While we may think we’re nearing the end of finding barn and garage find discoveries, the evidence seems to suggest we’ve not run out of such discoveries just yet. This 1971 Volkswagen Beetle is said to be incredibly original inside and out and is offered for sale by a friend of the owner who is said to have driven the Beetle off the lot when it was new. The Bug wears a great shade of period-correct paint, which is said to be original, and the engine is also believed to be the matching unit to the car. The Beetle is listed here on craigslist for the reasonable asking price of $7,500, and the seller claims don’t even call if you think you’re going to haggle with a little old lady.
The only deviation from stock is this steering wheel, which looks all the world like any number of aftermarket copies that exist on sites like eBay (it’s supposed to resemble a Nardi wheel). I’m puzzled by this for two reasons: one, the seller doesn’t mention it, and two, the older gal who owned this Beetle for years doesn’t seem like the target market for an upgrade like this. Regardless, the interior looks to be in decent shape for an unrestored car, but given the presence of seat covers and the seller’s reference to the interior needing some work, I’m guessing you’ll want to invest in new upholstery kits. The top of the backseat has also perished, as the material has split open. The door panels also look quite tidy, and the headliner is mint.
The engine was previously rebuilt and it’s believed that only 15,000 miles have been added since the refresh. The seller does state that it’s the “original” engine but you’ll want to look at the numbers on the case to confirm that. Even so, an air-cooled VW is one of the likelier candidates to have had its engine replaced in the past, so I wouldn’t lose too much sleep over this detail. The seller does confirm the Beetle runs and drives and that it is stated up routinely. There is a reference to a maintenance paper trail of some kind indicating when and where the Beetle was worked on. The seller also confirms it was always garaged by the owner, and only parked outside when she was running errands. It really does seem like it was owned by the quintessential little old lady and treated like a member of the family.
The original paint will likely look even better with a sympathetic detailing, and the same goes for the chrome bumpers and other adornments. The indicated mileage is under 90,000, which presumably, there’d be a paper trail to confirm this number. The Beetle seems like a smart buy for anyone who’s been looking for an easy project that can be turned into a daily-driver-reliable specimen without too much heavy lifting, and certainly, the backstory of long-term original ownership is a nice bonus. Throw in the great, period-correct colors and healthy drivetrain, and this Beetle looks like a winner all the way around.
This is my VW Super Beetle twin! I bought mine in 2006 in SanDiego from the 2nd owner. Same original color inside and out. Paid $3000 for mine. To bring clarity to the article this is a 71 Super Beetle. For a long time these were not as desirable as the standard Beetle due to the MacPherson suspension. All front end components have to be in top notch, the steering box has to be tight, and the wheels and tires have to have minimal runout and be perfectly balanced in order to not have the death wobble at 45-50mph.
I went crazy on mine buy doing windows out respray, new interior, 4-wheel disc brakes on a 5×130 Porsche bolt pattern with Fuchs wheels. 160hp courtesy of a Subaru 2.5 SOHC engine with a pro street transaxle with Quaife limited slip. That’s the beauty of a Beetle. You can build them how you want pretty easily and they make great sleeper cars.
Can’t really tell from the photos, but if the windshield looks flat, it’s a regular Beetle. If it has a noticeable curve, it’s a Super Beetle. I always thought the Supers had four vent ports on the rear hood.
71 supers had flat windshields
71 super had a flat windshield but the more bulbous nose like the later curved windshield version. I had one a while back. This looks to be a super as Alphasud noted. Not sure about the rear “hood” vents. Looks like they might of had both 2 and 4 vent versions. Maybe early vs late 71 model.
Nope! 71 and 72 Super Beetles had flat windshields. Any Beetle that has a grill under the front bumper is a Super.
Also, you can see the strut towers under the trunk-lid. Definitely a Super Beetle.
’73 and up Super Beetles had the curved windshields. My dad had this same ’71 Super Beetle until he rear ended someone, then he got a ’73 Sports Bug Super Beetle, I wish till had tha car
I stand corrected, guys. I later remembered 1973 was the first year for the curved windshield.
According to Hagerty, the 1971 Super Beetle actually sells for a bit more than the 1971 Beetle. This looks like a very nice car for a high condition 4 price. It isn’t exactly a #3 on account of the interior, but its number 3 condition price would be $12,700.
A 71 Super Beetle was only around $100 more than the Beetle.
New?
For a long time in the ’80s and ’90s Supers were worth less than the all-torsion-bar “Basic Beetle”. They weren’t as good off-road at a time when buggies were still being built in good numbers and weren’t as well supported at the time.
I had a 70 regular beetle and a friend had a 71 super beetle. The windshield is flat and the dash is in line with the base of the windshield on the regular. The super had a curved windshield and the dash was further back than the base of the windshield. This looks like a regular beetle. I had the same interior trim kit, vinyl wood stick ons for the dash and real wood knobs. About the only this you could dress it up.
This is definitely a Super Beetle, the one pic of the interior/dash shot from the driver door clearly shows the curved nature of the windshield.
I agree. This looks like a Super Beetle and I had an orange 71 just like it. Looks like it has the wider stance. A look under the front would confirm if you can see struts instead of shocks.
The greatest attribute of this car is the limitless aftermarket parts available.Up to and including brand new hi-performance crate motors.Well,high performance for a Beetle.
71 and 72 Super Beetles had a flat windshield, my 72 super had a flat windshield. The curved windshield started in 73, I also had one of those.
This VW looks nice, but my ’53 sunroof was more interesting. I put in 1600 Porsche normal, but it blew the trans so I found a ’53 bent windshield coupe in Don La Joie’s junk yard, and the trans bolted right up, as did the 11″ aluminum brakes, although the parking brake needed a small mod. It was perfect. Just needed paint.
I wish I’d thought of that name.lol
It is a ’71 Super and I concur with prior statements supporting that. I will add that the ’71 had two vents on the engine lid and in ’72 two more were added. Big changes in ’73 as referenced above, with curved windshield and bigger dash, etc. This should disappear quickly as it is a bargain.
The steering wheel could have numerous explanations. It may be dealer installed (to increase saleability or profit margin) which was common, the original may have cracked or worn (anyone who wears rings can attest to how they scrape the wheel) or it might be just to dress it up a bit.
Owned a ’71 Super Beetle; really enjoyed the car. Had no problems, and drove it from Iowa to Los Angeles and back. Very dependable vehicle with fairly easy maintenance.
No matter super beetle or not, this is a sweet car ! My parents were just looking at buying something more economical then their traverse. (Yesterday). My thoughts went to an beetle instead of something more complicated and less reliable of today’s market ! The wider nose talks super beetle but that does not matter . A couple new seat upholstery and you have a nice car to putts around in. But it is obvious this car has sat in the sun the way the back seat is coming apart and paint fade. None the less. Nice car !
A 50 year old Beetle is hardly Reliable. Constant Tinkering. Its a love and hate relationship.
$7500 seems like an ultra clean example price.
I can’t help but see the potential here.You know,for around $6000 you can buy a new,not rebuilt,120hp crate motor with a new tranny.I believe the stock Hp was somewhere around 50.120 horse is the average increase,you can go to 180 hp and more,I imagine.You have to make a few additional upgrades to deal with all that extra power.Beside’s I live to “tinker” lol I’d like to tinker that VW into 6 second 0-60 times.With brakes that’ll stop 60 to 0 distance at around 120 ft.
I guess I’m in the minority, but you gotta be a real Beetle fan to swoon over this car. The ad says “don’t try and haggle with this little old lady”. Well I sure won’t. For $7500, I can find a real car very easily…one that folks won’t laugh at when I pull up to a light.
To me it’s worth $4,000 for being straight and relatively clean.Though,I’d only want it to make a project car out of it.They make some superb turn key, all new, high performance crate motors.All new trannys as well.I would hate to drive this car with the OEM 1600cc 50hp motor.Install one in the exact same space that makes anywhere from 100 horse to 220hp. I’ve been told the 180 fuel injected one is the most streetable.Very few cars will beat you off the light.No one will be laughing except you.
I had a 71, badly rusted from being in Ohio. Yet, my buddy and I put in a crate motor over a weekend. We were both so impressed, we put one in his bug soon afterwards.
But lest we forget, do we really want to go back to constantly adjusting the valve clearances? Plus, today’s traffic is much faster and this car wouldn’t keep up to be a daily driver IMO. It was a great car for its time and I loved mine.
Beel,an annoying true fact.All the best crate motors require a careful break-in period,oil changes and valve adjustments.The trouble is it’s not just the one time.It’s at least three times.300 miles,1000 miles and 3000 miles.If your like me you’ll do it again at 5000 just because.Then your required(I believe)to do it every 10,000 miles.
Jamie, that sounds about right for the valve adjustments. I thought it was less than 10K ongoing, but it’s been too many years to remember for sure. With practice, you can do the adjustments quickly. But who other than us car guys would actually do it regularly?