1971 Volkswagen Beetle

We are delighted to be offering for sale an original right-hand-drive Beetle, and one which has just completed half a century on the road.

Our seller bought the car a little over four years ago and during his ownership he has lavished it with care, attention, and a good deal of cash. Most noticeable was the engine rebuild.

Go back a little further in the car’s ownership history and a full rebuild took place. There are pictures in our gallery of the work taking place, in around 2015 from what we gather.

Our seller has enjoyed the car but is now no longer using the car very much. Rather than leaving it languishing in his garage, he would rather pass it on to someone with the time to use the car as it was intended.

We are told it drives well, but for those unacquainted with Beetling, the driving experience is quite unique. The pedals jutting out of the floor take a little getting used to, but once accustomed, they readily become second nature.

The spindly gear lever moves around its narrow gate with delightful mechanical precision and the steering is light, if a little vague.

Beetle handing is a little individual too, the result of the engine slung out over the rear wheels. It is not a car that likes to be hurried, more a car to gently potter about in on a fine summer’s evening.

It is such a simple car mechanically, that most jobs will be within the reach of the competent DIY enthusiast. Parts are readily available too and not expensive. An ideal starter classic perhaps?

Our seller is not sure whether ‘Clementine Orange’ is the car’s original colour. He seems to think it may have been red when it left the factory. No matter, as it’s a striking hue and one which suits the Beetle really well in our opinion. It certainly catches the eye.

Looking through the invoices which accompany the car, we can see various repair panels were fitted where required. We are told a professional bodyshop carried out the work, but there is no paperwork to confirm this.

What we do know is that it appears to have been a job well done, the paintwork still having a vivid lustre to the finish. We can spot some micro blistering in places if you look carefully.

The chrome all looks nice and shiny, just as well as there is plenty of it.

It’s a simple interior, with nothing superfluous to distract.

The vinyl seats look in fair condition, being covered as they are in a material built more for longevity than luxury. Perhaps a bit of a steam clean wouldn’t go amiss. There is some splitting of the material to the outside edge of the driver’s seat cushion.

Door cards and headlining look fine.

There is a period Radiomobile radio/cassette player fitted, though our seller tells us that it is not connected.

Simple floor covering does the job, being designed more for durability than looks.

The modest front boot area houses a matching spare wheel. The fuel tank looks in good order, having been replaced around seven years ago. However, a word of warning, please don’t crash your Beetle or you will end up with a lap full of unleaded.

There is also a small, carpeted area behind the back seat, not very accessible but useful extra luggage capacity, nonetheless.

The engine bay appears clean and tidy and is nicely filled by that peppy 1.2-litre engine. Fire it up and there’s a distinctive Beetle soundtrack to enjoy. You won’t be pinned back in your seat by the acceleration, but the engine is known to be a reliable and simple unit and as we have already mentioned has been recently rebuilt.

We always include plenty of photographs of a car’s underside and that is the case here. We would suggest pausing a while and taking a good look. It all looks in decent shape to us, but there are some signs of surface rust appearing in places.

We would be inclined to get the Beetle up on a ramp, give it all a damn good clean, reapplying underseal where necessary. Prevention is undoubtedly better than cure.

We have already told you about the car’s restoration by the previous owner and the invoices for the many parts used are in our photo gallery for your delectation. He spent a considerable sum of money.

Our seller kept up the good work, focussing on the mechanical side of the car. To that end a new clutch was also fitted during the engine rebuild. All the invoices from our seller’s time with the car are included in the gallery.

So, to sum up the work done:

• 2014 – new fuel tank

• 2015 – body work restoration and rebuild

• 2018 – engine rebuild (costing over £3,000 and was carried out by BeetleLink in Hampshire), new clutch, new battery, wipers, and wheel bearings.

• 2018 – new Solex carburettor and service

• 2019 – service including rocker cover gasket

The vendor has also advised that the previous owner sourced most of his parts (including new front beam suspension and four wings) from VW Heritage. Approximately three years ago the current owner fitted Securon inertia reel seatbelts, and a Dynamo and volt regulator were fitted (costing £400+) in May of this year.

The last MoT was carried out in November 2017, the Beetle passing with no advisories. The mileage then was 61,172. Just under 2,000 miles have been covered since.

Looking through the old MoT certificates, they would seem to support the fact that the mileage is correct, but we can offer no guarantee. We are told the car was stored for very many years which may help to explain the modest miles recorded.

The original instruction manual is present and correct, a lovely touch and there’s even one for the radio too.

This striking and usable classic Beetle has had a lot of time and money spent on it not only by our seller, but also its previous owner. The hard work has been done and the car is ready to drive away and have some fun with.

Simple to work on and modest part prices will ensure that the lucky buyer can afford to keep it in tiptop condition without breaking the bank.

It’s a car that will bring a smile to your face every time you jump behind the wheel and that bright colour will ensure you get noticed.

We estimate that the Beetle will sell for between £7,000 and £10,000, so put in a bid without delay.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’