UPDATE – This unique little Beetle was one of the most viewed finds of the past year. Reader Pat L let us know that it’s been listed for sale again, but it’s now in Yreka, California with a $3,200 asking price. If you thought you missed your chance to own this oddball, you can find it here on craigslist.
FROM 11/23/2019 – I’ve said it too often: I’m a fan of small vehicles, especially small pickups. Sometimes small is maybe a little too small even for me, but then again, sometimes it’s more about owning a unique vehicle than owning a utilitarian hauler. That’s probably the case with this 1962 Volkswagen Beetle pickup. This unusual custom can be found here on craigslist in the Grants Pass, Oregon area and the seller is asking $2,500. Thanks to Roger for sending in this tip!
This VW pickup has an unusual stance, it looks like it has a lift kit in it but the seller says that they store it on blocks. Unfortunately, it looks like it may be stored outside given the tarps that are under and around it. What kind of grille is on this VW?! Now that’s interesting. My dad used to build VW Baja bugs but he never went to the trouble of putting a Mercedes-Benz grille on any of them.
Volkswagon made pickups based on the Type II bus and in fairly recent times they also made pickups based on the Rabbit/Golf, known as the Rabbit Pickup in the U.S. and the Caddy in other countries. As far as I know, the company never officially made a pickup based on the Beetle but there were conversion companies that made them and there are even custom pickups based on the New Beetle that are very well done. And, of course, enterprising and creative home mechanics and car designers made their own versions this I’m guessing is the case here. The company is currently considering making a pickup based on their Atlas SUV and I’m sure that there will be one soon. Pickup trucks are too big of a profit center for the world’s second-biggest carmaker to stay out of that market for much longer.
I don’t know what anyone would use this small pickup for, there isn’t much room in the bed given that the engine is also in the rear. Speaking of the engine, this bug truck has been parked for the last four years after a mechanic apparently worked on it and couldn’t figure out how to get the timing set right so it hasn’t been started in a long time. You’ll need a trailer to haul it home but I’m sure that most Barn Finds readers could have it running in a few hours. Have any of you seen a VW Beetle pickup?
Kind of a neat rig. Would like to see it on the ground. It could really use a paint job in some bright color to enhance it’s character.
I worked at a VW and Audi shop at the beginning of my automotive career. The owner had a 74 Super Beetle turned into a truck. One of the kit options was the Ford truck nose. However his truck was built to work. He fitted a fifth wheel mount in the center of the bed and had a custom aluminum trailer built to haul cars. The beetle transaxle was removed and a bus transaxle fitted along with a Kennedy adapter to accept a 1.8 high compression GTI engine. When we weren’t using it to transport cars it could be found in local parades. I used to to rescue my mom’s Audi 5000 when she cooked the engine. Really pulled well and gearing was just right for highway speeds.
Alphasud, there is No way a beetle even with a built motor could have enough power to pull a trailer off any kind with another vehicle on it ! Everyone knows that fact that knows anything about the beetle. I’ve built a few in my day. It a shame this mechanic didn’t know anything about VW motors. The timing is easy. ! What had been done to it since the new owner got it ? He must not have got it running cause, what number 3 cylinder is burned out as usual or is it number 4. I can’t remember. Get some up dates on this thing
“A local mechanic shop couldn’t get the timing right on the engine and it won’t start, so it has been parked for ~4 years.”?!? :-O
SERIOUSLY?!? A VW engine is NOT a complicated machine, probably one of the easiest engines to tune/time/diagnose.
I think I’d be worried about:
A – What else this “mechanic” screwed up while he was trying to get it timed.
B – Why the owner let it sit for 4 years?!?
Seems like there is something left out of this story……
yeah, C – The owner is the mechanic that screwed it up
Haha, How many times did people bring a bolks into the shop– No! I didn’t take out the distributor!
Yeah, right!
This has already been posted like 6 months ago. Nevertheless, it’s kind of awesome!! Really appreciate what your doing Barnfinds!!! Makes my day much better!!!
https://barnfinds.com/el-beetle-custom-1962-vw-beetle-pickup/
God Bless America!
It has been for sale for ages on C-list and TheSamba. I expect that to remain the case until someone needs a shortened chassis for their buggy.
You can repair/adjust everything about the timing without taking the engine out. Knowing what you’re doing really helps too.
What do you do with them? We use ours for shows, parades, going to town for groceries, etc. It does draw attention. We have a 40 Ford nose kit on ours so it throws some people off. Ours isn’t cut competely off behind the cab. The center section was cut out and a Type 2 rear hatch used to close of the cab and the front of the “bed”. That way we have a “bed” like any other Ranchero or Camio, but on top of that we have a wood stake bed. It tilts up to the rear with SAAB hood hinges. I’ve got it torn apart for the winter for a complete redo at the moment as I needed to just change the engine cover. Well, that became a “while I’m there…”
Any pics to share?
Pics Please
weeelll….right now its buried under about 18 inches of snow….So its gonna be a while…
I remember when I was a kid, my next door neighbor made this. I was intrigued when I saw it here. If it wasn’t so far away from me I would probably buy it for nostalgia reasons.
Hi Scotty. I am probably not understanding your write-up correctly , but VW has been building pick up trucks for years. It is called the Amorak?
Coulda swore I saw a Mexico-only VW pickup looked like a longer version of this
Yes Dickie since 2010,but it does not look as good as this little Beetle truck. It looks more like a Ford Ranger
If you like little pickups, I have a 1997 Daihatsu Midget II. I would post a photo but it’s not for sale. I’d love to know if anybody else out there has one. I enjoy Barn Finds. Great work.
I’d like to see some pictures of it.
I’m not a subscriber so I don’t know how to add a picture. If you Google it you can see what they look like.
I would paint it and use it for my balloon twisting business. I think this would be a great attention getter. A perfect way to advertise my small business. Like many here to far away to get
would love to have this how does one go about buying it?
You click on the red “here on Craigslist” type
My Dad made one like this back in the late 60s early 70s. His was power blue. Always wondered what happened to it.
if it was not so much to ship to MI I would take it!!
During WWII the Germans actually built VW pickups. I believe they were based on the type 82 .
if this is still available i would like to buy it. please contact me if it is. 3254234791 leave message if no answer please
When I was a kid in Riverdale Georgia and had a VW beetle, one of my classmates had one that he had turned into a pickup truck. He basically welded together a truck bed out of diamond plate and it looked a lot like pictured except there were no curves just flat angles to the fenders. That’s what made me click on the article – I’ve never seen another one.
I had one of these in the early 80’s. It was blue with L60’s on the back and G60’s on the front. Mine had a 40 Ford fiberglas hood on it. It was a fun little bug as long as you didn’t have to haul anything. It had a pickup bed but the sides were only about 6″ high. I can’t even remember what I did with it. I must have sold it, cuz I never wrecked it, but the details escape me.
Congratulations to whoever took this already marginal car and made it useless. You have a gift.
Ditch the body, use the rest for a dune buggy. Take the engine apart and start over. Not that difficult an engine if the parts are all there.