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Texas Oval Well: 1957 Volkswagen Beetle

 

If you ask just about any Volkswagen fan what they wish they could find, their choices will always be an Oval, a Split, or a Kombi. Although time marches on, nice “original” condition cars are becoming harder to find, really making this Oval window car a treat. Extremely solid like a dream come true, this Beetle almost looks as if it is ready to be driven once again. With 5 days remaining, Bidding has reached $6,200. Check out this beauty here on eBay out of Princeton, Texas. Thanks DW for this beautiful Oval submission!

It always amazes me how many air cooled cars wind up in Texas, just about the last place you would expect to see them. Under the engine cover is a very original appearing engine with no evidence of modification. Fresh oil, a few hand turns of the crank, and a tune up will likely have this single port 1200cc clicking off on all 4 cylinders once again. The seller believes this engine to be the factory original unit, which would be a very wonderful thing if true.

Although the carpet is missing, the view makes me very happy. Look at these floor pans and heater channels!! They are rock solid and look to only need a coat of paint. The door panels are in nice shape, and the seats are a bit faded, but have a nice appearance as well. The steering wheel on the other hand has fallen victim to sun and heat exposure with its chipping finish, and a badly cracked horn button. I would paint the floors, add sound deadening and carpet, and maybe restore the steering wheel, leaving a nice driver grade appearance.

Looking high and low for rot in all the usual places is futile, as there is no rot to be seen! Only surface rust can be seen from the exterior. Considered original, I am not so sure that this bug hasn’t been repainted at some point in its life. There looks to be paint on a few rubber pieces in the door jamb. Also the paint on the dash has an “orange peel” like appearance. I could be wrong, but the painted rubber in the door jamb and the orange peel effect is not something that would have happened in 1957 Germany. Beyond the paint is a very sharp and straight body that is missing nothing, other than the driver side headlight lens. I personally love the way this Bug looks and would only add the missing headlight lens, and do very little interior work to this Oval window classic. How about you, would you restore or preserve this early Beetle?

Comments

  1. Avatar Jeremy Holmes

    Nice car get it running and drive it for sure.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar lawrence

    Nice….but is that a Whale Tail behind it ?

    Like 1
    • Avatar Jeffro

      The red Porsche caught my eye as well.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Moxman

    Wow…this is a great example of an early VW. It looks as though the 36HP engine is totally there; right down to the correct fuel line, vacuum advance line and the tubes for the spark plug wires. Even the brace for the intake manifold is there. This car would be a good candidate for restoration. It’s been bid up to 7,700 when I looked.

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  4. Avatar Dave

    My prices have gone way up. I sold one like this in 1980 for 400.00 I I had ony kept my 65 Porsche D.C. I sold for $2400. My favorite car 55 Chevy 327 four speed I sold for $650 in 1969. My current ride I built and painted in my 2 car garage. Spent 20K just for parts. Times change!

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Luki

    Nice one.
    Car has a 1967 only rear bumper on it.
    Buyer beware. It may have been smacked in the rear at some point.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Wolfgang Gullich

    It’s very easy to tell if it’s the original engine, there are reference tables available and of course you can get the heritage certificate straight from VW.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Edward

    Split-case tranny, no synchro into low? Interior red seats and door panels are original. By 1956, all bugs had overrider bumpers in US. Bi-color rims had white against the tire, car color on the hub section. While there were no VW dealers in US in the “split era” west of the Mississippi, numerous came into form in SoCal and Seattle for example. This is an export to US car. Same year European retained semaphores.

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    • Avatar Luki

      Original door panels, yes. Seat covers are not. Look closely.

      Like 0
  8. Avatar GlenK

    Having sold mine 3 years ago, I do miss it a bit. It was the brakes that I couldn’t live with. Driving it was fine but when soccer Moms pull in front of you in the Suburban and jump on the brakes expect you to stop, you begin to think disc brakes are now on the wish list. I wanted to keep mine original so I sold it, besides I was too lazy to fix all the other little things.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar David Miraglia

    any beetle any year is always good for me.

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  10. Avatar V. Clark

    I’d like to have an older beetle but what I would want to do with this I’m thinking that it’s going to end up being too expensive I did find one for asking price of $19,900 if i remember correctly perfect for me once but was told it was sold before I could even book the flight I am going to attach the image of what I want in a beetle

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    • Avatar Stan Marks

      Outstanding bug & worth every penny.

      Like 0
  11. Avatar V. Clark

    Typo fix in my above post once is not supposed to be there it should have read perfect for me exactly what I would want to do with it if I remember correctly that beetle pictured has a 2″ chop and the suicide doors also what I’d do with it just wish I could have gotten my hands on the one in the pic

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Tommy

    36 HP engine.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar V. Clark

    I saw an Overhaulin episode where they did a bug and sent the motor out to some guy and if I remember right he worked about 300hp give or take some but that would haul arse

    Like 0

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