so are you still driving an air cooled VW ?

[rfuerst911sc]

I know that many on this forum got their Porsche seed planted by air cooled VW's. Was just wondering how many of you are still driving/wrenching on them ? I've done the Porsche 914/911 thing but they are long gone and I currently drive a Boxster S. I am currently waiting on Jake Raby to complete a 3.6 SS engine for the Boxster I pick her up in about 3 weeks. She should be a beast with all the comforts and safety of home . But a part of me wants another air cooled simple machine. 911's are stupid money so that's a pass and I'm not sure I have another 914 in me but a VW peaks my curiosity. Either a bug or a ghia comes to mind. So how about some pics of VW's past and present that you have owned ? Open discussion encouraged..........and Happy New Year !

[javadog]

No. That ship sailed decades ago. Apart from wanting to drive something decent, I can't put myself in something that unsafe in the land of SUVs.

JR

[Embraer]

i think Sid is selling a nice beetle

[yetibone]

I drive mine about 8k a year, or enough to change the oil twice in 12 months.

My wife and I both have a Superbeetle. Hers is in the left, and is mostly VW except for the brakes and wheels. Mine is a 911, 914, 944 mashup that's faster, and more fun than I could ever afford in a Pcar.





Here's a couple more of mine.

[Nickshu]

Sweet beetles!! Love the Porsche dash.

[KNS]

I was hoping yetibone would post a pic of his Super Beetle - love that thing.

I had a '68 Beetle as my first car but I wouldn't mind owning a Super Beetle someday.

[VincentVega]

yetibone - really nice. I dont know much of anything about bugs but that is too cool.

[yetibone]

Thanks guys.

The beauty of building a bastard Porsche from a Superbeetle is there's no sacrificing the value of the car when you deviate from it's stock equipment, like there could be with a pre-'68 model. Beetles with front struts were always VW's red-headed stepchildren that got laughed at even by the Type 3 guys, so there's no more shame in modding one than there is in outright ownership of one.

So much of the 924's chassis, and by extension, 931/944/951/968 came from a VW 1303S that it makes a Super the perfect platform from which to start building a fun, and fast air cooled car for a fraction of the cost of extracting similar performance from a 911. Many of the brake, and suspension parts that I used were ones that a 944 owner would replace in order to upgrade their car, so the prices for the core parts are very reasonable.

The engine cost is another matter if you decide to build a Type 4. You'll spend that money you saved on the brakes and stuff, but it's nice to have 100 lbs of torque at 2200 rpm, and a 5 speed to make that torque available anytime.

[yetibone]

Originally Posted by Nickshu

Sweet beetles!! Love the Porsche dash.

Thank you.

Kerscher still makes them. Upholstery is an option now too.

Kerscher 1303 dashboard

[wdfifteen]

I've got plenty of projects to keep me busy, and I don't need another one, so it's probably not going to happen, but I drove beetles for 5 years before I got my first 356 and I'd like to have a pre-'68 beetle for a while.

[billybek]

I just looked at the collector value from Hagerty for my first car, the Type 181 or the Thing.
Mine was orange and it took one heck of a beating from a then 16 year old me.
Crazy that I can't afford a Thing let alone a 911 at today's prices!
Sid's bug looked like a nice ride.
My favorite year was the 67. For some reason I like the way they look.

[widebody911]

I still have a running/driving 1952 bug, 1956 karmann ghia, 1956 single cab, 1960 pane, and 1963 Type 3 Karmann Ghia. I have a 1957 23-window project underway. Last year I sold my 1968 single cab and bought a 1963 Unimog. A few years ago, I sold my 1961 double cab (wish I hadn't done that) and my 1959 ambulance.

I still drive the VWs on occasion, and if the weather is right I'll drive one to work.

You still have an opportunity to get into a 1956 Karmann Ghia: TheSamba.com :: VW Classifieds - 1956 Lowlight Karmann Ghia

[ossiblue]

I drive a '67 deluxe split window bus as my get around vehicle. Bought it several years ago before the split window bus market went into the stratosphere. As widebody911 likely knows, the bus market is as hot as the vintage 911 market in terms of rapid appreciation. His 23 window, when restored, will be in six figures. It's gotten so bad that buses are now targets for theft once again. I've decided to keep my bus sound, rust free, but looking ugly to deter thieves. Still, I can't leave it in a mall parking lot or on the street overnight without considerable worry. So I don't.

Just for grins, check out the link widebody911 posted and look at split window bus prices and their conditions. Not far from 911's, relatively speaking.

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by billybek

I just looked at the collector value from Hagerty for my first car, the Type 181 or the Thing.
Mine was orange and it took one heck of a beating from a then 16 year old me.
Crazy that I can't afford a Thing let alone a 911 at today's prices!
Sid's bug looked like a nice ride.
My favorite year was the 67. For some reason I like the way they look.

Hey, Bill, my first car was a Thing, too. Fun car for a 16-year-old living in the Santa Cruz Mountains with all the old logging roads.

Today, I just have the all-original 25 HP '50. It's slow, but still fun.

[flskala]

PM sent regarding the JR rebuild.

[GH85Carrera]

My brother drives a 1954 Bug as his daily driver. He has a 1971 Westfallia conversion van as his other car.

[porsche4life]

I'm considering letting mine go. Still has the small hole in the battery box that I need to get welded up. I completely rewired it last year so all the electrics work. Tuned up and running great! I have to pay for storage for it though, so the enjoyment to cost ratio is getting skewed...

Finally got into an aircooled ride!

[rfuerst911sc]

My dogs are barking over this one !!! Opinions on this one ?

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/5375479933.html

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

My dogs are barking over this one !!! Opinions on this one ?

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/5375479933.html

Yuk.

[rfuerst911sc]

I had a feeling this would be a love it or hate it car !