newbie question

I posted this originally in just alt.volkswagen.beetle, but someone
suggested I try it here too.

Thanks for any help.

On Apr 5, 6:38 pm, wrote:
> Hey people,
>
> I have a simple question I hope can be answered here (or I can get
> pointed in the right direction) about Bugs.
>
> I should be, by June or July, in a position to buy a bug. Not a
> terribly great one (that'd be later in life I hope) but I miss having
> a bug. I prefer one before the big tail-lights (or at least prior to
> 75, due to DEQ issues in Oregon). My first bug was a 75, which was the
> fuel injected pain in the keester (at the time I had it). So I want to
> avoid that year for two reasons.
>
> Now, I used to know the answer to this question, but it's been just
> about a decade since I sold my Beetle and because I've had very little
> reason to retain it, I have since forgotten. So my question is..what
> years should I avoid for Beetles? I don't want to go back too far
> (meaning, I am on a budget and don't want to spend a whole mother
> load) so I'm mostly talking about 67-73ish as the base years (even
> though I think that includes the bigger tail-lights).
>
> Im not worried about how the body is (condition wise) as much as I
> just want to avoid getting another "ooh, you have a XX Bug, eh? Sorry
> to hear that".
>
> Thanks for any help if you can give it.
>
> dan

In addition to this, what kind of mileage do they get? I had a 75
about a decade ago but I don't recall what mileage it got.

I can provide more info if needed (or I can shut up if needed. )

wrote:
>>Now, I used to know the answer to this question, but it's been just
>>about a decade since I sold my Beetle and because I've had very little
>>reason to retain it, I have since forgotten. So my question is..what
>>years should I avoid for Beetles? I don't want to go back too far
>>(meaning, I am on a budget and don't want to spend a whole mother
>>load) so I'm mostly talking about 67-73ish as the base years (even
>>though I think that includes the bigger tail-lights).
>>
>>Im not worried about how the body is (condition wise) as much as I
>>just want to avoid getting another "ooh, you have a XX Bug, eh? Sorry
>>to hear that".
>>

The 67 was a year that had lots of one-year-only parts. Those are a
little hard to find sometimes, and you may end up having to use
incorrect parts and/or modify something else to fit.

67 or 68 also was the first year for 12V electricals. The 6V systems
require more maintenance today, since most have been neglected, and
let's face it, they're old.

Body style wise, the earlier pre-67 moidels are more coveted by most
people. The later models don't quite have the same kind of following.

RUST started to become a major problem in the early 70's. The 60's cars
used better quality metal and aren't generally nearly as rusty.
(Individual differences of course exist, cars this old are all individuals)

The later model bugs (Someone please help me with the US years here) had
the safer IRS (Independent Rear Suspension) rear, which keeps the tires
at a better angle towards the pavement at all times.

After around 65 or so (?) the front end got ball joints, which too wear,
but parts are easy to find and relatively cheap to replace.

What you should buy depends on what you want from the car. For looks and
'vintage' feel, go pre-67.

For a daily driver that you can find parts for at any car parts store,
go 68 and later.

To stay away from big taillights and FI, stay below 73.

SUPER beetles have IRS rear suspension and far superior strut based
FRONT suspension, which together offer the best handling. The early (71,
72?) supers had a flat windshield, and retained what little was left of
the 'vintage' beetle. The later supers (73 and up I believe) had a
large, curved windshield and improved defrost. And, large taillights


> In addition to this, what kind of mileage do they get? I had a 75
> about a decade ago but I don't recall what mileage it got.

It depends... on many things. But I've heard people get 30mpg with bone
stock everything. The truth probably lies in between 25 and 30.

Out of tune and modified, it could be much less.

Jan

On Apr 7, 8:53 pm, Jan > wrote:

> It depends... on many things. But I've heard people get 30mpg with bone
> stock everything. The truth probably lies in between 25 and 30.
>
> Out of tune and modified, it could be much less.
>
> Jan

thanks for the added info. now if I can just find one in my price
range, year range, and zip-code range, I'll be semi happy.

Great response Jan!

Just adding to a few of the things Jan mentioned....

On Apr 8, 12:53 pm, Jan > wrote:
>
> The 67 was a year that had lots of one-year-only parts. Those are a
> little hard to find sometimes, and you may end up having to use
> incorrect parts and/or modify something else to fit.
An example of this is the flasher relay "black box" used on the '67-68
model. It is no longer made and good working used ones were fetching
around $100 last time I looked. There is a replacement part sold by
BFY or West Cost Metric that looks nothing like the original but
functions correctly.
There was also the '67-only rear hood; rear bumper over-riders; front
fenders; rear axles/tubes. The reverse light brackets seem to be
getting hard to find, but they could be fabricated.

> 67 or 68 also was the first year for 12V electricals. The 6V systems
> require more maintenance today, since most have been neglected, and
> let's face it, they're old.
I read somewhere that some of the early '67's came w/ 6v systems and
in Europe some could be found w/ the earlier ('66 down) front fenders/
headlamps.

> The later model bugs (Someone please help me with the US years here) had
> the safer IRS (Independent Rear Suspension) rear, which keeps the tires
> at a better angle towards the pavement at all times.
In the US, '69 was the first year for IRS on the 4-spd Beetles, but
the '68 auto-stick was an IRS too.
Outside of the US, swing axles were used on Beetles up until the last
one rolled off the Mexico plant in 2002(?). As Jan mentions below,
all Supers has IRS.

> What you should buy depends on what you want from the car. For looks and
> 'vintage' feel, go pre-67.
Another option is get a later model and replace the body metal to make
it look like an older model ("Retro look" - this works on STD models
and not so well on Supers). Externally the later models can be made
to look almost identical to the earlier ones (a few small
differences). Mid America Motorworks has a kit w/ most of the body
metal panels you'd need. It's not exactly cheap, but it can give you
the look of the older models but the benefits of the newer ones.

While I agree w/ Jan that finding parts for the earlier models is more
difficult than the later ones, in general (IMHO) it is getting more
difficult to find all the parts you need at your FLAPS. The focus of
most of our obsessions are over 30-years old! I find more often I am
ordering my parts online from VW specialty stores. Mostly because of
availability, price and quality. But this also encourages my FLAPS to
not carry the parts I will need in a pinch.


AshMan40

> Externally the later models can be made
> to look almost identical to the earlier ones (a few small
> differences).

Not too much later. It is about the windows. The enlarged windows look
terrible. They steadily lost their character over the years.

I swear that VW hired an anti-esthetic designer just to make the Beetle
look worse and worse over time.