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

[My 914]

My dad bought me a 1969 Beetle as my first car in 1976. It was showing its age with high miles at the time and I drove it until it would no longer run. I learned to drive stick shift on that car. No lessons, just got in and had to figure it out.

In 2002, I bought a new Turbo S Beetle to check out the new VW lineup and with some nostalgia about my old car. That was a great car. I wish I had kept it.

[cpavlenko]

69 bug
68 square back
many moons ago...

[type47fan]

My first car was a '58 VW in 1965. Over the years I've also had VW Type 2 campers, '62, '72, and '76.

Here's me in 1985 with my wife's '66 VW and my 914s , a '72 and a '76.

We still have the '66 VW and the '76 914.

[enf2232]

Not as long a list as many, but all type 4's. Learned to drive in the family '73 412. Had a '73 bus in college (first car I bought). Now a '72 914.

[MartyYeoman]

58 Bug, Green
62 Bus, Salmon/Ivory camper
64 Bug, black
65 Bug, Ivory
66 Ghia, Brown (a real POS)

[saigon71]

Air cooled VW's were my first four cars. My High School offered a small engine shop where you rebuilt VW engines. I was hooked.

1st car: 1969-1970 VW Karmann Ghia. The year is not a typo. I paid $100. My Dad and I pulled it out of a guys field when I was 15. Along the way I discovered that the front end of a 1970 had been welded to the rear end of a 69 at the rocker panels and rear window. I could never get it to track properly - ended up in the junk yard.

2nd car: 1969 VW Beetle. I added the custom Fuch 5-lug wheel covers:



3rd car: 1972 VW Super Beetle. Custom rattle can painted wheels. Mullet & high tops. What can I say, it was the 80's:



4th car: 1972 Karmann Ghia. Bought from same guy as 1st car. Put rockers and a rebuilt engine in it, painted it with rattle cans and traded it for a VW Rabbit.

Aircooled engines have always been in my blood.

[URY914]

1988

[RRietman]

1972 we used to go to the drivein movies in my 66 fastback. back then you were charged by the bodies in the car so we would put one of the girls in the front trunk and the other in the rear trunk. two guys going to the movies back then didn't raise any eyebrows.
Randy

[larryM]

5 bugs & a notchback,

still have an engine-less '69 Vanagon Westfalia camper on the back forty - open to offers - as-is-where-is zipcode 95635

- great project opportunity for your old sixer engine in the barn

[Phoenix914]

My first car was a 1970 Squareback in 1985. The second one was given to me by my brother - a 1972 Super Beetle - when he went in the Marines in '86. That's what started all this. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[RickS]

67 pale blue bug with black interior which I learned how to drive a stick.

[mankowski]

Learned to drive in the early '80s on my parents' 60 Beetle. Sadly, they would not give or sell it to me because of fears about its poor safety and 'metal fatigue'.

The second vehicle I bought was a '70 Westphalia Bus, which true to all of the stereotypes, stranded me and my future wife in South Lake Tahoe during a western states camping trip due to a blown cam gear. Got a new engine in Lake Tahoe from the VW mechanics there, shipped up from the valley. With the mechanics contorted jacking removal of the old engine and installation of the new one without taking off the apron or bumper, even this novice knew something was not right. The first start up had oil spewing everywhere due to a missing oil cooler seal. A few weeks later after getting the new engine sealed up properly, it blew again on the 520 floating bridge in Seattle. I had it towed home to Kirkland, removed the motor myself this time, shipped it back to the manufacturer (Vee-Tech (?), who said a "metal object" was a found in the cylinder or intake and simply (and only) removed it as their warranty coverage. Not surprisingly, after reinstalling, it never ran the same and so I sold it to a young woman before heading off to graduate school. She promptly blew up the engine, driving it too hard up I-90's Snoqualmie pass.

I always wondered what became of that bus. Years later, I came to regret selling it and bought my '70 914 in honor of that same old love.

Also since then, have owned several wbx Vanagons and Westy's.

[theer]

Learned to drive in Dad's '76 VW bus. I think the driving test instructor was so impressed I could parallel park the thing, that he passed me on my first try. In reality, it's one of the easiest cars to park - high seating position (directly above front wheels), good visibility & no hood.

My first car '72 412 wagon (w/ automatic and custom bungee cords to keep front fenders attached, and drain holes in the floor to let water back out)
'74 412 Fastback 4 spd. (Last gasp of the air cooled VW's)
'72 Bus camper without pop up top.
'70 914 low mileage but with terminal hell hole rot
'72 914 still have this one
'64 Karmann Ghia convertible - 40th bday present to myself in 2004 (Get it?). Still have this one, too.

[Lucky9146]

Our first true "second car" in 1982 was a 67 bug. Kinda rough to start!



Painted it myself in 1983 and new interior and it still looks just as good today 35 years later! Had it to a cruise nite in Encinitas a few weeks back and it got a lot of attention nestled between a Cobra replica and a 911. I will never sell this little jewel. Our one and only bug.

[amfab]

1973 Orange 181—my first car

[JawjaPorsche]

Traded in my 68 VW Fastback for my new 914. Trade in value was $350.

[SKL1]

My dad bought a beetle in 1969- put a lot of miles on that- autocrossed it, etc. Got my 914 in winter 1970/1971 and still have it. Was my first and only car- hated driving it in the winter because of salt, etc but washed and cleaned it religiously. Got a '66 beetle as my DD when I got done with school and actually made some money. Had it a month when it swallowed a valve. Figured I'd learn about engines and rebuilt myself with help from a good friend who was a Porsche/ VW mechanic. Was a great DD with typical VW heating and defrosting ( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) ) . Sold it a couple years later for a Honda DD for more than I paid for it...

Still love beetles... would be tempted to buy an old pre-big bumpers just for sh*ts and giggles...

[VoPo914]

My current VW's, a 1970 Formula Vee and 1973 Sports Bug. Also many past VW's!

61 Bug
63 Bug
65 Bug
70 Bug
71 Bug
72 Bug
73 Bug
74 Bug
75 Bug

[jimkelly]

this was my bug for a while. mom and niece in it a long time ago.

[mmichalik]

I had an early 62 Karmann Ghia that was really nice when it was done. I bought it as a total for $350.00. My father owned a body shop at the time and when they were slow, his guys would work on it because they were salaried, not commissioned.

Redid the body, paint, wiring, steering, brakes and interior. The only thing I did not get to was the engine. It was a 12-volt conversion of a 1300. Thing had no heater tubes and was COLD at night.