If you’re looking for a custom pickup for hauling duties, this isn’t it. But, if you’re looking for a well done custom 1970 VW Beetle Pickup just for having fun in, this custom VW could be for you. This one is located in Lithia Springs, Georgia and you’ll find it on eBay with an asking price of $12,995.
You can get a hint of the hauling capacity in the photo above, but if you really want to see how much room you’ll have to haul things in the bed of this truck, here ya go. I’m sure that there’s a way to create one of these and still have the ability to haul more than 7 pieces of firewood and a pair of shoes in the back. It sure looks cool, though, and isn’t that what life is really all about? As Fernando (i.e., Billy Crystal) once said, “It’s better to look good than to feel good, my friends.”
And look good this VW pickup does. This thing looks like it’s ready for any car show, the quality of the build and the details are about as nice as I’ve seen on any custom, especially one with a $12,000ish price range. You can pay more than that for a regular ol’ 1970 VW Beetle.
The interior looks like quality work, too. This isn’t exactly the world’s most complicated dash layout, with just the typical speedometer and gas gauge, but it sure looks crisp without paint runs and overspray on things, etc. The seller says that the “four-speed manual transmission sticks up vertically from the center of the floor and it’s as vague as you remember.” The trunk in front looks good, but I’m not quite sure about the stained piece of carpet seemingly tossed in there. And, those wires under that carpet?!
There won’t be any hauling back here, not even firewood or shoes! I would want to live in a very dry climate if I owned this one, not many engines wants to get caught out in a driving rain being that exposed. This is a 1600cc dual-port VW engine, of course. It’s complete with a custom aluminum gas tank. I would want a tonneau cover over this bed to hide the engine. It looks cool but it could use some more detailing and maybe a few covers to pull off the full custom look. What do you think of this one? Would you have a use for this VW pickup with no hauling capacity?
It has always amazed me that when people build these they don’t use a flat build engine out of a type 3. I know they have had their cooling problems but those can be overcome and have a useable pickup bed….
Ditto on the pancake motor. I would have taken a Squareback rear deck and made the bed out of that. You would have a nice flat surface with an engine cover in it. You could even bring the bed sides up a few more inches and still have a nice looking rig.
I think you’re on to something, KO! That would make a great custom pickup.
People have been building type 3 pickups for years.
Those wheels look like they are from a third generation Z28.
Not a VW fan but I kind of like this, only for show not useable for any real hauling purpose. I would definitely make a cover for the bed to hide the engine and make it strong enough to strap down my folding chairs / cooler / canopy while also leaving some kind of vent system at the very back to exhaust engine heat. Before making a offer I would want to see the trunk area without the carpet in there.
It you’re going to leave it all exposed, why no bling for the engine?
B E S T eBay description! Well-written and the Seller seems to have a sense of humor
Novelty vehicle, and that’s pretty much it.
Um. . . The pan replacement doesn’t look like it was done well, and they also look like they’ve been left uncoated/unpainted. The welded crossbar intended to support the rear structure but passing underneath the transaxle looks a lot janky, and that speedometer is a mildly rare piece as it’s from another beetle of the same vintage with an Auto Stick (has an ATF light, which is a bit of a rarity on its own). I think the speedometer changed a bunch for 1973, and the Auto Stick was first offered on the Super Beetle in 1971 (all of this comes from a questionable memory, so feel free to correct any errors), so it’s a narrow age range that item comes from, and clearly not original to this car.
Not that it matters, of course. Old Beetles are typically an assemblage of available parts; at least all of the ones I’ve owned were. This one isn’t hard to look at but it’s a really limited market for a car like this one.
An all original Beetle is a 99 9\10th% oxymoron.
I would put some type of screen over the engine and deliver pizzas. It would be the most well-known pizza ship in town.
got one…hope to have it finished this summer…
hi guys ben in fla don’t have any pics right but I bought the doumis molds back in the 80s and still have all but the back window got lost in many moves sese simmilr truck but my engine is covered ill see if I can find any pics there was one for sale last year in Orlando ive built about 20 of them over the years having the molds bg spector tried to copy mine years ago but don’t know if hes still around also have a mold to make a rabbit pick up made a few as wellll
I would think if he covered the engine with a removable louvered lid, put the battery much lower, and put a low profile rectangular aftermarket fuel cell in the bed, he could actually put a small floor in it and have some usable bed. That’s what I would do, but not my cup of tea for $12k.
Seems strange to build the truck this way. First mounting the battery in held in with rubber cinch straps. If they would have mounted the the battery low it would have improved the center of gravity and they could mount it properly. Second, Why mount the gas tank in the bed and use up all the space. The original gas tank hole is probably what the rug is hiding. They filled in the gas door in the RT front Qtr. panel. Why ? Even still they could have used a pre 67 gas tank. Also, no Glove box ?
Even with all the issues you can see, VW Beetles are red hot right now. Someone will probably buy it.
Neat looking cab and bed treatment. I personally would have preferred the standard beetle front end. And having heater boxes with no air tubes going to them is a big no-no. Heads are probably cracked already.