neat cars, though! I wouldn't mind seeing what one would be like with a stout Type IV or a 911 engine in it.
--DD
DBCooper
May 13 2015, 11:01 AM
QUOTE(Root_Werks @ May 13 2015, 09:27 AM)
Always liked the SP2's, bought a Puma because I couldn't locate a good SP2 years ago. Brazil had some pretty cool VW based cars.
Right choice, you and all the "playboy" rich kids went with the Pumas. The old (and slow) guys drove the SP2's, which didn't help their image.
r_towle
May 13 2015, 12:50 PM
I would go for either one right now....but not at that price...
r_towle
May 13 2015, 12:54 PM
Puma
db9146
May 13 2015, 01:02 PM
That SP2 reminds me of a cross between a Jensen Interceptor, an old Jaguar E- coupe, and an old Scirocco.
Guess I'm an old guy....I like it.
76-914
May 13 2015, 01:21 PM
QUOTE(toolguy @ May 13 2015, 09:36 AM)
I can picture this with a nice carb'ed six. . .
QUOTE(Dave_Darling @ May 13 2015, 09:41 AM)
They certainly are nice looking! But yeah, with the standard 1600 Type I mill, they did not go as nicely as they looked. They were a heavier, sexier Bug. (Much like the Ghia was!)
Neat cars, though! I wouldn't mind seeing what one would be like with a stout Type IV or a 911 engine in it.
--DD
Or a 2.5 Suby STI turbo'd.
euro911
May 13 2015, 01:37 PM
My brother and I had an older model coupe back in the mid 80's - poor man's Ferrari
Ours had the stupid looking Ford Maverick (or whatever) tail lights, the ones with the roundies looked much cooler
Click to view attachment
mgp4591
May 13 2015, 05:00 PM
I haven't seen one of those for a LONG time. A friend of mine from Brazil was attending a local university and had one he drove daily. I worked on it doing minor stuff, oil changes and brakes. Did the muffler too- just a standard Bug muffler but a fun car to test drive!
DBCooper
May 13 2015, 05:50 PM
Yeah, fun to drive, but if his car had a standard bug muffler it wasn't original. The Pumas had single-outlet high-flow mufflers (sounded good, relatively quiet but serious), a nice dual 1V carb setup, larger cylinders, modified heads and a lopey cam, all from the factory. The SP2 had larger displacement too, I don't remember details, but most everything else was stock. It was heavy and slow, the Pumas were light and pretty fast... for VW's.
Notice how this thread started about the SP2 but then veered off into Pumas? That's what the Brazilian market did, too.
scotty b
May 13 2015, 06:29 PM
QUOTE(r_towle @ May 13 2015, 10:50 AM)
I would go for either one right now....but not at that price...
I can help you scratch that Puma itch Ricardo. How you feel about a convertible one ?
r_towle
May 13 2015, 07:24 PM
QUOTE(scotty b @ May 13 2015, 08:29 PM)
QUOTE(r_towle @ May 13 2015, 10:50 AM)
I would go for either one right now....but not at that price...
I can help you scratch that Puma itch Ricardo. How you feel about a convertible one ?
Coupes, either one.
It's cold up here and I already have a few drop tops.
Mike D.
May 13 2015, 11:10 PM
QUOTE(Dave_Darling @ May 13 2015, 09:41 AM)
They certainly are nice looking! But yeah, with the standard 1600 Type I mill, they did not go as nicely as they looked. They were a heavier, sexier Bug. (Much like the Ghia was!)
Neat cars, though! I wouldn't mind seeing what one would be like with a stout Type IV or a 911 engine in it.
--DD
yes, 1600, but type 3. The car sits on a type 3 pan too. I've seen this car up close, it's very nice, but could def use a more HP. He brought it to the Type 3 Rally last Oct. I think I have some more pics, I look for them. $14K seems like a good price for a rare car.
Mike D.
May 13 2015, 11:15 PM
Here are a couple more....
Take a close look at the car behind in the driving shot
Root_Werks
May 14 2015, 11:07 AM
I had a 2276cc in this Squareback with dual 40's. It all fit and cooled fine under the lid. Did some long drives with it and it was always fine. Easy 150hp and probably 180tq. I'd think a decent low-compression ratio 2276 would scoot an SP2 along nicely.
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