Find or Sell Used Cars, Trucks, and SUVs in USA

1974 Super Beetle Convertible on 2040-cars

Year:1974 Mileage:0
Location:

Broomfield, Colorado, United States

Broomfield, Colorado, United States

A blast from my younger days, a 1974 VW Super beetle convertible. What else can you say? In the 70's there were literally millions of bugs. My first car was a 69 beetle with a rag top and I drove it clean through college. I could yank the motor in minutes and kept it running for 8 years. I did tire of adjusting the valves and the brakes, but it ran when nothing else would. I found this car in the neighborhood and I couldn't resist. Even better than my old bug, this is the super beetle and handles really nice. But it is the full convertible and in excellent shape.

The previous owner used it as a tag car for his motor home. Being overly familiar with bugs, I had to check it out. Ran like new, great shape. Had to take it home. It had the common VW problem, bad pans but was otherwise rust free. The pans were easy to install. I kept the original AM radio but added a better stereo cassette deck (still have my old cassettes) The top is excellent, virtually new. I've had a blast reliving my college days and the teenagers won't drive it. Kids these days, I would have killed for a convertible but having boys the car is perhaps a tad feminine. I bet the girls would dig it but at 18 you just don't get it.

On the down side, the paint is faded. I can't see any evidence of any wreck or even a dent. The interior is OK, but it's that cheesy VW vinal. It's definitely back to basics transportation. The 4 speed and handling is great but you won't have to worry about going to fast. It will do highway speeds but you will notice the famous VW acceleration The car is quite presentable as is and could easily be brought up to show quality. I added a starter relay (common problem) but it's otherwise stock.

On the up side, well, it's the convertible. If you are familiar with these, they are about as simple and basic as it gets. It's big enough for 4 adults as it sits up fairly high, 1930's art deco styling. 30 years ago there were mountains of these for a few hundred bucks. To my surprise, they have become quite collectable. The top works perfect and I hooked up the heater. The super beetle gives you a better dash and a defrost blower. It's surprising just how practical the vehicle is and with the top down everyone checks it out. I'm into some neat old convertibles but this one is still cool and most people had a bug in their past, so they all want to check it out. The motor is strong, I suspect it was probably rebuilt at some point. The odometer gear was broken (now fixed) but I would assume it has a good 100K miles plus. This is the last year of the carburetor and I have heard bad things about the fuel injection in 1975. It does have an alternator too and just the typical tiny leak around the oil filter, that looks like it was never over torqued (a common issue). If you are not in too big a hurry it drives very nice, straight and tight.

Last, I'm a 100% seller and I have sold a lot of cars on ebay. This is a hobby and I find some nice rust free western cars. I like to understate the car, there is nothing worse than being told a car is rust free and it turns out to be a rust bucket. If the car isn't as advertised you can back out. It is my preference to have the car inspected in Denver as I have no interest in someone buying the car that isn't really into old cars, as they can be a bit "different" than newer cars. I would also prefer that you are familiar with beetles, it's an acquired taste and not for everyone. As for reserve, it's a bit high but if you are really interested I can work with you, so do contact me through ebay. Last, I like old convertibles so I'll entertain trades. Or even a small suv if its in good shape.

I have a number of project cars that need to get done, but it won't hurt my feelings if it doesn't sell. It's an easy car to own as it doesn't take too much space. The car is available to drive in Denver and I would not hesitate to drive it home cross country. Typical VW- started right up in 17 below zero and does fairly well in snow.

Auto Services in Colorado

Zarlingo`s Automotive Svc Ctr ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Automobile Accessories
Address: 748 Horizon Dr, Loma
Phone: (970) 242-1691

Toy Car Care ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Auto Transmission
Address: Black-Hawk
Phone: (720) 288-0989

Tony`s Tires & Automotive ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Tire Dealers
Address: 3800 N Garfield Ave, Masonville
Phone: (970) 667-2435

Tire Stop ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Tire Dealers, Brake Repair
Address: 4727 Broadway St Ste C, Louisville
Phone: (303) 449-0581

Rocket Express ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Auto Oil & Lube, Car Wash
Address: 13074 W Ida Ave # A1, Indian-Hills
Phone: (303) 972-3800

Rio Grande Enterprises, LLC ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automotive Tune Up Service, Hotels
Address: 24263 Highway 149, Creede
Phone: (719) 658-0374

Auto blog

Volkswagen Cross Up! headed for production after Geneva reveal

Wed, 13 Feb 2013

The last time we saw the Volkswagen Cross Up!, it was sitting out in the snow in prototype form, but the next time we'll see this slightly more rugged version of the diminutive Up! hatchback will be when it makes its production debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Looking like a micro-crossover with its raised ground clearance and black cladding, the Cross Up! will be the fourth "Cross" model for VW (after the CrossPolo, CrossGolf and CrossTouran) when it goes on sale this summer in mainland Europe (UK sales remain up in the air and US sales are highly unlikely).
Overall, the styling of the production Cross Up! has stayed fairly true to the 2011 concept car, including the front and rear fascias that offer a more rugged look, stocky 16-inch wheels and roof rack side rails. Inside, this model will get unique interior enhancements such as "Cross Up!" sill plates and an instrument panel available in red, black or silver. Like the regular Up!, the Cross Up! is powered by a 74-horsepower, 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine paired to a five-speed manual transmission, and it doesn't look like all-wheel drive will be part of the picture. For more details on the upcoming Cross Up!, check out VW's press release posted below.

Happy 60th to the VW Karmann Ghia

Tue, 20 Aug 2013

Volkswagen's product portfolio may be as extensive these days as any other carmaker in the business. But if you still think of the original Beetle as synonymous with the brand, that's probably because a) you're old and b) the Beetle was the company's only product until the mid-50s.
Sixty years ago Wilhelm Karmann (founder of the eponymous coachbuilder) was in Paris for the auto salon and met up with Luigi Segre and his team from Carrozzeria Ghia who showed him what was essentially a "Beetle in a sports coat." A month later they showed it to Volkswagen chief Heinrich Nordhoff who, setting aside his conservative tastes, approved it for production. And so the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia was born, giving the German marque a second product line. It still used Beetle mechanicals and was built at the same Karmann factory in Onsabrück that was already assembling the Beetle Cabriolet.
It took another couple of years to put the design into production, but from 1955 to 1974, Volkswagen and Karmann built 362,601 coupes and 80,881 of the subsequent convertible that arrived in 1957. Today the Onsabrück factory is part of the VW Group, handling production of the Golf Cabriolet, XL1 and Porsche Boxster and Cayman, and with that original Karmann Ghia prototype as part of its factory collection.

Prop-driven VW Beetle hopes to land in Bonneville [w/video]

Thu, 10 Jan 2013

Sometimes you meet folks who, when they tell you "Hey, I have an idea," your reflex response is to stop what you're doing and tell yourself, "Get ready...." We imagine Mike Niemans is one of those folks, and the idea in question is putting a tank engine on a Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle. Not just any old tank engine - as if there were such a thing when we're talking about putting them in cars - but a 668-cubic-inch, 220-horsepower radial engine built by Continental in 1941 and procured from an M2 tank.
In the image above Nieman is using the tank clutch hub to get the motor set up, but in one of the images below you can see what really belongs back there is: a two-inch, reverse-pitch prop taken from a wind generator. He says there's enough mojo with the propeller action to get the car rolling down the runway like a jet when he gives it gas - and speaking of gas, the engine's been refitted to run on propane.
After a few safety tweaks Nieman's going to take the matte-black Beetle to Bonneville, "put the prop on, let her go and see what happens!" We can't wait to see the video of that. There are two shakedown videos below to get you ready.