It isn’t unusual for a dealer to borrow an example of an older model of their brand to display in their showroom as a lure for potential customers. This 1950 Volkswagen Beetle takes that concept to greater heights, having spent more than five decades in that situation. However, its rightful place is on our roads, and the seller recognized it by ensuring it runs and drives before it heads to a new home. The Beetle is listed here on eBay in Corte Madera, California. They set their BIN at $44,995 but leave the option to make an offer. A big thank you goes to Barn Finder Larry D for spotting this wonderful classic.
More than five decades spent in a Californian VW showroom has done this Beetle no visible harm. The seller indicates that it received an interior and exterior repaint in its original shade of Pastel Green in 1963 and remains untouched. It still presents well, but as can see in this photo, there looks to be an odd color mismatch across the back of the car. The seller doesn’t explain its presence, although it is only visible from certain angles. The panels are straight, but the best news with this classic could be its total absence of rust. It can prove a problem in locations like the floors and heater channels, but these areas appear to wear little but the occasional spot of surface corrosion. The glass and chrome look excellent for a vehicle of this age, but I would probably consider replacing the seals and window rubbers if I purchased the car. There is no evidence they leak, but some look dry and cracked. They may not be far from failing, and prevention is better than cure with vehicles of this vintage.
When we examine this Beetle’s interior, it’s easy to see why it spent five decades as a dealership display vehicle. It looks spotless, with no wear or stains on the upholstery. The painted surfaces shine impressively, and the wheel is in as-new condition. As with the exterior, I believe this car’s interior probably received a refresh. The cloth on the seats and door trims looks close to the original pattern but is far lighter than shown on the VW color charts. It could be that the documentation has deteriorated, but I suspect someone may have felt that the darker trim would have created an oppressive interior. Otherwise, it remains unmolested.
This old classic features the standard Volkswagen fare of a rear-mounted air-cooled flat-four engine sending its power to the road via a four-speed manual transaxle. Volkswagen hit on this formula before the outbreak of World War II, and it served with distinction for more than six decades. This car features its original 1,131cc four that pumps out 25hp. Although the modest power figure didn’t make the Beetle a rocket off the lights, this surprisingly long-legged classic could cruise all day at 55mph. There is no information about whether this VW ever found its way out of the showroom and onto the streets during its display career. If it sat for that period, it would have required work to ensure it is roadworthy. They don’t mention such work, although they say it runs and drives as it should. There are no signs of fluid leaks or other issues, which is reassuring for potential buyers.
Cars like this 1950 Beetle leave me torn, and I would need to think carefully before devising my strategy moving forward. The interior and drivetrain condition mean I would leave those aspects of this beauty untouched. The panels are straight, and there’s no rust, so it has no immediate needs. If the apparent paint mismatch were due to the long-term fading of the original paint, I would undoubtedly preserve it. However, since it has already undergone a previous repaint in the 1960s, I would repeat the process. If that were my path, I wouldn’t aim for a mirror finish but would want to recapture the look and texture as it would have worn from the factory. Do you agree?
Well, at $50 grand, clearly the most expensive Bug. All that poppycock aside, it’s a museum piece and should remain a museum piece. For the life of me, and not just because of the old man, what the attraction was with these? After the war, Americans were full of pizz and vinegar, we wanted Niagara Falls down the intake. These were inadequate in every way, yet, a sales masterpiece.There were other small cars, some with an actual heater, still, nothing foreign sold like the Bug and that’s what this is good for, on display as one of the biggest marketing triumphs of all time. Something like this is like some fine art painting, and could fetch $50 grand, why not?
Appreciate your take. Also, I think poppycock is an underutilized word. Kind of like shenanigans
This one just doesn’t look right to me.I don’t think I’ve
ever seen an earl Bug in this color,or wheels painted like that.
My guess is that the original color was a pastel blue-green that I have seen on a few early cars, though I wouldn’t vouch for one this old. The wheel treatment is, I think, correct.
If I were in the market — not at the price asked! — I would hightail it for an in-person look. Pretty certain this is a “restoration” which included fresh upholstery and carpet. Would also need someone who knows a lot more about these to pass on the authenticity of things that don’t look quite right to my eyes.
One good thing with an early Beetle: brake overhauls are simple!
I agree about the paint, internet pictures of course, but it doesn’t look like old school paint, not because of the panel mismatch but because of sheen and how it reflects the light.
Right about the brakes on this little bug, that was an easy home diy job. On this 1950 model it was the first year of hydraulic brakes on the bug.
all early bug wheels are painted like this one. Usually body color on outer rim and “white” on the inner hub
Sure about that? I don’t know when the switch was made (I have VW history books here, I could look it up), but reasonably sure that Bugs as early as this one, aka Split Windows, had wheels of only one color. “Fancy” was not the thing in these early cars.
Such an endearing car. It’s impractical and has faults beyond measure, but you just want to drive it home and give it a hug. Like a Cushman Truckster…first, you want it, and then you spend hours trying to figure out what to do with it.
I had a 1972 Super Beetle, and I know the faults. But this, in the purest state – the form that was finally released to the world, before the vent windows, before the demand for more glass, higher roofs, twelve volts, flashing turn signals…oh, if it were legally possible for someone to recreate this silly little car as a new model, to sell as a knockabout second- or third vehicle or kid’s first car.
The price is the market. I get it. It’s also WAY more than can be practically justified.
A mighty clean example but, as noted above, probably a restoration just a smidge above the level of my ‘69 that got an Earl Scheib $49 paint job and gas in the tank. I stole it for $300 after my classmate kept refusing to say it wasn’t worth it. It turns out that since we were headed into winter he was almost right but it got me through college. These are quirky little rolling delights. Man, I miss the sound of those engines.
I had a 1957 that I bought for $75.00. The heater boxes were trashed along with the bleed cocks for the brake system. No heat and no front brakes but I used the emergency brake to come to a stop. I would come up to a stop sign, engage the emergency brake, and the rear end would fishtail a little bit. It was fun.
Been watching the Netflix series “Dark”, sci-fi/time travel based in rural Germany. The scenes that are supposedly set in 1953 frequently feature a VW Beetle – Polizei car, which happens to have a large, one piece back window circa 1960s. Just sayin.
Volkswagen didn’t “hit on that formula,” the good Dr Porsche STOLE it from Tatra as subsequent litigation established.
My conversion to the Beetle occurred one cold afternoon in northern Quebec when the outside power at our hangar failed and none of our cars [55 Chevy, my 55 Dodge, and a 57 Turnpike Cruiser] would start because the power to their block heaters had been cut off. A friend of mine said he would drive me home. Took me to this little car that was not plugged into anything, started it, and drove me home. That car was a Volkswagen beetle. I soon had one of my own and I drove it all through my years at university when cash was very short. It started well, would do sixty on the highway and was a model of reliability. One of the truly great cars of my life. That is why there is such a legion of fans.
Seat belts? In the 50s?
No way they are original – even my 68 T2a bay window hasn’t got them
my first car was a 64Bug… no heat of course…but I always kept a good ice scraper with me… so when I drove it to school I could scrape my frozen breath off of the inside of the windshield… God.. was it cold…
I had a 67. The defrost/heat was like a hamster with breathing problems.
Yes Bill no seatbelts ;),,,but the little bug does have 3 ashtrays! lol how times have changed , very cool little bug ,would love to drive with no one else on the road though , just not for $45000.
Newer seatbelts have been added, also there should be only two ashtrays for 1950, they were introduced this year as one on dashboard and one on Rt rear quarter panel. I do not see the dashboard tray, not sure how it was mounted.
Like Pruis buyers today, there has always been a contingent of the American public that will go frugal, no matter the cost. They wear it like a badge.
That said, there is a certain charm to some of these frumpy little turds, and the Bug certainly scored big in the charm department. I once owned a 51 Bug and a 58 23 window bus. Cool, and full of charm, but my taste ran to the slightly more practical and more charming Model TT flatbed truck for taking up floor space in my shop. Same low speed and lack of creature comforts, but with the added Grapes of Wrath Americana and the ability to haul an entire cord of firewood in one move. Still, I do get a smile when I see the early VW Bugs and vans.
Air cleaner seems to be missing, at least in the pics. I started at age 15 with a 58, then a 62 (still before getting a driver’s license), then a 67 Squareback and later, a 71 Super Beetle with the auto/stick. That last one taught me that “new” doesn’t mean trouble-free. Never bought another new car again. Had much better luck with older cars. That was my last VW, too. Toyota man, now.
While in Switzerland in 1950, my Dad first saw the VW. He fell in love with it and had to have one.
On the return trip on the liner Ille De France, we docked in NYC. I was 10 then. We went directly to HoffmanMotors in NYC where they were the first dealer in the US. He bought one complete with the split rear window and a sun roof. He paid $1550. There was a cheaper model but it had only mechanical brakes. With a huge amount of luggage next to me in the back seat, we took off to Ca. He had to get used to double clutching on down shifting as it had a “crash” gearbox. My sister then learned to drive the car in Santa Barbara until she flew away as a flight attendant. Wish we still had the car.
Certainly, there are folks with more VW expertise than me, but I’ve been around ’em for 50ish years, and presently have two Ovals. I’d strongly wager this is not anything close to a factory color. This IS an early Split, and cars during that period were painted in very “drab” colors . . . black, dark gray and the like. This is not only a “wrong” color, but it’s not even in the right spirit of the right color.
Like you say the offered colours were moosenose brown, German army grey, Model T black, airforce blue, and drab salad green. This could be the latter all polished up or somebody in the last seventy years decided to give it a paint job. The interior doesn’t look like anything I ever saw in a Volks but this is a very early model. Mine was a 58 and had the big rear window. A 1950 has to be among the first of the Bugs to arrive in North America.
The VW Bug ….. I had a ’67 and a ’68. Those cars took a lot of abuse, were good on gas and ran on what seemed to be a thimble of oil ; ) A bunch of us had Beetles and in the Winter, when our roads in NJ would drift up with snow, we would go drift hunting. It’s an idiots delight, but funny as hell, blasting into a drift that ends up washing over the car like a tidal wave! Some of us would get a little over zealous and try to get too much “wave” and end up getting sucked into the ditch. It was not glamourous, but everyone would stop to help and grab the rear bumper and yank the little beast out of its snowy prison and we were off on to another drift. I can remember being on a snowy road and with those little skinny tires, making progress where my old Nova would not dare to go. Those little cars are not without the fore mentioned issues, but damn, they were so much fun : ) I will always have a soft spot in my gear head heart for the Beetle. Merry XMAS Barn Finds and to all of the awesome, funny, interesting Fans!
Funny, when this car was new it appealed to people with no money, now it’s going to go to someone filthy rich.
I have owned many of these little guys….and currently have a 1964 Convertible. The first comment…..citing how the car was simply a “marketing success” knows next to nothing about these cars The Quality control is remarkable. The fit of the doors, bonnet rear deck etc. was superb. If you kept the valves adjusted they would run forever. They were also excellent in the snow with the rear engine. The torsion bar suspension gave them an excellent ride. When you compare the quality vs. money…these were way ahead of their time. If it’s British….it will leak and the electronics don’t work. If French, nice interiors, poor mechanics. The Japanese were just beginning to enter the market…and those entries were typical well built and thoughtout little cars as they are today. VW finally outsold the Model T. There is a reason why so many people bought them over and over again. True they were basic, but reliable and a lot of fun to drive. Dealers had reliable and reasonable shop rates to keep them going….unlike so many US car dealers back in the day. USA safety and smog standards killed them off. The last of the collectables is the 1967…finally 12volts. That and a host of more up-to-date buyer choices contributed to era. They continued being built in Mexico and Brazil years after they ended their last production model…the 1979 Convertible. There are reasons why the sales were off the map for so many years.
My ‘64 Beetle set my pants on fire from a solder leak under the so-called dashboard. Still a fun car to have!
My first car, back in 1971 was a rebuilt 61. I could fill the tank with Sunoco 190 for under three bucks.
They are trying to sell a car claiming that it sat inside a showroom for 5 decades yet they completely gloss over listing the odometer reading!
Never mind. I went to Ebay and found the mileage. It has over 58,000. I was expecting a lot less seeing as it’s been sitting indoors for over 5 decades.
It’s missing the Wolfsburg emblem on the hood and the center hood moulding is wrong,,,,,, too long , also missing the VW emblem on the top of the hood. Also missing the heater tubes that connect the heater boxes to the heater channels. The paint is terribly mis-matched. Priced way too high for normal people . But I like it,,,,,,,,,,, its an old “Bug” with semaphores.
Geez,here it is Christmas Eve and got the VW Bug on my brain now, thinking way back in 1970 of my 59 bought for 50 bucks to make a Scandac I green Dune buggy Body bought from a corner gas station selling them on a rack for $249.00 June 10th 1971. Still have the paper work. I remember cutting up with my first run with my brother at cutting torches in my Moms front yard . And then many years later restoring a Bahama blue 64 that I rescued from a car port of the original owner in 2000 , finished the complete restoration in a year and took it back and took her for a little cruise in it ,brought back many memories for her she told my Aunt before her passing ..the little VW bugs got me hooked on Porsches and my first one was a mint little 1967 912 bought back in 1988 for $7200. at the time was wondering if I made the wise choice a lot of money for me at the time .good memories and thankyou for the chance to look back Barn Fines.. Merry Christmas All
Two beetles were sold in the United States in 1949. I don’t know how many more were seen the next year, but sales did not explode in 1950. This one would be a real conversation piece to say the least.
Robert–Yay, someone who has read the “books” also. Just finished re-reading one of them, and you are spot-on. In 1950, I think they sold something like 356 . . . . strange that I remember the number being around 356, since that becomes an iconic number quite soon after that!!!
A Bug wasn’t my first car, or even my second. But it served me well all through high school. I had a1965 Austin Mini Cooper and a 1956 Austin Healey 100.4 all through high school. But I sorely need that 1962 Bug to get me to work and school when neither of my British rides would start or run. My total spend for these 3 cars? $425.00