Original German VW Ball Joint Front Beam | Raw, Media Blasted, Bare (#R51)

Short answer: This is an original German ball joint front beam for the 1966–1977 VW Beetle and 1966–1974 Karmann Ghia, media blasted down to raw bare steel and sold bare, with no arms, spindles or hardware (#R51).

An original German VW ball joint front axle beam, not a reproduction. Sourced from 1966–1977 standard Beetles, media blasted to raw, bare steel, and sold bare: no trailing arms, spindles, torsion leaves or hardware. You get a clean, stripped beam with nothing hiding under old paint or undercoating, ready to inspect, repair, paint or powder coat however your build calls for. A solid foundation for a correct front-end restoration, a lowered street car or a custom build.

Want it done for you? Our fully restored German ball joint front beam comes complete spindle-to-spindle: beam, arms and spindles powder coated, leaf packs inspected, and new Italian ball joints pressed in, ready to bolt on.

Fitment

• VW Beetle (ball joint front end): 1966–1977
• VW Karmann Ghia (ball joint front end): 1966–1974
• Does not fit: link pin cars (1965 and earlier) or Super Beetles (MacPherson strut front)

Why Choose Washburn's Metal?

We source, media blast, and refurbish original German chassis components in-house, giving you a genuine factory VW front beam stripped and ready to build.

Key Features & Benefits

• Genuine German Beam: Original factory VW ball joint front beam, not a reproduction.
• Media Blasted to Raw Steel: Old paint, rust scale and undercoating stripped, so you can see exactly what you're getting.
• Sold Bare: Supplied without arms, spindles, torsion leaves or hardware, a clean foundation for your build.
• Ready for Your Finish: Raw steel, ready for primer, paint or powder coat.

Technical Specifications

• Condition: Original German, media blasted, raw bare steel
• Finish: Unpainted (raw)
• Configuration: Bare beam (no arms, spindles, torsion leaves or hardware)
• Part Number: #R51

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does this include arms, spindles, or hardware? No. It is sold bare as a clean beam foundation for your build. For a complete, ready-to-bolt-on front end, see the restored spindle-to-spindle beam.
• Is the beam painted? No. It is media blasted to raw, bare steel. Bare steel will flash-rust if left exposed, so prime, paint or powder coat it soon after it arrives.
• Is this an original VW beam or a reproduction? Original German, sourced from 1966–1977 standard Beetles.
• Does this fit a 1967 VW Beetle? Yes. 1966–1977 standard Beetles use the ball joint front beam.
• Will it fit a Super Beetle or a link pin car? No. Super Beetles use a MacPherson strut front end, and link pin cars use a different beam.
• What is the part number? #R51.

Explore Related Categories

Building a ball joint front end? See the fully restored spindle-to-spindle beam, refurbished German ball joint arms, front beam mounting hardware kit and eccentric camber adjusters, or browse Suspension, Steering, and parts for the VW Beetle.

Prop 65 Warning

WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including lead, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.