The VW Beetle was initially designed to provide cheap transport for the population of Germany. They were built in the Wolfsburg factory and became an instant success in Europe, Britain, America and virtually every other country in the world.
The model evolved through various facelifts and numerous mechanical changes - at the last count there were more than 70,000 modifications. They provided a platform for other models, including commercial vehicles and coach built derivatives such as those by Karmann-Ghia.
It was this constant development and attention to detail which allowed the Beetle to maintain its position in the car market, and as production raced past the 15,000,000 mark, the Beetle went on to be crowned as the best-selling car of all time, surpassing the model T.
This example is a true survivor of the iconic 1960’s version and has a huge, loyal fanbase and excellent spares availability making it an ideal, affordable to run classic car.
Indicated mileage is believed to be genuine, but the vendor cannot confirm this
Somewhere along the line, the paperwork for this endearing car was mislaid. There are MOT’s on the DVLA website going back to 2008 and the car was registered in the UK in 1971. Prior to that would need a bit more investigating. Somewhere in the car's history we do know that the car went through an in-depth recommissioning as it is in good mechanical and structural order.
The mileage during that time rose slightly from 23,286 to the current 26,215 which shows the car was regularly run short distances to keep everything working.
The car's interior is true Beetle, very much a utility space with nothing added that isn’t entirely necessary. The heating is activated by turning a valve next to the handbrake. This was the primary heating in cars of this year.
There is a factory fitted speedometer as an added luxury feature in this year was a petrol gauge. Prior to this you needed to take a chance and hope for the best, turning on the reserve tank which held just under a gallon to get you to the nearest petrol station.
There are signs of discolouration in some areas of paintwork under the dash and along some of the door edges and footplates that will require attention at some point in the future, the headliner which is sagging at the front and will need securing.
The 4-speed manual shifter knob is correct. There is no radio is installed so the flow of the dash is uninterrupted. The VW Wolfsburg (celebrating the northern German city of its manufacture) steering-wheel- centre emblem is bright and undamaged.
This fantastic 1961 Beetle boasts an attractive aged patina throughout and adds to the quirkiness of these fun cars. As to be expected with this 61-year-old though, there are a few minor blemishes to report on some edges where there are paint cracks and discolouration and the door bottom on the passenger side is bubbling slightly.
The chrome and trim have been well kept over the years, the rear of the bumpers have been painted for protection and left bit of overspray on the extension bars. The window glass and both headlight and taillight lenses look original, and all emblems are present.
The underside of the vehicle appears to be in solid condition and could be improved by more weather protecting if being used when the sun isn’t shining.
This example is just one of the 21 million Beetles manufactured in an air-cooled, rear-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration. The Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single design platform, worldwide. The mechanicals are accessible and easily fixed. Parts are widely available especially when joining a Beetle club.
We have been told by the vendor that all the electrical and mechanical aspects of the car have been very well maintained and work well.
Air cooled engines were simple and reliable, but time and technology have pushed them out of the mainstream. Because they are reasonable priced, thee cars have excellent spares availability and huge enthusiast following, now is the time to reclaim a piece of international motoring heritage by owning this classic '1200'.
This car is all ready to create new memories at car shows, be an everyday driver or adorn the space as part of a display.
It’s an iconic vehicle, known for its quality, reliability, frugality, and charm.
As the 1960’s advert says, “Few things in life work as well as a Volkswagen.”
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1961 Volkswagen Beetle
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