Super Bugs are very easy to spot from directly ahead (or in the mirrors when a bug is following you) -- the Super Bugs have a downward sloping support to the bottom of the suspension strut visible under the car, just inboard of the wheels. Just stand about 20 feet in front of your Bug and look at the front wheels and you'll see what I mean. The standard bugs don't have that (since they have trailing arms behind the torsion bar tubes).
Another little feature I've noticed is that the IRS bugs have a different (bigger) support at the bottom of the rear shock absorber, which is quite apparent when traveling behind a bug. Helps identify the year of the bug. We got IRS in 1971 for manuals and 68 for semi-autos, so if I see that feature with a solid engine lid, then it's almost certainly a 68 or 69 semi-auto.
Bug spotting is fun.
Disclaimer stuff: Rob and Dave have prepared this information from their own experiences. We have not assumed any specialised mechanical knowledge, but we DO assume that anyone using this information has at least some basic mechanical ability.
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Last revised 6 May 2004.
