What was your first VW?

[67type1]

Thought I'd start a thread to see what VW you had first and maybe the story behind.

Mine was 1964 Bug that I bought for parts. It didn't have any seats, but pretty much everything else was there. This was back in 1970, and I was living in Puerto Rico. My high school buddy & I went to look at it and it wasn't exactly in the best part of town. We agreed on a price if he could provide a rope or "something" to pull it home. Without hesitation; the PO went to his house, came out with a machete. I thought we were in for it... not good! Next thing we know, the guy shimmies up a telephone pole and wacks off the cable, it swings down, and he cuts off about 15' of it and hands it to us. We promptly paid him and towed it home. Afterwards we wondered how many people were going "Hello, Hello..." True Story.

[BeetleBob]

WOW Ray, That is an exciting story.

I bought a 1966 Bug that had been used by a salesman and had about 100,000 miles on it. This was in 1968 so the first think was rebuilding the engine. Towed to Arizona in '69 and used it to explore the deserts of southwest. I left it in Arizona in 1970, a little worse for wear.

[poomwah]

Good stories, and great idea for a thread.
"My" first was supposed to be a 74 Thing. My dad bought it with the agreement that I would help fix it up and then when I got my license, it would be mine. I spent years working on it. Then he sold it.
My actual first was a 69 baja that I bought cheap and rebuilt.

[Ruffuss]

My first was a $25. 1959" rag with pop outs, like Bobs a little worst for wear. Fred Flintstone would have loved it with removable plywood floors. It would go anywhere and I usually drove it that way through corn field, ditches, down the beach at South Haven(don't tell anyone!) numerous times, up the steps at Universty High, down railway grades, like I said everywhere. When it finally folded in two. I Bought a 66' with a blown engine, good body and good pan for $10. and started all over again. That 66' turned into the Baja I nearly killed myself in.

[VDub63 ( Steven )]

Technically my first was my blue '63 Beetle. I bought that car, I paid for it ( had to get bank financing ), it is my car. I will never get rid of it unless Addy needs something really bad. Not saying that I didn't tear appart dad's VW's for him ( unknown to him at times ).

[gokart]

My dad had and still has a '69 Beetle that I learned to drive in. But my first VW was a '75 standard Beetle.





Bought it in '94 for $200 while I was in college. It sat in a field for 10 years. Floorpans were original and solid (I was in Louisiana). I got a free engine for helping someone change a transmission. Painted it myself. Installed disc brakes, duel carbs an Porsche 944 seats. Sold it in '97 before I moved to Texas. Too many projects to move. By the way, that is my current '67 parked behind the '75.

[Pikeman]

Learned to drive in 68 on the tub buggy my Dad built in that year. It had a rebuilt 40hp engine (rebuilt in germany, sold by JC Whitney) and a small nut bus trans with reduction gear boxes. Thing was not fast, but it would climb straight up. My first bug was a 62 I bought while stationed in Las Vegas in 1979. 1385 cc, 14" chrome reverse Chevy wheels with baby moons, and the worlds ugliest headliner installed by the PO,some patch work quilt lookin denim print material. I sold it here in Mi. in 86 or 87. 1385 is not a typo, it is the big bore 1200.

[MadMike]

Can't remember the year of the Bug 50's? ;D But I was stationed in Germany and a co-worker and I split the cost (a cpl hundred) and we rolled it about about two nights later(Beer was a factor ;D)

[81pumagtc]

Mine was a '69 or '70 Squareback with Panasport style wheels and Delorto carbs.

I added fancy Avon tires and it was really a blast to drive. I did replace the red tailgate with a tan one rather than repair a little dent, but it's pretty much all that it needed. It would have the front end shimmy until I replaced the steering stabilizer, which was quite easy, but VERY strange to someone who drove cars with real front suspension. I had it apart a number of times trying to figure it out, but when I finally broke down and asked them about it at the dealer, it took just a few seconds to say my steering stabilizer was shot. I did not even know it was really important. I had used these on regular cars to make them less twitchy...not because they were necessary.

$15 dollars and about 45 minutes laters, it was even better to drive.

I still miss her...


Dave Riedle

[wminmi]

1973 (maybe 74) super beetle with a mild chop top, sunroof....primer black, 1 piece windows. Paid $500 for it up near Traverse City, seller said it ran great but wouldn't idle, and it needed a battery. Paid the neighbor gas money and loaded up the tow dolly & a battery and drove all the way up there. Got there, tossed the battery in and she fired right up. Drove maybe 4-5 miles to a gas station, filled her up and hit the highway. Ran like a top all the way home and LOVED the feeling of driving a street legal go-kart