[Will]

Yuck. No thanks. Pretty much hate everything about them.

[Alf ista]

Forget the VW, get yourself a Volvo Amazon (122S). Cool fifties curves, mechanically bullet proof and handle well. Made them up to 1970. I am biased though as I have one... Enough power, especially the 2 liters and comes as standard with an industrial strength heater/de-mister

[Old Goat Racer]

Originally Posted by Old Goat Racer

I bought one brand new in '65 three days after I got married. A GTO was NOT in the budget and we needed 2 cars.
It had bucket seats, a 4-speed, dual exhausts and it was Red. I would NOT own another one !

It had a 6 volt system and when the temp got below 15* I had to park it at the top of the hill and pop the clutch to get it running.
I traded it for a new Blue VW in 69, 12 volt system. In 1970 a traded it for a new Nova.
307 V8. "Great car". GTO still wasn't in the budget.

[Jonsie]

Picked up a cheap VW camper when I got out of HS. Had a lot of fun with it. It had a sink and icebox which, when stuffed with ice, kept the beer cold! Had a pop-up top, screened jalousie windows, a bed (these VW's were nicknamed "baby-makers" for obvious reasons), small table w/seats, all-in-all, pretty cool for an 18 year old kid. I remember the gas mileage being pretty good, liked the driving position high off the ground. The electrics were poor, and always had to fiddle w/the cables controlling the so-called heater, as they started to rust-up. And always getting pulled over by the gendarmes looking for dope (never did find it!) Finally, after replacing the engine, sold it for more than I paid for it.

[gtohurstjudge]

Would I own a car that has to have the valves adjusted every 3 months?
I can find a better use of my time than that, perhaps watching grass grow
or counting flowers on the wall.

[vidguy]

Very Cool pics guys. As to having to work on the car every 3 months, I don't own an investment show car, so I'm working on my car(s) most weekends anyhow. To some of us it's fun.

[FULZGOLD]

I don't see an issue with it.

[vidguy]

HA!
That's too darned funny.

[HaloMedic]

Maybe not that much Cash But yes I had a 70 bug wish I never sold it Looking at One now to purchase

[Sirrotica]

Mike Wolfe of American Pickers is always gushing about VWs, you never see him driving one though. He does have some other classic cars/trucks that you do actually see him drive on the show once in awhile, I've never seen him drive any of the VWs he buys and talks about all the time.

He's not terribly mechanically inclined and usually farms out mechanic work. He's also notorious for being tightfisted, so I guess he can't see paying someone to keep a old VW on the road.

The one I bought in 1969 was a 62 beetle (had what most people would consider low mileage for most cars, 32,000) and apparently either no one ever adjusted the valves, or they didn't have a clue, and did the work themselves. The rocker arm studs that clamped the rocker shaft to the aluminum head had pulled the threads out of the head. Ended up having a stud made in the machine shop at the Vo Tech I was in. Oversized threads on the head end. I couldn't wait to dump that POS on someone else so I traded back to the guy that sold it to me.......LOL

[tiretread]

Owned a 71 Bug my senior year in high school. Got it for $150 and learned to drive manual on it. It had a major rust in the floor boards and if I hit a puddle the wrong way, it would literally geyser inside the car. Heat sucked and defrost was non-existent. I got pulled over by a Trooper one time on the GSP and he asked, "Do you know how fast you were going?" I replied, "Hell yeah, I was doing 63 maybe even 65 miles per hours!!!" with a big stupid smile on my face (Limit at the time was 55). He chuckled at my enthusiasm at breaking the unattainable 60MPH Barrier in the Bug, and told me to drive safe and walked back to his patrol car. I must have bragged about that feat for a whole month.

The car leaked a quart of oil every other week or so but it was stone dead reliable. It always started and always got me where I needed to go. I would hand the gas attendant a fin for him to fill it up and get back two to three shiny quarters. I was amazed at how well it handled in the snow.

I would own another but it would have to be a convertible and in near pristine condition but I'm not willing to pay what they are asking for those examples. I'll always have great memories of my old Bug though.

[Stuart]

If your Beetle can only go 60mph there's something wrong with it. Mine was totally clapped out but even so it would do 70 if I wanted to.

[JSPONT]

Hell yeah, love them, I will try and get a photo of my friends that drives it all the time. Really cool car.

[moneypit]

They are not for everyone that's for sure. A couple years ago I pulled into a convenience store in my orange 72 bug. It had dropped spindles and black Empi spoke wheels, nothing fancy just an old driver bug. A guy with the gold chains and spray on tan in a late model Vette pulled in next to me , as we were getting out of our cars the kid running the store came out dragging the trash can to the dumpster. He paused for a second and say's " Dude!! nice bug!! The look on the Vette pilots face was priceless !!

[JSPONT]

Love this car it is my friends.

[dhcarguy]

Not me, but my wifes Dad had a 69 when I met her in 70.

She loves her new one

[Hikin Mike]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

Mike Wolfe of American Pickers is always gushing about VWs, you never see him driving one though. He does have some other classic cars/trucks that you do actually see him drive on the show once in awhile, I've never seen him drive any of the VWs he buys and talks about all the time.

Not true. I saw one episode that he drove his VW Van to the doctor.

[b-man]

The hand crank was a standard feature up until 1960, with only 1192ccs and 6.6:1 compression it's fairly easy to crank over. From sitting for 24 years there was quite a bit of dust built up inside the engine compartment. After installing a fresh 6V battery and opening up the point gap a bit the 36 HP engine fired right up after filling the carburetor float bowl with gas.

Folks attending car shows get a big kick out of watching it start up with the hand crank.

[goatless]

Looking at Bart's pictures reminded me of this ad I remember from looking through my Dad's old car magazines when I was a kid...

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by Hikin Mike

Not true. I saw one episode that he drove his VW Van to the doctor.

I must have missed that episode..................... He's lucky he made it to the doctor.

Proportionally, he drives other old vehicles more than VWs. Heck he made Danielle drive that 3 wheeled clown car (company car) in at least 2 episodes, she also got stranded with it traveling to and from the post office..............