Looking at a 1968, I could use some advice

[hylomatt]

I looked at a 1968 beetle today and wanted some opinions from the group. It's a little basketcase-ey but here's the details, from smallish to large:

door rubbers need to be replace,
rear engine seal missing,
air cleaner missing,
preheat pipe rusting through,
engine compartment insulation sagging on the sides near spark plugs
rear seat isn't bolted in,
carpet behind the rear seat isn't really there (speaker box instead),
black headliner (not my preference, but it's in good shape),
cheap carpet,
some bondo around the quarter panels and front fender backsides,
metal lip that holds the front trunk seal down is partially missing (rusted away or broken off),
exhaust is pretty rusty,
seats are cheaply uphostered,
no bumpers,
paint is a cheap job (probably a 2-year deal),
driver's door pillar is cracked right at the bottom above the heater channel

that last one was unexpected and i'm not sure how to react to it.
the seller is asking 4800 and i've got him down to 3500.
i don't think he's going lower.

is this a bad deal? please, give me your opinions.

[Max Welton]

Lot of money for a "a little basketcase-ey".

Some pictures would help.

Max
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1967 Type-3 Fastback
Under the Knife https://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=151582
Home Stretch https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=767836

[hylomatt]

[hylomatt]

This is to keep, not resell or flip.

[FeelthySanchez]

Way too much coin.
Check all the wheel wells w/ a flashlight for out-of-place welds, missing patches of undercoating, wrinkled/crumpled sheet metal, & rust: all signs of a collision. Same in the spare tire well, & note if any of the fenders look different from the inside.
Bondo + pillar baggage + the rear apron has been worked-over (poor fit) + all remaining flaws noted by OP above = Walk.
Look-over the title/paperwork, & if "SALVAGE TITLE" appears: RUN.
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[gt1953]

Keep shopping. Test drive several as you say you are gonna keep it. I mean a vehicle with honorable wear might be better.
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Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[Tom K.]

[Tom K.]

[hylomatt]

Sorry, I don't have a photo of the crack but it's all the way around so that when you open the door and lift it, you can see the door post move a little at the bottom. That might sound very ugly but I almost didn't catch it. The door dropped a little when I opened it, and that led me to keep digging.

You'd have to pull the carpet off that driver's kickwell, remove the front left fender, and pull the driver's seat to really get at it to see it all and reweld it.

[Buggeee]

[hylomatt]

That's quite a layout of parts! Yeah, that's not this situation for sure.

How much does it change the situation if you "got a guy" that can fix it?

[hitest]

[Tom K.]

Bugeees' original car looked crazy when it was spread all over the place, but it was a solid frame and solid body (his build thread is amazing, if you have a long cold evening to kill reading it). A cracked pillar and moving door hinge is *much* worse. Put this car out of your mind and keep looking. I searched for over a year before finally pulling the trigger on my '70 vert. No regrets.
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'91 Vanagon Westfalia
'70 Beetle Convertible
'71 Super Beetle Semi-Automatic: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=714131&highlight=
'65 Ghia: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=762478&highlight=

[sovereignsamba]

Trying to get 6 for mine. If it runs good id say its totally decent for 3500.

[Buggeee]

[VW_Jimbo]

Walk away. I would. Two scenarios. 1.) someone did a crappy job welding in new heater channels and the weld broke, so that begs the question, what are the rest of the welds like, 2. It was in a severe accident and broke the weld. Person who repaired did not know where to look for structural damages and just repaired the cosmetic items.

The A pillar is supposed to be welded to the heater channel all the way around it. You should not be able to lift the body off of the pan or itself for that matter. Something is foul there. I vote you keep looking or buy it dirt cheap($1000) and learn how to weld, hammer and paint!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[FeelthySanchez]

Agree, Buggeee.
Those last 2 pics aren't real far-off from Peter Aschwanden's classic sketch:

[hylomatt]

@FeelthySanchez, I thought of the same drawing when I saw his pics!

@VW_Jimbo, I'm a decent welder and part of me wants to nab it. If he'd sell it for cheaper, it would probably be in my driveway by now But he won't. Not to me at least.