Vehicle Description
1968 Volkswagen Beetle
How "big" was the original Beetle? For the 1968 model year 399,674
cars were sold in the United States with nearly 10,000 of those
being cabriolets. Bigger bumpers, vertical sealed beam headlights,
taller taillights that included reverse lights and for the first
time, the fuel fill was moved to the fender after being under the
hood from the start.
For consignment, a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle that was a California car
up until about 2002 when a father bought it from his son and
shipped it east. How's that for a twist? It had just gone through
paint, body, and engine work in California was well sorted when it
arrived and has remained in the same family since 2000.
Exterior
Our Beetle is finished in Ivory which is complemented by chrome
features including the headlight rings, handles, midline trim on
the hood, bumpers, and marker light housing, all in great shape.
It's also contrasted by dark features such as the window trim,
bumper braces, fender beading, running board, and of course, the
tires. What we're saying is that Ivory is a fantastic color on this
car! VW hubcaps adorn the color keyed 14-inch steel wheels and we
note some chipping on a few of them. The body is straight and so
are the gap lines and few imperfections exist. We note a paint
drip, an area of orange peel, a scuff, and a crack in the
paint.
Interior
The black vinyl door cards are clean and mostly straight with some
separation on the edge from the body colored door. Tall backed
black cloth seats are lined in black vinyl including the headrest
and look to be in good shape as does the rear bench which is
upholstered in the same velour like cloth. Basic configuration is
found from the steering wheel forward, all in clean and tidy
condition, a single gauge in the sightline relaying speed, fuel,
and miles traveled. An ivory mesh grille is embedded in the black
plastic dashboard and matches the painted glove box for a clean and
coordinated presentation. Looped carpet mats in black cover the
floor where we find the shifter with some patina on shaft and knob,
the shift pattern is on the dash as a reminder. The white
perforated headliner is in decent condition save for the dome light
which has come loose and is hanging but the wire. The visors look
good and the "frunk" is covered in a remnant carpet piece in black
and has a spare.
Drivetrain
Out back, we pop the rear engine cover to find a very clean 1600cc
flat 4 cylinder powerplant fueled by a 1-barrel carburetor and tied
to a 4-speed manual transmission which keeps the spin to the back
and 4.125 gears. Drum brakes are on all four wheels.
Undercarriage
Starting from the back, the headers and exhaust pipe have typical
surface rust, enter a stock style muffler then exit via a longer
than normal tailpipe. We also note some oil on the transaxle but
from there it's clear sailing as clean belly pans cover the rest of
the underside. Wheel components are clean and rubber boots are
intact. VW suspension consists of transverse torsion bars in the
front and semi trailing arm with torsion bar in the back.
Drive-Ability
There's a 90% chance I was brought home from the hospital in a
mid-60's Beetle after being born so this all seems very familiar,
except for the diaper. Anyway, the upright and no nonsense Beetle
interior is stoic and at the same time, playful. The car started
right up, runs well, tracks and brakes well, and all functional
items worked as they should. We return to the mall after a short
drive because it's my naptime. While Classic Auto Mall represents
that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we
cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of
your purchase.
Here's a clean Beetle that needs nothing other than a new caretaker
to enjoy. These tossable little classics will never go out of
style, will never cease to garner smiles and attention, and will
always be collectible. You don't have to be an expectant mother to
want this car, and it will be a little bundle of joy for whomever
takes it home!
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
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
