Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

Divorce Court Convertible: 1966 VW Beetle

beetle1

While air-cooled Beetles are the proverbial dime-a-dozen, there’s always a few that catch your eye whether due to being an earlier model or from being well-preserved. This 1966 convertible found here on eBay is neither of those things, but may be special for being hopped-up when new and now needing a savior to get its modified motor spinning again.

beetle3

There’s no telling exactly what’s been done, but the seller is likely correct that the car has been lowered. Someone has also shoved some much-wider than stock wheels and tires under the fenders, which don’t appear to have been cut or rolled. The body is not necessarily presentable but it could be a good candidate for applying clearcoat over the rough spots to give it some extra patina.

beetle2

The seller says he doesn’t know much about the engine but believes it has been enlarged to 2.1L and has a dual carb setup. Unfortunately, the car got stuck in some divorce proceedings and was later abandoned, so we’ll likely never know what the previous owner’s vision was for this project. As it stands, the engine will need a full rebuild but the Bug does roll and steer with ease. I’d assume most other mechanical systems will need attention as well.

beetle4

In addition, the car is rough on the inside. The top is long gone so the seats have been exposed to the elements, and since it was likely left outside, you’re just going to want to start over with fresh materials. An uncut dash is a surprise, as is the optional locking hood. Overall, this Beetle has plenty of cool factor and looks like it’d be a ton of fun to drive. Bidding is cheap at just $999 with no reserve. Would you take a chance on it though?

Comments

  1. Avatar David

    Non-molested early (pre-1965) examples, in good shape, are not “a dime a dozen.”

    Like 0
  2. Avatar Donnie

    Looks like it has 5 lug wheels.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mark S

      Back in the day there was an after market adaptor plate that took you from 4 to 5 bolt pattern.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    Yeah if that dash had been cut that could be a deal breaker. And those Chevy wheels really kick this thing through the goal post.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Frankie Paige

    Definitely…….old cars like this should be kept and taken care of, restored eventually.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Glen

    I don’t know if it’s just me, but the ebay link didn’t go to the car, I got some Christmasy , part of Ebay.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mark E

      Yup, there’s an error message there too, in teensey print… -_-;

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Jason Houston

    “Divorce Court”?

    Like 0
  7. Avatar jimmy

    bad ebay link just goes to ebay home page

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Jason Houston

    eBay used to keep their pages in perfect shape, but ever since 2008, when they virtually decommissioned the whole site and scrapped all the positive features, the pages aren’t maintained at all.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Snuffy

    ebay #321917907188

    now @ $990 with less than 3 hours to go. Too far and too rough for me.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar francisco

    A bug? A roach!

    Like 0
  11. Avatar michael

    That car isn’t even worth $100. If there’s rust all over the visible areas, I’d like to know what the heater channels look like. That thing is easy a $14.000 project. and once finished worth maybe $10.000

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Paul B

    I sort of agree with Michael but I think the car is worth more than $100. It would definitely need inspection of the underbody but a real VW nut could have a nice ragtop here with lots of elbow grease and money. In its favor, nearly everything is available. Against it, this would be an expensive project, a labor of love especially if you check eBay and elsewhere for the prices of nice running Type 1 cabriolets. It would be about impossible to come out even, much less ahead, so we are definitely talking mission and love rather than logic and financial sense. Nothing wrong with that as long as the buyer goes into it with eyes open.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Jason Houston

    On the flip side of the coin, if you look at the magnificent work serious restorers are able to perform on complex cars like 1960s Cadillacs and Lincolns, restoring this VW conv. should be a snap by anyone’s standards. Don’t forget that cars like this may be expensive to restore by today’s standards, but compare that to the cost of doing it five or ten years from now, and it really starts to look appealing.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar OhU8one2

    If your into these check out Oldbug.com,the Samba,Holy Grail Garage. They are the experts in classic VW’s. And they will give you honest values that Vdub’s are getting.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Fred

    Assuming a good floorpan, VW bugs are probably the easiest and least expensive cars to restore. This was even more true in the old days, when you could order a complete rebuilt engine from JC Whitney for maybe $200.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Mark S

    Back in the late 70 I drove a 67 bug to high school, it was my first car and it was one of the most fun cars I’ve ever owned. The back wheels had studded winter tires on it, my older brother and I used to go down back country roads in the winter time looking for snow drifts we could bust threw. The trick was to hit them hard and as fast as you could, the rounded front would split the drift in two and for a few second you would be completely blinded. What fun that was. Nice find.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Robert White

    It’s a fair deal for $1k given the steel.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar cory

    Damn.I would have bought it for the price.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jason Houston

      Yep, shoulda, coulda, woulda…!

      Like 0
  19. Avatar Rich

    Someone got a great deal there, the engine lid, 181 fan housing, twin carbs and manifold, convertible glass/mechanisms, doors etc etc etc are worth way more than $1000.
    I hope it gets saved though.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jeff Staff

      Yup. Pretty good deal for some decent parts.

      Like 0

Leave a Reply to Glen Cancel reply

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.