Which Beetle

What Beetle from 1956 to 1969 would be the most desirable without a
convertible. Before answering please take into consideration reliabilty and
parts availability. Thanks!

"Mark" > wrote in message
...
> What Beetle from 1956 to 1969 would be the most desirable without a
> convertible. Before answering please take into consideration reliabilty
and
> parts availability. Thanks!
>
Prior to 1957 parts can be iffy. 57-65 parts OK but not great. Post 65 best
availability for parts.
Dependability probably equal but later models have more power and better
suspension.
Howard


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On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 18:31:02 -0500, "Mark" >
wrote:

>What Beetle from 1956 to 1969 would be the most desirable without a
>convertible. Before answering please take into consideration reliabilty and
>parts availability. Thanks!
>

'68 or later. Before that they were 6 volt (I think) and the '67 had
a bunch of one-year-only parts. But maybe if you want "most
desirable" then the '67 would appeal to you? Don't get me wrong.
I've owned a '73 Super, a '66 and '63 (and a '73 Bus). I had fun with
all of them. Just ask. *cough* Most desirableto you is what is
most desirable to YOU. If I was going to go buy a VW that was most
desirable to me right now I'd be torn between a notch and a sandrail.
I think I know which one I'm gonna wind up buyin first. :-)

--

Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite,
and furthermore always carry a small snake.
- W.C. Fields

lurker here... had to comment-

> A notchback sandrail!

it could be called "notch-yo-rail"

that is all, carry on....

jjd




"Michael Cecil" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 19:57:34 -0400, Shaggie >
> wrote:
>
> >On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 18:31:02 -0500, "Mark" >
> >wrote:
> >
> >>What Beetle from 1956 to 1969 would be the most desirable without a
> >>convertible. Before answering please take into consideration reliabilty
and
> >>parts availability. Thanks!
> >>
> >
> >'68 or later. Before that they were 6 volt (I think) and the '67 had
> >a bunch of one-year-only parts. But maybe if you want "most
> >desirable" then the '67 would appeal to you? Don't get me wrong.
> >I've owned a '73 Super, a '66 and '63 (and a '73 Bus). I had fun with
> >all of them. Just ask. *cough* Most desirableto you is what is
> >most desirable to YOU. If I was going to go buy a VW that was most
> >desirable to me right now I'd be torn between a notch and a sandrail.
> >I think I know which one I'm gonna wind up buyin first. :-)
>
> A notchback sandrail!
>
> --
> Michael Cecil
> http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/

"Shaggie" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 18:31:02 -0500, "Mark" >
> wrote:
>
>>What Beetle from 1956 to 1969 would be the most desirable without a
>>convertible. Before answering please take into consideration reliabilty
>>and
>>parts availability. Thanks!
>>
>
> '68 or later. Before that they were 6 volt (I think) and the '67 had
> a bunch of one-year-only parts. But maybe if you want "most
> desirable" then the '67 would appeal to you? Don't get me wrong.
> I've owned a '73 Super, a '66 and '63 (and a '73 Bus). I had fun with
> all of them. Just ask. *cough* Most desirableto you is what is
> most desirable to YOU. If I was going to go buy a VW that was most
> desirable to me right now I'd be torn between a notch and a sandrail.
> I think I know which one I'm gonna wind up buyin first. :-)
>
> --
>
> Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite,
> and furthermore always carry a small snake.
> - W.C. Fields

In Illinois, desirable is '67 or before. After that, at least in the
Chicago area, you have to pass the smog check, forever. It's not like
California and its 30 year rolling smogcheck, although I understand the
Demagogues are trying to change that now, too. We have a 4 year case of the
Blagojavich in this state and we still have two years to go. Blago's
ineptitude and selfishness as Governor may be the single thing that revives
the now-moribund Republican party in this state.

Charles of Kankakee
Not a Commucrat or a Demogogue. (The differences between the two in the last
two major elections make me wonder if Tail-Gunner Joe might have been right.
Wondering if their next slogan will be "Peace, Land and Bread" or something
similar.)

>Charles of Kankakee
>Not a Commucrat or a Demogogue. (The differences between the two in the last
>two major elections make me wonder if Tail-Gunner Joe might have been right.
>Wondering if their next slogan will be "Peace, Land and Bread" or something <

And judging by Republicrap actions over the past four years maybe Michael Moore
is right. I can see the final campaign slogan shortly before elections are
suspended as a "security risk to the Fatherland," " Ein Weiss Volk! Ein Reiches
Klasse! Ein Fuehrer!"
--Dan E

On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 18:31:02 -0500, "Mark" >
scribbled this interesting note:

>What Beetle from 1956 to 1969 would be the most desirable without a
>convertible. Before answering please take into consideration reliabilty and
>parts availability. Thanks!

It all depends on what YOU find desirable.

What is your budget, both to acquire and to maintain? What do you find
aesthetically pleasing? And reliability is about the same regardless
of the year of Beetle.

Assuming you are in the US, here are some factors you might want to
consider...

Pre 1965 cars are more expensive to buy and maintain. Parts are
available, but they cost more. Oftentimes the owner (that means you)
feels the need to update or retrofit items like bigger engines, 12
volt electrical systems, etc.

Post 1964 cars are cheaper to maintain and the buy when compared to
earlier cars. There are exceptions, such as 1967, which in the US was
the first year of the 12 volt electrical systems, but this year car
has many, many one year changes since 1967 was a kind of transitional
year model, which make 1967 Beetles a one of a kind year model and
more expensive to maintain than either 1966 or 1968 cars.

Pre 1969 cars have a single jointed swing axle design (except the 1968
Auto stick, which has a double jointed swing axle) which makes some
jobs more difficult and time consuming, meaning they cost more to
perform regardless of if you do it yourself or hire it out.

Post 1968 cars have a double jointed swing axle design which makes
those same jobs easier and therefore cheaper to perform. Also, parts
for them are more common and therefore less expensive.

As to the looks of the cars, that is a matter of personal taste, of
which there is no accounting!:~) Buy a book and look at the different
year cars and decide which you like the looks of the best, then take
into account the projected purchase and maintenance costs, then decide
what you want. You might want to do a search in this group on Google
to find out what the dollar per mile costs of owning and running an
air cooled VW might reasonably be. They aren't cheap when compared to
a modern vehicle since they were designed and originally built when
labor was plentiful and cheap. As the years have passed, the same
amount (or more) of labor is required to maintain them and these days
labor is expensive regardless of if you perform it or someone else
does. Remember, your time has a cost too...

Oh, and remember, once you take the plunge and buy a Beetle, be sure
to buy several different manuals if you are to work on your own car.
eBay has many different offerings for manuals. The original workshop
manual is the best, followed by the Bentley manual, and the others
(Haynes, Chiltons, Idiot Guide, How to Hot Rod...etc.) follow in
differing orders depending on who is looking. You can never have too
many reference works.

One last word of advice-buy the very best example of the car you
decide on that you can find. Sure, there are bargains out there, but
they are far and few between, and even those are going to require a
vast amount of work. Spend more money up front to buy the car and you
will be saving money in the long run. To many people this seems
counter-intuitive but if you stop to think about it, and you should,
this is absolutely sensible. Buy a $500 car and you'll spend thousands
more by the time it is safe to drive than if you'd gone ahead and
bought a $2,500 car which is already safe to drive but needs minor
work.

And don't be afraid to stop back by ramva and ask more questions as
needed, nor should you forget that Google is a great resource to look
at first as most questions you may ask at first have already been
asked, and answered, many times before. If you don't find what you are
looking for there, then ask here, you'll find the ramva-ites helpful,
although some may be a little grumpy from time to time!:~)


--
John Willis
(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

The '67 is the *most desireable* IMO. It's the last year for 5-lug wheels
(better looking wheels are available without adaptors), & the first year
for the 12 volt system. It's a great looking car!
Next would probably be '69-'72's. The years before the side vents behind
the rear window. Still nice clean-looking cars.
Older ones (ovals & such) are great looking too, but cost more to
restore.
A friend has several bodies & one running '67 for sale in the Atlanta
area; if you're near let me know & I'll show you some examples first-hand
(& of course I have Annie the radical '63 baja & the shortened '72 street
baja).
HTH,
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!

>Next would probably be '69-'72's. The years before the side vents behind
>the rear window. Still nice clean-looking cars.

The ones without the vents are '68 thru '70. The vents started in the
'71 tear model in my neighborhood................I like bugs though. I
am just as interested in all year models, untill I go looking to work
on them. Then I veer toward the '71. It is the single most imported
and sold in the USA in a single model year. There are more parts cars
available as well as more aftermarket and all the rest. Supers ,
convertibles and standard beetles. There's not a year in which there
were more produced.

All else is a matter of personal influences and such. (things like
what year the buyer is born , or some other odd item about the buyer)

There isn't a year model around that can't be made as safe as any
other year as long as your willing to do the modifications or have the
money for them.............that money thing can be a strong motivator
for all of the opinions one might form too.

All in all. The best thing one can do is enjoy what may come their
way. There's always a Beetle looking for a person to love it and
nourish it to life again.




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>The ones without the vents are '68 thru '70. The vents started in the
'71 tear model in my neighborhood
**********
My '72 dosen't have the vents...
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!