Arizona "barn Find" !! Rust-free 1965 Volkwagen Beetle, 94k Orig. Mi., Orig Eng on 2040-cars

If ever there was such a thing as a "Barn find" in Arizona that wasn't up in the snow country of the higher altitudes of AZ. it would have to be a car such as this..... Since we don't really have too many barns in and around Phoenix, the closest thing to that idea would be finding a car tucked away under a carport with a cover on it, or perhaps one tucked away in the backyard.... up on blocks....with a cover on it.... like this one.  I would have never have found this car where it was, if it were not for a friend that had just recently purchased a '67 Chevy Shortbed from the guy that had this VW beetle. My friend needed help that day and I was available.  And then I spotted the "Bug".  I couldn't believe it.  They don't come any more original and straight than this unless someone tucks them away for 30+ years or more....  Long story short.... he finally agreed to sell me the car 3 weeks after I first saw it and made an offer.  He almost backed out at the last minute just before we were to go and get the title notarized... he was having reservations about letting it go.  He apparently had regretted letting go of the '67 shortbed to my friend.  I promised I would help him get his '56 Chevy 2-dr hardtop back on the road again.  He had great memories of it back in the early '60s when he first bought it.  I know that feeling with some of my own first cars experiences.  He's been retired for almost 20 years now and he still likes to tinker with his toys, but he's become a little frail over the years and cannot do the things he used to with the cars.  At 60, and 20 years his junior, I'm considered a good candidate to help him get back up in the saddle again... so to speak.  We've decided come Oct. or Nov., when the heat dies down, we're gonna tackle that '56 and we're gonna "cruise" it down Central Ave in Downtown Phoenix with the best of em'...  I am so looking forward to him doing that again.  It'll be great.

This little bug he sold me he said he had owned for 30-some years.  He couldn't remember exactly.  I know when we went to the Motor Vehicle Dept. that they said it hadn't been registered for over 11 years.  He said that would be about right.  He and his wife used to drive it regularly until sometime back then.  It always ran fine.  It just became an "extra" and they didn't want to part with it, so he drained the gas, treated the engine with some solvent of some sort, put it up on blocks, and covered it up by the backside of the house where it has been sitting all these years.

I took it to my facility where I like to play with old classic/collectible things of all sorts, and commenced to get it back to its former glory. I did a little research and found that the engine in this car is an early '65 that matches the car, rated at 40 horsepower, and that the expected compression should be at or near 100 lbs for each cylinder, which I could hardly wait to find out on this little ol bug. I first drained the oil pan of all oil for 2 days, removed the oil screen and assembly completely, cleaned all surfaces inside and out (it actually was impressively clean inside and the oil wasn't at all what I expected). I cleaned out the tank (mostly just old dust), cleaned out the fuel line from the tank all the way back to the fuel pump, replaced the fuel pump with a new one (including the pump mount made of Bakelite)and two gaskets, replaced all rubber fuel lines, added a new fuel filter,  installed new plugs (NGK), and had the carb rebuilt at the best shop in town (Rod's Carbs).

After determining that there was no more residual "old" oil remaining in the oil pan and the screen was ready to be reinstalled and sealed real good I opted for the 40 weight oil suggested in the repair manual, over the 30 and also the multi-viscosities due to the extreme heat here this summer in Phoenix .... 108- 114 the last couple of weeks.  Once that was completed it was time to do the compression test (the new plugs were not in at this time)......... ready for the drumroll.......... 100-120 on all four holes.......yesiree bob..... you gotta love it !!!!  I couldn't wait to get those plugs in and see how well it runs.....  The results are in and they are fantastic.  I took it out for a drive just today with a friend and we had a blast from the past experience......  that little engine just runs so good, and the clutch is perfect.... and so is the transmission.... I could teach a 12-year old how to drive this car... it's that smooth and easy.  In fact I was about 13 when I first drove a 1960 VW Bug convertible... I remember it like it was yesterday.  It had the same simple shift to it.... and could turn on a dime.... what a bunch of fun these cars are....... let's hear it for the Beetle....YEA!!!

Well, anyway, this little Bug is as I described "rust-free".  The pan underside is so originally straight and without any rust or decay or rot or whatever.  The battery tray is likewise, clean and dry.

The glass is all good.  There are two star chips on the windshield.  They are small but they are there.  The windows roll up and down without any resistance.  Chrome is good (especially the rear bumper), rubber seals and trim is still supple and doing its job properly.  The sunroof rolls back and forth fine with a little help.  The worm gear is getting a little loose on the crank handle.  All the upholstery (seats, door panels, carpet, headliner, etc. is in exceptional condition for its age.  Obviously the seats have been redone long ago with a material that is not the original but they were done nicely and they are still in beautiful condition.  The headliner has a few stains.... nothing major, but too aggressive of a cleaning might tear the material so I opted to leave it alone.  It's not ugly.  I'm just too much of a perfectionist...

What you see in these pictures is the car in its "just pulled out of storage" look.  It has a soft "patina" to a very old repaint (see additional comments below).  The paint has held up very well thru the years, with no visible signs of cracking, serious flaking, or other embarrassing flaws.  It is very presentable with this original looking patina just the way it is.  If you look closely you might notice that I buffed a portion of the roof with some compound just to see what kind of shine was under the soft white paint...... it looks very promising.  I do however prefer the look of the old patina, and that seems to be the thing these days with the collectors..... so I stopped where I was and it can still go either way... depending on what look you want.

It runs great.  It shifts effortlessly.  The steering is nimble and smooth.  The exhaust is VW quiet and original.  The speedometer and gas gauge work perfectly.  The radio even works.  In fact when I first turned it on it was playing an oldie on Kool radio... how's that for nostalgia?

NOTE:  I do have the front bumper, however, without the overrider bar or the vertical pieces.

             I do have the passenger windshield visor.  It wouldn't stay up for the pictures.

             I do NOT have the piece of trim molding that goes down the center of the hood.

BIG NOTE:  the miles on this car are "Original" miles.  It is stated on the title as "Box A" miles (less than 100,000 and original). It also matches the odometer, which is in perfect working order, as I checked it today and verified its operation, as did a passenger as witness.

Now to point out some concerns:  there is evidence that somewhere in this car's history it collided with what I suspect might have been the rear bumper of a truck or some other item that stood about that high.....  why you ask?  Well, just inside the front sheet metal of this car there is evidence that someone attempted to bump and grind here and there.... and there is a dent on the front side of the fuel tank... right where the spare tire would have slammed into it after being pushed in real hard by some foreign object.  The reason I think it had to be higher up is that the sheet metal at the bottom of the trunk area is clean and without damage, but up higher I can tell that they tried to bump back into shape some of the metal on each side wall on either side of where the tire would have been positioned.  They must then have replaced the hood and possibly both front fenders.  I can't be sure on the fenders.  They look to be the original ones... even the coating on the underside of the wheelwell arches looks original.  The front bumper only has a small dent that has bent it so as to not fit the brackets properly.  I have the bumper and I am going to see about getting it fixed so I can reattach it.   I do not have the front overrider bar for the front bumper.  The car was repainted apparently when this accident took place, and that was back before the fella I purchased it from owned it so he didn't have any personal history on any such accidents with the car. 

If you would like to know more about any item on the car or pictures of any specific angle or shot please feel free to contact me and I will attempt to satisfy your needs asap.

I will assist in any way possible to accommodate buyer's shipping agents/drivers/etc. I will make the vehicle available for inspection prior to auction's final hours.  Please be considerate and do not wait until the final moments to request a personal inspection or additional pictures.

Deposit on this vehicle per this auction shall be calculated at 20% of the final winning bid amount and shall be paid within 48 hours of auction's end.  Balance of payment shall be required within five (5) additional days after the initial two (2) day deposit period.

Thank-you to all who view this little Beetle, and especially to those who bid in hopes of giving him a new home.