A LITTLE BIT OF COCO

A properly considered stance, 17-inch SM35 split rims and a four-inch narrowed Jawbreaker front end. Nobby C’s Beetle, built by Coco’s Customs, proves that sometimes getting the proportions right is the entire point.

It’s all about the fitment.

There’s something particularly satisfying about a Beetle that gets the basic ingredients exactly right.

The wheels.

The stance.

The way everything sits beneath those unmistakably rounded wings.

Nobby C’s Beetle, built by Coco’s Customs, takes a familiar air-cooled Volkswagen formula and gives it a contemporary twist.

Underneath sits a Limebug narrowed Jawbreaker front air suspension arrangement, while a set of our 17-inch SM35 three-piece split rims provides the finishing touch.

Traditional Volkswagen influences, modern hardware and a carefully considered overall appearance.

It doesn’t need an overly complicated explanation.

The combination simply works.

The Coco’s Customs treatment

Building around the proportions

One of the challenges of modifying a Beetle is that relatively small changes can make an enormous difference to its appearance.

The original body shape is familiar to almost everybody.

Which means an awkward wheel offset or unbalanced ride height tends to stand out immediately.

For Nobby’s car, the relationship between the narrowed front axle and wheel specification became an important part of the build.

A 4-inch narrowed Limebug Link Pin Jawbreaker brings the front wheels further beneath the wings.

That creates additional scope to achieve the intended fitment without relying entirely on unusually aggressive wheel offsets.

With an adjustable air suspension arrangement, the body can be lowered around the wheels while retaining the ability to change its ride height.

It’s a straightforward idea.

But the details need to be right.

The Jawbreaker underneath

Four inches make a difference

The front of Nobby’s Beetle is associated with our 4-inch narrowed Link Pin Jawbreaker air beam and complete front suspension kit.

Developed specifically for air ride applications, the Jawbreaker provides the foundation for the adjustable front suspension.

The narrower arrangement is particularly useful when combining a heavily lowered stance with larger aftermarket wheels.

Wheel width, steering clearance and suspension movement still need to be considered.

But reducing the beam width gives the builder more room to achieve the intended appearance beneath the original front wings.

It’s exactly the sort of application for which the Jawbreaker was developed.

The SM35 effect

Old-school inspiration. Modern construction.

For the wheels, Nobby chose Limebug’s 17-inch SM35 three-piece split rims.

The SM35 takes its inspiration from the original Volkswagen smoothie steel wheel, translating the familiar appearance into a much larger modular alloy design.

The result is an interesting combination.

From a distance, the smooth wheel-centre styling looks reassuringly traditional.

Get closer, and the separate lips, barrels and exposed hardware reveal something considerably more involved.

The three-piece construction also allows different specifications and finishes to be developed around individual builds.

On Nobby’s Beetle, the SM35s work particularly well alongside the narrowed front suspension.

Neither component competes with the car’s original styling.

Instead, they help define its custom appearance.

More than a collection of components

There’s a reason we enjoy seeing our products used by independent builders.

A beam or wheel design only becomes part of a finished car when somebody works out how to bring the whole specification together.

Coco’s Customs did exactly that with Nobby’s Beetle.

The narrowed front suspension provides the foundation.

The SM35 wheels establish the styling.

And the finished result has an identity of its own.

It’s a reminder that a successful custom Volkswagen doesn’t always need the most complicated collection of modifications.

Sometimes a smaller number of carefully selected changes makes a stronger impression.

The build specification

Vehicle

• Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle
• Known as Nobby C’s Beetle
• Built by Coco’s Customs
• Featured in the Limebug Hall of Fame

Front suspension

• Limebug 4-inch narrowed Link Pin Jawbreaker beam
• Limebug front air ride kit
• Adjustable front suspension

Wheels

• Limebug 17-inch SM35 three-piece split rims
• Volkswagen smoothie-inspired wheel centres
• Modular alloy wheel construction

Further details

The vehicle’s exact model year, engine specification, rear suspension and full restoration history remain undocumented in the material available for this feature.

A little bit of Coco. A lot of Volkswagen.

The Beetle has always been a remarkably adaptable platform.

Some owners keep theirs factory original.

Others build elaborate custom cars that barely resemble the original specification.

Nobby’s Beetle finds its character through a more focused combination.

A purpose-built narrowed front end.

A set of properly considered wheels.

And the work of Coco’s Customs bringing everything together.

The right wheels. The right stance. One unmistakable Beetle.

Sometimes that’s all it takes.