1953 zwitter for sale in Victoria canada

[Louis]

i was very interested in this zwitter because its local..
i went to check it out, was suppose to be rust free, got excited!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1060934
anyway my questions is how much does it worth?

here the bad:
wrong front h patern. 60's with only 2 finger.
hit in the front lightly, bumper mount are not welded well.
hit in the back lightly, 60's bumper mount on the right.
rust under heater channels(minor)
rust on the quarter panel,
rust under battery, patched with fiberglass
wrong w lid (56,57)
wrong fenders(all 4 from 60s)
everything need resto but its complete like gas tank, windows etc...
lots of under coating so more rust that i havent found.
wrong front light
wrong wheels
wrong semaphores
wrong tranny, syncro
wrong motor ,36hp
bad interior, stink but its original (not usable)

now the good
zwitter,
pan matching
some parts
rust issue but not crazy. doors are good.
good hood, not cracked.
has all window but windshield with sekurit.

now the split is at 9000$

how much is this really worth in a condition that has to be completly restore and find lots of the parts missing.


thanks for your help. i always wanted a split but i am torn as the 53 only parts are not that easy to find....

i have the money but when i went to do the deal he refused my offer, maybe i lowballed him who knows but i am curious about what you guys think. nice guy by the way. let me poke my screwdriver in rusted area which really help me because of the under coating.
cheeers!!

[bwaz]

My experience Louis is to pay a little more to get a more complete car! Finding and paying for all those missing parts will be quite expensive. If you don't want an original car and just want some fun to drive a split... and could do the repairs as you went along, then it might be the right car for you. I think that car used to be in North Vancouver, and wasn't too solid 10 years ago when I chased it around! Good luck with it

[eurodub]

do you want a show car or just a nice driver to run and enjoy?
parts may be expensive or hard to find, but for the moment no one is forcing you to invest more than the asking price and some mechanical tlc to get it roadworthy. if the zwitter correct parts are there (speedo, ashtray, start button, fuel tank, front hood, hearts, solid front hood to name a few) i think is a good candidate to a light refresh and a long term resto. if not, you can still hunt some parts, i am sure it will be fun
_________________
1960 1200 model 117 deluxe ragtop
1976 MK1 Golf

[Louis]

not really about show cars but correct cars.

if its ok to have 60's fenders and 60' front apron and bumper mount why not welding a split window on my 54 ;(
what i am trying to say is that i find it importnat to have the right parts on a car.at least the sheet metal.

i like when the cars are the way they came for the most part.
specially fenders... front fenders from the 60's are so different, just doesnt look right. front apron doesnt look right either...


i called Gerson about fenders for the Zwitter and he wants 1k delivered.
i found some back fenders for 600$ set...
deck lid for 300$
the lights are 500$ +
semaphore 800$ +
i would keep the 36hp so 0$
the front apron 300$
bumper mount all around 150$

so i guess its about 3700$ more just to have the correct metal.

9000$ + 3700$ = 12700 so i guess this is the new price for this car before the project start.
should i wait for a real split for a bit more..?

i am torn....

[johnshenry]

The biggest issue I see is:

[bwaz]

If you're going to have the work done, add $2k for a full interior, $4k for 25hp done right with "correct" distributor, coil, carb, air cleaner, manifold, tin, muffler etc, paint and body from scratch will be at least $4k for an inexpensive job.... which is $22,700 for a correct'ish car...

IMO, if it had the original motor and some of the parts, would be an ok price if you want correct... otherwise find a better candidate.

There had been some solid cars last year that needed completing in the $12-14k range that were better buys, today not so many.

[ZwitterND]

Ahhh the infamous "is it worth it" question. After a week of watching Barrett Jackson auctions I am still amazed at what defines "is it worth it". To some it's purely profit, to some it's "he with the most toys wins". But then there is my kind, the kind that literally fall in love with a car and as often with love makes one do what may appear foolish to others. Like the woman that falls for the "bad boy". In everything people do if you look close you can tell the passionate ones. You see it on the playing and professional fields, there are those in it for the money and those for the love what they're doing. You have to figure out who you are first to determine "is it worth it". If you want it, crave it, feel passionate about it then give your best to get it. You may pay more than what the profiteers would and they will laugh at you, the fool that paid too much, another fool in love. It's one thing to ask how much it is to see if you can afford it but different to ask "is it worth it". If you can afford it and really truly want it then you shouldn't be asking "is it worth it".
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Bill

[sunroof]

I wonder if it is this car. I used to see it around Vancouver in the late 80s

Don

[Louis]

yes its the car...
i guess it got restored in the 80's by some goof.
at least they kept the heart light...

the owner was very good and patient with me crawling all over.
he has another 54 ragtop for sale for around the same price and a 1969 Karmann with original paint.
you could take all for 25000 i believe.

the ragtop had more rust. the karmann i havent look.

the split is always what get me. it took everything out of me to walk away and say no...
specially that my wife OK' it to buy it...
i was soooo close.

the only problem is that he told me rust free and original front fenders,

when i found everything else i just got too disappointed...
would be good for someone with some fat cash and or lots of time.
my 54 is already taking lots of my time...doing 2 is bit much. i was hoping for a good original driver...



thanks for your input.. i guess i am trying to justified my decision

samba therapy....

[johan_l]

[aa390392]

IMO..you did the right thing by walking away..be patient and save while your waiting, the right one will come along
_________________
.
getting grumpy & less tolerant!


55 ragtop
56 delux sedan
56 Kabriolet

[79SuperVert]

I wish I had had the strength to walk away in a similar situation. I didn't, and I sold the car a couple of years later for half what I paid for it. You did the right thing.
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Central Jersey VW Society

Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt.

[1.from.the.islands]

I can't validate value for you but I can comment that I was also told the same thing regarding this car when I spoke to the owner a month ago. I was told the rear apron had some bondo cracking through a 15 year old paint job, and that it had a 36hp instead, but that the rest of the car was solid and correct. It's disappointing to hear that information was not all that accurate....more disappointing for you since you actually made the journey to look at it. He originally had it listed for $12,000, so maybe the 25% price drop is indicative of the true condition of the car. Good luck with your hunt.
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Eating through a straw sucks. Wear your helmet.

[Jason Eden]

You can find a zwitter for about the same price in better shape. wait a few months offer him 6-7 k good luck.. To buy parts will kill the resto.
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59 bug slammed with cosmics

[pieeater]

I all most went to Canada with the cash to look at it several weeks ago but found that it would cost me $120 to $150 just to get there and look, plus fuel. I was kicking myself for not looking at it, but now I feel better, I had a hunch something was a bit off, too long for sale. Instead I found a wonderfully original 57 with 55k miles for a song. Never look back, it is only a waste of time..

[icekoffee]

dont forget about location. For me being in the midwest it is really hard to find a decent early beetle. So when I found one close to me within a day round trip that was a huge plus. Shipping a non-op car can be quite costly.

I bought a POS for $2500 that was close and figured the money that I would have spent on shipping could go towards new metal. I also had a different plan for mine. I wanted one that I could beat around as a daily.
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1953 Zwitter
1956 Dove Blue Kombi
1956 Oval Rag
1958 Patina Beetle EJ25
1959 23 Window
1961 Rag Beetle
1961 Kombi
1963 Doubleturd
1963 Standard Bus
1964 Lifted Mouse Grey Standard
1965 Standard Walkthru
1967 21 Window
1968 Double Bubble
1970 Beetle
1973 Beetle
1983 GTI

[bwaz]

the ferry from Port Angeles as a foot passenger would be $32 return and I expect the owner if serious would bring the car to you or would at least pick you up there. I know I would if I was trying to sell a car. I have done this numerous times and met a seller at the ferry terminal. Brought a pair of front seats on a dolly most recently! I would expect that because it has been for sale for a while, that a bargain might be had.... if you make the effort. Good deals sometimes take that little extra work... and no, i'm not saying that this, is as I have not seen it. Rumor is it went for $6k

[pieeater]

The owner told me that he had a standing offer of $8500 and that he was not going to budge from 9k. ???? Who knows. Still a decent deal at or about 9K for a presentable driver.

[steveo_32]

i saw the car over a periord of a couple years, if u want the turn key factor then its settled, keeping in mind it needs everything.
I was tempted on the turn key aspect. just to drive one no wait time ect, but thinking on how long would i drive it untill i started screwing with it, i realized it was not for me. to get to where i wanted it, it was too much. 6k to 7k tops would be my top top line. i saw better poping up here and there, and after looking around at other cars, i realized ur better to buy a bare body and pan and start with parts than a complete car that is incorrect with rust.
my 2 cents

[Louis]

the owner just told me that he will keep it, do a light resto and drive it, nice idea in my opinion

that car could look awesome, just need a bit of love in the rusted area.
i think thats the best decision for him.
that car for someone like me, needed everything and its not cheap but if you dont care about the right fenders, bumper mounts, wheels, motor etc... it could be a nice driver.

i just love original cars.
car are not easy to sell right now, they sit in the classified for a year or two, i have my okrasa kit for 1 1/2 year, tons of emails but no offer. tough time for any business i guess.