What Should I Do With This Old VW?

Sometime in the 1970s, presumably during the gas crisis, my great grandfather bought himself a Super Beetle to replace his 1949 Plymouth. In 1983, my dad inherited the VW. My dad painted said Super Beetle like Herbie The Love Bug and gave it to me, in 1984, when I turned six. At ten, my dad taught me to drive in it. I briefly drove the car after I got my license but parked it in 1995 when it failed inspection for frame rot. It’s been sitting now since 1995, unmoved. My dad and I were planning to restore it together, but, sadly, he didn’t live long enough for that to happen. I took a run at fixing it up about seven years ago, just after my dad died. I got it running and bought a solid frame for it at that time. I haven’t even looked at it since. So should I just sell it? The small amount of money I’d get for it won’t change my life in any meaningful way, and it doesn’t cost me much to continue to ignore it. My hope is that my son – who is only three months old now – will grow up to be a gearhead like his daddy and granddaddy, and then maybe he and I can fix it up together. I have my doubts about his generation ever being into cars. Or I could put the solid frame under it and sell it for a (very little) bit more money that still won’t likely change my life in any meaningful way.

Baja bug.

In reply to Appleseed:

Supers don't make good baja bugs.

In reply to Appleseed:

Can't Baja Bug because Super Beetle has McPherson strut front suspension

I wanted to make it a mid-engine, V8 hot rod, like Paul Newmann's Bug, and I even bought the chassis plans from Rorty. The idea was shot down by the chassis fab shop, though. The owner noticed I came there in a Boxster and exclaimed, "You already have a fragile mid engine German car, so I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve by building your Bug into one!"

Q: What to do with old Beetle?
A: Win The Challenge!

In reply to JohnRW1621:

That's a really good idea!

If your son grows up to be a gearhead, he will dream of restoring a car that was built in 2015. Also, there won't be much of the bug left to work with by then.

Do something now, or cut it loose.

I agree with Woody, you're playing long odds on your son restoring it. Send it down the road and use whatever you get to buy him some gearhead toys.

I always wanted a Herbie beetle. If you do decide to sell I might be interested.

In reply to Cotton:

I'm still undecided. Where are you located and what do you think it's worth? The interior is in excellent original condition, with the exception of a Hurst shifter and a goofy steering wheel I put on it when I was sixteen.

We need to talk. I to have a personal attachment to bugs.

In reply to M030:

I'm in the nashville area, just noticed you're in MA, so that could make it difficult. Not sure on value, but Mark Wemple just went on a beetle hunt and bought one, so maybe he'll chime in on what he saw value wise during his search.

I too have an attachment to bugs, especially the rusty ones. Mine sure was though it didn't look it too much. I bought it and a "How to Keep your VW Alive" book on the same day. It was the first car I ever worked on.

I wish I could help out!

Ok, so I've decided I cannot let it go. Dean said he's is going to help me weld up the rust. When that happens, I'll post a build thread and call it Herbie rides again

Are replacement pans still available for Super Beetles?

I remember reading in a book about beetles a long time ago, that there was a way to attach early beetle kingpin front ends into Supers, so they could be made into Baja bugs. I could be wrong though, it may have been a kit to replace ball joint front ends with king pin front ends.

Woody wrote: If your son grows up to be a gearhead, he will dream of restoring a car that was built in 2015. Also, there won't be much of the bug left to work with by then. Do something now, or cut it loose.

My 8 year old is a gear head and his favorite vehicle in the yard right now is 30 years older than he is. It's all about what they're exposed to. Once he can "help" say around 4-5 even if it's hitting a piece of scrap with a hammer have him help you. I try to involve my son in as many projects as possible even to the point of waiting for his week with me to do them. He gets offended if I do things without him.

HappyAndy wrote: Are replacement pans still available for Super Beetles? I remember reading in a book about beetles a long time ago, that there was a way to attach early beetle kingpin front ends into Supers, so they could be made into Baja bugs. I could be wrong though, it may have been a kit to replace ball joint front ends with king pin front ends.

Pans are no different so yes they are available.

Frame head swaps have been done but its not easy work, better off to sell it and buy a standard beetle. If you are just looking for the baja look they do make a baja body kit for a super beetle.

Or hell, if the frame is bad, buy a standard frame and a 1 piece baja front end, cut the whole super front off and make up a framework to support the 1 piece (which you'd have to do with a super or a standard)

I had a VW mag many years ago that had an article about a super beetle racing series in it. They all had these massive wide fenders and were awesome in every way. That's what I would do with a super beetle.

My vote, With upright converted type IV engine.

with so few bugs on the ground anymore.. I vote against anything that destroys the sheet metal. Rusty or not, that bug will only increase in value over the years. restore it, mod it, but don't cut it.

In reply to mad_machine:

We think alike. I won't cut it up, but I think it will be quite some time before its anything near what one might call valuable. For some reason, Super Beetles are the bottom feeders of air cooled VWs. $3500 buys a really nice one, but, and this might be crazy, there's only one that wears VIN 1122513991 and has the sentimental value (to me) that one does

JohnRW1621 wrote: Q: What to do with old Beetle? A: Win The Challenge!

I like the plan.

M030 wrote: In reply to mad_machine: $3500 buys a really nice one, but, and this might be crazy, there's only one that wears VIN 1122513991 and has the sentimental value (to me) that one does

Not crazy at all. I would pay whatever it cost to make it roadworthy - not restored, but safe to drive. Then I would drive it once in a while and smile broadly, knowing they are smiling back. Take your kid for a ride and tell him the story.

Money is just paper.

It's a keeper for sure. JBugs and J.C.Whitney offer new floor pans.

http://www.jbugs.com/category/1973-vw-super-beetle-floorpans.html

Dan

airwerks wrote: My vote, With upright converted type IV engine.

That would look fantastic in Herbie livery.