Anybody here fluent in *very* old VW?

Short version - don't have many details yet.

A co-worker's mother is selling a one-family owned '59 VW sedan. I've seen the car very briefly a couple of times, and at a glance, it appears to be in very good shape. This being the desert, the exterior looks pretty mint, and the interior looks good, though it has been reupholstered once, probably not in original materials.

The ask is $10k. Trying to research the value of something like this has SO many variables, it's hard to pin down a figure.

Aside from the things one looks for on any 55-year-old car, what should I be looking out for to determine if this is a deal or a pass at $10k?

Thanks for your help.

Most important thing on an AC VW, in my opinion, is solid heater channels. They are a bitch to repair. For valuation, try my favorite: collectorcarpricetracker.com

All that said, $10k for a solid 59 sounds fair.

I'll add the condition of the floor pans, particularly under the rear seats.

Those pricing guides are useless, only good for rich auction guys to price their cars for sale and insurance companies to value the prize. Unfortunately, Massachusetts uses NADA as their guide for sale tax valuation, and they only use the highest price/value ! !

Truly screwed towards the state, when are things NOT ? ! ? ! Anyone living in Massachusetts is only living here until their parents die so they can split town or waiting until their house increases in value so that they can sell it to the next IDIOT . . .

If you want to know the real value of the car in the real world, click this link:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/cat.php?id=1

You'll be all set.

The '59 Beetle is nothing special, just an old car. Not an Oval Window, not a high point or multiple change year. Just a regular old ride. Folks usually buy them because they can't afford anything better/rarer/more interesting.

You could help the family out by listing it on The Samba for a quick sale at a more realistic price, but don't buy it for your own use or to fix and flip. No investment value there.

Luck,

TC

TeamEvil wrote: The '59 Beetle is nothing special, just an old car. Not an Oval Window, not a high point or multiple change year. Just a regular old ride. Folks usually but them because they can't afford anything better/rarer/more interesting.

This, I really don't get the value of the 58-67 bugs, they look a lot like the later, cheaper ones, but the 68+ has better everything.

Thanks, folks. This helps a lot!

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

Swingaxle rear and low cost makes for a good Baja. For others, you get the cool bumpers and metal dash for less than the early cars. I never much liked the late plastic dash.

I thought you wanted IRS for (serious) offroad use as you can get way more travel and strength out of it?

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

My understanding was that the exact opposite was true. You want IRS for the ride, handling and tire wear, but swingaxle for strength and travel. I'll have to consult the Googles later.

I know the early pre ball joint front suspension is preferred for off road work. Stock for stock the swing is probably better off pavement, but there is a near infinite number of aftermarket trialing arms and axles available for the IRS. Also, all the aftermarket desert/sand geearboxes are for IRS.

Kenny_McCormic wrote:

TeamEvil wrote: The '59 Beetle is nothing special, just an old car. Not an Oval Window, not a high point or multiple change year. Just a regular old ride. Folks usually but them because they can't afford anything better/rarer/more interesting.

This, I really don't get the value of the 58-67 bugs, they look a lot like the later, cheaper ones, but the 68+ has better everything.

I've had over a dozen ACVW's, and none were newer than 1966. There's a lot of little things that add up to the earlier a car is, the cooler it is in a way that you can't justify with money.... smaller tail lights, window size, etc.

The newer they got, the more they assimilated into a normal car with exterior fuel fillers, padded dashes, high back seats, gas gauges, sun roof vs sliding rag top, etc.

IMHO it's like the difference between a 1963 and a 2003 Impala....

PS I'll gladly leave the later cars for baja / kit car guys to chop up into never finished half put together projects.

Two more big areas to look at for a 59 Bug: Under the rear seat. The battery sits there and is a prime rust / rot spot. Also look at the nose inside the trunk carefully. You will have to pull out the spare to check. This is a common rust and damage repair area.

Making a Baja out of a 59!?!? No way. That's a solid classic and really should not be messed with.

A cool old car if it is in good condition. They get decent money for the super simple car they are. Not much on the freeway or a hill with a 36 hp motor but fun to put around in.

I find old vw's understand just fine if you swear at them in 'murican.

My dad had a 1956 bug convertible that he brought over directly from Germany when he was stationed there in the Canadian air force. If I remember right(only five years old then)VW wasn't yet exporting convertibles so this car got a lot of attention. It had a six volt battery and in cold Canadian winters dad used to bring the battery in the house every night as well as doing the same once he arrived at at work the next day. We had that car for seven years and then we bought the first of our two Corvairs. My dad had a thing for air cooled rear engines, but unfotunately never owned a Porsche.

That's a coinincidence. My first car was '56 convertible. I suspect you are correct about the not importing them, because it had semaphores (that didn't work) and front turn signals screwed into the fenders.

So Evan- did you buy the Vdub?

Kenny_McCormic wrote:

TeamEvil wrote: The '59 Beetle is nothing special, just an old car. Not an Oval Window, not a high point or multiple change year. Just a regular old ride. Folks usually but them because they can't afford anything better/rarer/more interesting.

This, I really don't get the value of the 58-67 bugs, they look a lot like the later, cheaper ones, but the 68+ has better everything.

Gotta disagree with that. The '68 was the first year with the cheap bumpers. The '67 was the first year with the standup headlights and it had a clean looking rear deck. It was also a 1500 cc so stronger than the previous cars. The interiors started getting more plastic with the '68s. I think the '67 is the best to have as a classic, though some may prefer the earlier, covered headlights or the small rear window.

Basil Exposition wrote: Gotta disagree with that. The '68 was the first year with the cheap bumpers. The '67 was the first year with the standup headlights and it had a clean looking rear deck. It was also a 1500 cc so stronger than the previous cars. The interiors started getting more plastic with the '68s. I think the '67 is the best to have as a classic, though some may prefer the earlier, covered headlights or the small rear window.

I fully agree. The 67 is also the first year of the 12v system, the last year of the metal dash and the first year of the high back seats (if you don't like wiplash). 67 was also the last year of the swing axle (which might not be great, but they are simple), also the only year with a rear (very small) z-bar. (if I am remembering correctly)

68 also had some weird electrical thing I don't remember. I find the 67 and the 69 the best years from a driver / safety / classic standard.