Today’s post is a ’63 Beetle 1200, with a nice amount of patina and ragtop sunroof, found in the UK by L. Seddon at the Cohort. This LHD Beetle looks like those I used to see in California back in the ’90s, and for all I know it may come from there. According to the Cohort poster, it was first registered in the UK in 2023, and the chrome bumpers suggest US origin.
Any other ideas about its origins?
It’s difficult to say with absolute certainty, but almost certainly this came from the US, and most likely California. It has all the hallmarks of CA/Southwest patina: a bit of sunburn on top and the sides, but no real rust. The bumpers with the over-riders were originally designed specifically for the US, where folks tended to parallel park their big cars with big bumpers by “feel”, resulting in a lot of dinged front and rear ends on VWs and Porsches. Hence the over-riders.
In an odd twist of coincidence, both the Beetles and The Beatles have achieved the state of timelessness. While other old cars and other old bands still have plenty of fans, most of them come from the original eras of the cars and bands. Not so with the Beatles/Beetles – each new generation brings new fans of both.
One of the things that made the VW great is that it was designed to be easy to service. In turn, that made them easy to modify. In current times, that means electrification. There’s an outfit in the UK that can convert a Beetle to an EV in less than a day. Since original Beetles were never about high performance, a 50hp electric motor (given the performance differences between gas engines and electric motors) is more than plenty. Lower power motors can get by with smaller battery packs, which makes the conversion fairly cheap relative to other EV conversions of classic cars.
Seems like it would take one can of spray paint to do this one.
Came across this perfect summer fantasy on the way home from the beach yesterday evening.
That Delica (?) in the background is a lot of other people’s summer fantasy. A road trip in a slow crowded van with no parts availability. But great off road and exotica to us south of the 49th parallel.
Well spotted. It strikes me as an unusually clean Delica! Even in the city many of them could often use a good wash, likely indicating a recent weekend of real backcountry use. Definitely one of the most popular RHD imports in Vancouver.
Major drool..
Having had a few Beetles/busses back in the 70s, I’d so love to drive one again. Not to own, not to drive far, but say 30-40 miles. Just to see how memory compares to reality.
My only problems with the writeup is I remember burnt paint like that in Southern California in the early 70s, by the 90s I can’t imagine. Ok, without the surface rust, but with plenty of primer showing thru.
But yes, LHD, the big overriders, no real rust apparent, it’s got to be a US, likely California car. Maybe AZ, but there were a ton in Ca and some in AZ. Does bring a smile to my face though.
But it’s not just VWs being brought back home. I’m a BMW enthusiast and at an event back around 2016 there were several guys from Holland I think it was, who were actively looking for rust free BMW E28s to bring back. Straight body was significant, interior/paint/drivetrain was not. Not at all. They just wanted a rust free platform to start with.
Whenever I see a picture of a Beetle like this my mind instantly recalls the sound they made when idling by the curb when I was a kid, I haven’t heard one for years but I will never forget that comforting clatter.
I hate this fake patina cult .
Feel free to contact me directly to get pictures of my real 1959 patina’d Bug, I wish I could afford to have it painted much less restored but it drives well .
I have a few write ups of the on going repairs with photos if you’d like them .
-Nate