Description
1962 Karmann VW Beetle Convertible
Here is an opportunity to buy a very special and quite remarkable survivor car. Having spent most of its life in California this rare Karmann cabriolet was brought to the UK around 2015. The previous owner, a VW enthusiast had intended to restore the car himself but other projects took over and we were lucky enough to buy the car in early 2019.
The car presented quite poorly having been given an amateur respray in matt black which even extended to the interior and seats. The previous owner had tried to remove some of this black and beneath there were glimpses of the car’s original Yukon yellow paintwork. Crucially, a thorough inspection of the body and chassis revealed an incredibly solid car – the result of a lifetime spent in a dry climate. All of the notorious structural weak points eg heater channels were rust free having never been welded. In addition to this the car came with many hard to find parts including the cabrio-only rear view mirror, glass rear screen and a working Dehne fuel gauge. The side windows even wore their original 1960s parking permit stickers.
With such a complete, solid and unmolested car we embarked on a process of meticulous conservation to preserve as much of the car’s originality and patina as possible. Most of the restoration work was done by VW patina restoration expert Mark Walker, with additional help from Hampshire based Dubworks. Mark painstakingly removed all of the black paint to reveal the factory yellow paint underneath and strove to retain as much original paintwork as possible. The majority of the original panels were also saved with dents carefully removed.
While some new paint had to be applied it was expertly blended in to match the look and patina of the original factory paint. But we estimate at least 60% of the original paintwork has been retained.
The car still has what we believe to be the original hood so this has been retained and repaired rather than replaced. The frame is in very good original condition and the hood folds back exactly as it should. The majority of the original interior has also been retained and cleaned but replacement door cards have been fitted in the correct colour scheme. Some but not all of the original carpet has survived. This will be supplied with the car along with a new carpet set for comfort.
The brightwork has either been restored or replaced – where possible with period correct original parts. As per the specification on the car’s birth certificate, the wheels (Inc Spare) have been painted Pastel Green and Cream and a new set of Michelin 155TR15X Tyres have been fitted with a whitewall applied.
Mechanically, the car has received a most comprehensive refresh in our workshop, including a fully rebuilt 1200cc engine from CoolAir VW, including new carburettor and a host of other new parts. All mechanical and operational aspects of the car have been carefully and thoroughly attended to regardless of cost, and the car will come with MOT to January 2021.
All in all, this is a truly unique and perhaps unrepeatable opportunity for the patina enthusiast to acquire one of the rarest and most coveted Beetle cabrio models, seldom seen for sale in the UK, with guaranteed distinction to stand out from the rest, and all structural and mechanical elements in fine order.
Please note: This car will be featured in an upcoming episode of Salvage Hunters Classic Cars with Drew Pritchard and Paul Cowland, and we would be keen for the new owner to potentially appear on camera purchasing the car from our presenters
Please email using the button below if you wish to view or have any questions. Car is located just outside Banbury, Oxfordshire.
