Bad spelling always gives me a laugh on craigslist, as is the case of this Baha! Bug. Grammar aside, this genuine Baja Bug is near Franklin, North Carolina, and the seller’s friend just wants it out of his yard. While it needs a set of wheels and tires up front to roll, it doesn’t appear rusty and looks relatively complete compared to some of the other Bajas we’ve seen. Find it here on craigslist for $2,200 or best offer (and go here if the ad disappears.)
Creating a Baja bug is not difficult, and it was achieved one of two ways: either via a kit with fiberglass body panels or by simply cutting away fenders and bodywork to make the necessary room for increased suspension travel. Someone with greater expertise than I may be able to discern which is which, but the clean cut lines on the fenders and rear body assembly indicate to me this is an actual kit and not a homebrew creation. My eyes could deceive me, but this Bug looks quite solid.
The tubed rear bumper was also a common upgrade as part of the kit, and as you can see, the body over the exposed engine compartment is clearly part of a kit and not someone’s backyard hack job. The “stinger” style exhaust is exactly how I’d order a Baja Bug, but the seller doesn’t note whether it still makes any loud noises. The Beetle is simply described as a ran-when-parked special with no mention given of maintenance history or mechanical health.
Inside, the seat covers don’t instill any confidence of fabric being left from the original interior, but a set of period Recaros or other sport buckets would be a worthwhile upgrade. The box on the dash with the kill switch on the outside is a curious addition; any guesses as to what it holds? The door panels look good and the matching paint inside indicate the exterior is likely original. The foundation for this Baja Bug looks solid, and the price seems reasonable for a project.
This looks like a good one. I bought a baja bug looks the twin too this one,sitting in a backyard.$500 and home see came.fresh gas and a battery woke it right up.A little tlc and cleaning and it was a driver. This one looks like it was done right. If this was a little closer to wash. state I would be into it. looks like a good one!!
That picture of the rear… The old keep-the-cap-and-wires-dry… New Mexico, yes… New England, no.
New England?? This car is in North Carolina, last I checked that’s waaay South of the New England states!
Give the guy a break…he spelled Baja wrong and he typed ‘he’ when he probably meant ‘we’…no one is perfect… Oh, sorry…maybe you are. The ‘Baha’ looks to be a worthy project but a bit pricey.
Pic 2 from above shows vents behind the rear quarter windows so it’s a 71′ or 72′.
Car is about 230 miles East of me. I just talked to the seller of the car. He doesn’t have the title for the car. The car was abandoned on his property 3 years ago. The front wheels were taken off by the previous owner to replace the dry rotted tires. He never came back with the front wheels and he hasn’t been seen or heard of since then. He doesn’t want to hassle with going thru the NC MVD to get an abandoned title (which is a process and takes months to complete). Technically he’s selling property that doesn’t belong to him! He’s firm on his $2,200 price. Being that he doesn’t have a title, I offered him $1,000 cash and he said, “Hell no” and laughed at my offer. He acted like I offered him $100 bucks for it!
Guy deleted his Craigslist ad 10-15 minutes after talking to him!
The front brakes have been changed to discs……..
Well that was 10 minutes reading, of my life, I’ll never get back!
WOW!! If that’s worth $2200.00 I am sending mine to Mecum. LOL
Friend had a bright orange one of these in the early 70’s, he was not mechanically inclined and could not keep it running but refused to sell it to me. Never knew what happened to it as he died ten years ago.
Wow. In 1974, My brother built me an Orange “Mudbuggy” to drive be back and forth to school; North Louisiana. He chopped up he fenders, lifted and fitted it with truck tires (which screwed up the mph), blunted the nose and added a hand cranked winch to get me out of the mud holes. College girlfriend love it and preferred riding in it over my Chevelle. Ran great in the Summer but the open engine bay allowed the carb to freeze. Problem was easily solved with a quick spray of carburetor cleaner. Need to add, dumped the girl in 1976, the VW lasted until 1978 but kept the Chevelle until the late 90’s.
Franklin NC is way the hell out in the middle of nowhere. You would be surprised at how many abandoned vehicles we have in this state. A friend of mines mom had a pretty descent 1970 Ford pick up in her yard for about 5 years that belonged to an ex BF. He wouldn’t come get it, nor give her the title as he owed her money. She needed to move out of the property, so she eventually sold it for 200 bucks to a car scrapper. That box on the dash is for the cloaking device. Don’t ya’ll know anything? LOL They use it when they are transporting all that Pot they grow up there. LOL
Wow! A grammer mistake!?!? Im sure barnfind’s writers no nothing about that…hmmm