How Many air cooled VW owners, Who had an air cooled VW car or van back in the 60-80s Options

[burton73]

I was just thinking of all the Air cooled VWs that I had. I started with my first car a 1958 VW Bug that I bought in 1968. $75. And a real piece of shit but my first car.
I went on to having more new VW Bugs and Campers in my life and got started with VW –Porsche 914 in 1978. Always loved the VW air cooled product and also enjoyed a new Rabbit Pick Up in 1981


Bob B

[Mark Henry]

Still have
1967 Bug T4 conversion, 2.6L with all the tricks and a 911 5 speed
1967 bus 2.0 full 78x90.5 Gene Berg engine kit with 42mm DCNF carbs
1974 914 1.8 now converted to 3.0 /6

previous
1966 bug, first car at 12 years old, bush buggy
1967 bug
1967 bug
1967 bug....yes for some reason I'm a '67 magnet
1976 bus stabbin' wagon
1978 westy
1972 squareback
1971 Superbeetle really my mom's, but my first car in HS
1971 superbeetle bought it to flip, no one wanted it, wife drove it for 8 years.

Not counting for about 10 years (late 80's/90's) I'd buy about 4 bugs a year, fix and flip. So that would be around another 40 cars.

[jmitro]

oh man, bringing back the memories!

my first car, a 74 white VW bug. Graduated high school in 1990. Lowered the front end. Gold empi wheels. Cal-look windows. Ran on three cylinders half the time but I thought it looked cool.

[cary]

69 white bug
Red White & Blue Thing

[burton73]

I as I was reading everyone’s VW of past I was reminiscing on the past. At near 65
I am doing that a lot. I still remember that first VW bug and removing the back seat top and going to the drive in theaters in Los Angeles. One that was 1 mile from where I now live and making out in the back. At 16 then that was great. Steamy windows.
Anyway I bought a new 1972 Marathon Blue special edition at the VW dealer 6 houses from where I grew up. $2,700. I remembered the price because my dad had to loan me the money for it. I bought a new $3,400. 1973 orange Westfalia and took delivery in Germany and drove through Europe for my summer.
I remember my 1974 Metallic gold VW convertible bug. I was remembering the color and CAIRO's SIX and his deciding not to go with gold. That gold had the sunburn like Crackers Motor home.
Different postings take me back to a time where VWs had no rust on thought of rust.



Bob B


Maybe I will go on with motorcycles I had. I think VW guys like motorcycles and Guns, and cars

[arne]

Nope. Lots of water cooled VWs, but no air. First air cooled car (after several bikes) was my '84 911 bought not quite 6 years ago. Then the 914 this spring.

Water cooled?

1978 Scirocco
1981 Scirocco S
1986 GTI 8v
1990 Corrado
1991 Jetta 16v
2010 Golf TDI (bought back)
2016 Audi A3 e-tron (sorta VW)

[jack20]

1956 bug
1957 bug
1957 bug
1960 bug
1961 bug
1960 panel bus
1963 bug
1966 bug
1969 bug
1970 bug
1970 bug
1975 bug
1970 914
1974 914 BB

Current:
1974 914 2.0
1963 356 S 90

Jack

[Tom_T]

Well, my 73 914 is essentially an aircooled VW. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

My 1st car was a 68 Opel Kadett that I bought in Fall 69, but I looked at both VWs & Corvairs too (my parents had a `63 Corvair Greenbriar passenger van from new til 67), but condition within my budget was an issue.

Later, by the time we got our 88 Westy they were all waterboxers, & the Mrs. ("She who must be obeyed" Rumpole) wanted a new car - so aircooled Westies were out.

And since I've only owned 5 cars since 1969, & still own the 914, Westy & BMW (all but 914 are currently drive able) - that's as far as I go! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
///////

[solex]

I learned how to drive on one and it was also my first car.

Here is my history in chronological order

1. 75 FI Beetle
   Because the FI system began to give me problems and it was more than I could afford to fix at the time I had to rebuild another engine out of necessity. This is what started me on the air-cooled path of madness
2. 69 Beetle
3. 74 Super Beetle
   This was a pan-off restore, with a sliding vinyl sunroof and a 1776 engine built with mostly Berg Parts. I wish I never sold the car, pictures are attached
4. 69 Camper
5. 63 Beetle
6. 65 Beetle
7. 74 Super Beetle Convertible

[struckn]

My first car, a early 60's with the Canvas Sun Roof and Nerf Bars on top of the Bumpers, Gas reserve flipper handle under the dash, 36HP, Burnt Orange Color with Gray Primer Fenders and the Flipper Turn signals on the Door Posts. It was a Chick Magnet in High School. back in 1966, not many 16 year old Freshman had their own cars.

Did any one else cut the exhaust pipe chrome tips to make them shorter and take the baffles out?

[fixer34]

1961 1200 Beetle
1964 1500S Squareback (domed pistons)-carbs
1965 1500 Squareback - carbs
1967 1600 Squareback -FI
1967 1600 Fastback
1968 1600 Squareback
1971 1600 Squareback

1970 914/4 1.7

Current 2011 Tiguan
1970 914/6

[burton73]

I was thinking of my 1958 12-window bus I bought when I was a junior in High School. It had a for sale on it with blown engine. It was $150. I had it towed to a place in Long Beach called House of 101 Engines. With a name like that you could just imagine what the quality was like. They had engines all over the place and put it together for $150. With a new exhaust.

This place was like a Motor Meister
For VWs You ended up with a part from one engine and rings parts from a number of different cars. They fixed the engine and it blew in under 500 miles. They fixed it under warrantee. I sold it when I got it back for $500. With new engine with a warrantee from House of 101 engines. I never heard from the buyer.

What did a 17 year old know?

Bob B

[914_7T3]

Nope. Lots of water cooled VWs, but no air. First air cooled car (after several bikes) was my '84 911 bought not quite 6 years ago. Then the 914 this spring.

Water cooled?

1978 Scirocco
1981 Scirocco S
1986 GTI 8v
1990 Corrado
1991 Jetta 16v
2010 Golf TDI (bought back)
2016 Audi A3 e-tron (sorta VW)

I also had a 1990 Corrado G60......Supercharged! Loved that car.

[arne]

I also had a 1990 Corrado G60......Supercharged! Loved that car.

Actually, the Corrado was my least favorite. Great to look at, but heavy feeling and complex. The G60 helped, but the performance was underwhelming.

The one my wife and I both wish we had never sold is the '81 Scirocco S we bought new. Cirrus Gray, 5 speed, factory A/C, the cool red trim, sport seats and air dam. With 14" snowflakes, euro-GTI springs, Bilsteins and sway bars, it was a great looking fun ride.

[914_7T3]

I also had a 1990 Corrado G60......Supercharged! Loved that car.

Actually, the Corrado was my least favorite. Great to look at, but heavy feeling and complex. The G60 helped, but the performance was underwhelming.

The one my wife and I both wish we had never sold is the '81 Scirocco S. Cirrus Gray, 5 speed, factory A/C, the cool red trim, sport seats and air dam. With 14" snowflakes, euro-GTI springs, Bilsteins and sway bars, it was a great looking fun ride.

Mine was white on a gray interior. It was heavy as you say. I recall at 90+ mph, it felt like it was standing still.

[michael7810]

Had a red '64 Beetle when I lived in Md and wrenched for a VW Dealership. Sold it in '78 when I moved to AZ. Met my (now) wife in '80 and she had a light blue '72 she bought new, we sold in '81 to buy a car with AC.

[KELTY360]

Only new car I've ever owned was a '73 914 1.7 that I got by trading in a '66 Mustang 2+2, 289 4V. 3 years later I moved to Washington state and traded the 914 on a '72 hardtop Westy. I've had 4 914s since then plus a couple of wbx Westy's. Currently have 2 914s and a Syncro Westy with a 3.3 Subie.

[Cracker]

My parents bought a 1970 Squareback (Sahara Biege) 2-weeks before I was born. They handed me the keys the night I turned sixteen. My Dad was a pilot in the Army and that was the only car that was shipped from Alabama to Cali to Washington (state) to Hawaii to Tennessee to Florida to Georgia (where it was given to me). Great little car!

Tony

[Steve Snyder]

'69 panel van
'73 Westy

(and the five 914's: '70. '72, '73. '74 & '75)

[bdstone914]

Learned to drive on a 55 Beetle. My dad had a new 1964 beetle that cost $1 a pound with a sun roof and stone guard shields and radio. 1967 Ghia. Super beetle, 69 square back and a 1969 bus.
We used to buy bugs for under $100 in the 70's to smash them at a 4th of July party. We would remove the glass and gas tank and hand out sledge hammers and pick axes.
I remember taking the remnants to a scarp yard and getting leas then $10 in scrap steel for one of them.
Was amazed at how the the women got into beating the crap out of a car. Figured it was a way to take out the anger for all the times a car failed you.
Also learned just how well they were built and tough to destroy.

[banananose914]

Learned to drive on a 55 Beetle. My dad had a new 1964 beetle that cost $1 a pound with a sun roof and stone guard shields and radio. 1967 Ghia. Super beetle, 69 square back and a 1969 bus.
We used to buy bugs for under $100 in the 70's to smash them at a 4th of July party. We would remove the glass and gas tank and hand out sledge hammers and pick axes.
I remember taking the remnants to a scarp yard and getting leas then $10 in scrap steel for one of them.
Was amazed at how the the women got into beating the crap out of a car. Figured it was a way to take out the anger for all the times a car failed you.
Also learned just how well they were built and tough to destroy.

Hey Bruce. Are you talking about the women or the cars?