Author |
Message |
dspieg Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2011 Posts: 111 Location: Northern Virginia
|
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:49 am Post subject: East Coasters don't stand a chance |
|
|
I have searched for a decent manual-trans Squareback (or even Fastback) for several years, and have given up. Having been watching the Classifieds forum during that time, I've observed that EVERY Type III for sale east of the Mississippi is one or more of the following:
1) An automatic;
2) A total rust-bucket or failed project;
3) Decent but overpriced by a factor of 2 (compared to West Coast cars in similar condition).
Just an observation. I'm sure you can find a few exceptions but for the most part I think this is true. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Erik G Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002 Posts: 13247 Location: Tejas!
|
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
theres a sweet original '66 in vermont in the classifieds. Original paint, original interior, minor rust issues, and even has a working original sunroof. Unfortunately, Vermont doesnt issue titles on old cars, and Texas requires a title, or else it would be on it's way here already. If you can handle the no title part, it's probably worth her asking price
Overall, I think you're correct though. I don't think they were all that popular in the south (too hot?) to begin with, then add the rust factor...
there are very few type 3's in Texas. There are very few MK2 watercooled VW's in Texas either, but for some reason I see them all over PA, DC, NY, DE, etc... |
|
Back to top |
|
|
eyetzr Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2013 Posts: 1423 Location: Toronto, Ontario. Canada
|
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Yes it is hard to find decent type 3 cars that are not rotten, most of the people on here are having the same issue. I went to North Carolina for my car, some times good cars are not listed here & you may have to do some sniffing around on your own. _________________ I think he meant "rare", as in "not well-done" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
dspieg Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2011 Posts: 111 Location: Northern Virginia
|
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 1:16 pm Post subject: The Tinworm |
|
|
It's sort of understandable: The first (and third) cars I ever owned were both '68 Squarebacks, and both already had plenty of rust when I bought them (living in Maryland at the time). That was 30-35 years ago. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009 Posts: 2403 Location: Moody, AL
|
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 5:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Just keep looking. I found my car in Pensacola, of all places. It was sold new in Mobile, Alabama and so spent all its life on the Gulf Coast, and yet had no rust. It was garage-kept, though. Oh, and it is an automatic, but then I was looking for one.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=575841&highlight=
Be patient! I checked the Samba classifieds and Craigslist (for all surrounding states) daily for 2 months until it showed up. _________________ 71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
Back to top |
|
|
luckystiff Samba Member
Joined: September 28, 2005 Posts: 2252 Location: hickory,nc
|
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 7:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
my 67 square was sold new here in nc and has been here all it's life. not saying it's rust free but it's not bad for an east coast car. i paid $2200 for it with 3/4 OG rack 8 years ago. i've got about 3x that in the 2021 thats in it now.....
they are around. on the east coast you're probably better off word of mouth than anything.
find the best one you can at the best price you can. more stuff is becoming available for these cars and theres plenty of used parts to make it right.
or look for a solid west coast car and have it shipped. yeah it's $800-1000 to ship one over but you can eat that up in rust repair pretty quick.... _________________ ITMC
Secret Service |
|
Back to top |
|
|
papichuito Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2009 Posts: 165 Location: Radcliff, KY 40160
|
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 3:08 am Post subject: Re: East Coasters don't stand a chance |
|
|
dspieg wrote: |
I have searched for a decent manual-trans Squareback (or even Fastback) for several years, and have given up. Having been watching the Classifieds forum during that time, I've observed that EVERY Type III for sale east of the Mississippi is one or more of the following:
1) An automatic;
2) A total rust-bucket or failed project;
3) Decent but overpriced by a factor of 2 (compared to West Coast cars in similar condition).
Just an observation. I'm sure you can find a few exceptions but for the most part I think this is true. |
Easy fix,,,,,, fly to California and drive back,,,,,,,,Easy fix _________________ Jesus Roman |
|
Back to top |
|
|
squaretobehip Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 3668 Location: San Jose, CA
|
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 7:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
Don't let an automatic scare you. They're a lot of fun to drive when they're functioning like they should. _________________ 1963 Notchback - Ruby Red
1963 Squareback - Pearl White
1965 Squareback - Baltic Blue
Follow ISP West on:
Facebook - www.facebook.com/ispwest
Instagram - @ispwest - www.instagram.com/ispwest |
|
Back to top |
|
|
dspieg Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2011 Posts: 111 Location: Northern Virginia
|
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 8:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'm not "afraid" of automatics, I just hate them. I have six cars, all manual. My kids are all learning to drive sticks. I will drive an automatic only if and when I am physically incapable of driving a manual-transmission car, hopefully never.
As for driving a Squareback cross-country: Fuggedaboutit. How many of you loyal Squareback owners would take that chance? Be honest. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 33875 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
|
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 8:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
squaretobehip wrote: |
Don't let an automatic scare you. They're a lot of fun to drive when they're functioning like they should. |
X2. To run right, the engine has to be in good tune and you must have absolutely no vacuum leaks. But with a well adjusted throttle cable and kickdown switch, you have good control of shifting both up and down with your right foot. They can be a joy to drive once you learn how to force both upshifts and downshifts with throttle control. I rarely had to shift the selector manually once I got the hang of it. The low end power with the torque multiplication makes it nearly as quick, and of course much less work in traffic for your commute. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Donnie strickland Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2009 Posts: 2403 Location: Moody, AL
|
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 9:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
dspieg wrote: |
I'm not "afraid" of automatics, I just hate them. I have six cars, all manual. My kids are all learning to drive sticks. I will drive an automatic only if and when I am physically incapable of driving a manual-transmission car, hopefully never. |
I used to be that way. I've been driving VW's since 1984, and even up 'til last year I would have considered it anathema to drive an automatic. But I wanted my wife to be able to drive the car too, so I got an auto.
The verdict? I don't miss shifting. At all. The car drives like a dream. All I can say is, try it. You might like it.
dspieg wrote: |
As for driving a Squareback cross-country: Fuggedaboutit. How many of you loyal Squareback owners would take that chance? Be honest. |
I am in full agreement here, at least when driving a newly purchased car. I took a trailer to buy my Square, since I had no way of really knowing how reliable it would be at purchase. As it turned out, I could have driven it home just fine, but that's hindsight. I'd drive it cross country now that I know it inside and out, but at purchase? Nope. _________________ 71 Elm Green FI A/T Squareback |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Mike Fisher Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 17962 Location: Eugene, OR
|
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 9:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
You've 'been looking for years' but won't fly out and inspect/buy & ship it home on www.uShip.com _________________ https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
|
Back to top |
|
|
vwfye Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2000 Posts: 7660
|
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 10:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
I would love to find a solid automatic 69. I'm tired of pushing in a clutch. _________________ 64 No'back Speedster "Pearl"
1980s Sand Dragster "The Plunger"
LME "Little Giant Killer 3" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
scranscran Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2013 Posts: 152 Location: Texas
|
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
I am in Texas and found mine here on the Samba, had it shipped from Oregon. I took a chance, it was sight unseen except for a bunch of pictures. So glad I took the chance, I was just drawn to the car as soon as I saw it! Sometimes gut feelings do pan out, keep looking!! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
raygreenwood Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008 Posts: 21474 Location: Oklahoma City
|
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
Erik G wrote: |
theres a sweet original '66 in vermont in the classifieds. Original paint, original interior, minor rust issues, and even has a working original sunroof. Unfortunately, Vermont doesnt issue titles on old cars, and Texas requires a title, or else it would be on it's way here already. If you can handle the no title part, it's probably worth her asking price
Overall, I think you're correct though. I don't think they were all that popular in the south (too hot?) to begin with, then add the rust factor...
there are very few type 3's in Texas. There are very few MK2 watercooled VW's in Texas either, but for some reason I see them all over PA, DC, NY, DE, etc... |
Actually having spent a long time in Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia and Alabama....I can tell you that there are (were) a LOT of type 3's and a surprising amount of type 4 cars. Not as much as the paccific northwest mind you....but a LOT.
They did very well in the mixed climate (hot/cold) and low salt environments of Texas and Oklahoma.
I am 51 and went to high school and college in OKC and lived in Texas for about half the 90's...and traveled extensively and lived in Atlanta for 6 years as well.
Through the 80's....there were MANY type 3's in Oklahoma and Texas. At one point I could buy them for about $50 each and bought three at one time for about $200 at one point.
The problem in Oklahoma and Texas is that it is the holy grail of large recycling Junkyards. Through the 80's I knew of no less than about a 15 yards in Oklahoma that had 30-40 type 3's at a time ...each....many of which were only lightly damaged. Some not at all. They would sit for a while...sell some parts...and recycle them in blocks about every 3-6 months.
At one time in Oklahoma through the late 80's and early 90's I knew of 5 specific yards that had 10-15 type 4 cars at a time...again cycling through.
Through the 90's and into the 2000's....the huge row of yards on Dallas south side on Jefferson boulevard always had rows of type 3's, beetles, busses, BMW, Porsche, Audi...and even the occasional type 4.
Bearing in mind....all of those yards are crusher/recycler yards. These cars may only spend weeks or a few months there.
Every day....the big fork trucks spend all day long picking the cars up and moving them two spaces south and adding new cars. When the cars reach the end of the yard....that is where the crusher is parked.
You see this in Atlanta, Houston, Dallas....all over the region.
Except for a few small VW specific yards.... vw's and other cars are not collected for future posterity. They are seen as a scrap metal resource.
There used to be as many ACVW in the central southwest as there were anywhere...except the west coast. Ray |
|
Back to top |
|
|
bluebullseye Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2009 Posts: 64 Location: Chantilly, VA
|
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'm in NOVA also and have a 1972 Square I found in Chicago (here on Samba) and shipped to me with uShip. It is near impossible to find Type III's around here at all. There was one fasty in Falls Church that didn't seem bad a while back.
Find a car in central US or even PacNW and just ship it home. It will probably cost you less than finding a lesser car here in the DC area. I bought mine sight unseen except for photos online. It's in the process of being restored right now. _________________ -------------------------------------------------------
2018 VW Tiguan SE | Black with Golden Oak seats
1972 VW Type III Squareback | Kasan Red
Writer and Independent Publishing Consultant in the DC suburbs: www.johnhmatthews.com |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|