Question about rust under 1974 Beetle

[hindssm]

I am looking at possibly buying a 1974 Beetle that mechanically seems great, and even most of the body looks good, but these rust spots underneath look bad. They are asking $3500 firm. How bad is this undercarriage?

I was sent here from Reddit.

[KTPhil]

Can you weld? Do you have room and tools to lift the body off the pan?
If not, you are looking at a few $1000s in bodywork.
I'd pass.
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Current Fleet:
'71 Fastback
'69 Westfalia
Retired:
'67 Beetle
'65 Beetle (x2)
'65 Bus
'71 Squareback

[hindssm]

[KTPhil]

I would be suspicious of someone making it superficially "look like a beaut" and yet leave that mess underneath unresolved. "Lipstick on a pig"? There are probably many more hidden gremlins in that one.
_________________
Current Fleet:
'71 Fastback
'69 Westfalia
Retired:
'67 Beetle
'65 Beetle (x2)
'65 Bus
'71 Squareback

[OTTO 1303]

Rusted out floor pans are common, fiberglass can patch, pan sections can patch, until you have the time and resources to replace

I would be concerned about rust on frame, tunnel, framehead, heater channels, fender wells, C-pillars (death foam) and body mounts.

Does it run and drive?
It’s a Super, hopefully it can be saved.

Good Luck
_________________
74 Super Sun Bug - OTTO
74 Super - DANZIG
74 Super - HERZOG

[hindssm]

[tpinthepack]

This would not scare me, and you can try to get a little discount even if he is "firm" on his price. Never hurts to ask. Most beetles rust on the other side under the battery, and from the picture your battery side looks solid. The rust hole looks limited to the pan only, and I doubt you will find much better in Tennessee.
Good Luck
Tony P
_________________
TP in the Pack (I am a cyclist)
1968 Manx N.O.S. w/ Barrett Chassis
1960 Single Cab 1914 w/ 40 DLRA's
1990 Vanagon DOKA
1972 Super Beetle
1979 Super Beetle Convertible
2011 Porsche Cayenne

[MuzzcoVW]

[GArBa]

[VW_Jimbo]

Just from the picture, I see it needs pans, heater channel and some new body panels about 4 inches up, maybe 6”. I am betting there is WAY MORE rust lurking at the interior side and within the body cavities! That’s a $1200 car all day long!

BIG PROJECT! You need to have some free money around to pay to have it done or do it yourself, for around the same amount!
_________________
Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[Schatzievw]

Rusted out floorpans is common and almost expected on old bugs. Not a big deal to replace the pans without removing body if you use quarter section pans ( total 4). Welding is the preferred method but pop rivets will work fine as long as you space them 2 inches apart. Then apply undercoating on both top and bottom.

[Starbucket]

Lipstick on a pig, what rust you see there is a LOT more under it. If you must suffer make sure ALL the electrical works, electric on a rusted bug will drive you crazy. Look for something with a good body/pans and needs a motor/trans. much cheaper.

[dopeboat]

There's no such thing as a free lunch. A well cared-for or recently restored Beetle in the end condition you want will cost X. A poorly cared-for (or even normally cared-for) Beetle not in that condition will cost Y, and the difference between the two is Z. Z will be a larger number if you can't or don't want to do the work yourself to bring the car from Y condition to X condition. Also, the car is almost certainly farther from X condition than you think it is. Not this car in particular, just in general, it's pretty easy to hide PO sins that will pass all but the most rigorous inspections, which most buyers don't take the time to do, and most sellers don't have the patience for.

I apologize if this is a little nebulous, what I'm really getting at is, in all the used cars, boats, etc. that I've bought in my lifetime, which is actually an inordinately high number for being 31 years old, is if it seems like what you're buying should really be priced higher than it is, you've either got rose-colored glasses on, or someone has done a good job of hiding value-reducing problems.

There's a particular line in a Jim Croce song that comes to mind, about a car being held together by "wire and a couple of hunks of twine." Ironically, that cassette was jammed in my Beetle's radio when I bought it. Go figure.
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'77 FI Bahama Blue Type 1