1975 Volkswagen Beetle

First registered in October 1975, this 1300cc Beetle - with EU-spec carburettor-fed motor, as identifiable by the iconic ‘pea shooter’ exhausts - is a charming and fantastically-presented example of the venerable late-model Bug, finished in the eye-catching colour combination of Orange bodywork over a Black vinyl interior. 

In fact, the colour is part of what makes this particular Beetle so appealing to collectors and enthusiasts. One of a special run of “Sunshine Beetles” produced by VW for the 1975 model year, the ‘sun bugs’ were available only in Nepal Orange or Sun Yellow, neither of which were available colours for standard production models.

The Sun Beetle also benefitted from numerous standard-fit options, such as a heated rear window, rubber bumper trims, sliding steel sunroof and 15-inch ‘Sports’ wheels, enthusiasts widely regard these models as somewhat of a ‘last hurrah’ for the Beetle, as they were produced during the closing years of EU production and prior to the rationalisation of the Beetle lineup.

Purchased by the current owner in February 2021, this example has been extensively restored during its lifetime, with a full strip-down and spray having been carried out during December 2018 at a cost of over £2,000 in the hands of the former keeper.

In addition to the respray in the factory Nepal Orange, this Beetle has also benefitted from extensive restoration and refurbishment work, including the following work:

• Chassis sprayed in ‘Raptor’ material for longevity and corrosion protection
• Numerous replacement VW Heritage body panels
• Front brake disc conversion kit
• Refurbished wheels
• New bumper mounting plates
• New tie rods and front shock absorbers
• Uprated brake master cylinder + conversion kit fitted
• An interior re-trim
• Fitment of an adjustable front beam

In total, over £10,000 has been spent restoring this gorgeous and eye-catching Beetle to its former glory, with the result being a car that is certain to turn heads and has plenty of potential to win its class at various events and shows throughout the country.

Resplendent in its nearly-new Nepal Orange paintwork, the body of this Beetle is in utterly wonderful condition, thanks to the time, care and attention it has received in recent years, along with the aforementioned new panels courtesy of VW Heritage. 

As far as we can see, there are no obvious dents, dings or impact damage, whilst the paint shows little of the usual wear-and-tear you’d expect to find on a car of this age, with barely a stone chip or mark. There is micro bubbling in some areas if we look hard.

Looking closer, there is some light patina to be found on the various chrome trims and details scattered around the bodywork - such as along the side flanks of the car - though as far as we can tell, all of the trim is present and correct, and the light patina is certainly not off-putting. 

All four of the ‘Sport’ style wheels are in excellent condition, with only a few very small marks noted. The window seals look to be in good order, and the general panel alignment is good, though the nearside door would benefit from some adjustment, as seen in slide 32.

Having been reupholstered as part of the restoration process during 2019, the interior of this classic air-cooled beauty is in great shape, including the late-model ‘soft’ dashboard, two-spoke steering wheel, and even the various graphics on the switches throughout the interior remain in very good shape.

There is some light patina and wear visible on the steering wheel and around the central hub, along with some minor wear visible to the seat bases such as creasing and slight sagging, though this is pretty common on Beetles even after having been reupholstered.

Down below, the carpets are in excellent condition with only the lightest wear-and-tear noted, though the headliner - particularly around the rear window - is in need of replacement or attention due to numerous areas of sagging and degradation. 

The tin-top sunroof is in good working order, and as far as we can tell the area around the sunroof aperture is all in great condition with no signs of corrosion that we can see.

In the rear, the 1300cc, air-cooled flat-four engine looks to be all there. Looking below the engine, there is a slight leak visible around the oil sump pan.

We’ve had the car running here at The Market HQ however, there is a tendency for it to stop if it's left idling for a while.  We would suggest that this engine would benefit from a good tune-up/refresh so it's as good as the bodywork.

Underneath the car, the chassis, floor pan and running gear is good, and it appears the car has barely seen the road since the refresh work was completed. The Raptor-painted floors are solid as a rock as far as we can see, and the side sills, suspension components and beams are all corrosion-free from what we can tell. There is some light surface ‘bloom’ on the exhaust and heater channels, though nothing that seems to be of any concern. 

Despite its age, the car has a current MoT certificate. Dated 11 February 2021, the MoT resulted in a clean first-time pass, with no advisory items.

Included with the car is the V5 showing just two former keepers, numerous invoices for the aforementioned restoration work totalling to over £10,000, two MoT certificates and a set of keys, along with a clean HPI report.

It looks cracking and is benefitting not only from low ownership and low (indicated) mileage, but also being a rare, one-year-only special edition, this Nepal Orange 1975 ‘Sun Beetle’ is charming, eye-catching and wonderful, offering plenty of appeal for enthusiasts, drivers and collectors alike. 

What’s it worth? Well, we estimate in the region of £7,000 to £12,000, which we reckon seems good value for a ready-to-use, late-model, special edition Beetle in this condition. Not to be missed!

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car is located at our headquarters near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, so 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’.