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East Coasters don't stand a chance
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dspieg
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 11:49 am    Post subject: East Coasters don't stand a chance Reply with quote

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.
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Erik G
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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...
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eyetzr Premium Member
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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I think he meant "rare", as in "not well-done"
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dspieg
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 1:16 pm    Post subject: The Tinworm Reply with quote

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.
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Donnie strickland
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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luckystiff
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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....
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papichuito
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 3:08 am    Post subject: Re: East Coasters don't stand a chance Reply with quote

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
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squaretobehip
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 7:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't let an automatic scare you. They're a lot of fun to drive when they're functioning like they should.
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dspieg
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 8:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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KTPhil Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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Donnie strickland
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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Mike Fisher
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You've 'been looking for years' but won't fly out and inspect/buy & ship it home on www.uShip.com Rolling Eyes
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vwfye
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would love to find a solid automatic 69. I'm tired of pushing in a clutch.
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scranscran
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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!!
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raygreenwood
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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
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bluebullseye
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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