I did a double-take when checking out this clean 1966 VW Beetle: having grown up on a steady diet of Herbie the Love Bug films, this California black plate survivor looks just like the street version of the iconic Beetle before earning its racing livery. The seller notes that this Bug has been stored for 41 years, and is part of a 300-car collection currently being liquidated. Find it here on eBay with claimed mileage of just over 13,000 and bidding currently just under $6K.
The mileage claim isn’t verified, but certain details may prove its accuracy. The fact that the black plates still look so new, with vibrant colors and a near-mint vintage dealer plate frame, gives some credence to the seller’s claim that the Bug hasn’t seen sunlight in decades. Now, it’s hard to discern whether he means the Beetle went outside for a weekly jog around the block and then was parked back inside or it literally hasn’t left the indoor compound its currently parked in since 1978.
The interior would speak to the latter scenario, as the red leatherette interior is stunning, with near-perfect seating surfaces, door panels, and corresponding floor coverings. The original shift knob and radio look new, as do the seat belts. I’m really starting to believe that this Beetle hasn’t stepped out into natural light since the 70s, in sync with the last registration sticker added to the black plates.
The seller says the 1300cc motor fires up and runs as you’d expect a low mileage unit to run. The elderly owner that assembled this collection obviously intended for his cars to be preserved, as the seller notes the Beetle was stored without fuel and has just received a new German-made fuel pump. By noting that the Bug runs as it should for a car that’s seen little use, I have to assume the seller believes the listed mileage to be accurate. No matter what it is, this is an impressive survivor and likely somewhat hard to repeat.
Nah, a very well kept 113K, but shouldn’t be a deterrent, still a very nice bug.
The first picture I always want to see and don’t see at all in this listing and what I looked at first when looking to buy any Bug is down inside the spare tire well. That saved me many a wasted hours.
The bids are closing in on 10 grand and there’s still a little over 4 days left in the auction before the hammer drops.
That picture of without the spare tire is listed on the ebay site but one has to click on the “Full Item Description”…tons of pictures, including with the spare out.
One thing I see each time this seller shows a car in this “warehouse” is that the floor is wet all over, not just near the car. Is this a constant condition? The VW above is in exceptional condition but in those additional pictures, one sees rusted shocks, rusted fuel cap, and an oddly wet? speedometer lens. Still, this car is definitely a rarity and it needs to go to a dry climate, for sure.
I think the car is really nice….would love to have it!
Dont think the floor is wet. Its polished . I find the seat belts to be oddly worn and discolored given the condition of the seats etc. The seats also have an odd ill fitting creases pulling on the edge of the seats. The rust etc could be a function of different pieces of metal attracting condensation at different rates.
This car is still worth having/
Puddles and suds suggest the car was just washed. The Imperial that is also listed pretty much confirms this.
Look good at the underbelly. Being raised on Volkswagens, this one warms this ol geezer’s heart. would love to have, think this will bring some serious coin. I’d be afraid of the damp floor. Good luck to the new owner.
Cheers
GPC
Yep, I start my inspections from the belly up on all of the old ones…No fun discovering rusty bellies after you bought it….
Seat upholstery is not original, in 66 it was a different stitch pattern than what is shown. Still a neat car.
Randy, you’re right. My Dad ran the local VW garage in the mid 1960’s so Mom had a 66 Beetle. That upholstery sure isn’t what I remember from a 66 Beetle. The last time I was in the Beetle, Mom stopped to make a left turn and was hit from behind by a 53 Packard driven by a drunk going 55 MPH. That was a wild ride for sure. Better than any amusement park ride except for the hurt at the end.
I knew where the guy with the Packard lived and wanted to find him in the right spot at the right time to get even, but it never happened, even in a small town over 39 years. I didn’t try hard, but it was always in the back of my mind. I was thinking about buying the Packard at his estate sale and cutting it up, but couldn’t do it to a classic car.
Others have hinted at it but I’m straight calling BS on the milage claim. This is a restored car, and the seatbelts prove it. Stained, frayed, obviously heavily used. On a related note, Jeff; this is not what “new” seatbelts look like. Please have the safety harnesses in your rides looked at…
66 VWs didn’t come with seatbelts. So, who knows. He may have found an old pair laying around somewhere. That’s what I did with my 1950 F-1. I’d look for other clues and not give the seatbelt condition much gravity
Like the chipped paint around the ashtray or the dark oil sump or the cracked paint on the gauges. Surface corrosion on shocks and corrosion in trunk area. Still a very nice beetle but it shouldn’t be pushed as all original.
My first car was a 66 Beetle and it had seat belts, it was tan with a black interior. My sisters first car was also a 66 Beetle identical to this white one. We loved those cars.
Everybody should have one of these at some point in their lives. Too bad they are getting so pricey. Our ’68 listed for $1700 and had dealer installed A/C. It’s hot in Texas!. Flat out it would do 62 MPH on the Loop until the A/C kicked on. Then it would drop to 58! Favorite thing on these old bugs? The windshield washer that was run by the air in the spare tire! OK, so I’m a little weird.
I bought a new 1966 VW in December of ’65 in Mint ND. Delivered price with factory sunroof and dealer installed gas heater, (it was -20 when I picked it up at the dealer), was $2020. This included ww tires.
A year later, I traded it for a ’58 Porsche and $300.
Low miles or not, I would love to bring this beauty home.
I have a 67 VW Bug… the seat belts only in the front and they don’t look nothing like the seat belts in this VW… also mine has no radio…. but looks just as good or better then this one.
I thought ‘66 was last year of moon hubcaps, and ‘67 was first year of the flat cap. Those ‘67 wheels became a one year only item, when the wheel size changed from 15” to 14s in 1968. Not uncommon these days to see cars with multiple years parts attached to them, making identification less than easy.
66 was the first year of the flat hubcaps, 65 had the moon hubcaps