My First Beetle - How To Choose?

[veedubfreak59]

[TDCTDI]

[ZEKE65]

I bought a relatively rust free car, but it was a mechanical mess which suits me pretty well. I did have to replace the floor pans though. I drove a 66 beetle when I was young so I was kind of partial to the old glass headlight look, and I wanted a 1958 to 1966 beetle when I started shopping. Ended up with a 1965. Would be good to get better acquainted with the various differences before buying so you will find a better fit for you. Some differences are 6 volt verses 12 volt starting in 1967, split case trans before 1960 I think. swing arm rear suspension before 69 or 70, and the link pin front end verses the ball joint type starting in 1966. There were also window size changes several times up until 1965, and windshield changes after that. Good luck to you.
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1965 VW Sedan, 1968 C10 Step BB, 99 C5

[panicman]

My advice would be a 1962-1966. Personally, I think the older, the more desireable.

62-66 retains the vintage coolness that makes these cars attractive to me. This span of years offered the same robust 40hp engine, simple push-on 6v wiring, a gas gauge, better heating, and a boatload of interchangeable parts that are still yesr-of-manufacture appropriate.

62-64 will have smaller glass all around.

A lot of your choice will depend on your goals for the car; custom? All original? Beater? Show-worthy? Mild-mods?

Those choices get complicated for some years in particular.
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Plate of shrimp

[thechief86]

I started with a rusty but well-running 73 super beetle, and drove it for a month or two before i was offered more than I had in it.
Then I paid $1200 for a rust-free 73 standard that didn't run, and had no interior. I put it together with whatever parts I could find used for free, and enjoyed it for 10 years and several hundred thousand miles, and played around with making it faster and better handling and all that, and ultimately swapped the crapped-out fenders for some 62 fenders and bumpers to make it look like an older car, and kept it looking halfway decent with some help from Krylon. When I sold this car, I made money on it, again.
My current beetle, a 62, needs some minor rust repair, and the engine was locked up and incorrect, but now, at $2500 total, it runs great, and looks great, and is the nicest bug I've had yet, This car is the bug I have always wanted, and isn't likely to get sold anytime soon. As much as I love the look of a lowered car, I'm likely to leave it as stock as possible, because it drives so well, and cruises on the highway at 65 as smooth as silk.
Like others have said, avoid rust like a disease, and the rest is pretty simple.
The later model cars do everything better, but lack charisma in comparison.
My 62 is nowhere near the daily driver my 73's were, but it just makes me happy every time I get in it.
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"A poor workman always blames his parts... Ya gotta have skillz to hang junk." -johnnypan

[pastellgreen]

model year '61 - '63