This 1961 Volkswagen may look like a pointless project but if the current bidding suggests anything, it’s that air-cooled VW fans see plenty of potential. Early Beetles have unique details that enthusiasts prize, and the bevy of documentation that is shown in the photos suggests that there was a long-term owner who loved this Bug. The front end damage looks bad but may in fact be superficial given the Lego-like assembly of original Beetles. From the doors back, it looks entirely restorable, but our bodywork gurus in the audience may have a better sense of what’s possible. Find it here on eBay with bids to $2,175 and no reserve.
I love the shot of the Beetle from this angle. There’s something about the fat tires and rally-style wheels with a ton of dish that makes the Beetle look far tougher than it is. It does work, however, and plenty of people have hopped up Bugs over the years. The other thing I dig is the color, which looks to be original based on the color of the painted dash (which typically was done at the factory to match the exterior.) This has patina-look all over it, although it will be a challenge to match the front once the repairs are made. Hopefully, a donor car with matching paint and some patina will be found for the rebuild.
The interior looks quite nice for a project car. To me, this always suggests some level of care was allocated towards the car in question, even if it hasn’t been used in decades. There are other photos in the listing you should absolutely check out that show seemingly every manual and marketing collateral that was given to the first owner when new; seeing it all still with the Beetle and in decent shape really does convince me this VW was someone’s pride and joy before it was whacked. The paint matches inside the door jams, too, suggesting the outside shade is indeed its original color. The seller does show photos of the rear floor having rotted out, likely due to the factory battery placement.
No word on engine health, but the listing indicates the mileage of 47,800 may be original, and the interior condition supports that (possibly). If the mileage is true, the engine could very well be original – but we all know air-cooled VW engines were swapped out regularly when a mechanical fault developed, so you can’t assume its numbers-matching. Regardless, it looks complete, and it sure seems like this Beetle was parked shortly after it was wrecked. The current bid price is certainly worth it in parts alone, but I suspect it will go higher before the auction is over. Is $5,000 possible? I think it could be.
Repairable, but with the initial buy-in already at $2,500 with six days to go, the buyer’s going to quickly be upside-down, especially if the damage got into the frame head. I note that the car has a tow dolly setup as well.