Any Volkswagen Beetle fans out there?

[xsubsailor]

 I've got a '69 in my garage covered up with empty boxes. My wife and I bought it new before heading for Hawaii in Sept. of'69.

When our youngest daughter turned 16 (1990), I told her if she would drive it, I would paint it any way she wanted (mistake   ).

I took me about two weeks to figure out how to do it and about a week of spraying and buffing.

 

[gregintenn]

35 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

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.

How can a bright red convertible Bug not be fun?

I'm all ears. Whatdda ya got?

I'd love to have another 67 Chevy II 2 door hardtop like I had in high school, but my wife is a tightazz.

I also saw a 65 Belvedere and a Model T Ford for sale at a local car show that momentarily piqued my interest this past weekend, so I am open for suggestions. She's out on a motorcycle until the kids are old enough to be independent.

Edited September 9, 2019 by gregintenn

[Erik88]

11 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

How can a bright red convertible Bug not be fun?

I'm all ears. Whatdda ya got?

I'd love to have another 67 Chevy II 2 door hardtop like I had in high school, but my wife is a tightazz.

I also saw a 65 Belvedere and a Model T Ford for sale at a local car show that momentarily piqued my interest this past weekend, so I am open for suggestions. She's out on a motorcycle until the kids are old enough to be independent.

Ah, I missed the fact that it was a convertible. That helps. I'm not sure on suggestions. When you said it was ready to go I assumed it was not a cheap bug. I just know the one I drove was one of the more underpowered vehicles I've ever been in. If I'm going to have a toy in the garage I'd like something that has some balls. 

But that's just me. It's your money and all that matters is that YOU like it. So apologies for crapping on your idea. If you can sell the wife on it, and you'll enjoy it, then get it!

[gregintenn]

2 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

Ah, I missed the fact that it was a convertible. That helps. I'm not sure on suggestions. When you said it was ready to go I assumed it was not a cheap bug. I just know the one I drove was one of the more underpowered vehicles I've ever been in. If I'm going to have a toy in the garage I'd like something that has some balls. 

But that's just me. It's your money and all that matters is that YOU like it. So apologies for crapping on your idea. If you can sell the wife on it, and you'll enjoy it, then get it!

No, man! I'm open for suggestions. I just want a toy, but the wife also has to agree to it. I've always valued your opinion. If you think it's a bad idea, I wanted to hear it. Better now than after the fact.

It's $8950. While that seems like a lot in a way, I haven't seen any nice ones in that price range. I thought I could probably part with it next spring and come out all right if I didn't like it.

Edited September 9, 2019 by gregintenn

[Garufa]

5 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

No, man! I'm open for suggestions. I just want a toy, but the wife also has to agree to it. I've always valued your opinion. If you think it's a bad idea, I wanted to hear it. Better now than after the fact.

It's $8950. While that seems like a lot in a way, I haven't seen any nice ones in that price range. I thought I could probably part with it next spring and come out all right if I didn't like it.

$8950 sounds like a great price for a nice Beetle Convertible, not that I’d know, but I know they aren’t cheap.

That’s also about a third of what two of my dream cars are: a ‘67 Cadillac convertible or a ‘67 Lincoln convertible.

[gregintenn]

1 minute ago, Garufa said:

$8950 sounds like a great price for a nice Beetle Convertible, not that I’d know, but I know they aren’t cheap.

That’s also about a third of what two of my dream cars are: a ‘67 Cadillac convertible or a ‘67 Lincoln convertible.

I was second high bidder on a very nice 67 Cobra replica at an auction back in the spring. I have eclectic tastes I suppose. It sold well worth the money.

[owejia]

I had a vw beetle when I worked at Y-12 plant at Oak Ridge back in the late 60's. Don't remember any trouble with oil leaks or having to tinker with it at all. Would run down I-40 at 70+ mile per hour without any problem. Left Oak Ridge and moved to New Port New Va. Drove that bug back to West Tn many times. The paint job was fading so got one of the Earl Shibe $39.99 paint jobs. Drove that thing until the early 70's when kids needed more space to ride. Always thought it was tati-cool vehicle.

[gregintenn]

6 minutes ago, owejia said:

I had a vw beetle when I worked at Y-12 plant at Oak Ridge back in the late 60's. Don't remember any trouble with oil leaks or having to tinker with it at all. Would run down I-40 at 70+ mile per hour without any problem. Left Oak Ridge and moved to New Port New Va. Drove that bug back to West Tn many times. The paint job was fading so got one of the Earl Shibe $39.99 paint jobs. Drove that thing until the early 70's when kids needed more space to ride. Always thought it was tati-cool vehicle.

One of my very first memories is of riding in my parents' VW Beetle in the back seat. I though it was really cool because I could look down in the floorboard and see the road.

I always loved this commercial.

 

Edited September 9, 2019 by gregintenn

[DaveTN]

49 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

I was second high bidder on a very nice 67 Cobra replica at an auction back in the spring.

What did you get for being the 2nd high bidder?

 

 

 

 

 

[gregintenn]

Just now, DaveTN said:

What did you get for being the 2nd high bidder?

 

 

 

 

 

I got to sleep indoors.

[-boatman-]

5 hours 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

 

Great book. If you are mechanically inclined you can use that book and repair anything on a VW. 

[quedz]

1 hour ago, Garufa said:

No, man! I'm open for suggestions. I just want a toy, but the wife also has to agree to it.

 https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/JM1NB353150411418

[gregintenn]

11 minutes ago, hughd said:

 https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/JM1NB353150411418

You know what? I have thought about one of those.

[Ronald_55]

20 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

One of my very first memories is of riding in my parents' VW Beetle in the back seat. I though it was really cool because I could look down in the floorboard and see the road.

 

I used to think it was fun to throw straw papers and such down through the holes in the '69

[gregintenn]

1 minute ago, Ronald_55 said:

I used to think it was fun to throw straw papers and such down through the holes in the '69

Perfect vehicle for a snuff dipper.

[MacGyver]

I dated a girl once who drove an old Karmann Ghia. That thing was loads of fun.  

Personally, if I was going to go out and buy an old car - and it wasn’t going to be another old FJ40, it would probably be an old MG Midget.  

[TomInMN]

4 hours ago, gregintenn said:

No, man! I'm open for suggestions. I just want a toy, but the wife also has to agree to it. I've always valued your opinion. If you think it's a bad idea, I wanted to hear it. Better now than after the fact.

It's $8950. While that seems like a lot in a way, I haven't seen any nice ones in that price range. I thought I could probably part with it next spring and come out all right if I didn't like it.

Would your wife let you put $9k into a single firearm? If so, that opens up a world of possibilities...

What about shop equipment that you'd make use of?

 

Or, an actual shop/ hobby space, if that's an option.

Edited September 10, 2019 by TomInMN
Additional thought.

[ironsniper1]

3 hours ago, gregintenn said:

No, man! I'm open for suggestions. I just want a toy, but the wife also has to agree to it. I've always valued your opinion. If you think it's a bad idea, I wanted to hear it. Better now than after the fact.

It's $8950. While that seems like a lot in a way, I haven't seen any nice ones in that price range. I thought I could probably part with it next spring and come out all right if I didn't like it.

i love me some vw's i have a bunch of diecast vw's, i am in the same boat i recently sold my truck and am currently trying to figure out what to replace it with and would like something i could work on and tinker as i like that sort of thing! and if you get it please post pictures!

[No_0ne]

9 hours 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?

Only the body, drivetrain, suspension, electrical and fuel systems ...

 

8 hours ago, gregintenn said:

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

All of it ...

 

7 hours ago, gregintenn said:

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.

Not difficult, nor expensive to work on, which is a good thing because nothing will ever work on one ...

 

As you can tell, I was not enamored of them, even back when they were new ...

[Raoul]

10 hours ago, MacGyver said:

I dated a girl once who drove an old Karmann Ghia. That thing was loads of fun.  

Personally, if I was going to go out and buy an old car - and it wasn’t going to be another old FJ40, it would probably be an old MG Midget.  

You really are a glutton for punishment. I will say that my MGB helped in picking up girls.

[peejman]

10 hours ago, MacGyver said:

I dated a girl once who drove an old Karmann Ghia. That thing was loads of fun.  

Personally, if I was going to go out and buy an old car - and it wasn’t going to be another old FJ40, it would probably be an old MG Midget.  

TR6?  Austin Mini? 

Those little sports cars are a blast ... when they run. 

[gregintenn]

11 hours ago, MacGyver said:

I dated a girl once who drove an old Karmann Ghia. That thing was loads of fun.  

Personally, if I was going to go out and buy an old car - and it wasn’t going to be another old FJ40, it would probably be an old MG Midget.  

My father has an MGB, which is similar to a Midget. He built it all himself and has a shelf full of car show trophies it won. It has an aluminum Range Rover v8, Chevy 5 speed manual transmission, and a Dana 44 rear end. It also has 4 wheel disc brakes. It is a fun car.

[MacGyver]

45 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

My father has an MGB, which is similar to a Midget. He built it all himself and has a shelf full of car show trophies it won. It has an aluminum Range Rover v8, Chevy 5 speed manual transmission, and a Dana 44 rear end. It also has 4 wheel disc brakes. It is a fun car.

My dad had an MGB GT model when I was a kid.  Some of my earliest memories are of riding around in the back of that thing listening to Abraxas on 8-track. It was just like this one:

I bet your dad's hand built one is a fun car.

[MacGyver]

I think one of the things that we miss about the VW in these modern times - is that it was a car that was built so that the common owner could tinker with it. And, since that tinkering was innate in so many germans, its simplicity was very much a feature.

We're sort of conditioned to our modern cars that go tens of thousands of miles with little more than an oil change here and there. But, the ability for a common man to fix pretty much everything on his own car with a simple manual is underrated.

[DaveTN]

17 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

Some of my earliest memories are of riding around in the back of that thing listening to Abraxas on 8-track.

I remember riding around listening to Abraxas on 8-track. 

 

 

 

....But I was driving not my dad.