VW Bug Super Beetle Convertible 85K miles w/ svc records to prove it! TOO CUTE!

1973 Volkswagen Beetle - Classic Super Beetle Additional Info:

7/4 UPDATE: Some of you have asked about the reserve. NADA values this car at Excellent = $24k to Average = $13k. The reserve is less than the middle of this range. I hope you agree this is reasonable for condition, color, and documented history of this particular VW. Please bid accordingly to win! (Any other Questions please ask)-------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are seeking a very nice classic VW convertible as an investment, but also one you can enjoy and drive, I have your order ready! This is a very special little ol' Bug! Here's its story:
This "early 1973" Super Convertible was distributed to Moore VW in Gatlin, Tennessee. It was then 'dealer-swapped' to Jim Ellis in Atlanta, Georgia to be purchased by its original owner, Mrs. Patricia Adams, a DeKalb County school teacher. Mrs. Adams was apparently a serious record keeper, as when I bought the car from her daughter, it included a folder filled with what appears to be every service record the car ever had. There were even receipts from wiper refills installed at local gas stations. (Remember when servicing wipers was a thing!?) Having spent its entire life in Atlanta, this VW is a real Georgia Peach!!
Well the timing just happened to be, that they had just remodeled their kitchen, when their newly-licensed son rejected his grandmother's old car they'd been saving for him in their garage. (He revealed to me he wanted an Acura. Kids!) And so I purchase it in January; then spent the last 5 months polishing up this little gem. Because that's what I do...
...This is my 6th classic VW to restore, and my 3rd vintage air-cooled. I do love old Vee-Dubs, and it's been about 25 years since I worked for VW. So this was a fun, blast-from-the-past for me!
This VW has 85000 miles (and counting) on its functioning odometer. (I took the picture above as it happened last month!) The receipts provided by the Adams family show a logical progression of dates and mileage through 40+ years! With evidence this meter has not "rolled over" (VWs only go up to 99,999), it was easy for me to invest ~$5000 in PARTS ALONE over the last 5 months while bringing this car back to the condition I felt it deserved to be. Not because so many things were broken; but because it was in such nice, original condition overall, that any little piece which needed fixing stuck out like a sore thumb. But those thumbs are the criticial details that once addressed, make the entire finished product so special!
(Not just a polished old stone, this car is truly a gem; and it must be "worn proudly". YOU WILL DRIVE THIS CAR. It's just. Too. Fun. I've never been waved to or smiled at as much in my life, as when driving this little Bug. It seems everyone loves it. If you used to work on parade floats, are a retired Pope, or just an old pageant queen suffering from lack of attention, you NEED this car. Driving it is an instant good mood!)
Ok, let's get down to the details. Most of the car is original. The floors are original pans which have been treated with POR-15 above and below to prevent future corrosion. I also lined the battery tray area with fiberglass and POR-15 for extra protection from the battery located under the rear seat. You can beat on this floor and feel confident when you hear its thump.
The paint you see is a fresh "stage 1" repaint of its original color. The body needed only a good sanding, then paint, then some quality time spent wet sanding and buffing. Please look at the close-up pics for reflections of clouds and backgrounds so you can see how straight the panels are.
The body is original metal. I polished up anything I could bring back to brilliance. What wouldn't polish, I replaced, with good quality parts. I build cars one at a time, by myself, in my garage. I build like I'm going to own it for the rest of my life. (Mainly because I never really know if that'll be the one I decide to keep!) So I install parts I'd WANT, not what's cheapest to get the job done. That said, I'm practical too. Here's an example: The stereo...
I picked a "no-name brand" stereo for a reason. This IS a convertible. And part of owning one requires having the confidence to leave it parked with the top down. So, putting a "steal me" stereo in it would be foolish. This one's a very stealth design, meant to dissuade would-be thieves. It even has two round knobs like vintage radios did. However, it has USB input and BLUETOOTH connectivity. Yes, it will pair to your phone, take calls, and stream your phone's music. It has an 8" ported subwoofer behind the rear seat. And it has 6" marine-grade speakers mounted into fiberglass baffled kick panel enclosures. It all sounds great, yet no one is looking twice at it when you leave it top-down. All NEW.
The interior is mostly original. I replaced anything sufficiently cracked or torn, which wasn't much. Even the pedal pads weren't worn enough to replace. And I won't replace good original parts with replicated copies unless there's no choice. Example: the visors are nice New Old Stock. But I kept the original, slightly stained, "oh sh!t" handle straps in the rear seat, because new copies are just junk.
I added the "wood & chrome handle package", because I think they look great in convertibles. And usually I include a wood steering wheel, but THIS wheel is original and in perfect condition, with the vintage Kamei brand wheel wrap intact. (I remember my dad taking like an hour to install one of these when I was 4 years old. I had to leave it!)
Everything works. Front to back.
New bulbs everywhere. New lenses to replace the sun-cracked ones. But original VW-OEM light fixtures were retained, because they're so much better. All lights work. Heat works. Horn works. Cigarette lighter works. (What? A cigarette lighter?? Yes, I added one so you can charge your phone. This IS THE 21st century after all!) Wipers work. Even the SPARE-TIRE-AIR-POWERED-WINDSHIELD-SQUIRTIES WORK. (Yes, I brought that back to life, even though I leave it disconnected just in case. But I couldn't leave it non-functional and I certainly wasn't going to put an aftermarket electrical pump in its place. That's...well, just not how I do things! I even replaced ALL the fuses with new ones because that IS how I do things. And spares are in the glove box.)
It drives NICE.
New Falken 185s on new OEM-style chromed 15" x 5.5" steel wheels. Lower profile and wider, they handle significantly better than stock. These are very good mid-range performance, all-season tires MFG-warranted ~45k miles. Any drive line component that needed replacing was done so. Receipts are included for new tires, drag link, accelerator cable, clutch cable, wheel bearings, master cylinder, brakes, exhaust, fuel pump, electronic ignition, and more.
The engine in this vehicle is #AE338586. The entire powertrain is original to the vehicle. While it has been maintained, to my knowledge neither engine or trans have been rebuilt. The engine's compression tested at ~120psi across all cylinders. Fuel pressure was restored to ~3psi with the new pump. When you follow the starting procedure outlined in the VW Owner's Manual, it starts right up, cold or hot. It accelerates strong and cruises at highway speeds very smoothly. I've had it on Atlanta interstates cruising 65mph with no concerns. (I've even driven this car on the Atlanta Motor Speedway! click here for pics: More Pics!
While shift bushings and linkage are new, the trans is 43 years old in design. It is NOT like driving a new car. You do not just shift into gear forcefully. It requires "finesse", easing into gears when IT is ready. I learned how to "do it right" and you will too. It's part of the relationship you build with a vintage vehicle. But it does not pop out of gear, and the clutch grabs nicely. (Don't worry, I'll provide lessons as needed!)
It PREFERS sunny days...
But it does have a roof, and windows! And, if for some wacky reason you ever want to put them up, they all work great! The roof was reportedly replaced a few years ago. (I'd guess 4-5) It has the newer, thicker padding inside, and the headliner looks perfect. The outer skin is clean and solid, but does have some edge cracks at the crease points where the top folds. It's the worst visible wear on the entire car, but a basic result of storing the car long periods with the top down. The frame moves easily and latches securely. It IS a manual top of course, but with a little muscle, you CAN unlatch the top, and "throw it back" from the driver's seat at a red light. (Legal disclaimer: Fun, so not recommended)
I had to remove all windows and mechanisms to do a clean paint job, so when I reinstalled them, they were greased and adjusted as needed. All worn or missing seals were replaced. The vent wing windows (poor man's a/c!) work. The glass and chrome frames look great. The windshield and seal are NEW.
It's all about the details.
This car has lots of little special bits, that I think make it stand out. Examples: Inside the trunk, there's a vintage tool kit and an original jack. I restored both and put them together in an appropriately sized bag (for a yoga mat!) for convenience. I also included an all weather car cover, just in case you get caught in a shower and don't want the top's protectant to get rinsed off. And yet hopefully you'll never use any of these items!
I installed authentic vintage German Import Vehicle tags for a fun 'retro' look. The front is fixed to the bumper. On the back is the smaller "D plate", mounted to the bumper bracket as typical. But I also include a second, matching tag, which has a little strap to hang it over your rear legal tag. This is meant to only be used at car shows or photo shoots with bikini models, of course. You will definitely want to go to some "bug jams" with this car. VWs love going to their family reunions!
I kept the original carpet rather than putting in cheap replacement, so I washed and rewashed until I was happy, then reinstalled it tight and trim. But then I put in the highest quality OEM-style floor mats available, to help protect the vintage fibers while making the whole interior look fresh as new bread. Same with the door panels, seats, and dashboard. The one little round gauge, which works completely, is now backlit with BLUE LEDs to match its stereo. The ring around the cigarette lighter is blue to match. The subwoofer trim is blue to match. The fuzzy dice are blue to match! Because THIS VW is bluer than the average blue! Look at the picture of the vintage-literature 1973 VW Color Chart. It shows that this color, OLYMPIC BLUE, was ONLY AVAILABLE IN CONVERTIBLES, not sedans which came in that boring Marina Blue. THIS blue is bolder and brighter, like a sunny day's sky!
Ok, I could probably type longer but hopefully you get the idea by now. This is a sweet ride, which I rebuilt to be ENJOYED, driven, and loved. Take it out on the weekends, tow it behind your RV (tow bar and mount included), or just go to dinner on a warm summer night. It's ready to go with YOU and start a new generation of memories.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Questions? Please ask.
Ownership of this vehicle will transfer with a GA Bill of Sale form only, which is typical of vintage vehicles in Georgia. It has no Title document. This is how I purchased the car as well. If you require a Title document, PLEASE DO NOT BID.
Please bid to WIN! =)
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