Hey guys I have found a 59 beetle in town and the owner wants $1000 for it, says it basically complete and was running when parked

What are some things I should look for when looking at it? I have printed off a 59 owners manual so ill be able to go through the car and see whats missing, just wondering what rare parts or little things I should look for? Im going to look at it tonight hopefully and ill take some photos!

And is $1000 good for a running 59?

rust will be the main thing that will be a killer

Otherwise steering wheel, tail lights and semaphores wil be the hard things to get period correct

lots of luck,go the early !!

old school tank,no fuel guage, reserve tap

unrestored 58 went for over $2k a few weeks ago on egay

Like Barry said - Semaphores, Steering wheel, oval tail lights, fuel tap, oval doors (with ice pick handles) - got to love a 59 :-))))

[ Edited on 10-10-2007 by squizy ]

[ Edited on 10-10-2007 by ian.mezz ]

Quote:

Originally posted by ian.mezz [ Edited on 10-10-2007 by ian.mezz ]

Check the hood too, the vw emblem on the hood is NOT mounted on a raised section on a59 it should be flat if it`s the original hood.
58/59 models are my favorite, they still have that old-school look of the ovals but you can actualy see out the back window

Hey guys thanks for the comments, didnt get a chance to go see it last night, but the owners son sent me a couple of pics, looks to be missing a drivers seat, semaphores, tail lights, bumpers, head lights....

He said there is boxes full of parts so if I go there tonight hopefully I can find all them parts




[ Edited on 10-10-2007 by NathanVW ]

Personal opinion

Want to be real rust free before i paid $1000 for that

Hes told me he will take $600 so i think ill be grabbing it if it has a few of the expensive hard to find parts inside the car, for example the semaphores

Nathan,

Is this car in Croydon, Adelaide? I might have more info on the car if it is!
Dave

Hey mate this car is in Portland Victoria actually, just realised I dont have my location under my avatar

Looks like a great car to build on. Even if all the missing bits aren`t inside I would take it for $600 for sure.

just reading this thread makes me wonder, obviously the ice picks and flat steerer are early 59 things, and later 59's got the early 60's handles and wheel....but still retained the snowflakes and semaphores?

yeah correct, so the late 59's were a hybrid 59-60 similar to the zwitter I suppose, but not quite within regards to the window!

That 59 of yours Michael was first registered on the 31/12/59 so is obviously pretty late and yes it does have a mix of 59 and 60 stuff. Best of all worlds I reckon.

yeah I had noticed that back when I got it and was looking through the bits and pieces, good ol Edgar must have not had much to do on new years eve '59 and been determined to get it regestired in before the 60's!

This beetle is now on ebay???????