In general, air-cooled Volkswagen enthusiasts tend to land on Beetles, Buses, and Karmann Ghias as their preferred models to collect. The Squareback is less often seen as a car worth owning, even though it’s arguably just as cool as a Cal-look Bug when done up right. These long-roof VWs practically scream “surf wagon”, especially when equipped with a cool period roof rack like our subject car is. The Squareback shown here was purchased off of an elderly woman on a farm in Modesto, California, and is said to be largely rust-free despite evidently sitting for years. Find it here on eBay with three bids to $3,000 and no reserve.
The Sqareback looks awesome in faded orange paint, which is perhaps one of the best colors for an air-cooled anything. The paint is pleasingly faded in multiple places, which suggests this is an honest driver that hasn’t been taken apart and put back together. It’s also likely to have been sitting on that farm for ages, which doesn’t speak for anything in the way of recent upkeep. The glass all looks to be intact, so at least it wasn’t used for target practice while sitting out in the orange groves or between the rows of corn. The seller reports it has been in California since new.
The interior definitely needs some love and is the clearest evidence that the Squareback has sat outside exposed to the sun for years. The seller reports the headliner is gone and that the carpets are cracked and crumbling. Overall, it appears to be largely intact, but the seller reports the starter is not working while the ignition does appear to be functional. Perhaps a few raps on the starter with an old screwdriver would help it become functional once again, but I doubt it’s ever actually as easy as they make it appear on TV. The automatic transmission is a serious buzzkill, but this isn’t the first time that I’ve seen a Squareback with tow pedals instead of three.
The engine is mounted underneath the floor in the rear of the car, just like any other air-cooled VW product, and offers the owner plenty of cargo space above the motor. Elsewhere inside, the seller reports the headliner is in need of some attention, and that the car will also need new tires and brakes. The fact that there’s already a handful of bids for this unusual wagon suggests there’s a powerful group of enthusiasts who know a good air-cooled project when they see one, and that there likely aren’t too many Squrebacks left in this kind of condition.
The seller probably charged the elderly woman who previously owned this car $500 to haul it away.
A super nice car. I had 2 Beetles back in the day, both 4-speeds. I’ve been told not all VW mechanics know how to pour love into the auto. GLWTA.
This is one used and abused car. That said, the two notchbacks we’ve owned were two of the most useful cars we’ve had. Decent power, lots of trunk room front and back, and dependable.
If I recall correctly the auto box did not enhance the feeling of “spritely” acceleration….
A mechanical masochist or two have swapped 914 engines/transaxles into these…..
This is one is also called the Variant in other countries…
Used to work with a fellow at a service station back in the day. This was his go to car one cold winter day it was cranking slow and he decided to help it by spraying a little go juice in the air intake. That would be the fender and yeah was ether so it popped and he had a flared the fender, was educational. Do not spray into air intake through the fender!
Its only fault I read is the automatic, but, with old VW’s around like leaves in fall, not a real catch point for me! I’d do it !
I had one of these for a short time in the mid-80s. Cool little car. Very expensive parts. Especially the fuel injection system.
I’m driving a 69 squareback with automatic transmission for the last 15 years. I have a wrecked 71 Clementine Orange w/roof rack just like this one in my Boneyard.
My Father changed assignments for the Dept in about 1970 and didn’t want to move as the new assignment was only about 60 miles away. He was used to driving performance oriented cars but decided not to put more miles and wear on his Fairlane 390 GT nor his Sunbeam Tiger Mk II. He went to a VW dealer who sold him a Bug and told him not only was the VW great on gas but it could also handle Dad’s regular 90 MPH interstate runs in the commute.
Far from becoming an enthusiast of these little POS Nazimobiles Dad could easily have been the Chancellor of VWHate. The first Bug blew it’s engine in less that 9 months. Dealer replaced the engine. Next engine blew about 8 months later. Dealer offered him a free swap of his POS Bug for a NEW one of these wagons promising new tech in the drivetrain would
I seriously, let me repeat, seriously doubt that any VW dealer would claim a VW bug would do 90 MPH runs on an interstate or anywhere else.. I also find it hard to believe your Dad, who had to be somewhat of a gearhead with a 390 Fairlane and a Tiger could believe a VW bug could blast along the highway at 90 MPH…
It has been said that a Beetles front end would start lifting off the ground at about 80 mph because all the weight is in the back.
I had a ’71 Super Beetle that would do an indicated 95mph. A
lot faster than my ’67 with 39.5 gross hp and top out at 72 mph
I had a 68 Squareback in high school. First car I ever bought. Nice looking car but first generation fuel injection so it had some problems which kept it more off the road than on. When I went into the Army in 83, my Dad donated it to my high school’s auto shop class. Wish I still had it
George, you were a speed demon! My ‘67 never got above 60 to my recollection. It got me through college though, so it was a winner. Lord, I miss the sound coming out of those tailpipes!
You snooze you lose! This baby is mine! And going for far more than you think even sitting as is!