The Beetle

[RWebb]

or Bug

also, the ad campaign behind it in the US...

one example: DDB (Doyle, Dane, and Bernbach) found out from a VW owner that there was a guy way back in the Ozrks who had bought a used Bug after his mule died - they found him and tried to get him and his wife to pose for an ad. They wouldn't at first, but eventually the famous ad of him in overals holding a pitchfork and standing in front of his Beetle appeared with the caption "It was the only thing to do after the mule died."

[Dana Norris]

are you just bumping your post count or are you just that big a PUTZ?????
Troll much, chum the waters much, or are you trying to make nice so we take
you off ignore????? inquiring minds want to know......

[Racerbvd]

One of my favorites

1974 Volkswagen Beetle & Camper - road test - YouTube

[Jim Richards]

Dana, wtf is wrong with you? IMO, your post is in violation of forum rules. These various threads that Randy has started are well received. Look at the reply and view counts. After all, car guys on a car web site like talking about cars.

[74-911]

Originally Posted by Racerbvd

One of my favorites

1974 Volkswagen Beetle & Camper - road test - YouTube

Very cool but my old '65 beetle with 40 HP and less than massive drum brakes ?? If you ever got up to speed, could you actually stop it?

[RWebb]

Thx Byron - I figured you'd be all over this.

Do you have copies of any of the famous ads for VW?

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

Dana, wtf is wrong with you? IMO, your post is in violation of forum rules. These various threads that Randy has started are well received. Look at the reply and view counts. After all, car guys on a car web site like talking about cars.

And Randy is a VW guys, the SHOCK that he would start a Beetle thread

[KevinTodd]

My family was raised on Beetles. My dad had several before I was born, and I distinctly remember smashing my head more than a few times on that flat windshield when my dad would bump the brakes a bit too hard. If I'm remembering correctly that was his 66 in Panama Beige. My brother had several too--all late 60's--one of which had a transplanted P-car engine hanging out the back. Damn that thing was a loud, snarling, angry beast as I recall. I remember one morning I walked out to catch the school bus and someone had stolen the wheels and tires off of it.

I had a couple of my own also---the '73 almost killed me one day. I was driving in the rain-too fast for conditions I'm sure-and saw a Dodge Dart stop in front of me. I had nowhere to go and slammed on the brakes. That did exactly what you would expect in the rain-hydroplane me right into the back of that Dart.

I woke up in the hospital with a broken pelvis, broken public bone (ow) and a lacerated kidney and spent the next six weeks hobbled pretty good.

My dad took me to the wrecking yard to see the car, or what was left of it anyway. The driver's seat was where the passenger seat had been--the impact occurred directly on the driver's door.

The guys in the wrecking yard couldn't believe I had lived through that accident.

I need to find a pic of the car and scan it--

I still love vintage beetles but haven't had one in years.

[Zeke]

I've had a dozen or so. I listed them in the past, no need to do that again.

[Christien]

When I was a kid the neighbours across the street had one. It was off-white, maybe cream, and always pristine. He was a mechanic (I played with his kid). Red vinyl interior, no seat belts in the back. The garage always smelled like oil and gas - not a lot, just what those cars smelled like. I remember when I first bought the 911 the smell of my garage instantly took me back there. I love those beetles!

[RWebb]

I have to admit to being a Bus & (later) Vanagon guy... have never owned a Beetle. I read a book on the Splittie/Bus/Vanagon, etc. (Transporter) which had a lot of Beetle history in it; then read Ingrassia's book on 15 cars that affected the American Dream. He says the Corvair was designed to halt the Beetle's inroads, and he also discussed the DDB ad campaign for VW - how innovative it was.

Hence this thread...

[upwardr]

My first car 1962 bug bought in 1971 while still in high school, had to push start every morning to get to school. Man that was a cool car, wall paper on the door panels.

I still have that car sitting in the woods, it's getting shorter every year.

Every time I take a walk in the woods it takes me back, those were the days!!!!!

[herr_oberst]

Had a lot of bugs, I think my fave was a 65 with a stock motor; for some reason I could drive that slow car faster than any slow car I've ever driven. My very first car was a 68 with the transmission Porsche calls a sportomatic. Don't ever tell your friends how the clutch disengages in a VW automatic, you'll find yourself going slower and slower until you notice your passenger has a knee against the shifter.

[widebody911]

My current bug is a 1952 crotch-cooler deluxe (11C) with the original engine, transmission, and interior.

The 1956 Karmann Ghia is mine too - basically a bug with a sexier body.

[ckissick]

Yo, Widebody. Check out the thread I just started.



I need your bumpers!

[Dana Norris]

Sorry Randy! You are right Jim I apologize to all, and refrain from posting when pissed off
and half loaded. Dana.....

[Jim Richards]

[recycled sixtie]

I enjoyed all your bug stories.I remember the pathetic heat exchanger heating system on my '58 VW bug. While driving across the Prairies(age 19 my first trip across Canada from Ontario) had to use the ice scraper on the inside of the windshield to see out when it was -20F. I later got a '72 bug and it had a gas heater-it was either full on or totally off. Sometimes it did not fire up at all.
I loved those old VW's .

[Jim Richards]

Back when I was a teenager, one of my friends had a vdub convertible in the upper midwest. We used to freeze our butts off in the winter in that thing. I was never enthusiastic about riding anywhere with him. I guess there wasn't enough HP to generate any significant amount of heat.

[onewhippedpuppy]

My family was raised on Beetles. My dad had several before I was born, and I distinctly remember smashing my head more than a few times on that flat windshield when my dad would bump the brakes a bit too hard. If I'm remembering correctly that was his 66 in Panama Beige. My brother had several too--all late 60's--one of which had a transplanted P-car engine hanging out the back. Damn that thing was a loud, snarling, angry beast as I recall. I remember one morning I walked out to catch the school bus and someone had stolen the wheels and tires off of it.



I had a couple of my own also---the '73 almost killed me one day. I was driving in the rain-too fast for conditions I'm sure-and saw a Dodge Dart stop in front of me. I had nowhere to go and slammed on the brakes. That did exactly what you would expect in the rain-hydroplane me right into the back of that Dart.



I woke up in the hospital with a broken pelvis, broken public bone (ow) and a lacerated kidney and spent the next six weeks hobbled pretty good.



My dad took me to the wrecking yard to see the car, or what was left of it anyway. The driver's seat was where the passenger seat had been--the impact occurred directly on the driver's door.



The guys in the wrecking yard couldn't believe I had lived through that accident.



I need to find a pic of the car and scan it--



I still love vintage beetles but haven't had one in years.

Buddy of mine had a Super Beetle when we were in high school, I can recall that car swapping ends in the rain on several occasions. Fun little cars though, I'd like to have one someday.