Coble; A '69 Bugs Life

[Kirk]

I was at work last week, when a friend of my mom who manages estate sales messaged me on facebook. His message was simple and to the point.

"Interested in a 69 beetle? Cheap."

Well that contains my favorite word, now doesn't it. He explained that the owner was an local doctor who was "getting on in years" who was selling his house and associated property/barns. The estate sale was set pretty quick but he said if i wanted to come take a look first I could. And as I had no intention of letting a local find slip away, I made plans to meet him after work and take a look.

After a bit of confusion, I found the place. Set waaaay back off the road, down a winding rock road, was a very nice house with a carport/barn tucked back even further behind some trees. When I pulled up, I saw:

Something bug like peeking out at me from behind a boat. Hi there. How are ya?

Climbing out, I talked with the guy handling the sale, who said they have had several people who wanted the bug (one guy for parts, one guy for a "buggy") but if I wanted it I could have first crack, since the family had no desire in keeping it.

Behind the boat was a complete, surface rust bearing, natty little '69 beetle that sat waiting on tires still holding air, even though it was pretty evident she had been there quite some time.

So i start doing the basic VW inspection, trying to see how bad the rust, etc is, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the floors were nearly perfect.

In effort to have full disclosure, when I laid down to take these pics, I was face to face with a large, decomposing rat. So they are less than stellar, because basically f*ck rats, especially dead ones.

So I did what any of you would have done, I made the deal on the spot. I was now the owner of a slightly worn 69 beetle.
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MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[Kirk]

When I asked about the title, I found out it was lost in the house somewhere, but the owner thought he still had it. The problem was he is in his 80's, in poor health and couldn't have contact with anyone at all due to Covid. I explained how we could apply for a lost title if the owner was willing, and Doug (who was running the sale) said he would ask for me, but that the car was sold as-is, meaning no title. I said i understood and because of the waning light, would be back tomorrow, with cash and a trailer, a full day before the sale started.

As I left I gave him my number and asked him to have the "parts car" and "buggy" guy call me if they wanted a VW, because I was taking this one.

The next day about 3, a buddy and I, with a pocket fulla moolah and an empty trailer went back. We had to air up the tires on the boat, move it out (safely, the mans son was keeping it as they built it together by hand one summer) to get to the bug. Fearing the worst, i aired the tires up and surprisingly, we were able to drag the boat out by hand, then back in next to the bug, (and right over the dead rat, serves them right - Ed.)

I expected the wheels to be locked up, and envisioned a battle with the winch, and about a 45 degree turn out of the barn to the trailer. I was still puzzling that one out when i leaned on it and it rolled forward two feet, easily. Well, so much for over thinking it, lets go.

After that, it was short work to the trailer.

While strapping the car down, I kept talking to Doug, explaining the lost title paperwork that i brought with me and how it would require a copy of the owners DL to apply, and how Im sure that would be a bit weird, but that I would take care of all the leg work. Just need an original signature and a copy of his DL. He said that he would ask and see, which honestly is all i could ask for. He did mention that the owner wanted us to check the glove box, and remove any personal items, so we cracked it open. All we found were several old maps, the owners manual, maintenance log and a document indicating the owner (Dr. Coble) bought it new in 1968 through a military purchase program.

Wait a minute. What?

Suddenly I liked this little car even more. Handing over the maps, but keeping all the other cool stuff, away we go.

_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[Kirk]

As always, our first stop was the car wash. And man did this one really, really need it. Ill let the pics tell the tale of the $5 in quarters worth of water and soap it took to even make a dent.

Well, she aint perfect, but she is a damn sight cleaner than she was. During the wash, I uncovered yet another piece of info indicating that the car had belonged to not only a doctor, but a veteran. The front bumper still bears the remnants of a vehicle decal allowing the little beetle access to NAS (Naval Air Station) Brunswick, Maine, a solid 2000 miles away from the barn I found her in. Interesting. From the wash, to the vacuum. From the vacuum to the shop, out of the elements until I decide what comes next for this interesting little car.

While enroute to the shop, I texted Doug asking if someone would pass my number on to the Doctor, because I wanted to learn more about the car, and he said he would.

Who doesnt love a VW with a story??

_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[Kirk]

The next day I got a call from Doug with the estate sale. He said the owner would be glad to talk to me about the car, and gave me his number. Didn't say anything about the title, but, progress is progress!

I waited till the weekend and gave the doc a call. He answered on the second ring, and was incredibly friendly and polite. He mentioned that he wasnt sure he was comfortable giving me a copy of his drivers license, which i understood, but would tell me about the car if I wanted. I said that yes, I very much did want.

This is what he told me during our phone conversation almost verbatim (I redacted my replies):




"I was in the Navy. Patrol Squadron. I think i was in till '72, and ended up in Sherman. Eventually. When I worked in Sherman, I drove it every day to work. I'm a pediatrics doctor. Not sure if you knew that. Kids always loved to see the little beetle pull up, or parked out side. I drove it to work nearly every single day. Plus I was the team doctor for the Sherman Bearcats. Did you know that? 300 games. Away, or local. Me and the little beetle. Sometimes I would follow the bus to the away games in the beetle, sometimes I didn't. Came to be that's how people knew me. Doctor and his bug. Anyway. I went to medical school in Houston in '65 and '66. I met my wife down there too. Married her in '66. Bunch of us, the doctors, were all about to be drafted. Vietnam you know. There was a shortage of docs, so we pretty much got to pick what we wanted to do. So I chose flight surgery school. I went to Pensacola for awhile, then to Brunswick. From Brunswick, they sent me to Sicily. Man I loved Sicily. I got to bring my wife over, and we just traveled as much as we could. Italy. England. Ireland. Pretty much most of Western Europe. After about six months, I got to come home. This would have been late 68. Well I needed a car, and someone told me that I could get a new Volkswagen through a dealership in New York at a discount, because of the military. So we went over, and sure enough, they had some form of military program that imported cars. I can't quite recall exactly, I'm in my 80's now you know." *laughs*

"Anyway, my wife wanted a bug. And I wanted it in green. The rest is history. We took our bug back to base, happy as could be. And you know what? Two weeks later, I got sent back to Sicily. Apparently there wasn't anyone else who wanted to stay, so I went back. For eight months that time I think? Wife came over after a while, and the bug just sat on base till we got back." *laughs again*

"Let me tell you this. While I was there, I delivered a baby in a plane, in the air space above Naples. A baby in a plane! I think about that sometimes. I wonder where she would be. Heck, she would have to be in her late 50's by this point."

"So when we got back to Brunswick, I was there for some time, then when it was time for my service to end, we decided to go to Albuquerque, where I was doing my residency at U NM. Well we loaded up in the bug and drove to Texas first to see her family. My wife was from Cooper, Texas. You know Cooper? You do? Okay, so we went to Cooper. My wife was an absolute joy. I lost her last year, and my health has just gone down hill since then. She taught at Piner for 25 years, you may have had her. So now I'm selling my place and moving closer to my kids here in North Richland Hills. Didnt really want to, but thats life sometimes. So when we got to Cooper, my wife delivered our second child. And we just didnt want to risk driving from here to Albuquerque in the bug with a new baby, so we drove her mothers car out, and her brother followed in the bug. We stayed in New Mexico for a year or two, till my residency ended. Then we packed that bug up and drove to Sherman. It was my car, I drove it everywhere. Quail hunting too. When there were quail to hunt around here that is. That's basically it. I drove her pretty much till the mid 90's or so? By then she needed to be restored probably, but that VW place up near Ardmore.. yes, Earl Mann, that's what it was. They wanted $30,000 to restore it. I'll tell you, they didnt strike me as the kind of people that can successfully do a $30,000 restoration. But I'm a doctor, not a mechanic. So $30k to restore or '$5k to $10k to refresh it'. $10k must be one heck of a refresher is all I know. So I parked her."

"It may not look like it now, but I promise you I've taken care of it. I never missed any service. And a bunch were at the dealership. The only thing I remember is it having a bit of a slipping clutch. I bet she would start with some fresh gas. She never gave me one second of trouble, and never left me on the side of the road. I'm glad someone who appreciates what she is got her. At this point in my life I had to accept that certain things just wont be, and restoring her back to glory isnt in the cards for me. She has served me well, I hope she does the same for you. You call me anytime.


And I guess you are an alright guy, I'll send you that title form and a copy of my ID tomorrow. I hope you love her, she deserves it."



Im not sure what the future brings for this little beetle, but damn if I'm not a sucker for a car with a story.

_________________
MAKE FORUMS GREAT AGAIN

Bear
Coble
Super
Oppenheim

[joey1320]

Such a great looking car with so much history.
Amazing score
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**1971 Super Project
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[Nbraynard]

Great find Kirk...my first bug was a 1969. Same forest green color with the white interior. I just loved that thing. Went all over with it. Later had to put in a set of case savers as apparently that year had a odd casting or something. Good luck on the title issue...sometimes a real pain. So do ya think maybe original engine? Would be nice to know the numbers. I'm jealous.

[P-Bear]

Damn thats a great find. I wish mine has a story like that. I guess my wife and I will be the ones to make the stories starting in 2020.
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1974 Super Beetle

[johneliot]

That man is a jewel. i do love my 69. 🏕
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John

There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress.
Mark Twain

69 bug - "The Grey Ghost"

[quiksilver571]

oh man, right in the feels! I think I got something in my eye...


I too am a sucker for a sentimental story like that. His story sounds a lot like my old man's, my current restoration project is (what's left) of the original car my dad bought back in the fall of 1968 - that car followed him from Arkansas to Hawaii, then New Jersey, Florida and Texas, where I inherited after my older brother smashed it up good. Hard to put a value on a lifetime of amazing memories like what he shared with you. I wish my dad still had the original title like Dr. Coble, that is some kind of cool.

I had to do lost title paperwork awhile back, you have to get a surety bond and some other business, but seeing as how the current/original owner knows you've bought it, you should be fine. I think they have something like 3-5 years to contest your claim, then it's indisputably yours once that window expires.

Congrats on a great find!!
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1969 Standard
1969 Standard with ragtop graft

[wcfvw69]

Thanks for posting the rescue and story. It was excellent! Hopefully you or if you sell it on, appreciates its history and restores it back to it's formal glory.

BTW, post some pictures of the engine compartment.
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[Lost69Convertible]

Wonderful story Kirk. Thank you and good luck with the ‘69.
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1956 Beetle Ragtop: My Father's car
1969 Beetle Convertible: My first car. I loved it, I lost it, and I never got over it.
1979 Super Beetle Convertible

[Kirk]

[Lemons 4 Gigi]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing.
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1971 Super Convertible "Gigi", Lemon Yellow (Factory Zitronengelb L-11E)
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T "Jezzy", 440, 4-spd, pLuM cRaZy!
A couple of Jeeps..

[Lingwendil]

Gorgeous car! I'm not usually a fan of patina but it would be a difficult decision to paint it if it was mine! Lots of nice documents too!
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[wcfvw69]

[johnnyvw164]

Awesome story. In August we picked up almost the exact same car, 69 in Peruvian green. The guy I bought it from got it from the original owners grand-daughter, and pretty much stuck it in a garage for the last 11 years. I have the original owners manual. Would love to bring the car to have the grand-daughter see it...maybe some day.

I love it when you can connect to the history of a car...makes it less of an inanimate object

[challomoner]

Beautiful find! Clean it up and enjoy it is my advice.

[Lost69Convertible]

My Uncle was in the U. S. Navy. And he gave me a 1969 convertible Beetle, outright, when I was 19 years old. It had 130K miles and a lot of rust. I can't express what my Uncle meant to me.

After reading this story, I'm wondering if he bought that Beetle through the same military program.
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1956 Beetle Ragtop: My Father's car
1969 Beetle Convertible: My first car. I loved it, I lost it, and I never got over it.
1979 Super Beetle Convertible

[aquavette]

Awesome find, and even better story!

[kpf]

Oh man, I am so jealous. That is an amazing car and an amazing story!
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1971 Super Beetle