Anyone ever purchase a vintage Bug?

[moddestmike]

Looking for a unique weekender. Nothing fancy or super flashy, just something me and the hipster lady friend can enjoy.

What do I normally look for?
Which parts generally are in need of inspection?
Are they reliable?

 

[CobraBob]

What year(s) are you interested in?

 

[prostkr]

Biggest thing to watch out for is rust (underneath and in the floor pans). Make sure your test drive also includes driving it at a steady speed around 45 mph. The front ends tend to wear out rather quickly and they start to shake and shimmy. Everything else can be had cheap. They are also cheap and easy to work on and maintain. They are also pretty reliable when fixed up and cared for. My brother just bought a vw bus and is redoing it for his wife.

 

[Mach1USMC]

Looking for a unique weekender. Nothing fancy or super flashy, just something me and the hipster lady friend can enjoy.

What do I normally look for?
Which parts generally are in need of inspection?
Are they reliable?

Don't do it.... If you want something vintage you could at least get something worth a shit like classic American muscle.

 

[DocButters]

Just talked to a buddy of mine with a '70 baja, says watchout for rust on the floors and in the coolant channels.

As for me, I've got a classic Mini Cooper, runs great, reliable, love it. Just little things here and then that are just payback for me not proberly PM'ing

 

[MinGry03]

I had a 68 VW Bug automatic stick shift. This thing was all original down to the hub caps. Some of the main rust / rot areas that I encountered were:

1. Spare tire well.
2. Front / Rear inner fender well.
3. Cooling / Heating ducts.
4. Front axel assembly.

Other than that, I miss my bug. If I had more garage space, I would get another one. :beer:

 

[qwikhuh]

I have had a few over the years and they are fun cars to own and probably the easiest car out there to restore/work on. Like everyone else me mentioned look for rust in the heater channels and front axle area but both can be repaired if you know how to weld. You can build a whole car out of a catalog. The early ones are the most desirable but run on 6 volt electrical systems so keep that in mind.

 

[gregorio]

OP i bought a 71 super beetle a few months ago, worked on it and now I'm selling. pm me.

 

[65x2]

Haha just sold my 71 super yesterday. Heater channel areas and floorpans for rust. Really simple though and parts are dirt cheap. If you pick up a super make sure it doesn't have the shimmies or you'll be dropping a small coin on suspension.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

 

[GodStang]

We restore all typese of VW. My first car was a 73 Super Convertible and we are currently restoring a 73/71 Karmann Gia Convertible. Great cars easy to work on.

 

[moddestmike]

OP i bought a 71 super beetle a few months ago, worked on it and now I'm selling. pm me.

Will do, I may be in your area next month getting some more tattoo work done.

 

[moddestmike]

Don't do it.... If you want something vintage you could at least get something worth a shit like classic American muscle.

I'm sure I would've titled the thread differently if I were looking for something "worth a shit".....not looking for a money pit, nor am I looking for something loud and obnoxious.

 

[Sagittaria]

Super beetles is where it's at. I love my 1972 Super when I had it. It has it's problems but it was a fun vehicle to work on for cheap... I had it when I was in HS... oh man those were some fun times. The electrics caught fire one time underneath the steering wheel (my fault)... thottle cable goes out a lot. But I'm actually thinking about getting another one as a DD instead of the cobra.