1974 Volkswagen Beetle

That brings us to this, the 1974 VW Beetle. The car’s got seven former keepers, but it’s got a low mileage, and comes with two sets of keys and the usual paperwork: MoT history, service invoices, etc. It’s not the most original or time-capsule example, but for someone who wants to enjoy the Beetle without thinking too much about hurting its value, this can be a great choice. To further sweeten the deal, given that it’s pre-1980, one doesn’t need to pay to tax it, and it’s MoT-exempt, too.

The vendor bought the car through The Market by Bonhams last Spring and planned to restore it however, due to excessive workload and time constraints he wants to let someone else enjoy it.

We understand it’s had an engine rebuild done, but the list of upgrades doesn’t end there. Look closely and it’s running non-standard wheels, and it’s even got angel-eye headlamps. There’ also a retro-looking modern head unit, complete with Bluetooth and telephony features, to make living with the car even easier.

When VW gave the Beetle a facelift at the end of the sixties, the sloping headlamps made way for upright units. The same are present on the 1600 as can be seen here, although these have been further updated with a more modern lighting setup. The tail lamps are also the classic slimmer units, and not the wider ones which were made available with the 1303.

The Beetle’s shape is referred to as iconic and it really is. The car hasn’t just been ubiquitous, but it’s also played a substantial role in car culture around the globe; it’s a veritable motoring icon. Safe to say, it can’t be mistaken for anything else, either.

The vendor mentions that this car has got upgraded wheels. With whitewall tyres, these do add to the overall look of the car. The black paint is far from spotless, but one must keep in mind that this is almost half a century old. There are age-related marks, which you can’t ignore. The vendor correctly summarises, ‘it is a tidy example, but obviously not a concours-ready one’. You can take a look at some of the close-up photos in the gallery to get a fair idea of the car’s condition. Some rust is also present on the car; for instance, it’s clearly visible on the rear bumper mounts. The paint around the sunroof and near the scuttle (right under the windscreen) appears to be damaged, too.

With the Beetle 1303, VW switched to a safer and more modern-looking padded dashboard. But on this 1974 example, it still has the classic unit, which mightn’t hide its age but certainly looks very cool. The steering too is a retro wheel from the T1 Beetle (D-ring wheel). It looks marvellous, especially with the old dashboard. Other fittings complement the overall look, like the reupholstered bucket seats and the rear bench.

The cabin is modernised with the inclusion of a retro-look audio unit. It’s Bluetooth-compatible and resembles the Blaupunkt/Becker systems of the past. Its brand is not clear, but it does get a remote control and the ability to play a variety of mediums (USB/Bluetooth/RADIO/Aux). The car also gets a Webasto manual sunroof.

The thing with the Beetle is that it’s not a very heavy car, its parts are easily available, and it makes even the shortest of drives fun. This one shouldn’t be any different. Especially with a 1584 cc engine, which was fitted in 2008. The air-cooled 1584 cc boxer (horizontally opposed) four-cylinder unit originally made 50 horsepower and was claimed to reach 60 miles from a standstill in under 20 seconds. Hardly quick by modern standards, but we’re talking about a Beetle here!

It’s under a tonne, which means extracting every ounce of that performance will be rewarding. The inclusion of a short shifter means interacting with the gearbox will be even better, and one will spend less time switching gears. Talking of gears, it’s got a dog-leg reverse and four forward gears in the usual H-pattern. Too difficult to remember that? There’s a nice sticker on the dashboard, right next to the gear lever, in case you forget.

The only downside is that, apart from the usual age-related marks outside, the car does have rust underneath, which is also mentioned in the MoT history.

This Beetle comes with MoT history and service records. According to official paperwork (V5C), the car was first registered in the year 1974. Since it’s MoT-exempt now, the last MoT test report is from 2016. If one were to take a look at its history, it’s clear that the car, which had clocked about 35000 miles in 2005 but did less than 10,000 miles in the last 15 years hasn’t been driven much.

The last MoT test it went to before it got the exempt status, was failed. The reasons, according to DVLA’s record are largely reports of excessive corrosion. This is for the rear and front sections of the car, on the chassis and/or the outer body. It had an advisory for the rear brake pipe as well.

The supplied invoices mention some work that was done in 2004/05. It got new Federal tyres in 2011. The car got its reconditioned engine fitted in July 2008. Extensive interior work was done, which according to the invoice, cost the owner nearly £4k. This was for leatherette seats and mats with burgundy piping. In 2016, the car got its stainless-steel tailpipes and new clamps for the exhaust.

This car, the 1974 Beetle, is a low-mileage example that can be a great way to get into classic car ownership. With a rebuilt engine and other aforementioned improvements, it’s bound to make the new owner’s life very easy. The other benefit is that it’s one of the better-performing models that came from the factory, so it’ll work well as a ‘daily’, too. It is MoT exempt, and following the same clause, you won’t have to pay ULEZ charge, either.

The redone interior means the car’s age doesn’t get in the way of comfort. And since it has the classic dashboard and steering, it has a lot more old school flavour than other cars from the era.

The car, while not ‘mint’, looks clean from the outside. The classic shape works well, even with the upright headlamps. The chrome bumpers are largely spotless, too. But it’s not rust-free, this Beetle. And while that will not affect its MoT status, it’ll be a good idea to get that sorted. The surface is okay, though; it’s largely the underside.

There’s a lot to appreciate on this one: from the raspy exhaust note synonymous with Beetles to the way the engine sings under load. There’s also a short-shifter to make changing gears a more enjoyable experience. From what we see, it looks like a classic car for the people; a volks klassisch wagen, if you will. As a result, we estimate this vehicle will sell somewhere between £6,000 - £9,000.

Viewing is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), and this particular car is located with us in Abingdon. We are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.