1971 Volkswagen BEETLE

First registered in our home county of Oxfordshire in October 1971, this 1200 VW Beetle now has a respectably low 71,000 miles on the clock. Even though that’s low for a 48 year old car, you really need to think of this car as having “delivery miles” as it runs and looks virtually as good now as it did when it left the Wolfsburg factory - probably even better in some aspects.

Bought by the vendor a few years back as a barely-running hobby project, he’s not just put in his money but also his labour and love - fully restoring this adorable Bug in his semi-retirement. Roger’s not just your average weekend tinkerer though, he has 58 years professional experience in car maintenance, repair and restoration.

Now that he’s finished this Beetle, he’s out looking for something else to keep him busy for the next couple of years. Luckily for the classic car community as a whole, he’s one of those people who enjoys returning a car to its former glory much more than owning and driving it.

We never use the word perfect to describe the condition of a car as there will always be some minor imperfections, but the recent bare metal respray by Mike Rolls of Fifehead Magdalen is as near to perfect as it could possibly be. A gloss black finish hides nothing; dents and imperfections show up easily but there’s nothing we can see to find fault, the coachwork is very, very good.

There’s a similar story with the chrome trim although some very slight pitting can be seen in places on what is mostly original chrome rather than cheap modern replacement. We understand that a few body panels needed renewing during the resto but they’ve been invisibly grafted into the car with great attention paid to panel gaps and shutlines. Side running boards rubbers are also in good condition and appear to be new parts as are the window seals and trims.

Like the rest of the car, the original steel wheels have been stripped and repainted and the original VW-embossed chrome hubcaps finish the look nicely. All corners and spare are fitted with Kumho winter tyres - so new they’ve still got the painted lines on the tread.

This car also has what looks to be a factory-fitted heated rear window, apparently quite a rare option on Beetles back in the early ‘70s and no, it’s not to keep your hands warm while you’re pushing the car!

As you can see from the photo gallery this newly restored 48 year old Beetle is a real beauty and we could bang on all day about how lovely it is - but you don’t have to take our word for it - this car is located in Sherborne, Dorset - why not use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the page to arrange to get a much closer look.

Unlike most modern cars, there is a good deal of metal bodywork on show inside a Beetle and on this example it is all refinished in the same near-perfect gloss black as the outside of the car.

The dashboard is simplistic but in great condition with original instrumentation and a period-correct Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio paired with a new Bosch retractable aerial. What appears to be the original steering wheel, albeit one usually found on a deluxe model rather than the base 1200, is in good order too with only the burnishing around the rim from use that you’d expect.

The original black vinyl-covered high-back ‘tombstone’ seats are largely unmarked with only a couple of small, almost imperceptible, marks to the driver side. Seats front and rear have been restuffed to once again appear factory-fresh. New period-correct static seat belts have been installed which look far more appropriate than modern inertia-reels would. The rear bench seat lifts up to reveal the battery compartment with new Exide battery, safety cut-off switch, and further evidence of excellent restoration work to an area seldom looked at. Other vinyl items such as the door cards and trims have been replaced.

The grey carpets with contrasting edge trims are all new and looking great. Even underneath them, the floor has been repainted and restored to appear factory-fresh. Additional sound deadening felt was added around the rear to better insulate the cabin from the characteristic rorty exhaust and engine sound. Looking up, the clean and unmarked original headlining has been refitted tight and sag-free along with the original sun visors.

In the engine bay (at the back of course), there’s nothing much to see. No, really, there’s very little there although what is there is extremely clean, tidy and as it should be - almost like new. It’s hard to find a better illustration of “mechanical simplicity” than the engine bay of a classic Beetle.

The front boot (should that be the froot?) is in a similar condition to the engine bay with a mint condition original bonnet and it holds the full-size spare wheel (the tray for the spare having been replaced), original ‘monkey on a stick’ jack and hubcap puller. Lifting the cover at the top of the froot gives easy access to the rear of the dashboard and the wiring for the instruments and fittings. Also thrown in with the car are a pair of VW-approved moon-chairs and, of all things, an official VW apron!

The chassis is original and has never been welded and the underside is so clean you could eat your dinner off it (gravity notwithstanding). All the floor pans, structural elements and suspension components are new replacements or refurbished and repainted originals. A lovely sign of the attention to detail the vendor has put into the restoration is the little yellow painted seals on all the running gear nuts as was done in the factory to show they’ve been torqued up properly and haven’t loosened since.

It’s fair to say that all the parts of this car that wouldn’t usually be visible appear every bit as good as those that are.

What better history highlight could you get than a classic car fresh from a full restoration by a perfectionist with 58 years in the car trade, including 22 years in a specialist VW business and 30+ years in professional restoration as well as a dozen or so personal projects under his belt?

His approach to restoring this Beetle has been where possible to restore and refit original parts and if not replace with original period parts gleaned from autojumbles. Where more essential or practical, such as anything rubber or safety-related, new parts from specialist suppliers were used.

The engine was stripped down, parts cleaned and repainted or powder coated, clutch replaced, the braking system completely renewed (except for the drums which remain in good order) and a new exhaust system with chrome tail pipes fitted. Although almost everything was taken off the car and repaired or renewed, the body remained on the chassis throughout as there was no reason not to. Talking to the vendor about all the work he’s done to this car we’re confident that nothing was overlooked and no corners cut to make a fast buck.

The only significant thing a new owner should be aware of is that as the engine head and valves were in such good order and the likely future mileage would be low, the vendor decided not to convert the car to run on unleaded petrol. Instead, he recommends Castrol Valvemaster Plus be added to the tank to compensate for modern fuel.

As it stands, the car has no valid MOT and although the car is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car tested at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner and any subsequent purchasers but is also invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies.

Whether you’re a serial Beetle owner, a rookie looking to take your first steps in the world of classic motoring or someone somewhere in between, this VW is a great choice. A new owner needs to do nothing but fuel up, splash in some additive and drive away - and as long as you look after the car it should give you many years and many miles of worry-free motoring.

The 1192cc engine delivers around 40 bhp which admittedly isn’t much by today’s standards but speed isn’t what a classic Beetle is about. Whilst the vendor reports that it can keep up with traffic we know it’s at its best puttering lazily around town and country in an austere yet cool-as-hell style.

We’ve seen average asking prices for classic Beetles rise steadily over the last few years with top examples well into the ‘teens and beyond. As this is such a strong car with absolutely nothing to do but drive away, we estimate this car will sell for between £9,500 and £12,000, with the reserve set even lower........!!

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located in Sherborne, Dorset; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.