I once owned a 67 Beetle

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Didn't we all ...
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Doesn't hurt to want.

No different than folks asking $80k for a "restored" 55-56-57 Chevy. Just dreaming.
 
'67 bugs are the Acme of bug-dom. They are 12v. The'66 was 6v and had the covered headlight. The transaxle was enlarged and the bushing for the starter's nose was smaller. Major difference was a dual piston master cylinder. Bugs were barely OK for interstate speeds. Where they excelled was on dirt roads or in snow. I've thought about getting a another bug. But they're collectibles now, and just like vintage 4X4s, they're too valuable to have fun in. As for driving in regular traffic,they're just folded sheet metal with a 11 gallon gas tank. You dasn't hit anything head on.
 
Because of collectors, I can't afford and early air-cooled VW bus anymore. They get them, restore them and park them never to be a daily driver again.
 
You could have kept it, but what would it have cost over the years to have not only kept it from deteriorating but to get it to be in as nice as shape as the example in the link? Not cheap I would imagine.
 
OEJ, I took my driver's test in my Mum's '65 bus. Charlie's '56 bus came with a hand crank. Dad was taught intensive German and spent the war monitoring the Luftwaffe. He gained an appreciation of German engineering. Charlie went to Boston trade school and learned about aluminum air craft. My Dad's mechanic was a German who reminded me of Curt Jurgen's in The Battle of the Bulge " Goot Cherman schteel"
was his favorite saying. And bugs were cheap!
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These were the cars that were so noisy you couldn't hear your passenger's voice in the seat next to you......
 
Originally Posted By: SeaJay
You could have kept it, but what would it have cost over the years to have not only kept it from deteriorating but to get it to be in as nice as shape as the example in the link? Not cheap I would imagine.


A guy I once knew bought a 1970 purple Cuda brand new and parked it in his recreation room for 20-25 yrs. It stayed basically perfect when he brought it out for viewing around 1997. It's not that hard to keep a classic car mint. And if you already own storage space at home, it's not expensive to "store"....or even to insure on a collector car policy. Some of us had the opportunity to buy a Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible back in 1970 or 1971 for $4K-$5K. Though not cheap for that time (roadrunners were "cheap" at $2800-$3500). Today those rare cuda's are worth $1-$3 MILL in top condition. Even if you just parked the car in your garage in 1971 and tossed a cover over it, it would be worth a $MILL+ today in untouched condition...after sitting cold for 47 years.
 
OEJ, I took my driver's test in my Mum's '65 bus. Charlie's '56 bus came with a hand crank. Dad was taught intensive German and spent the war monitoring the Luftwaffe. He gained an appreciation of German engineering. Charlie went to Boston trade school and learned about aluminum air craft. My Dad's mechanic was a German who reminded me of Curt Jurgen's in The Battle of the Bulge " Goot Cherman schteel"
was his favorite saying. And bugs were cheap!
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Originally Posted By: SeaJay
You could have kept it, but what would it have cost over the years to have not only kept it from deteriorating but to get it to be in as nice as shape as the example in the link? Not cheap I would imagine.


A guy I once knew bought a 1970 purple Cuda brand new and parked it in his recreation room for 20-25 yrs. It stayed basically perfect when he brought it out for viewing around 1997. It's not that hard to keep a classic car mint. And if you already own storage space at home, it's not expensive to "store"....or even to insure on a collector car policy. Some of us had the opportunity to buy a Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible back in 1970 or 1971 for $4K-$5K. Though not cheap for that time (roadrunners were "cheap" at $2800-$3500). Today those rare cuda's are worth $1-$3 MILL in top condition. Even if you just parked the car in your garage in 1971 and tossed a cover over it, it would be worth a $MILL+ today in untouched condition...after sitting cold for 47 years.


Exactly. I think the argument of "how much would it have cost to keep over the years" is a weak one. Especially if you start out with a nice condition vehicle, and simply maintain it as it ages. If all your doing is "maintaining", your costs are a fraction of what it would cost to either a) buy a similar one in the market, or b) restore one that's been neglected.

I had the same thoughts about the BMW below. Then I realized that I wouldn't be able to afford one in similar shape, especially in today's market
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Beetles aren’t worth much, unless they are in absolute pristine original condition, but that price is still quite high.

One in really good shape is maybe $10k tops.
 
I still have and drive a 65 Beetle. I converted it to 12V and put in a 57hp motor that I rebuilt. Also own a 75 Westfalia and an 86 Westfalia. then when out for a fun drive we take the 87 VW Cabriolet. Simple to repair. We have had the Beetle for 34 years. Most dependable car I own.
 
I had a 65 bug. Custom everything even a 6” chop. A lot of time and $$ invested but got tired of it. After about 15 years, broke even and it was shipped to Japan. They don’t come close to a VW bus or Thing. Too common and doesn’t offer any one thing to make it desirable to a wide range of people to make the value go through the roof.
 
Okay, but the car you sold for $500.00 forty five years ago isn't around to offer today and it wasn't a CA black plate car with but 57K and what looks like fairly expensive fresh paint in a period correct color albeit using an incorrect paint system.
Your car also probably had rust as well as all the minor damage that daily driver use brings while this car has neither.
I'm also quite certain that the offering price is negotiable, like I have 18K cash right now and what can you do for me?
If one had a burning desire to own a really nice driver VW of this period, this car might well be a good buy for 20K.
You'd of course have to bone up on what to look for, easy these days online and you'd have to inspect the car personally before writing the check.
Still, most of these cars ended up as the first cars of high school students in the seventies and then maybe as their college cars and then later showed up in either a yard or a low-end used car lot.
Aren't many decent mostly original cars left and there's no way you'd be able to bring a rusty parts missing valve having already been swallowed car to the condition of the one offered for even the 24K asking on this one.
 
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