/ /

Well maintained, fun, and safe tan 1969 Volkswagen Beetle

Make: Volkswagen
Model: Beetle - Classic
Type: Sedan
Year: 1969
Mileage: 88,503
VIN: 119457371
Color: Tan
Cylinders: 4
Fuel: Gasoline
Transmission: Manual
Drive type: RWD
Interior color: Brown
Drive side: Left-hand drive
Vehicle Title: Clear
Item location: Palo Alto, California, United States

1969 Volkswagen Beetle - Classic Additional Info:

Hello,
I'm listing my 1969 Volkswagen Beetle for sale. I've had this car for well over a year now and simply don't need to own a car. I was planning to use this as a weekend driver or for errands around town, but I typically ride my bike. Additionally, I don't have a permanent parking spot, so most times I only drive it across the street on street sweeping days.
This car is well maintained. Mechanically, it is flawless - everything works. After purchasing the car, I had the engine disassembled and rebuilt. I replaced the clutch, transmission coupler, some of the shifter components, and added a short shifter kit. I replaced the headlights with LED, and now I can actually drive the car at night. All shocks were replaced. The steering box has been replaced. The car now has four wheel disc brakes and stops very well. The master cylinder was replaced as well.
I've also updated the stereo, and there are five speakers: two in the front kick panels, two on the rear shelf, and one hidden small subwoofer.
This car has been converted to use an alternator and electronic ignition. Most days, the car starts up right away. On colder mornings, it takes a bit more effort, but I have zero problems mechanically.
The transmission is in great shape, and the engine is also in great shape. The heaters work very well.
I have also added full shoulder seat belts in the front and better locking seat belts in the rear. Speaking of the rear, I have placed the battery in a fiberglass box to prevent corrosion (these cars are notorious for corrosion in the battery area).
The most recent work that has been done is a complete (flawless) rebuild of the entire speedometer cluster as well as a replacement wiper motor. These wiper motors go bad frequently!
Now for the bad. Ideally you'll consider this a short list of things to be expected with such an old car!
There is a bit of surface rust, as I've mentioned before. It's nothing that would cause me to worry, and I don't expect it'll become a problem if this car stays in California. The majority of the surface rust is under the battery and under the front bonnet.
The front has drop spindles. This really helps with steering performance on the freeway, and my 5 ft 1 inch girlfriend now has better visibility onto the roadway. However, this does come with a few drawbacks. First of all, it's important to take time going over speedbumps and potholes, because you don't want to bottom out! Second, the gas tank may have a quarter or so left, but the mechanical pump won't pull fuel from it and send it all the way back to the engine. In my opinion, I'd either drop the back an inch or two, or I'd get regular spindles for the front and replace them. It's a one hour job. The disc brake kit that I have is the one from JBugs (EMPI parts) and they can probably advise the best front spindles if you decide to replace them.
Next, I've installed a windshield washer from a 2003-era Mexican beetle. This is not hooked up to power. You'll have to do that yourself, it may make sense to install a switch near the wiper control.
The rear fenders have small areas where they look like they've bumped into something at some point and then been painted over. I'd probably replace those if you want the car to be perfect, but this is actually very well hidden by the back bumper and nobody really notices.
The rear decklid is from a green beetle and has been sprayed over. If you get a paint chip, you'll see some green. It's not a big deal but I wanted to mention it here.
One of the front fenders is not original - I don't know why, maybe it bumped something once and an earlier owner replaced it. It looks fine, but the shape is slightly off; it may be an aftermarket fender. The light fixture fits a bit funny but it looks good enough. I'd consider replacing maybe all of the fenders at some point if this is important to you, but it certainly isn't a big deal.
The interior is in driver condition; the front driver seat needs some new foam, for sure. The headliner is white (or off-white) and definitely is showing its age.
The door locks are a bit tough, but I'll demonstrate how to open and close them. It may make sense to pop the door trim off and grease the lock mechanism.
The fresh air vents in the front have been removed at some point. The good news is that this gets us a modern radio, but this also means it is easy for water to leak into the bonnet/trunk area on a rainy day. I'd think about welding those holes shut at some point or replacing the vents.
So, I'm sad to see this car go, I've dumped a lot of money into making her a safe daily driver, but I travel too much for work and am never home to enjoy, and I simply don't need a car. If I didn't have to drive her back and forth every week to avoid getting a ticket, I'd happily let her sit in front of my place until it's time to take a joyride.
Thanks for reading, and feel free to ask me any questions!