Vehicle Description
1973 Volkswagen Beetle
In 1973, "Greetings from Asbury Park" was released, Elvis filed for
divorce from Pricilla, Barnaby Jones premiered on TV, and "Tie a
Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" was Billboard's song of the
year. But in terms of everyday life, OPEC mandates a cut in exports
as a result of the Arab-Israeli war. This would set in motion the
move to create smaller, more fuel efficient cars in the years to
come. Volkswagens had been produced since the 50's, so if you
bought a '73 just before the embargo, you were sittin' pretty.
For consignment, a 1973 Beetle with some fresh paint, fresh
upholstery and about 300 extra cc's to help this thing scoot. It's
got a unique paint job and a wheel and tire set up that gives a bit
of a hot rod vibe. Even the dual exhaust the size of the Alaskan
pipeline hints that this little bug is up for some fun.
Exterior
Medium Blue Metallic is highlighted by maroon accents. The
fiberglass hood has Z28 style scoops filled with maroon. The plexi
covered headlights in fiberglass fenders include an amber light
bulb as the turn signals replacing the fender mounted units that
would have been original. This streamlines things a good deal
especially when you realize there are no bumpers on the car. The
vertical windshield leads to a pop-up sunroof with tinted glass.
The side of the car has a bold, maroon Z-shaped stripe, a salute to
the ZZ Top hot rod maybe? Or Zoro? The metalwork including the door
handles, side windows and intake vents on the rear pillar are in
great condition. More vents appear on the deck lid and trunk, also
in contrasting bright metal. Later model tail lights have been
replaced with '62-'67 era lights which may keep tailgaters
guessing. But they're likely to be more focused on the wide fenders
and giant exhaust pipes protruding from the back. 15-inch Weld
DragLite wheels are the car with deeper dishes in the back where we
find Mickey Thompson ET Street tires, and it doesn't get much more
hot rod than that! The paint is very nice and the only
imperfections we found were some minor scratches you would need a
pet eagle to find.
Interior
The wild outside leads to a rather tame interior with very nicely
formed door panels in blue and ivory alternating sections. The door
pull and actuator are pure white. The front bucket seats are in
great shape repeating the pattern of blue and ivory vinyl. The back
bench and surrounding panels and shelf are in fresh shape. The
steering wheel looks original, and the dash has been upgraded to
include many more gauges than would have originally been on a '73.
The VDO gauges relay info on voltage, fuel, oil pressure, and
temperature. A Pioneer AM/FM/Cassette radio in the center above an
ashtray with the shift pattern printed on it. The metal glove box
is dressier than stock. A Hurst Trigger shifter is on the floor.
The loop carpet is in good condition and the white headliner looks
great. The frunk has the gas tank and a spaghetti nest of wires and
otherwise barren.
Drivetrain
A 1900cc engine is fueled by a pair of 1-barrel carburetors and
puts out a consignor-stated 150 horsepower, that's up about 100
from what a stock '73 would put out! There's some chrome dress-up
in the engine bay and everything looks clean. A 4-speed manual rows
the gears and it all stays in the back where 3.875 gears are found.
Dual exhaust are wildly configured on the engine, looking like two
trombones that terminate in big, chrome tips. Disc brakes are up
front and drums are in the rear.
Undercarriage
We see even more of the exhaust configuration and note there is no
muffler. The bottom of the engine looks clean and dry. The rest of
the bottom, in true Beetle fashion, is flat and featureless until
you get to the front where we see the transverse torsion bar. Rear
suspension is handled by semi trailing arms that are
independent.
Drive-Ability
Well after settling into an interior that's a very pleasant place
to be, we crank the rear engine to life. She's a bit grumpy and not
happy at idle but takes on acceleration with more confidence as the
carbs take on fuel. Coming to a stop and there's some bickering
going on back there. But overall, the car moves well and surprises
us with a few backfires out the exhaust. We note the horn is
inoperable and the reverse lights do not illuminate.
This is a snappy little car that could probably use a good tune up,
but is otherwise a nice and tidy package of Wolfsburg's best. It's
got a great stance, some hot rod cues, and a lightweight body that
everyone loves to look at and comment on. I think it was ZZ Top who
sang, "Everyone is crazy 'bout a sharp dressed bug..."
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
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