Zeitgeist (n.) The feeling of a certain era.
For most of us of a certain age, having exposure to a VW Type-I (aka beetle or bug) was almost a given. It was either our first car, or the first car of an acquaintance, a friend or family member. Or, the car on which we learned to operate a stick shift. Or, a 2nd family car used for commuting. Or, the car on which we learned to perform mechanical service. The Type-I was an inexpensive car, but not a cheap car. The engineering and build quality were legendary, contributing to it’s tremendous success in the automotive marketplace.
The first Type-I I remember driving belonged to a friend of the family who let me drive her VW around our neighborhood on a military base when I was around 14. Already used to driving without a license, as Dad enjoyed teaching us how to drive and regularly took us to deserted parts of the base to practice, I was also allowed to move our family car in and out of the garage, unaccompanied, when going places or coming home, and whenever it needed washing. Yes, that car was always sparkling clean.
The next Type-I I remember driving belonged to my brother. When he was preparing to transfer out of town to continue college, deciding to leave his Austin Healy at home, he purchased a previously-owned bug. After I had mastered (?) the difficult shift pattern and clutch operation on his Healy, the Type-I was a piece of cake.
A couple of years later, some family friends asked me if I wanted to try driving their new automatic bug. Although there was no clutch pedal, the car still had a stick. There were two ranges; one for lower speeds and another for higher. The driver had to move the stick lever to select the range; it had a mechanism that sensed touch, a clutch-like action, that allowed changing gearing. It was a pretty slick set up, as long as you remembered not to rest your hand on the stick, neutralizing the gears.
I acquired the featured 1969 Type-I in 1981. In 1979, after a decade of living on the east coast, finishing high school and college, serving two years for Uncle Sam in Washington DC, and being shut-in after a massive snow storm, the time had come to return home to the Pacific coast.
Arriving without my own car, not much money in the bank and no job, friends and family made sure I was getting off to a good start by offering housing and transportation. Within a few months, word came that my brother and his wife were moving into town. Then, my best friend and his wife got orders into the area. Although I had been born here, lived here during my teen years and still knew people and places, it was like a totally new beginning, which sure felt good.
Lifelong friends of the family lent me their extra car. Their triple-gold ’70 Olds 98 LS had been joined in the driveway by a new Rabbit diesel coupe, so the red Datsun station wagon was mine for as long as needed. The time and miles in the Datsun were enjoyed; it came in handy for moving my worldly possessions from place to place while getting on my feet. After being offered and accepting a good position in my field, I was able to move into my own home overlooking the bay.
Being along the bus route and able to walk to the market and around town on errands, the red wagon was returned. I was handling the advertising design and production for a college publication. The work schedule was ideal, 10-hour workdays, four days a week. Three days off: a day to catch up with work around the house, do laundry and take care of personal business, and two real weekend days.Reporting to the studio around noon, and finishing well before midnight, the favorite schedule ever.
After the newspaper contract was fulfilled, I was offered a position with the convention and performing arts center as art director of their magazine, and had a work space in the office of the promotions director. Freelancing in graphic design provided additional income. While my best friend’s wife was away for an extended period, I became caregiver for their new Rabbit diesel sedan. It was a blast to drive, with a standard transmission, and, some unusual-for-the-VW’s-time options, a terrific sound system, Hella fog lamps, air and cruise.
After being back in my home town for about two years, a new, full time permanent job offer was accepted. My brother and his wife ended up purchasing the Rabbit sedan, and offered me her ‘69 VW for a handsome price with attractive financing. She had taken delivery of it, new, in Wolfsburg, promptly breaking it in on the Autobahn. Around a dozen years old, the car already had rust issues, but it was mine, and along with a new studio home on the beach, life had stabilized.
The Type-I was inexpensive to own and operate. For those not familiar with the original beetle, the ergonomics were superbly Germanic. The standard transmission was a joy to operate. With no radiator, the only regular items to monitor were the gas, oil and tire pressure. The high-back seats were comfortable and supportive, and had several rake positions. The basic AM radio was sufficient, even working when the car was off. The simple climate control consisted of dials on the dashboard to control incoming fresh air, and levers between the front seats to control the heat and defroster. Living in a temperate climate, the heating felt fantastic, sending hot, dry air directly at your feet; used in conjunction with the wind wings, fogging on the windows was never an issue. The wind wings, when fully opened, directed a massive flow of fresh air into the cabin. Upon reaching freeway speeds, the glass pane automatically flapped to an almost closed position, just right for driving at higher speeds, which the bug always enjoyed.
At work, one of the satellite companies of my publisher-employer restored and rented antique automobiles. It was interesting to see the cars come and go, in various states of repair. The eclectic collection included mostly American convertibles from the 50s and 60s, but there were other unique cars, such as an Amphicar, a German concoction that was engineered and equipped to operate on land and water. There were a few early 60’s Cadillac limousines, and most of the cars were available to rent for special functions and movie productions. For the chauffeur’s hourly rate of $5, staff had access to many of the cars. Several times, the 1961 Cadillac limousine was called into duty for treating friends to a night on the town. The best things about being chauffeured were not having to deal with traffic, parking or the overall responsibility of driving. You could relax, enjoy the ride and visit with your friends; oh, and with the glass partition up, enjoy a drink. Let’s not forget that.
Around 1989, driving the VW back from an out of town trip, one of the two dash warning lights illuminated. (One of the lights indicated an oil pressure problem, the other one an electrical charging issue). As simple as the bug was, having either light come on was serious. I had heard a noise from the engine compartment, and, coupled with the illuminated electrical warning light, was pretty sure that the fan belt had snapped. I off-ramped at the next exit, which was fortunately, a business district, complete with a service station. Yes it was the belt, yes they had a replacement, and yes they could immediately install it. Imagine driving a 2000s model car, and having one of the most critical belts or chains failing. Yes serious engine damage could have occurred, yes parts would have to be ordered, yes completing the repair would take a good amount of time, and yes the service bill might be substantial. I do not recall the amount of the fix, but can’t imagine it being much more than $20 or $30. Ahhh, the good, simple days?
As the body of the bug grew rustier, when a new neighbor, an automotive body technician, offered to sand and paint the VW, it was sent off for restoration. It looked pretty good when finished, but, eventually, being around the ocean, the rust came back.
Mechanically, the car was dependable, except for what seemed to be an impossible to resolve timing issue; when coming to a stop, the car would always want to stall. Slowing down and getting the car out of gear enabled one foot to be used for the brake and the other gas. After reaching close to 100,000 miles, the original engine needed to be replaced, so the local VW mechanic ordered and installed a crate ATK rebuild. During ownership, the bug always cruised confidently at 80 mph on the highway, and, like most VW’s, always gave the impression that it was doing everything possible to get you to where you were going.
Transitioning to a new place of employment that required out-of-town trips and going on appointments with clients, Enterprise rental cars were utilized. Driving different cars was interesting and educational, coming into play for making decisions about future automobile purchases. For one business trip, the agency offered a swanky white Jaguar sedan, which seemed pretty over-the-top compared to my humble every day driver. The Jag had been rented for a Friday appointment, and, since the agency was closed over the weekend, the car was mine for the entire weekend. A Sunday drive up into the mountains, complete with snow, was an unplanned adventure.
The ’69 Type-I was a big part of my life for many years. It took me to work, the beach, to visit friends & family, and was a dependable, faithful friend. It had limitations, such as interior capacity for carrying oversized cargo. Items that were too large to allow the passenger’s door to close, such as promotional displays, furniture, and even a Christmas tree, required bungee cords. Yet, the bug hauled art and artist’s supplies, garden tools, landscaping materials and shrubbery, always competently delivering it’s contents to their intended destinations.
During two decades of ownership, it was joined in the driveway by a couple of classic cars, but when the time came to purchase my first new car, the ’69 was relegated to the street where it sat during the week until being driven on the weekend. Disuse took a toll, and sometimes the bug couldn’t even be started by compression (letting the car roll forward down the hill, in low gear, with the clutch engaged and key in the running position, and then disengaging the clutch, which would normally start the car). It had served valiantly for almost three decades, still had a life to give, and deserved better.
One of my best friends, a dune buggy enthusiast, arrived in his International Harvester Travelall with trailer. The bug’s brakes had locked from disuse, but the car was finally coaxed up the ramp onto the trailer bed and away from it’s home on the ocean. By this time, the body was quite rusty, but the mechanicals were in good shape. Converting it into a dune buggy seemed like a winning proposal. It was readied for it’s new life in the desert… flying over sand dunes. I never again saw the ’69, but have only the fondest memories of ownership.
For those who have never had the opportunity to drive an original VW Type-I, do yourself a favor, if given the chance, and experience for yourself what one of the most successfully selling automobiles of all times was like. Zeitgeist. You won’t be disappointed, I promise.
Photos of the VW on the trailer, in primer paint and of the Cadillac limousine from the author’s collection; all others from the internet.
JJPowers, I can relate to and confirm every thing said in this post about the Type-1. Mine was a 1964 and it could barely do the legal speed limit of 65, but it could barely do it all day long. The car’s build, fit, and finish were impressive.
An enjoyable read – and I would love to get back into one for a while. They pop up on Bring A Trailer often and regularly go for $7,000, $8,000 and up. Sometimes a lot “UP”.
for example:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1970-volkswagen-beetle-12/
Hey RL; good luck getting back into a Type I… I have not priced one lately, but going by what you’re quoting, looks like ownership might be a good investment.
Nice account of life with the Bug! I also like the comparisons with the other rides you had for temporary use. Wasn’t there an ad campaign were the bug hardly changed and the competition went through plastic surgery model year after model year. You practically lived that ad campaign.
At times though it seems you looked at the bug through rose colored glasses. My two bugs made me aware of this fact: there is nothing on a bug that couldn’t be fixed for $100. And there is an infinite number of things that need fixing for $100. I was glad to leave the bugs behind.
Thanks, Wolfgang; I’ve always enjoyed your posts. Yes, by the time I had acquired a new car, I was glad to leave the bug days behind. Sounds like you had different types of ownership experiences. Did you purchase new or previously owned? How were the original service histories? We’d probably agree that a car’s service regimen may dictate it’s longevity and reliability. Mine always had excellent service, and never nickel or dimed me. Rose colored glasses? I can honestly say that I enjoyed ownership at the time. Would I own one now? With unlimited resources, and maybe multiple homes, having one waiting at a beach house or city pad would be ok by me.
Mine were used and low budget bugs. I also was young and had just enough experience to put myself into trouble. The links to my COALS are here: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/wolfgangs-coal-series/
Again.. hello, Wolfgang: thanks for both replies and links. Read both of your VW COALS. Took a quick look at Mustie’s garage video. Looks very interesting and look forward to returning later and viewing entire. (I basically have zero mechanical knowledge about cars.) Most enjoyable reads on your VWs, awesome writing. Now easier to understand your comment about my view of VW ownership. If interested, here is my own personal philosophy about car ownership, maintenance and relationships with our automobiles (these seem to be working for me as of today, can’t guarantee anything for others, do not mean to imply that what is being expressed below is any better than other’s methodology). 1. Easy on the accelerating. 2. Easy on the braking. 3. Easy on the cornering. 4. Regular preventative maintenance at factory authorized or other highly qualified shop or entity, through a long-term relationship, or owner-servicing. (I like to believe that my cars enjoy going to a service facility where other members of it’s family are present, or with other vehicles that share things in common.) I actually look forward to taking my cars to the dealership for service and seeing other cars that share attributes or backgrounds with my own). I guess I sort of have a zen/eastern philosophy about how our material things have spirits. Human beings have spirits, why not the things we create. I attempt to put myself in my car’s place to understand how I would feel about the manner in which I was being treated, always attempting to appreciate what they go through to provide transportation. And, try not to take them for granted or feel entitled for them to fulfill unreasonable expectations. The cars are treated with respect. They are driven mindfully, and, when needed, are pushed hard, but not with regularity, nor to the extreme. Summary: I do not believe in owning cars that are troublesome. You’ve been though amazing circumstances with your cars, and I admire your knowledge, capability and tenacity. Anyone who can get a refrigerator inside a beetle is A-ok. Hope you’re health is doing very well. Thanks again, Wolfgang.
I think your approach is right for you. You tell us that you have no mechanical knowledge. I actually do what you are doing: go easy on all systems of my car or any car that I drive. I can’t even beat on a beater! It’s o.k. with me to say that a car, a combination of many systems and materials has a “spirit” and “character”. I like to think of them as idiosyncrasies. That’s why it feels right to take the car were its siblings are taken care of. As long as you have an honest dealer service it’s good. My SiL took her Ford Contour to the dealer for service. “It’s expensive, but I know it’s done right”, she said. I found a very good independent garage in my town and they did great work for us when family activities left me without time to do my own wrenching. Recently, I have done more of my own wrenching and I like the problem solving aspects of it. But it’s good to know where to go if needed.
Thanks for your well wishes regarding health. I have learned to deal with it and I am ok. I hope you and your loved ones are doing well too.
Here is another one: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTT9mT4UQanMH-rGm_ZUB3w
You might enjoy looking into Mustie1’s garage once in while: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGdk8xLLSV8
Wolfgang.. Thanks for new video link. “Idiosyncrasies” great description. Brings to mind actually doing a little bit of minor repair work on cars over the decades, recognizing how different nationalities of automobile manufactures design and engineer things differently, seemingly reflecting their own unique philosophy and human condition. Germans, Japanese, American, etc. Interesting. Understand, the intellectual challenge of fixing or improving something plays a big part of overall satisfaction when the job has been successfully completed. Keep up the good work.
I had an ’63 Beetle and it was a dream. I wish I still had it; 6 volts and all. Not fast, not slick, but fun to drive. Too bad it was CRUSHED by a Chrysler Cordoba with Corinthian leather.
I then bought a ’69 Beetle. I wish my experience had been as good as yours, but my ’69 it was a disaster. It sucked up all my resources. A very unpleasant experience. Since then, I have never entertained VW or AUDI on future car purchases.
If you thought the ’69 Beetle was bad you should have owned and driven a 1973 Super Beetle. Apparently it was really difficult to make air cooled engines conform to ever increasing emissions regulations and power was way down. My poor VW struggled to get out of its own way and felt almost ponderous, certainly not the feeling one got from older Beetles. I only had the ’73 for a year or so; when the first OPEC crisis came about small cars were much in demand and I was able to sell the little beast for a couple of hundred dollars more than I paid for it. I would like to drive a Type I again (for a quick spin) just to see if my memories line up with reality but I would never spend my money to purchase one.
Howdy 3Speed. Sorry about the mean, rude VW crusher; glad you have some good ownership memories. I’ve had two very positive modern-day VW ownership experiences (refer to COALS). Both cars were sold before high miles accrued. I also made sure to be on a friendly basis with the VW service manager, who helped me out on repairs by interfacing with VW of America. Would I own a new VW or Audi (or, other German)? Driving dynamics are fantastic, but the price one pays, in my opinion, is maintenance costs, once the warranty has expired and/or miles accumulate. I could be mistaken, but for now, will gladly stay with my 2004 and 2006 Hondas.
I’ve ridden in enough Beetles to know I don’t want to own one. Nostalgia is a funny thing. I did enjoy reading the article.
Thanks, carjunkie. Yes, nostalgia helps us block out the bad and remember the good! Understood; we all have to do what works best for us. (P.S. Did you ever drive one?)
I can’t recall if I’ve ever driven an intact Beetle, although I have driven vehicles repurposed from Beetle drivetrains and floorpans. My best friend owned a Beetle in the ’70s, and so did my cousin. I may have driven one of those.
My best friend’s uncle built an all terrain-type vehicle using Volkswagen power train components, and that was a lot of fun. 🙂
carjunkie: You’ve got great experience with variations of VW’s. Interesting! The all-terrain, VW-based vehicle owned by the uncle of your best friend sounded like a real blast.
Wind wings? The British call them ‘Quarter lights’. They were a damn fine invention and I sorely miss them.
My old man’s 3rd VW was a beige ‘69 bug. His VW mechanic occasionally took in used ones and mechanically refreshed them for resale. The one that dad bought had a newly rebuilt engine, so it ran like new. He drove the snot out of it for about 5 years before it succumbed to the tin worm. It still ran pretty well, though, because he kept up the scheduled maintenance.
Every time I see the VW on the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album cover, I get a little nostalgic for dad’s bug. The bug was more fun to learn on than my brother’s ‘70 Fury III. The VW’s 4 speed plus great visibility and tight handling were a treat compared to the Fury’s sheer bulk and wallowy nature. (In part due to the Fury’s bias ply tires, which were quite possibly recaps.)
PRNDL: thank you for sharing your stories. Sounds like you have good memories of your Dad and his bug.
I am very happy about two things in this COAL:
1. You drove your Beetle fast (80mph). Seems like everyone wants to remember their VWs as being slugs. Sure, they weren’t as fast as big American V8s, but a proper-running VW could be made to move right along. My stock 40hp would do exactly 72mph on the level (all day long), and my 1350 cc (modified 40hp) would hit very close to 80. The axle ratio was raised (lower numerically) in 1967 with the first 1500, and that made 80mph quite doable. Your ’69 had the 1600, and was close to peak stock Beetle performance.
2. You confirm the reality that the heater in these was far from useless. If it was in good condition (heater boxes intact and engine tin tight), it was actually pretty decent. But one had to crack the vent window a tiny bit even in the cold, otherwise the airtight VW body resisted the inflow of warm air from the engine. It’s amazing how few folks know/knew that. I drove mine in Iowa in the winter, and once it was warmed up (like any car), it put out a reasonable amount of heat, plenty to stay warm in. Sure, the defroster system was a bit crude and was not up to the standards of more modern cars, but it got there, eventually.
This.
With a fresh engine in my stock ’64 (black one in the photo), I did a road trip from Atlanta to Peoria, and other than in the mountains, managed 75 for hours on end without any drama.
I refreshed the heater boxes and plumbing when I did the engine, and had “sufficient” heat for Georgia winters (lowest we’d typically see was in the 20°Fs). I didn’t know about the vent window trick, either! I did, however, carry an ice scraper for the inside of the windshield…
Sure, it was a high-maintenance relationship, but that’s simply because the car was designed in the 1930s. All of our cars from the 1960s-70s were high maintenance compared to anything we had after 1990 or so.
There’s no other car that puts the same kind of smile on my face that an air-cooled Beetle does.
I turned on my VW heater last week and it blew bits of mouse nest all over.
Very festive 🐁
Hmm, does the beginning of June mark the end of winter or the beginning of winter for your province? I lose track… 🙂
dougd: guess that was better than blowing bits of mice all over.
Are all three yours? I have always wanted a Bug between 1966-72 and I always look. The problem is the I have to way the pros and cons of getting a 11th car with the pros and cons of getting divorced.
The blue ‘66 was a friends I was tuning up. Still have the ‘62 sunroof, and picked up a ‘63 sedan a few years back. Both are in a pile of parts in the machine shed, but DougD will be amazed to hear I started rebuilding the front beams last week!
I am amazed indeed! Do you have the reamers for kingpins and bushings? I do not have those tools so was thinking of sending mine out for a rebuild this year..
Ed, your place sounds like a Disneyland for VW’s. Fantastic collection!
Thank you, Paul. 1. I had gone from owning an Olds 425 to the Type-I, never feeling like the bug couldn’t go fast enough. It would cruise at 80 all day here in southern California; I don’t remember the record speed, but, as someone who considers driving his sport and likes speed, I clearly remember that the car was capable of going faster. 2. A couple of other heater/body integrity points… another advantage to leaving either the window or vent pane slightly open is that it was far easier to close the doors, the cars were so air tight; and, I once made the mistake of placing a bag of candles on the passenger’s side floor too close to the heat outlet.
I once left a can of silicone spray on the rear floor of my ’66 Fastback, I heard a deafening “pop” noise, quickly pulled over expecting a blow out. All the tires were fine, the interior smelled strange, I looked on the floor behind my seat and the top of the can was blown off, and it was too hot to touch. It rolled against the rear heat outlet, who says VW heaters don’t get hot?
67Conti; that must have been crazy scary. That’s one way to detail the interior you’ll never want to repeat.
When I was growing up we had a couple of early 60’s Beetles and I learnt to drive in them. I currently work next to a Beetle repair centre and I often see the owner doing the front brake adjustment test; picking up speed outside his shop and slamming on the brakes to see if the front ones lock, they always do.. That was always something that made me wary of buying a Beetle of my own, one had to drive around the quirks and in the wrong conditions things could get complicated very quickly.
The Beetle is an old friend of mine. My first car, the car I learned how to drive a stick on, the first car I worked on, friends, relatives, and many neighbors had them, etc. I had new ones and oldies. So many fond memories; no car is as close to my heart as a Beetle.
The owner’s manual in my new ’71 Super Beetle advised the driver to accelerate briskly (briskly was in bold type), which I did. The manual also listed the top speed as 81mph, which I discovered was quite accurate while scooting along the MacArthur freeway.
Thank you, JJPowers, for this trip down memory lane.
Most welcome, ohwonesten; thanks for your comment. Agree, the bug always seemed to enjoy being revved assertively to get up to speed.
Good story. It sounds like you got years of pleasure from your old Bug, and it was able to go on to a second life (like many old Bugs have) as a dune buggy. My first car ride was in a Type 1. In 1963 I came home from the hospital in my parents’ blue ‘61, and somewhere my sister has a photo (taken in early 1964) of her, my paternal grandmother and myself as a baby beside it. The last time I rode in one was back in 1992 when my girlfriend (now my wife) and I went to Mexico for two weeks and rode in a few as taxis. They were everywhere in Acapulco, and I watched the last one roll off the line in Puebla on the news in 2003, complete with a mariachi band. Driving a Type 1 is definitely on my automotive bucket list.
dman63; appreciate receiving your reply. Wow, hope you get a copy of the photo of your family’s ’61. Seeing Type 1’s in Acapulco must have brought back good memories. Good luck finding the right one to drive!
As someone for whom Volkswagens are life, I love reading stories like this. However, I get frustrated at the comments section because it’s the same old fallacies about air cooled Volkswagens repeated over and over.
For those who think it’s just nostalgia that makes people want these cars, I was born in the 80’s, and nothing puts a smile on my face to be behind the wheel of like an aircooled Volkswagen. I can’t explain why, but it just does.
Hello Adam; reading your comment about the VW driving experience made me smile. Thank you.
I had a 1971 type 3 with fuel injection and a big 1600 c c engine
I don’t k is now you could cause at 80 miles per hour unless it was off a cliff
60 yes all day just anticipate a bill
Horrible heater , at least not not suited for new jersey winter’s
Build quality was excellent as I remember that the floor plan under the back seat was painted as opposed to just overspray
Something must have been wrong with it. My ’68 Squareback would do 70-75 no problem. It topped out around 85-90.
Fordfan: sounds like there was a fathomable difference in performance between my ’69 Type 1 and your ’71 FI Type 3. Sorry you had a less than satisfactory ownership experience, but ended on the positive note regarding your car’s excellent build quality. Nice job.
I seem to remember Beetle owners manuals listing cruising speed and top speed as the same. Even Corvettes and Ferrari’s couldn’t do that! Even to this day VW’s feel better at high speeds…German engineering I guess for Autobahns.
I have a ’59 Beetle with the 36hp engine. The owners manual tells you drive it flat out and that’s what I do on the highway. It doesn’t do much more than most interstate speed limits around here which are 70mph. I have had it going 80.17mph once on flat ground GPS verified. Granted it took about 4 miles to get there, haha. The earlier cars were designed so that the carburetor limited the revs and the gearing meant that on flat ground in 4th gear you could not over rev it.
Corners… any car that can cruise safely and expediently on the Autobahn is alright with me. Thanks!
I didnt learn to drive in a VW, that was done in an Austin Gipsy, but I frequently drove a 54/55 oval window beetle while at school it had the single tailpipe 25hp engine, yes it was slow 0-60 took forever unless you got a downhill stretch, the brakes were weak and the lights feeble despite relays, I rebuilt a 1200 59 model for a friend and that went well for what it was still not fast in the four cylinder range of cars but we have speed limits and it could do that, I already have a 50s four banger car and while its fun to drive and getting quite rare here I wont be replacing it with a Beetle.
K.B. – Wonder what a perfectly restored or highly-original mid-fifties oval window or ’59 1200 bug sells for now?
My ’68 lived its entire life within a few blocks of the Pacific ocean. Rusty, it eventually went to a co-worker as his son’s first car. They converted it to a Baja as a father-son project.
My wife’s ’68 was an AutoStick. I found it annoying to drive, but it was stone-reliable.
I just so happen to see and pass several times over the last few years an early 70s Bug, in green, on 680 through the San Ramon Valley. It is obviously a daily commuter by a woman between 58-63. She could quite possibly be the original owner. I’ve passed her both in the am commute traffic and the pm commute traffic home.
tbm3fan: Bet that woman and her 70s bug get lots of admiring glances. Bet you’re right, she’s the original owner, and still enjoys her VW.
I think I’ve seen her around here for several years. She has an Elm Green ’70 Beetle with a license plate frame from Humphrey Motors, where they sold VWs for many years up into the early ’80s.
My family had a ‘69 with the autostick, it was the car my sister and I used until we bought our first cars. I’d have rather had a manual, but… one thing I remember about the car was that there was some sort of valve – easily removed – that would get plugged up with minute matter and cause the car to stall at slow speeds. i’d have to remove it and use the compressed air at a gas station to blow it clean, screw it back in and the car would run fine for a few days and then I’d have to repeat the process. The dealer could never fix it, so it was something we’d just deal with.
A pleasant memory I had was making a small tweak like my school chums with VWs (theirs were all lowered in the front with Select-a-drop suspensions, deep dish chromed wheels with Porsche hub caps, bigger carbs and exhaust headers) had done… which was to simply inflate the spare tire in the front trunk to about 80 lbs and reverse the windshield washer nozzles (which ran off the air in the spare tire) so that we could zap unsuspecting pedestrians in crosswalks at each intersection. The challenge was to hold a straight face when the victims looked up in the sky and all around trying to determine the source of the liquid. Life was easy and grins were cheap.
Sent from my iPhone
BradF: the super-soaker windshield washer gag sounds hilarious. Keeping from laughing out loud must have been tough, but worth it! Thanks.
JJ, I am loving your COALs! You have led/are leading quite the interesting life and cars to match. Keep them coming.
As for VWs, my generation was the last to have lived with them on the road as regular drivers. I never had any attraction to them when they were on the road but have come to appreciate them as they have aged along with me. My uncle had one, maybe an early ’70s model, and I hated riding in it. Back then, I thought they were crude and annoyingly loud little cars (which of course, they were, lol) and even then I thought, why have a VW when a Corolla was about the same money and just seemed like a more substantial car, or step up to a Valiant and actually have a real car that can actually haul people and stuff around and might actually have a chance of surviving an accident.
I always loved the Manx dune buggys though!
LT Dan – Thank you very much. Yeah, gotta agree, crude, annoying, loud and little. Huge difference between the bug and a modern, refined Corolla or American-iron Valiant. The friend who converted my bug was a big Manx fan. Wonder how the conversion worked out.
I once cobbled together a fiberglass Manx type buggy (bought the body with shortened pan used), built it from a ’59 with 36hp engine. It was a lot of fun, but defiantly needed more power.
First car was a ’66 Beetle, and in Socal the heater was adequate. It had pop open rear side windows, keeping one open worked great for heater flow and was quieter then opening a front vent window. My ’66 Bus, the heat was another story. It had a bench front seat, and I installed a curtain to close off the cab area, this would keep the front somewhat warm and the windshield sort of clear.
I had a ’66 Fastback, its heater seemed to be more powerful than the Beetles. It would top out around 90, the twin carb 1600 ran quite a bit stronger than the ’66 Beetles 1300, which seemed to run about 80 flat out. Liked the Fastback better, larger glass area, real dash, roomier, quieter, had front disc brakes and 2 trunks. Another bonus was a broken belt only turned the generator, so you could run until the battery died and not overheat the engine. The ventilation system, which the ’66 did not have, combined with the opening rest side windows, was a big help in summer. The glass actually would bend when try were popped open, no hinge, very strange design but worked well. I wouldn’t mind driving an air cooled VW today. Nice write up. Now comes the question, is this long post going to be deemed worthy of not disappearing? Here we go!
1975, under my ’73 Sport bug replacing the EMPI aluminum deep sump oil pan gasket on its modified 1835 engine. That was about 50 pounds ago😁!
67Conti: glad both posts made it. Enjoyed reading about all the differences among the various years and models of VWs with which you’ve had experience. I’m at about that 50 pounds extra mark, too. Oh well, less weight for any VW to haul, right?
One memory of the Bug was the Summer after 9th grade when I traveled to Utah with my family to visit aunts, uncles and cousins, which was always a treat, as there were horses to ride, trout to catch and cherries to pick and eat way too many of. I stayed up there for two additional weeks after my family went home to SoCal. I had to catch a ride home with my Uncle Bruce, a high school principal in Brea…. in his ‘65 Bug… AM radio… 11 of the longest hours of my young life at that point… it seemed like I’d never make it home to Anaheim.
BradF. Excellent memories of summers in Utah! Your long trip with AM radio reminds me of another VW story. During my brother’s summer off from college, he accepted a summer job in Maine. I rode with him in his VW from Virginia. We only had two cassette tapes to entertain us for the full day’s drive: The Beatles’ “Let it Be” (with the appropriate “Long and Winding Road”) and “Deja Vu” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Hearing any music from those albums takes me right back. Later, on my own drives up and down the east coast in the early-mid 70s, I discovered a kick-ass hard rock radio station. It may have originated from Philadelphia? Guessing it was AM. Always looked forward to being in the vicinity to hear top-notch driving music. Thanks for your comments.
Even though I’m a lifelong Chevy fanboi – and we all know the classic iron they were cranking out in 1969…I have to acknowledge THIS was the car that captured the spirit of 1969 like no other, save for its Type II variant.
chas108; says a lot when you state that 1969 VW, capturing the spirit of 1969, may better our all-American Chevrolet iron. Good observation.
The VW Beetle was part of the South America history, cheap and strong enough to withstand our lack of good roads.
The Bugs produced in Brazil were different from the ones built in Germany and exported to US. (year model wise)
My fist car was a dark blue 1964 Beetle 1200cc with white interior, lovely car but the original 6 volts electrical system was kinda painful, in cold mornings, if I missed the first start I wouldn’t have sufficient juice for a second try.
After that I had a 1969 1300cc but this one had the 12 volts system. The car had 13 inches mag rims, slammed to the ground and no muffler.
I loved the VW bug back then and I still do.
The car on this pic is not my 69, but it is soooo close.
Rubens. Thanks for you comment. Interesting to learn about South American Volkswagens. Your dark blue with white interior was a fine-looking bug. Then, your slammed, ’69 with 1300, running on 13″ mags without any noise muffling must have received lots of attention. Bet you really enjoyed that car.
I have lots of good memories behind the wheel of those two VW.
Keep your eyes open, I wrote an interesting story about racing Beetles in Brazil and it is coming up this Saturday.
I believe you are going to enjoy it.
Rubens: Thank you; looking forward to reading about racing beetles in Brazil!
“The VW Beetle was part of the South America history, cheap and strong enough to withstand our lack of good roads.”
It says something about a car that could handle autobahn/freeway driving and bad road conditions equally well. Many cars do one well, very few (especially from the era of their design) do both well.
JPC: very well put.
Great Lakes guy here, who grew up with no idea that CA or FL cars “living” near the ocean got salt-air corrosion. Dumb question, but: how far inland was safe territory?
[Sorry for the tangent, everyone—I did enjoy the essay, JJP, and I guess I’m one of the few here of Paul’s vintage who never really experienced these VWs much.]
It’s hard to say exactly, because it depends on how much wind is blowing salty air inland. I have to assume that the air picks up the salt from the spray of the waves, I don’t see how otherwise it would get salty.
From my experience in CA, one would see badly corroded cars mostly at house very close to the beach, as in the first block or two or three. And from what I’ve noticed, it was mainly in beach towns that were down low, right close to water level.
Although Santa Monica is on the beach, there is a tall bluff that much of the town sits on, and that must have blocked the salty air as I don’t remember seeing rusty cars there much.
The rust from salty air is the opposite as in the snow belt: the cars rust from the outside in, not inside out, as the salt accumulates on the surface. It’s the upper body that gets the worst of it, holes in places were the rain-dissolved salt accumulates. It can be quite ugly.
Hello George; thank you. Very good question about coastal car ownership. Paul got it all right, in my opinion. For example, the subject car resided most of it’s life within a mile from the ocean here in southern California, pretty much at sea level. When I bought the car when it was twelve years old, there was surface rust on the roof. This would have been from the salt in the damp sea air. The worst damage was the drip rails; as thick as those body pieces were, the rust practically destroyed entire sections, from the salt-laden moisture that had run off the roof and trailed down the moldings. At the lower rear section of the rails near the back of the rear quarter windows, there was also considerable damage. Along the coast, there is considerable cloudiness in the morning and late afternoon/evening, essentially damp, salty air. A few miles inland, that is not true. More sun, less salt, much drier air. The ocean has a tremendous effect on the coast’s microclimate. Temperate. Warmer in winter, cooler in summer. Life in southern California is not perfect. We can’t drive our cars on the water in the winter like you can at the Great Lakes.
For someone who grew up during the years of Peak VW, my experiences with them were minimal. I think I have driven only one, a well-worn 67 Type I owned by a friend in the late 70s. But I have always thought of them fondly.
That car was alot better than the 69 Beetle a friend drove in High School in the early 80s. This was in New York so salt had rotted the heater boxes and the sunroof leaked so there was often a sheet of ice in the passenger footwell. On the positive side it still ran even when the driver risked hypothermia. My college room mate’s VW was much better, despite living in Upstate NY he had a rust free 73 or 74 with automatic stickshift that I drove once. It was an interesting experience since I had a Scirocco at the time and things like gearshift knobs and turn signal levers were shared between air cooled and water cooled models. I also got a kick out the instructions for optional gasoline fired heater which would have been great in cold climates.