Would you Buy?

[txasylum]

Considering a 1973 Beetle. Floor rotted out, heater channels rotted out. New floor boards and heater channels are provided, but not installed.
Will need spare tire tub purchased and welded in, both lower rear quarters, possibly both rear fenders. I plan on doing all the work, if I can.

Car runs, but probably will need rebuilt due to excess end play.

Has decent seats, no radio, all glass good, doors good.

I've never taken on a project like this, but am considering it.

Would this be worth purchasing? Based on my description, what is the max someone would pay?

Thanks

[gt1953]

I would walk away as from your description it is full or rust and more rust. If it were me I would purchase a vehicle west of the continental divide. No rust which is a savings.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[APPLEGREENVW]

Have you look for a vw in same area, that doesn't need as much work as the 73? Do you want to spend your free time welding or driving a vw? My opinion is, only rare vw's rust buckets are worth saving, everything else is a parts cars.
_________________
Parts for sale https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php?username=APPLEGREENVW

02/76 Beetle sedan

[dubsteez79]

I wouldnt pay more than 300-400 for it if it came with a clean title. I paid 75$ for the shell I used and it only had the death foam rust to contend with. Only paid $200-300 for the complete car I pulled everything from. I did have to bond mine to get a title, which isnt difficult, but is something to consider.
_________________
It drinks the coffee.
Then Engineers the things.
Then drinks the beer to forget the things.

[gt1953]

[Tim Donahoe]

If you have the skills to rebuild the car from the ground up, then buy it ... for cheap.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Starbucket]

You will have a big pile of junk in your garage for years . If they paid you $500. to hall it away take it and hall it to the recyclers and get an extra $75. for it.

[txasylum]

Okay, sounds like the consensus is to skip it. I may just do that. There is also a Ghia that has already been glass blasted, so some rust found in headlight buckets, looks like battery area, a little on bottom panels. Not as bad. Don't know if it runs though. Might be a better purchase than the Beetle...

[APPLEGREENVW]

[Q-Dog]

Doesn't matter if it runs. The engine is the easiest and cheapest thing to deal with.
_________________
Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[Tom K.]

Walk away as fast as you can and don't look back.
_________________
'91 Vanagon Westfalia
'70 Beetle Convertible
'71 Super Beetle Semi-Automatic: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=714131&highlight=
'65 Ghia: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=762478&highlight=

[BUGGED11111]

Depends on your bodywork skills and patience. I wouldn't touch it, but other people might. I've seen some real rust buckets come back to life but it took years and more money than they would like to admit.

[hitest]

[txasylum]

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions. That is what I wanted to hear. Kinda makes me think about buying one out West and just having it shipped here.

However, one more to consider. This same guy has a rag top body is off of the frame. It does need painted, but pan is good. He just put in heater channels. Says he has seats (can't remember how good they are), but he said he can put together a motor and sell the package deal for $3k. Just have to finish. Is this one "rare" enough to take on?

Bob

[TDCTDI]

What kind of money are you talking for the bug or the Ghia?

What kind of rust? (On the Ghia)

If the bug or Ghia is $200-$400, then get one or the other, get it up & running & beat the hell out of it as a fun car. If they're worse than you initially thought, you can EASILY find someone to buy them, or parts off of them for your initial investment.


A rough car is more fun than a perfect car, you can drive them without worrying about getting bumped & bruised.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[txasylum]

Asking price on Bug $600, Ghia $800. Looks like Ghia floors are also rusted up near heater channel on drivers side. Ghia will need painted. It is basically bare metal right now from glass blasting.


Those are asking prices, might get them for less possibly. Haven't offered anything yet. Just kicking it around.

[TDCTDI]

Post some pics of the rust in the Ghia threads, they'll be happy to pick it apart for you. If it's complete & you're wanting or willing to learn how to do the repairs, it's a good place to learn.


I guarantee you that I have more fun in my POS than anyone does in a pristine car.

I literally drove this beast 60' up the tiered embankments to get this shot.


A car that has been blasted is about as honest as it can get. See if you can score it for less, if you're still interested in it after a thorough inspection. I still think that you can recoup your money if you get in over your head with it at $800, especially in the NE.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[gt1953]

West of the continental divide or even west Texas are good places to find dry running vehicles. Not sure what you price range is, as others have mentioned body work is time consuming and can get pricey. A battery tray is one thing and even out west you may have to replace it.
Take your time and keep scouting searching as a vehicle will show up.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[Zundfolge1432]

We don’t know why but about once a month a person will offer up a scenario similar to what you’ve said. As if VWs are rare but in fact if you buy from dry desert southwest you can get a great car for about the same as a rust bucket. This begs the question wh6 waste your time ? There is a small contingent of folks here that enjoy taking on big projects and maybe including their children in the fun of hundreds of hours in fabrication and repair. The old Kawasaki ad different strokes for different folks comes to mind here. If the prospect of breathing noxious fumes and spending way more than the car will ever be worth then by all means buy a rust bucket. What never gets discussed is even if you manage to piece a car back together is it structurally sound How will all those patch panels protect you in an accident? Don’t know about you but I’ve got better things to do. you’ll be money ahead to buy a solid car leave the rust buckets for the hero’s.

[APPLEGREENVW]