Best Beetle

[Blitzkrieg]

Guys

Which year of Beetle was the best and most well sorted? Lots of people say the 1969 model, and in general the 68-72 models...i for one rather like the 1969 models

just interested what the rest of you guys think.......

[Merlin]

Well sorted?

*scratches head*

I don't much about the differences in those years, other than the decklids, but I do know this...

Beetles after '67 are F'ugly and cheap.

Flame away...

N.

[fig]

Werner Alker has firm points of view about which years of Beetle were good and which were "crap". I don't know how he came to his conclusions but, after multiple rebuilds, most Beetles are a mix of parts.

I have a soft spot for 62 and 63 Beetles, because they have the classic styling, but need no modification to comply with current roadworthy requirements. They also have "fresh air" heating systems, a huge improvement over the previous design.

1960 and imported 1967 Beetles have a lot of one-year-only parts, so it's best to avoid them unless you really want one.

All Beetles post-67 are too ugly to have any collector value. They're only good for cheap student transport.

[IMPI]

Strong opinions but.... I have found a lot of 68 to 70 beetle engines that I am the first person to open the engine Must say something
I like a 69 probably because............
Armand

[forcecooled]

Hell thanks for that Fig, come to think of it, those square vans that you guys drive are not going to win any beauty competitions themselves!

Accelerated up any hills lately???. Put out any oil well fires lately???
So now we know why you parked all the bugs at the back at your farm gathering?

Cheers

Bill

*ducks and runs------Like hell*

LOL

[forcecooled]

HELLO ?

[fig]

Yes, those split buses have nothing to recommend them. Slow, noisy, uncomfortable things.

[Dawie]

Those split screen combis are special to me. Teached myself to drive (at 11 years age) in a 1965 combi.This was the most reliable vehicle my father ever owned.(Also the only vehicle he bought secondhand.)
Did several trips from northern Natal to the Cape and back at maximum power all the time in December heatwave conditions with a family of 7 and their luggage,maybe not that fast,but not breaking down, passing hundreds of steaming watercooled jobs on the roadside.
There was a saying "as long as you could keep a watercooled mechanic s
fingers away from these engines, it will last forever.
Sadly some rebuilding companies like superwagen and others ruined this reputation, with bad quality workmanship and cheap pirate parts.
Many mechanics,after clutch replacement,left off engine plates or the engine seal,causing hot used air being drawn in by the fan and recirculated,resulting in the engine to run unneccecary hot.

Back to which years beetles were better. Have found late 77 and 78 beetles with badly rusted bodywork but perfect floorpans. Seems the undercoat or paintwork was not to well applied to hidden places.
Personally have a soft spot for the 67 1500,although i think the body of the 65 kombi was better painted.
Once heard that the 1975 Fleetline Kombi,especially the panelvan, rusted so badly at the coast that you could actually hear it rust on a quiet day,while the 75 baywindows or pre 68 splits did not have the same problem.Would like to hear Figs opinion.Also,which years did Werner Alker favour and which did he thought not so good?

[Dawie]

Those split screen combis are special to me. Teached myself to drive (at 11 years age) in a 1965 combi.This was the most reliable vehicle my father ever owned.(Also the only vehicle he bought secondhand.)
Did several trips from northern Natal to the Cape and back at maximum power all the time in December heatwave conditions with a family of 7 and their luggage,maybe not that fast,but not breaking down, passing hundreds of steaming watercooled jobs on the roadside.
There was a saying "as long as you could keep a watercooled mechanic s
fingers away from these engines, it will last forever.
Sadly some rebuilding companies like superwagen and others ruined this reputation, with bad quality workmanship and cheap pirate parts.
Many mechanics,after clutch replacement,left off engine plates or the engine seal,causing hot used air being drawn in by the fan and recirculated,resulting in the engine to run unneccecary hot.

Back to which years beetles were better. Have found late 77 and 78 beetles with badly rusted bodywork but perfect floorpans. Seems the undercoat or paintwork was not to well applied to hidden places.
Personally have a soft spot for the 67 1500,although i think the body of the 65 kombi was better painted.
Once heard that the 1975 Fleetline Kombi,especially the panelvan, rusted so badly at the coast that you could actually hear it rust on a quiet day,while the 75 baywindows or pre 68 splits did not have the same problem.Would like to hear Figs opinion.Also,which years did Werner Alker favour and which did he thought not so good?

[Merlin]

I've met lots of people who drove around with no seals and/or tinware...all thinking it was for show, or some such BS.

It's there for a reason folks...USE IT

Fleetlines, as budget models, were never dipped unlike their German counterparts.

In addition, all Fleetlines started out as rustbuckets.

To save money, VWSA brought buses into ZA ON TOP of the cargo ships, unprotected

This is the alledged story.

VWSA employees apparently complained bitterly due to the massive work required to get them back to buildable condition.

Everything rusts at the coast.

I don't fancy xc trips to anywhere closer than 200 km to the coast thank you.

N.

[Blitzkrieg]

Apparently, from what i remeber when i spoke to Werner a while back, the late model (1973 up) are the ones to avoid due to Vwsa trying to cheap out on the bodywork etc and apparently they also have weak gearboxes..
I also despise the way VwSA mounted the rear lights on the fender on the 1973 up models...FUGLY...
I do like the 68-72 rear lights, especially if they are full red lenses

[Merlin]

ZA is the only country worldwide that used spacers to mount the late taillights...

This was done for financial reasons.

VW outside of ZA changed the rear fenders slightly, and to avoid retooling this side of the world, we made up cheaper spacers in order to mount the F'ugly 'lights to earlier-style fenders. FYI.

N.

[Blitzkrieg]

Interesting indeed....the late model Euro spec bugs and mex bugs had holes in the rear fenders in which the light mounted in, these can easily accomodate flat tail lights like the new beetle