Any Volkswagen Beetle fans out there?

[gregintenn]

I’m found a ‘72 Super Beetle convertible for sale that has piqued my interest. Are there any inherent problems to look for in these little fellas?

[enfield]

Rust and expensive parts.  Been there, done that.

[toby1304]

My son dove in head first. He bought it in April and has pulled the motor twice and has pretty much rebuilt the whole thing. Everything he has replaced has been delivered to the door. My wife and I swiped it yesterday while he was at work. Runs like a top! I’m hooked.

[Garufa]

50 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

I’m found a ‘72 Super Beetle convertible for sale that has piqued my interest. Are there any inherent problems to look for in these little fellas?

I imagine if it's still on the road after all these years it probably a good one.  Many were not.

You'll want a copy of this if you get it.   https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101

 

[Chucktshoes]

They’re fun, and they require constant tinkering. If you’re good with that, they’re a blast. 

[gregintenn]

17 minutes ago, Chucktshoes said:

They’re fun, and they require constant tinkering. If you’re good with that, they’re a blast. 

I am somewhat a tinkerer. What, specifically requires a lot of maintenance?

[gregintenn]

1 hour ago, enfield said:

Rust and expensive parts.  Been there, done that.

This one appears to be nice and ready to go.

[gregintenn]

26 minutes ago, Garufa said:

I imagine if it's still on the road after all these years it probably a good one.  Many were not.

You'll want a copy of this if you get it.   https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101

 

Yes I will! Thanks.

[Chucktshoes]

6 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

I am somewhat a tinkerer. What, specifically requires a lot of maintenance?

It’s just little things all the time. One week the carb will need adjusting. The next it will be the steering. The week after you’ll have a clutch and a valve adjustment the week after that. Nothing major, but if you don’t like working on a car, don’t buy an old bug. Expect it to be fluid leaky as well.

Honestly, I think that’s why most people usually sell their old bugs. They just get burned out in the tinkering.  

[gregintenn]

7 minutes ago, Chucktshoes said:

It’s just little things all the time. One week the carb will need adjusting. The next it will be the steering. The week after you’ll have a clutch and a valve adjustment the week after that. Nothing major, but if you don’t like working on a car, don’t buy an old bug. Expect it to be fluid leaky as well.

Honestly, I think that’s why most people usually sell their old bugs. They just get burned out in the tinkering.  

Thanks. That’s exactly the thing I was curious about. I’d probably get tired of that pretty fast. Are they particularly difficult to work on? They look pretty simple.

[Chucktshoes]

They’re not hard at all to work on. They’re simple all around, but we are talking a car that’s 47 years old. 

I’m not trying to turn you off of it at all, I’d be all over it personally. But everyone’s tolerances and tastes are different. 

[Raoul]

Well one good thing about Bugs is that if you ever roll it over onto it's top you can get out and flip it back over by yourself.

[Chucktshoes]

Just now, Raoul said:

Well one good thing about Bugs is that if you ever roll it over onto it's top you can get out and flip it back over by yourself.

Yep. You can also do an engine swap by hand with no lift.

[dralarms]

Just now, Chucktshoes said:

Yep. You can also do an engine swap by hand with no lift.

Had a 61 corvair, when I got it leaked like a bucket with holes. I’ll bet I took the engine out of it at least 20 times for one reason or another (mostly oil leaks). I finally got it to where I could drive it without worrying about leaving oil on someone’s driveway. Ran like a scalded dog. 

[DaveTN]

6 minutes ago, dralarms said:

Had a 61 corvair

Holly cow, you had a Ralph Nader "Unsafe at Any Speed" car. 

That’s cool. 

 

[dralarms]

3 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

Holly cow, you had a Ralph Nader "Unsafe at Any Speed" car. 

That’s cool. 

 

Yea and I actually tried to flip it and couldn’t do it. It was a fun little car. 

[DaveTN]

2 hours ago, gregintenn said:

 Are there any inherent problems to look for in these little fellas?

Most people that drove VW’s smoked a lot of dope. Check the car carefully, but if you smell something burning; it’s probably just weed. Matter of fact you might want to have the local K-9 make a run around it. Other than that; you should be good to go. Not in any hurry of course.

[Raoul]

11 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

Most people that drove VW’s smoked a lot of dope. Check the car carefully, but if you smell something burning; it’s probably just weed. Matter of fact you might want to have the local K-9 make a run around it. Other than that; you should be good to go. Not in any hurry of course.

Got a story you want to share?

[gregintenn]

38 minutes ago, Chucktshoes said:

They’re not hard at all to work on. They’re simple all around, but we are talking a car that’s 47 years old. 

I’m not trying to turn you off of it at all, I’d be all over it personally. But everyone’s tolerances and tastes are different. 

Thanks. I’ve driven old cars in the past, and realize they require more maintenance than something built in this century. I’ve just never had anything German. It seems they often over complicate things.

 

It wouldn’t be daily transportation; just a toy.

Edited September 9, 2019 by gregintenn

[Ronald_55]

My Dad has a '76 Super Beetle that has been around as long as I can remember. He had a '69 he sold way back to a guy that got fet up with it and junked it for beer money soon after.

[MacGyver]

What was the old saying, "if there's no oil under it, there's no oil in it?"

[Chucktshoes]

24 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

What was the old saying, "if there's no oil under it, there's no oil in it?"

Yep. It’s an accurate statement as well. 

“What’s the catbox in the garage for? I never took you for a cat person.” 

“It’s for my Bug. I park over it.”

[Erik88]

I guess they are unique but are there not more fun vehicles you could buy for the money? Years ago I dated a girl who's mom had an old restored bug. It was fun to drive for about 15 minutes. 

In the 4 years I dated her I was the only person that I saw drive it. It sat in their garage collecting dust.

Edited September 9, 2019 by Erik88

[Garufa]

1 minute ago, Erik88 said:

I guesd they are unique but are there not more fun vehicles you could buy for the money? Years ago I dated a girl who's mom had an old restored bug. It was fun to drive for about 15 minutes. 

In the 4 years I dated her I was the only person that I saw drive it. It sat in their garage collecting dust.

I reckon Greg is old enough to appreciate the fun in the simplicity and basicness of a VW.  The only complaint I ever had with them is the stick shift is a bit on the short side.  A couple of more inches taller would be nice.

I drove a ‘70 Type III (Squareback) in college.  Would love to have it back.  Was a great car that didn’t leak oil.

 Dave, I had a deadhead sticker on it.  

[dralarms]

My brother had one when we were growing up, he was living with grandmom, and I was living with my sister (dad had fell off a construction site (ironworker) and broke his back). Took a while to heal. 

 

Anyway i I saw my brother pull into my aunts yard driving the ugliest bug I had ever seen, complete with wheelie bars in to rear. Never saw a bug that needed wheelie bars before that day, I was young 11 or 12, hadn’t seen him in a while and the first thing out of my young dumb mouth was where’d you get the pregnant roller skate” never saw anyone go from cool and laid back to wide open mad that quick. 

He jumped into that car, pulled out on the road and rode a wheelie for over 250 ft. No sure exactly how far he could have rode it but had to get off because the road ended. 

 

Come me to find out he had the biggest engine and it had been worked on and it was so hot running he was buying tires at least once a month, partly because he couldn’t stop showing out with it.