57 To 60 Beetles worth as mych as Ovals? Have yyour say.

G'day,
Ocasionally i like to start up something that will get your minds rolling, i'm saying that 57-60 semaphore Beetles should be worth as much, if not more than Oval Windows.
in saying this, i know that a oval is older and much more sought after for collecters but a 57 to 60 semaphore beetle were produced for a shorter amount of years, has semaphores when most beetles produced in this era didn't have them. if anything we should be also trying to have a go at saving these "rare" beasts. they are individual to Australia and to only a few other countries in the world.

Now that i have that off the top of my head i shall say another thing.

Recently i had a chance of a 58 beetle for $50. It was rusty, had no front beam, missing the superstructure of the motor and it had been siting for 20 plus years under a tree. (pics will follow.) the car was previously looked after by the looks of it before a bunch of hoons picked it up and stratred to wreck it. (Now has since been crushed.)

Should i or shouldn't i of felt guilty about letting it go to the crushers?

Have your say.

Cheers Will

ps. I did greb a few parts, tailights, steeringwheel etc.

[ Edited on 6-10-2006 by 1963 Empi Radar ]

You should feel guilty............................and Vw's are NOT a pile of junk as per your sig line:puke

Worth to whom?

The current owner, past owner, next owner? Not really relevant what it is worth unless it is an investment. Or is the measurment of worth in love, satisfaction or happiness? The 'worth' is irrelevant to anyone but the owner in this case.

they are probably rarer but theyre prices dont reflect that they are worth more than ovals the vw buying public. i think theyre cool but would always prfer the oval just coz it looks older and different.

I'd like to agree with you because I have a '59, but I won't. I will always covet an Oval over my big window semaphore any day.....even though I love my car. Whilst there is a rarity factor, an Oval will always be the pinacle.

I scored my sweet 58 pretty cheap (shame the semaphores were removed and the pillar welded in....

Am lucky enough to have a 56 under the house for the future project.

A 56 will always be worth more in my book...

To me i think its the shape of the oval window which is so cool.. oval window bugs look so much older than a square window..
Plus the oval window really matches the shape of a bug.
Then there's split window bugs which are even cooler! :P

The ovals are scarcer and the rear window shape suits the body. But for everyday driving and livability the larger rear windows are much easier to live with. I prefer the 60/61/62 models myself.

GO THA OVALS!
i luv em!😊

I loved my 65 Beetle just as much as I love my Oval. Every day I wish I still had it and I regret selling it. In my experiance there is very little difference in the sale price of any 56-59 semaphore Beetles in similar condition anyway, its only the 53-55 heart tailight models that are the sought after big money Ovals.
Rob...

in my opinion ovals will always be worth more than semaphore big windows. simply because they look better inside and out, plus they look older.
i used to consider semaphore big windows as nothing more than oval parts doners (as they were cheap and i drove an oval), but now if i came across one in the right condition for the right price i'd definately keep it for what it is.
because of the better vision big windows make far more practical drivers but still have the cool stuff (semaphores, 36hp's, early bumpers and tail lights, etc). still they don't have the styling of an oval.

This is my 58, 58s have quite a large desireability rating as they are the first of the big window bugs and Pininfarina design.

Yes ovals are overated, but no, i don't think big windows are worth more. I think most people secretly want their own oval. Of interest, you might like to know there are more ovals per capita in Oz than in the US.

Love ovals lots but the early big windows are better for me to drive as i have more visibilty, but saying that i would love to restore an oval. I think all early beetles are worth the money.

Craig Torrens wrote:You should feel guilty............................and Vw's are NOT a pile of junk as per your sig line:puke

well looking back on it, i didn't have the room and basicly it was prettu rottrn. (smashed windows rust holes in roof and bonnet only. And my sig, well they are a pile of junk when something goes wrong!!!!!:P:thumb

I think that the 58/59's were a great model and the Aussie 60 with semaphores would be an Aussie only model I think???

But for mine the 57 Big Window Beetles from Aug 57 to Dec 58 are definatly worth saving. 5 months only for this model.👍

I have a 57 oval, is that worth less than a 57 big window or more than a 56 oval? Just kidding but wirth a thought, volma1 PS these are my ovals

and these incl a 54(the beige one).volma1

and this 56.volma1

Hi Will, how did you go with the project that you mentioned to me. Hoping it went well and you did ok.
Cheers, Greg

Glad I have both :P

Hey Greg. Sent a message and he said it's not for sale. But i will ring him and try to wear him down a bit.
Will try to ring this weekend. Know of a few other big window project cars so i'll also
have a crack at them.
Cheers Will

Grey 57 wrote:I think that the 58/59's were a great model and the Aussie 60 with semaphores would be an Aussie only model I think???

But for mine the 57 Big Window Beetles from Aug 57 to Dec 58 are definatly worth saving. 5 months only for this model.👍

I am saving one of these!!! 5 months can make it tough to find parts tho!!

That is one sweet 59, love it. volma1

Ich fahre ein Kdf ein Tag which year oval do you have. volma1

typ 114 that is the wildest roof rack i've ever seen on a bug.... love it.