Sun Bug convertible registry. The 300!?

[bruehoyt]

300?
This is the number that keeps getting thrown out for how many convertible Sunbugs were made. This number seems to be word of mouth rather than evidence-based. I believe the number is likely higher. Between the samba and other online sites it would seem that if there were only 300 that 110% have survived for nearly 50 years. Does anybody have any actual evidence rather than somebody told me or I read it somewhere?

I am not looking for numbers of sunroof sunbugs. That is a topic for someone else.

Convertible sunbug- All of the VINs start with 1542 (1=type 1, 5=convertible bug, 4= 4 from 1974, 2=70's model).

It must have been painted Gold originally and at least a trace can be seen under repaints.

Other options could have been added, changed or removed - or even never been present. Non Sun Bugs may have Sun Bug options.

Original Gold paint. VIN 1542... = Convertible Sun Bug
Anything else it is not a Convertible SunBug.



VIN or at least owner and location would be helpful.

Even if you used to have one, please enter it (and who you sold it to if known.)

If your friend has one, please enter it.

If you see one at a show, enter it.

I will ask for cars on the Facebook sunbug page as well.

So we don't duplicate one, give the VIN if you are willing. All of the VINs start with 1542 (1=type 1, 5=convertible bug, 4= 4 from 1974, 2=70's model)

Since I don't have VINs for most, I am including Name and location. If you know that one has been duplicated because of ownership change, please post.

1. Brue Hoyt Columbus OH VIN 511645 -POs Bob, OH Richard, OH
2. Dave, Mountain Home, AR
3. Zach, WA (selling in 2021)
4, Chris, VA VIN 446971
5. Rick, Vancouver WA
6. Claire, Red Hook NY -PO Grace -Clearwater, NY
7. Ryan, Dayton, OH
8. Vince , Phoenix, AZ
9. Lester, Woodward OK
10. Sheri, Castle Rock WA (just sold around July 2021 with 86471 miles) who. owns it now?
11. Jeff, Paxtonia, PA
12. Charlie, Vandalia, OH
13.Kristin, Todos Reno, NV (for sale)
14. Glenna, Phelps, KY -selling
15. Alex, MD?
16. London, Ethan, SD
17. Rick, Merriam KS
18. David, Franklinville, NJ
19. John, St. Louis, MO
20. Craig, TN
21. Jeremy, Charlotte, NC
22. Jerry, west Valley City, UT
23. Unknown owner in CA. PO- Reese, Edison, NJ (sold 2021)
24. Lauren, FL
25. Holly' MiL, Delaware, OH
26. Hupert , Greenville, NC VIN 376988 -PO used car dealer 2017 Marysville OH
27. Tyler, Columbus, OH (bought September 2021 from grandma)

by state
Ohio 5
Washington 3
Pennsylvania 2
Virginia 1
New York 1
Arizona 1
Oklahoma 1
South Dakota 1
New Jersey 1
Kentucky 1
Utah 1
North Carolina 2
Tennessee 1
Florida 1
Missouri 1
Maryland 1
Kansas 1
Arkansas 1
California 1
Nevada 1
_________________
Current VW's:

71 Westfalia https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=633955

74 Super Beetle Convertible Sun Bug https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=748008

Past VW's:
71 Karmann Ghia Autostick. 17-21. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=727596
70 Karmann Ghia driven 00-03, 67 Karmann Ghia 91-97, 74 Karmann Ghia 92-94, 71 Karmann Ghia 87-92, 74 Super Beetle 86-87, 71 Karmann Ghia 85-86 (my avatar)

[bruehoyt]

1 Brue (current owner) 511 645 previous owner Bob E and original owner Richard H. Bug has always been in Ohio.

_________________
Current VW's:

71 Westfalia https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=633955

74 Super Beetle Convertible Sun Bug https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=748008

Past VW's:
71 Karmann Ghia Autostick. 17-21. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=727596
70 Karmann Ghia driven 00-03, 67 Karmann Ghia 91-97, 74 Karmann Ghia 92-94, 71 Karmann Ghia 87-92, 74 Super Beetle 86-87, 71 Karmann Ghia 85-86 (my avatar)

[atari]

Good luck. The correct answer to your question is between 1 and 12,694
_________________
1974 Sunbug (Standard)

[bruehoyt]

[atari]

[74VWSunBug]

I'm the orginal Owner of a SunBug 'vert. Bought Summer 1974 in Chicago area.

Here's what I was told when I went to trade in my '72 'vert: "Theyr'e all gone !"

The Chicagoland VW dealers supposedly had a lottery to see who would get the five 'verts assigned for that region, & they were all sold about as fast as they got them.

Hungry salesman tracked me down a new one at a VW dealer in Alabama, & they "dealer-swapped" a regular convertible (plus some cash, no doubt) & had a kid from their dealership drive their 'vert trade to Alabama & bring mine back. Paid full sticker price - no haggling allowed. Mine had several hundred miles on it when it delivered to me, but pristine condition.

The dealership told me: "only 500 SunBug 'verts were built, and 300 were to be sent to the US VW dealers & the balance to European dealers." Whether fact or not, his may be how the "300 story" came to be.

Mine happens to be one of the lighter-gold color SunBugs. I've never seen a darker gold 'vert that wasn't a repaint. Very definite color difference. Supposedly, both colors were used on the Sunroof models, but (I think) all 'verts were the lighter gold.

Shame on me: Mine is in safe, dry, & mouseproof storage since multiple bad-gasoline incidents caused me to park it in about 1985, I think. Never started or moved since then, & I didn't do anything at all to prep it for long-term storage, so probably needs "everything" even though it only has about 75,000 miles on it. I gotta get after it, & get it going again before my old knees & back & ankle tell me even more so that "I just can't do it."

Dave Mountain Home, AR

[creative native]

Here's one in the classifieds: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2483811

There was recently another in the classifieds for $30k. I don't see it now.

[sb001]

[bruehoyt]

I'm only at 21. I know more of you have one of these.

Where are you?

_________________
Current VW's:

71 Westfalia https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=633955

74 Super Beetle Convertible Sun Bug https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=748008

Past VW's:
71 Karmann Ghia Autostick. 17-21. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=727596
70 Karmann Ghia driven 00-03, 67 Karmann Ghia 91-97, 74 Karmann Ghia 92-94, 71 Karmann Ghia 87-92, 74 Super Beetle 86-87, 71 Karmann Ghia 85-86 (my avatar)

[Tim Donahoe]

Wow, Brue, I’m surprised that you have found twenty-one so far. Forty-seven years after these cars were made, and so few verts, it seems, out of the total of Sun Bugs.

I wish you had included all Sun Bugs in your poll, with the types listed: convertibles, standard sedans, or Super sedans. That way, we’d have some idea of the number of Sun Bug survivors. Although, I don’t suppose the reported numbers would be accurate, anyway. Still, it’s nice to know ballpark figures, or have the option of contacting owners for whatever reason.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Tim Donahoe]

P.s.

I know of one vert Sun Bug owner that is not on your list.

His name is Jeremy Conner, and he owns Who Did That, Inc … an auto wrapping company that wraps anything from cars to lighthouses. They are located in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Jeremy is a great guy, and he was a Facebook friend before I quit Facebook (I’ve since rejoined, but now have only relatives and a very few others on my friend list).

He used to be in the VW Sun Bug Owners Facebook site, but I’ve not seen any posts from him since I returned to FB.

He most definitely owns a Sun Bug convertible. So you might contact him, either through Facebook in the search function, or you can contact through Who Did That, Inc. on Facebook.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[bruehoyt]

I'd love to see a registry of the sunroof sunbugs too. I just know that list is longer. Maybe someone else will take up that cause.

[bruehoyt]

It has been 5 weeks since this search began. In that short time I count 25 convertible sun bugs. From here I know it will be harder to find them. If you know where any are, please post. Again - if you supply a VIN we can eliminate duplicates.
_________________
Current VW's:

71 Westfalia https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=633955

74 Super Beetle Convertible Sun Bug https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=748008

Past VW's:
71 Karmann Ghia Autostick. 17-21. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=727596
70 Karmann Ghia driven 00-03, 67 Karmann Ghia 91-97, 74 Karmann Ghia 92-94, 71 Karmann Ghia 87-92, 74 Super Beetle 86-87, 71 Karmann Ghia 85-86 (my avatar)

[Tim Donahoe]

Brue, you might also keep an eye out for Sun Bug verts for sale in the Samba Classifieds. I see them from time to time, and if I do, I’ll let you know.

I found a Floyd Coleman, who is selling his vert for lots of money. He is located in Phelps, Kentucky. But he may be related to Glenna Coleman, who is already on your list. But maybe not?

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[burdenh]

I have a 74 convertible sunbug, vin 376988.
Hubert Burden, Greenville, NC 27858.
bruehoyt, please check the PM I sent you.

[bruehoyt]

[irvanm]

My old Sunbug convertible I sold several years ago was ID 1542376651, I just found the old registration to it.

[bruehoyt]

Thanks for submitting. Do you know who has it now, or at least what state it's in?

[irvanm]

No idea where it ended up. I sold it to a antique car dealer from Missouri that's a friend of mine and he sold it to another dealer.

[Tim Donahoe]

Brue, check out the Sun Bug site on Facebook. Some guy just took home his grandmother’s Sun Bug convertible. It may not be on your registry.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien