Hi,

I've owned my $800 72 beetle for around 4 months and have just clocked over 5000 miles.

I've been thinking about buying another Beetle, one in better condition and would like a 60's 12 volt model, maybe a 1967 1300 deluxe, however I have been told by my VW mechanic that the further you go back, in age that is, the more problem you will have and advised me to get a good L Bug. He said I would be doing myself a disservice buying an older VW.

I really like to look of the pre 1968 beetles, a lot more than the post 1968 ones and am prepared to down size to a smaller motor. If I bought a older beetle will I regret it, as they drive a lot differently?

I need some advice from members who have owned both pre 1967 beetles and super bugs. How they compare and what I should do?

matt

ok i'll admit I have a baja with several modifications but it's a 62 and i love it. If you not fussy about it being 100% stock see if u can get one with a 1500 or 1600 engine that's been put in. My brothers 62 baja and mine have a hell of a lot less rust than my sisters 74 and ours had been sitting out in the weather for longer. I don't know what later bugs drive like but i don't have any probs with mine and i think you should go for it.:thumb

Hi

What I dont like about 67 & earlier bugs,

6 volts (fixable)
drum brakes (fixable)
king link pin front end (fixable)
swing axle rear end (fixable)

all the above are fixable by fitting 68 & later parts, better to buy a 68 or later bug.

Also pre 68 bugs have dreadful door locks and the doors will fly open from time to time.

I reckon a 75 L with r&p steering would be ideal.

1302Steve

It all comes down to form over function. I had a 64 with a 1600tp in it and i still retianed the 4 drum brakes all round but i never got fade - you just have to adapt your driving to suit (and i didnt really drive like a granny either)

If you are going to keep the swing axel gearbox, get wider back rims to curb the oversteering effect - esspecially in the wet. And good tyres are worth their wieght in gold...even if you have drums... i got out of many a tight situation coz of my tyres (not hitting the car in front in craphour traffic)

Later bugs can be more comfortable as in NHV levels are a bit lower. And yes, the door locks stop the problem of cornering and suddenly having the door fling open.

I'm a sucka for form and so i have endured with a lemon of an older model (that particular bug) But sometimes you can get lucky (like me) and find a nice clean early model thats still very tight in chassis, no rust anywhere and was a bargan for what it is.... the country is the best place to find these gems...

my 2c...

Well ive got a 67 1300 deluxe,and its had the 12v conversion,adjustable whiteline swaybar on the front,compensater on the back and $3000 spent on everything that rotates or turns it now handles just alright,sure late models (except Barrys ) look like theve run into a brick wall but if you do the miles like you do i would get something more practical eg.later model with 12v,discs, REAL irs,BJ or struts and seats with headrests and collapsible stearing column.But i still love my 67 its your call.

out of all the beetles i looked at before settling on mine, i found that the earlier model beetles had much less rust, which is important, seeing that you can change almost everything else if you can afford it.
(12v conversion, brakes, engine etc etc blah blah blah)

pre '68 is the way to go. style is in the 6v... this is my personal opinion but then if you look at all the cartoons posted recently they all depict 6v models.

the option to you is to either retro fit early panels to a later model or upgrade machenicals on an earlier model. both are cost a few bucks. but i bet that if you where to upgrade mechanicals on an early model and then slowly play with the asthetics to your satisfied---if you went to sell it you would probably get more than if you went the late bug option. and besides both models have there for and against re rust and finish and parts...

jsut jump in and go with what you feel. its what owning a VW is all about.

I have owned my 65 Wolf for nearly 7 years (our anniversary is this Sunday!) and LOVE driving him. While he was being restored for 9 months I drove my grandfathers L bug... HATED it. But then... I dunno. Its personal I think. Wolf has a 1600 with a 1200 gearbox, is 12 volt, still has drum brakes and all the original style suspension - but its what I learnt to drive in. What I'm used to, and love driving.

Collect everyone elses opinions, but go with what you want - you can always make mods in either direction


Jay and Wolf

Well I have both early and late and if you are driving it every day I would go for a late model.
Why? first the early cars have drum brakes and if all the cars in front of you put on the skids quick, well you arn`t stopping as Quick as they do.
Motors to small and if you have 6 volt well best of luck at night.
With the late model well you get disc brakes so you have a bit more stopping power.
Bigger motor so you have a bit more steam.
12 volt lights so you can see alot better than the early cars.
All this stuff can be changed on an early beetle but its all at a cost.
So if you just want to buy a nice looking car and drive it every day I would go for the late model.
And parts are a lot cheaper.
:thumb

Hi Matt,

I agree with everything those before me have said, yet I'd do it differently still.

I really think that most people these days (not including VW enthusiasts), wouldn't know a '68 from a '67 anyway, unless they were sitting side-by-side. Most young people especially, couldn't give a toss what year it is; they're all 'punch buggies'. :vader

I have a 68 Beetle. I do prefer the earlier models (the older the better) but the vehicle was intended for my wife Heather to drive daily.

I bought a 68 rather the earlier body style. Basically, what I got was the better door locks, 12 Volt system, fuel gauge, ball joint front end, external fuel filler, 1500 single port engine - probably the best Beetle motor ever, along with maybe the 1300 single port, at least in reliability terms.

The 1500 SP is surprisingly pleasurable to drive, far more fun than I had originally anticipated. It pulls well up hills, sits happily on 100-110 km/h, and keeps up in traffic, often to the surprise of other road users.

I haven't spent any time in an early bug, but I'm quite certain that the 68 is roomier inside, not that the difference is enough to accomodate my 6'3" frame very comfortably. I really do prefer my kombi.

If I wasn't a kombi man, I'd buy another 68 for myself, but with a semi-auto pan converted to manual, because it has the IRS. The current '68 is the first swingaxled vehicle I've driven, and although I've heard and read various tips on how to compensate driving style, it still makes me nervous - especially in wet weather.

I think that with decent treads (I'm still using up old stocks of retreads and tyres from my previous type 3's), the rear camber compensator rubbers replaced, and maybe some shocks, even the swingaxle would probably feel quite stable. I believe the stock camber compensator was a '68-only feature too, so it would still be stock, which keeps the purists happy. That's not to say that I really care what anybody else thinks, but it makes me happy too.

<- See?

Go old if it makes you happy, but be prepared to spend some money on maintenance to bring it up to scratch.

Don't forget that traffic conditions were seriously different when most of our cars were built, and they sometimes gently remind us of that every so often. :o

It's all good though, it just adds to the charm - ask any driver of an older model, VW or not!!! :thumb

Oh yeah, one other thing: The door locks on the '68 use a 'normal' lock rod mechanism to a button on the window sill, which makes it very easy to fit a remote alarm with central locking!

I'm a real pre 60's beetle person. Nuthin I like more than an Oval with all original gear (must have decent wheels and radial tyres) but like BUGBOY said these are not a good daily driver proposition. Parts are getting harder to find and exy. Brakes are adequate, mine still runs 57 brakes, and the handling is OK with decent tyres, but power from the old 36hp motors is non existant.
I am fortunate that I dont rely on my oval as daily transport, because it really wouldnt cope with Melb traffic.
If I wanted a beetle for daily use it would be a late 60's or 70's one. You can alwats change the front panels to the early type for that old beetle look.

It has already been said plus the fact that i am biased but buy a Super or if you are set on tthat early look than a 1976 standard.
Both will give you inertia seat belts, discs, collabsable steering, IRS high bach seats , cheap and plentiful parts etc

With a 74-75ish Super with all the safety and strut front end and roulnded looks
or
With a 76ish Standarsd with all the safety and beam front end and angular looks. You colud put old guards and bumpers on.

Just look for a rust free one. They are out there.

Thanks guys for your responses. Overall a pre 68 beetle will be more hassle than a super, but i think it will make up for that in character. I still prefer the older style headlights, bumpers and tail end.

I have found a 62 1200 for sale but it needs a new headliner and rubbers window and door, how much would that set me back?

Here's a pic of my super bug next to my friends 66. Love that classic look.

.

.

:sandrine
I thought I would add to this too...
I own a 61 beetle. Yes she has all the old style that people love about them.
Yes she is my daily driver, & she has been converted to 12 volt.
Yes I had the door opening thing...but put that down to wear & tear & old age.
That was easily fixed..new locks.
Everything I guess is just wear & tear with all of them. But if you look after them
nothing should be too much trouble.
And besides I can still sourse any part for her like any other model.
I have decent tyres & don't drive it like a race car so I figure she will last as long as I look after her.
Its all up to personal taste....thats why VW made so many models...... theres one for all of us.
Judy (o\|/o)

Yay! Go 62 and stick a 1500 in it. :thumb:bounce

:thumb if the 62 is cheap and rust free, the rest is easy and not too expensive, get the 62 on the road, then start looking for an oval...its an addiction, you'll never get over it, probably not even control it...so indulge in it...:thumb

There were some really cheap 60's beetles advertised on the forum in melbourne...check them out

I beleive the 62 only has a little surface rust on one of the doors. I'm going to have look at it on Saturday. Hope it's okay.

72super

I went to see the 62 Beetle and I'm glad to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Everything seemed to be in order apart from a bit of rust around the passenger side door. The engine was a bit dusty but ran very well and the interior was in relatively good condition.

It was the first time I had ever driven a 1200 sixties Beetle but apart form the significant difference in power to a 1600 the ride in this particular one was that same as my Superbug. Overall it was a lot better to drive.

I'm very close to making the guy an offer however I would like to post a few pics of the rust to see what the expert here think about it and if it can be easily repaired.

.

second photo looks fixable but im not sure abouth the first one

good luck

Doesnt look too bad. Whats the sill like from the underneath, were the jack points are. If the rust on the top in the first pic is just on the steel bit that holds the carpet down then its no big deal.

The sills are good from underneath and the pan looks like there is very little rust. It only appeared to be on the surface.

How would you repair something like that yourself? I have no idea.

If it is just a few little rust holes , then you would just weld them up and smooth them over. Its covered with the carpet anyway.
The carpet hold down strip you would probably chisel off and weld on a new one. Whats the other side like?
Got any pics of the whole car?

They other side of the car is in good condition. I have pics of the whole car and will post them when I get them.

What r u capable of doing yourself??

Well at least it's 12 volt

I'm still hanging in on my 6 volt '58:thumb

Classic look is excellent:kiss

I love the older beetles so much:sandrine

If you're not anal about stock then I see no problems

Well Bel goes sweet as a 36 hp, fast enough for me cos I love her:kiss

Parts are gettin hard to come by on my budget:cussing

Daily driver, or at least not club rego on 36 hp, no ability to properly do stuff by self, not sure how long it can last

So I guess it's comes down to what you're after, what makes you feel good, what u can afford, and how much you can do yourself:sandrine

Here are the pics, but I’m too late!!!! I just got an email form the owner that it was sold later this afternoon, what a disappointment. It went for a great price with 97,000 original miles!!! $1850

.

Wah, that's so sad

It' looked a sweet ride by the last pics

There'll be another one I'm sure:sandrine