The Volkswagen Beetle was developed as the people’s car, designed to offer the average German affordable family transport. When serious production finally commenced, it cemented its place in the pages of automotive history. Our feature car is a desirable 1954 Oval Window model that presents superbly. It is hardly surprising, considering it has only just emerged from a meticulous restoration. However, with the work complete, the owner feels a new home is this classic’s next step. You will find the Beetle for sale here on Craigslist in Silverado, California. It can be yours by handing the owner $37,000.
It is hardly surprising that this Beetle presents so well. Since undergoing a frame-off restoration, it has clocked a mere two miles on our roads. The seller focused on a high standard of finish, repainting the immaculate panels in the car’s original Code L35 Metallic Blue. It shines magnificently, with no flaws or defects. Given its recent history and location, it would be a safe bet that the car is rust-free. The chrome sparkles beautifully, while the glass is flawless. If I could call it that, my only criticism is the seller’s decision to fit whitewall tires. They add a classy appearance, but they look out of character on a vehicle of this type. I would live with them, but the Beetle wouldn’t have rolled off the line wearing tires of that type. If total originality is the goal, they would probably disappear eventually. As you will soon see, the tire choice isn’t the only one where the seller has deviated from Volkswagen’s script.
For all his faults (of which there were plenty), Adolf Hitler understood what was required for a manufacturer to extract maximum performance from a mechanical package. He decreed that the new “people’s car” should have an aerodynamic shape derived from nature. He also understood that to achieve his desired shape, the car would need to be rear-engined. Therefore, the Beetle has its powerplant and transmission slung behind the back wheels. The 1954 model year marked a slight increase in engine capacity. By slightly enlarging the bore of the air-cooled flat-four, its capacity grew to 1,192cc. The power jumped by an impressive 20%, although it is worth noting that this equated to a jump from 30hp to 36hp. Those rampant German stallions found their way to the road via the rear wheels and a four-speed manual transaxle. That sort of power propelling a car weighing around 1,600lbs will hardly set pulses racing. However, that wasn’t the aim of the exercise. The vision was for the car to carry the average German family on the autobahn for up to four hours at 60mph between fuel stops. The car achieved this goal, and the bulletproof nature of the drivetrain explains why it eventually became a favorite for off-road endurance racing and that 1960s icon, the beach buggy. With the seller indicating that every aspect of this classic came in for attention during the restoration, that probably means that every mechanical component received a rebuild. The car has clocked a mere two miles since the work ended, so the buyer will face the rewarding task of breaking in what is essentially a new car.
It’s no surprise that this Beetle’s interior presents superbly. As with the rest of the car, the seller replaced or refurbished every item. The painted surfaces are faultless, as is the carpet. I like the red vinyl upholstery and its contrasting black piping. However, it is worth noting that Volkswagen did not offer this type of upholstery in 1954, so the interior may not appeal to purists. However, the condition would lead me to leave it as-is because I’m sure it would receive plenty of positive comments and admiring looks. There are no creature comforts like power windows, and if you want air conditioning, it’s a case of winding down a window or two.
Volkswagen marks one of the most epic fails in automotive history. Following World War II, the allies offered the company, and the Beetle, to several manufacturers as war reparations. Lord Rootes could see no sales or market benefit in the Beetle, while Ford didn’t think it or the company was worth the effort required to return the factory to a going concern. History shows that the Beetle was the catalyst behind the powerhouse that is The Volkswagen Group. The corporation now counts Audi, Skoda, Bentley, and Bugatti (among others) under its umbrella. You have to wonder how different the automotive landscape would be if Rootes or Ford had decided to take a punt on this quirky German classic.
“For all his faults (of which there were plenty)”…Adam, that’s the most guileless line I’ve read on Barn Finds, bar none.
Translate…?
His phrasing strikes me as naive, to the point of comical. Kind of like saying, “Sure, he had plenty of faults, but old Adolph sure nailed it with the Volkswagen Beetle.” I’m certain it was said in complete innocence (guileless = without guile = “innocent”). I’m not insulting Adam, and I always enjoy his write ups, but I sure am laughing at how he said this one.
In my opinion it’s equivalent to saying “for all his faults Putin built an oil company”. Let’s not lose sight that both of these men were and are proven mass murderers. And NO, a statement of FACT is not politics or a personal attack.
And other than Hitler wanted a car for the masses , I dont think he cared if the design came from nature , or that it was streamlined so it had to be a rear engine car ( I’ve seen custom bugs with engines in the front) . It had to be air cooled, and cheap, so that everyone could own one. Where is Adam coming up with this information ? And yes, his Hitler comments are rather comical ; the guy literally started WW2 and is responsible for the deaths of untold millions of people
I like the car with exception to the seats. I don’t mind red either. The design needs to be period for this to work. Otherwise it’s a fun car to take on a leisurely stroll on the weekends. Too bad the design was stolen from a Jewish designer who never received due credit for a brilliant design.
https://josefganz.org/
Wow!
Jason Torchinsky @ Jalopnik wrote a nice piece on the creation of the Bug, trying to dispel a lot of the myths.
https://jalopnik.com/the-real-story-behind-the-nazis-and-volkswagen-1733943186
Alphasud,
Yes, the VW was a compendium of design by numerous European designers, including Ganz, who laid out the basic body designs. However the drive train, from the swing axles, the gearbox/final drive, to the engine, were all taken en-mass from the pre-war Tatra type 97. It’s so blatant a theft, that it’s possible to substitute a VW engine into a Tatra 97, with NO modifications! That’s one of the reasons it’s so difficult to find a type 97 today, still equipped with the original drive train.
You are right Bill. I couldn’t remember Tatra’s designer when I responded to the article. Some of the best designs are stolen.
So everyone else knows, that brilliant designer was Hans Ledwinka.
For 37K I would expect to see period-correct upholstery. And lose those whitewalls!
I have a small back window glass I have carried around with me for 50 years… I need a bug to attach it to!
Pan off resto.
I like the old bugs. I think they’re cute for a “basic” price but these days there is so much more value for this price point. I hope it sells well.
Nice Beetle, but for such a price I’d expect the seller to be able to orient his phone properly so the pics aren’t cut off. Someone needs to turn all of his televisions and computer monitors vertical 90 degrees for a couple of weeks…
For such a large sum, I would expect to have the windshield wipers parked in the “FACTORY POSITION”. Not haphazard as shown. .
The car was restored to appeal to someone who would want to own a car in this condition. No it is not period style seat covers! So What! Buying this car to a purist, means he will make it a museum piece, and if I were buying it, it would be used to drive around and enjoy the piece of history. I had a 60 VW and yes, I had white wall tires on it. It gave the car a nicer appearance and it was a fun car to drive, even with an Earl Scheib paint job that cost $29.95. If I were buying a 1954 Rolls Royce, maybe my choices would be different, however, it is a 1954 Volkswagen thus the car is done well.
looks more like one of those ‘flip’ paints – blue to black or lght BL to Dark BL?
Ford benefited from not takin a bite, but usa auto industry tooka hit (late 50s to 1960).
More correct than Ganz is Dr Porsche and his savior (got him out of N’s prison, ’emotional nursing back to health’) the head of Tatra (CZ) who SAAB’n ve dub (Dr Porsche) copied from (the models T87, 97 & V570). Quoted on Wikipedia & other sources~
Internal politics at Ford had a lot to do with their passing it up. The head of British Ford accompanied HFII to the meeting, and counseled against it. The idea that VW combined with the existing German Ford operation at Cologne would have much more pull than British Ford at Dagenham may well have entered into it.
As a former Bug owner, my preference was always whitewalls, unless doing a restomod. I even had whitewalls on my black ’66, and I think it absolutely MADE that car! All a matter of opinion, but to make such a stink about the tires? That’s as stupid as forbidding your kid to dye their hair or grow a mohawk; it’s all temporary, and not worth the energy nor the resentment that will result from it.
In the early 1960’s my parents were able to afford their first “second car”, sold to them as a 1957 VW for $50. It wasn’t, it had working semaphores. It also included a “spare engine”. My father took out the original engine and combined the “best” rings and bearings into one engine, we put it back in the car and drove it for years. When the clutch failed he gave it back to the friend that he had bought it from. It was a great car for the teens, we often packed 8 kids into it to go places.
The automotive landscape would have been different had Ford or Rootes (later Chrysler) taken over VW. They would have screwed it up.
And other than Hitler wanted a car for the masses , I dont think he cared if the design came from nature , or that it was streamlined so it had to be a rear engine car ( I’ve seen custom bugs with engines in the front) . It had to be air cooled, and cheap, so that everyone could own one. Where is Adam coming up with this information ? And yes, his Hitler comments are rather comical ; the guy literally started WW2 and is responsible for the deaths of untold millions of people
Guileless…I had to Google that one.
When in college, working min wage jobs, I eventually saved enough to buy a new 65 Bug. It was supposed to be “bare bones”, as I figured I could add a radio later. However, after waiting 10 months for delivery, I was told the car came with (narrow) whitewalls, and the price would increase by $29.95+tax. At that time, $29.95 represented about 24 hours of my work, so I told them to skip the #$%^& white walls, and put on regular black tires. Their response? Take it or leave it. We can sell this car to a hundred people, and your name goes back to the bottom of the list. So, I swallowed my pride and ponied up the 30 bucks. Maybe when this Bug was new in 1954, they didn’t play @#$%^& games like that, but they sure did in 1965.