I have found one that needs restoration, I believe its an imported factory convertable but will know for sure when I get a closer look at it.
I would like to know,......
What are the goods and bads of them,
Which model is the most desirable and what sort of things should I be wary of?
This one doesnt look too bad from 30 feet away but is does look like an abandoned project half rebuilt.
I can do any/all of the work myself but I am curious to know how much money to offer before I am wasting my money.
Whats a nice one worth? how often do restos come up for sale?
When I say Nice, I mean driven but clean.
Any help appeciated, Tony

It's expensive & they are not as hotly sought after so the resto costs may overshoot today's market value considerably. Having said that, cab K/g's are highly desirable so if you gen. believe you will keep it forever, costs vs market value is irrelevant. If it's been abandoned it's prob because something critical has been found- look extremely carfefully!
A well rest coupe appears to be worth $17 to 20K. Cabs are closer to 30K.
The hardest bits to locate I found were the damn headlight buckets & esp the correct chrome rings.
Ther's plenty of websites around & the guy who restores in WA is good.
What to offer?- The minimum the buyer will accept & remember even if you do it yourself the resto costs will be around 20K. OK you do it yourself, but, if say instead you worked part time for wages for the no. of hours you worked on your car, how much $ would you have made? It's an interesting concept esp when you consider a specialist who charges $50/hr does in one hour what takes you 3 hrs because he's more experienced!!
But then again it's a love job, isn't it???

DOes it drive? Is it complete?Any visible cancer? How "correct" do you want it? Btwn 10-15k for a project will be about what you should spend for it, if it is complete! A further 10-15 Restoring it and yuo will have a very nice ride! If you want one thats finished, well its worth what the seller asks for it, cause you just dont find that many of them!

N!

Hi Tony, I own one and I restored it about 10 years ago. Due for another now. Of course rust in the floor pans is an issue. They are wider than the beetle floors so you can just use Beetle ones. But the by far the worst bit is the sills/heater channels. The KG cabrio gets its structural integraty from an extra member inside the heater channel (not extra reinforcememnt tot he floors like the Beetle). Very difficult to do hence extremely expensive. Softtops are not a great issue. The bows are available (in wood or poly.) as well as the top material. Of course they aren't cheap. If you are to restore one properly, you will find $15 to $20k are required. Unless you have the space and tools required to repair the sills at home, its better left to the pros. Its not just the knowledge and desire to do it. There isn't much that not available but you would be paying the price. I have seen them advertised for between $24k & $42k. The $42k was a later model with the big ugly bumpers and tail lights. It was very nicely restored but I find it hard to think it would fetch that much. The later model is the least desirable. There is one in Melb fully restored for $24k, Honestly a great price. You wouldn't do it for under that much even if you do the work yourself. People still ask $15k+ for ones needing restoration forgetting that it will cost another $20k to restore. If it needs total resto., it should be well under $15k
Raf

Here is the $42k one http://carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/marketplace/UsedCarDetail.asp?ID=2261446&C...

Hmmmm,
I'm doing a BIG KEV
But wont count my chickens just yet.
I may end up sorely dissapointed....

Cheers Tony

Rust is really common in the heater channels as others have said. Rust is also common around the lower 15cm all around the car but you can buy patch panels for all of it. Another area is around the headlights and of course the pans.

All these parts are easy to get, you just pay a lot more than for a beetle. We expect our 72 vert to cost about 30k all up by the time we are finished (including buying the car)

We have a 71 coupe we will pick up from the docks in early September that needs restoring and we are looking to sell it for $8,000 for it if that helps you.
:bounce

Yes, thanks, thats excactly the sort of thing I want to know, trouble spots and relative worth, are the coupes more or less desirable than the convertables,
When you say cabrolet, is that the same as convertable? as thats what I think you mean.
but what do you call the original convertable beetles?
I am getting confused.
Cheers Tony

The convertibles are definitely more expensive to buy than the coupe is.

They are now as either Karmann Ghia coupe or Karmann Ghia convertible.

The beetle convertible is known as a Karmann Cabriolet but a lot of people call it convertible.

I hope that clears it up a little for you.:thumb