Million $$$$ Beetle

[capngrog]

This is almost too good to be true.  Is this really a 23 mile 1964 Beetle or a really good restoration?  If it's really a 23 mile Beetle, is it worth $1,000,000.00?

My suspicious nature was tweaked when I noticed that the top of the ad claims that the Beetle is being offered by a "Private Seller", but at the bottom of the ad, the contact phone number is that of a dealer (Burback Motors).

 

Anyway, here's the link:  https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/volkswagen/beetle/2171078.html?refer=saturday

 

Whatever it proves to be, it looks like a really nice Beetle, but a million bucks?  Nah.

 

Cheers,

Grog

[billorn]

Maybe one to many 0s?

[padgett]

I have two $500,000.00 cats...

[CarlLaFong]

Seems a tad high but, with the EZ Payment Plan, it's a mere $10,151 a month

[capngrog]

Can anyone tell if the tires on the $$$$ Beetle are bias ply or radials?  I looked, but I couldn't tell one way or the other.  I don't believe radials were an option in 1964, were they?

 

Cheers,

Grog

[SC38dls]

There is a fellow with a mid 60’s vette that shows up at Lexington KY cars & coffee that has less than 30 miles on it. It was originally purchased by a coal mine owner and he like it so much he put it in his office. When he passed and the mine was either closed or sold his wife sold the car. The only miles the new owner has put on it is getting it on and off the trailer. He did have to have the engine and trans redone as every seal was dried out. He does start it regularly now. Beautiful car but just a true trailer queen. Not what I would want. 

Dave S 

[joe_padavano]

Legitimate or not, the "million dollar" asking price has done wonders for publicity for this sale.  Ya think maybe that's why they did it???

[Guest]

I find it hard to believe that the tires could be original but Continental is a German owned tire company.

They are bias ply.

Of course with this mileage the car does show beautifully, except for the muddy foot print on the brake pedal! (somebody needs their butt kicked for that blunder )

I can't see it bringing a dime over $900,000.

 

[Ozstatman]

In the Don Garlits Museum is a 27 mile Karman Ghia. Wonder if it's worth $1M?

 

[Gunsmoke]

I believe it to be the real deal, but a million $? As for the tires, I bought a '31 Chevrolet project car 10 years ago to restore. It was last driven in 1967, and that same year the PO put a brand new set of 6 Goodyear tires (incl sidemounts) on it before he put it up for the winter, never to be licensed again. When I bought it, the tires had 0 miles on them, most still had their paper labels. Since car had been garaged for 42 years, rubber on tires was like new. I've since driven the car perhaps 1500 miles and tires still look like new, no hardening, no cracks, tubes hold air very well, etc. So tires on VW would be likely fine. However, seals, gaskets, and some other things might need serious and expensive attention after sitting for 50+ years. 100K might be reasonable for a VW lover. 

[maok]

Maybe the original Herbie or the 1st off the production Beetle may fetch $1m  but WoW! It doesn't even have a weber on it...?

[Pfeil]

11 hours ago, capngrog said:

Can anyone tell if the tires on the $$$$ Beetle are bias ply or radials?  I looked, but I couldn't tell one way or the other.  I don't believe radials were an option in 1964, were they?

 

Cheers,

Grog

Those tires are bias 4 ply Continental WW. When I was a VW line mechanic and later a VW unit repair ( engine and transaxle ) mechanic we had a whole lot of them around as takeoff's. New tires taken off new cars, usually replaced by Michelin XZX tires. We sold them new/used for about ten bucks.

The VW in the pictures should be preserved and used only for exhibit and for a guide for restoring a proper Deluxe Left hand drive Type 113.

 I bet the Wolfsburg Werks Museum would like that one.

Edited September 30, 2018 by Pfeil (see edit history)

[54vicky]

for that money you would think it would include a set of hubcaps,

[John348]

10 minutes ago, 54vicky said:

for that money you would think it would include a set of hubcaps,

 

The hubcaps were in a box in the photos, they were to be installed by the dealer upon delivery

[MarrsCars]

I'm a bit late to the conversation as always but this car is a legit 23-mile example (it was 22 but made some rounds of the local Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance) and the current owners are good friends of mine who also own Burback Motors, which is an indie shop specializing in Mercedes-Benz and they have done work on my '62 coupe. This was a family car that was inherited. It is really something to see, as said above the hubcaps have never been fitted and it even has a printed info card that's folded over one of the sun visors that even many Beetle experts have never seen before so it really is THE one to use for comparisons for a restoration. 

Is $1-million too high? Some would say yes, I say no... just try to find another one. 

[mike6024]