It seems as though a lot of people are going to extreme lengths to restore some very rotten VW busses - but is the same true for Beetles? I don't remember the last time I saw a really rotten Beetle up for sale, they all seem to be either 'patina survivors' or shiny good cars. Have all the rusty old Beetles been cut up for spares or are they still out there?

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In recent years I've noticed a decline in the amount of £300-£500 1970s Beetle wrecks for sale. The prices for those that do turn up seem to be considerably more than that now, and they do seem to sell. I guess this is partly a result of the earlier Beetles being so expensive and also with younger enthusiasts being more nostalgic for the later cars from their childhood days.

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Yes this one A total basket case that should have gone to the scrappers years ago.  1796590_10152809208374344_6891825626380248317_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  1922274_10152804549834344_2617009191816354560_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  10734251_10152809208379344_914068532362720182_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.

I have my blue '68 1500 that isn't so much rotten as badly repaired!

I've only been storing it since 2003....

Off the road from 1985... One family owned - low mileage!

One day I will finish it properly... one day... after the "oval"!

Chopping starts soon  10931072_10153033180509344_4947940629625163933_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  10409079_10153033180029344_8665292942181133053_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  10801669_10153033181774344_2950297146323518662_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  10474246_10153033181549344_7044444056579337726_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.

Looks OK, what are you going to do with it?

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Its going to be put back to how she was 30 years ago.  kop.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.

I still have 2 ovals standing in the stash... One 53 that I bought in 82, a 55 bought in 85, Both are untouched since then.... And will be at least untouched in the next 10 years. 😉 The ultra rotten 54 was stored....in parts.Still have the floor, engine block, gearbox, front axle, seats, and most of the panels...as it fell appart when hauled home 🙂

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Hi AW it´s a good projecte for you.
Congratulions..........:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

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This lives near to me and is just rotting away and they wont sell. Its a "He's gonna do it up" But I do have a craking floor pan for it if needed. The other photo is how she was before being laid up  sad ove.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.  10372083_1502329893316256_3112359751872328654_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.

What a shame they won't sell, Andy. I hope it doesn't just end up rotting away entirely. It looks like a nice car in the "before" photo, RHD too. I wonder if he got booked for parking on a double-yellow? :smile:

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Its well on its way all the floor has fell out she is in a sad state :thumbdn:

Shame, an interesting car left out to rot. Has he not a cover of some sort to give some protection:?

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The supply of rusty affordable projects does seem to have thinned out .i believe there are lots of reasons apart from the obvious availability of a car that hasn't been made since the 70s .
In the 80s and 90s they were plentiful and lots of people had a go at welding them up or paying the many 'specialist' Vw garages that sprung in the beetle boom.
Many of the restorations soon rusted out because they were done badly so you then have the second generation of rusty project cars that have had work done and probably badly modified .
Now with the mass of imported cars ,the rat look trend and a move to authenticity ,the now rusty projects on there third life are un appealing because parts are expensive and I believe fewer young people are interested in learning how to restore the cheaper projects .
Also most cars at the rusty project stage are worth more in bits which has escalated the problem .
I also blame the popularity of early buses because most super beetle projects are broken to feed the irs conversions that are popular on buses.
Insurance for young drivers along with low Mpg and high petrol prices has killed off any chane of owning a Beetle as a cheap first car .

I can think of more but the post is already too long

Mike

Very telling are the classified pages in the general classic car magazines and papers. Not many years ago, under the VW section there would one have always been many 60s-70s Beetles for sale and little else. Now, there are very few, if any Beetles but lots of elderly Golfs and Polos.:mellow:

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Yes the cars are getting rarer, but the point I was trying to get at is that barndoor buses are also rare - but I see far more early buses being restored than Beetles. Buses pulled from lakes or swamps, very rusty etc but still restored or at least returned to the road. Why doesn't the same thing happen with Beetles? Are they all gone or are they not worth the same level of effort?

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[img][/img]All or most of the irish project cars are becoming drag cars as the drag racing scene has just started to gain momentum over here. Im actually doing a £400 1967 at the min which is getting a 2332cc. one family owned from new. painted once around twenty years ago and laid up since. needs heater channels, pans, inner arch repairs, bumper mounts etc. the car will be kept ratty but solid and will have a removable valance for easier engine swaps. The scrappage scheme took out quite a few good cars over here. I saw cars in the scrapyards over here that would have motd if all the lights worked and brakes and tyres.  mancave 003.JPG You have insufficient rights to see the content.

A restored 1960s bus valued around £25k, a restored 1960s Beetle around £8k. So what rusted-out 60s wreck would you drag from a swamp:wink:

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The 63 should be going today for the re-build Also should a 63 have a 4 tab bonnet ?????  1911774_10152809208434344_3753813243919161467_n.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.

What about splits from '45-'47?? Still not worth dragging from a swamp? or none left?

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