The time has come to sell my Beetle. It’s been a fantastic first foray into air-cooled VWs, but my dream is to buy a Porsche 911 before I’m completely priced out of the market, so the Beetle has to go to help finance that.
It’s an original 1968 California car in solid and fantastic condition, imported to the UK in 1990 from the Hermosa Beach area. Has some history/folder of receipts with lots of old photos and MoTs going back to 1990, along with a bunch of invoices from my time. I also have a couple of issues of Volksworld from when the car was featured in ‘Readers Rides’ in 1990 and 2006.
A chap called Richard Howard was the first UK owner in 1995 and I have been in touch with him during my ownership. Richard has been able to provide a lot more information about this car from when it first came over.
The original Lotus White paint was resprayed in 1995 in BMW Alpine White, but the body and chassis are original and un-welded. You can still see some of the original white in the corners of the engine bay. The door gaps are incredibly straight and shutting the door produces a satisfying clunk. You can tell that this is a car that hasn’t been ripped apart and restored before.
In the back is a California-built 2110cc engine, with twin 45 Dellortos, AS41 case machined by Rimco, 82mm Counterweighted crank, Cima 90.5mm barrels and Graphite pistons, Porsche connecting rods, Engle 130 cam, Headflow stage 5 Heads, Berg equaliser pulley, 009 & Ignitor ignition Claude’s Buggies breather, full flow oil system, Fram HP1 filter & remote cooler. Engine runs well and has plenty of get up and go.
IRS rear end (was originally a semi auto) and front discs. AT code gearbox from a 1303, fitted by me because I wanted the taller 3.875:1 final drive for motorway cruising. Clutch is a Kennedy 1700lb pressure plate with CB Performance Centre Force 200mm plate. I fitted the new clutch and bearing in the summer of 2014 to replace the horrible four-puck plate and sprung diaphragm cover that was fitted when I bought the car. Clutch operation is now super smooth. While doing the clutch I also replaced the crank seal and an uprated CB Performance chromoly gland nut is now keeping the flywheel securely in place.
Goodies
Genuine Hurst shifter, Grant steering wheel and Talbot 333 Berlin mirrors.
VDO instruments with 150mph speedo.
1972 Porsche 15in ‘Flat Six’ Fuchs alloys.
The driver’s seat is currently a bucket, but I also have the original vinyl version that will go with the car. The dash has extra gauges for oil pressure, oil temperature, rev counter and clock. Has its original cloth headlining, all intact but looks every bit of its 48 years. Rear windows are pop-outs.
There's just so much that makes this a special car that its hard to put into words, where it came from, that its hardly changed in all the years apart from a brief flirt with some B289 graphics back in the day.
Bad points… there are a few scratches, chips, a couple of small paint bubbles around one headlamp and the bottom edge of one wing, but these are minor and haven't really changed in the two years I've owned it. Its always been garaged anyway and considering it was painted over twenty years ago the finish is amazing.
Current MoT runs until the end of March ’16, but I will put a fresh ticket on before sale. There's probably loads more to add, but for the money you’ll struggle to find a straighter car. Viewing is very much advised, as it's difficult to do the car justice with words.
Price is £8500 ovno. I’m based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. I can be contacted for viewings via PM on here, but you’ll get a more immediate response via email on mg261285AThotmailDOTcom
It’s an original 1968 California car in solid and fantastic condition, imported to the UK in 1990 from the Hermosa Beach area. Has some history/folder of receipts with lots of old photos and MoTs going back to 1990, along with a bunch of invoices from my time. I also have a couple of issues of Volksworld from when the car was featured in ‘Readers Rides’ in 1990 and 2006.
A chap called Richard Howard was the first UK owner in 1995 and I have been in touch with him during my ownership. Richard has been able to provide a lot more information about this car from when it first came over.
The original Lotus White paint was resprayed in 1995 in BMW Alpine White, but the body and chassis are original and un-welded. You can still see some of the original white in the corners of the engine bay. The door gaps are incredibly straight and shutting the door produces a satisfying clunk. You can tell that this is a car that hasn’t been ripped apart and restored before.
In the back is a California-built 2110cc engine, with twin 45 Dellortos, AS41 case machined by Rimco, 82mm Counterweighted crank, Cima 90.5mm barrels and Graphite pistons, Porsche connecting rods, Engle 130 cam, Headflow stage 5 Heads, Berg equaliser pulley, 009 & Ignitor ignition Claude’s Buggies breather, full flow oil system, Fram HP1 filter & remote cooler. Engine runs well and has plenty of get up and go.
IRS rear end (was originally a semi auto) and front discs. AT code gearbox from a 1303, fitted by me because I wanted the taller 3.875:1 final drive for motorway cruising. Clutch is a Kennedy 1700lb pressure plate with CB Performance Centre Force 200mm plate. I fitted the new clutch and bearing in the summer of 2014 to replace the horrible four-puck plate and sprung diaphragm cover that was fitted when I bought the car. Clutch operation is now super smooth. While doing the clutch I also replaced the crank seal and an uprated CB Performance chromoly gland nut is now keeping the flywheel securely in place.
Goodies
Genuine Hurst shifter, Grant steering wheel and Talbot 333 Berlin mirrors.
VDO instruments with 150mph speedo.
1972 Porsche 15in ‘Flat Six’ Fuchs alloys.
The driver’s seat is currently a bucket, but I also have the original vinyl version that will go with the car. The dash has extra gauges for oil pressure, oil temperature, rev counter and clock. Has its original cloth headlining, all intact but looks every bit of its 48 years. Rear windows are pop-outs.
There's just so much that makes this a special car that its hard to put into words, where it came from, that its hardly changed in all the years apart from a brief flirt with some B289 graphics back in the day.
Bad points… there are a few scratches, chips, a couple of small paint bubbles around one headlamp and the bottom edge of one wing, but these are minor and haven't really changed in the two years I've owned it. Its always been garaged anyway and considering it was painted over twenty years ago the finish is amazing.
Current MoT runs until the end of March ’16, but I will put a fresh ticket on before sale. There's probably loads more to add, but for the money you’ll struggle to find a straighter car. Viewing is very much advised, as it's difficult to do the car justice with words.
Price is £8500 ovno. I’m based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. I can be contacted for viewings via PM on here, but you’ll get a more immediate response via email on mg261285AThotmailDOTcom
