My 2nd car was a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle that my first wife had picked out. Because there were payments to be made, I ended up with it after the divorce. I replaced the standard belt pulley with a smaller one, the one barrel carburetor with a two barrel and added an exhaust extractor. It would do 85 mph in third gear. I enjoyed pulling up next to a Porsche at 80 to 85 and shifting.
It was one tough bug. I was broad sided just behind the driver's door by a large Ford sedan at 70 mph. I was spun around and going backwards with four lanes of traffic coming at me. I shifted into reverse and drove backwards to the side of the highway.
The right rear fender had been bent backwards into the tire which was flattened. I tore the fender off and changed the tire, then drove on.