Highlights

One registered keeper from new
Supremely original throughout and unrestored
Benefits from recent servicing and recommissioning

The Appeal

Much like Fiat 500, the Volkswagen Beetle owed its enormous success to simple yet clever engineering. Confining a compact air-cooled engine and gearbox to the rear maximised the size of the passenger cell. While basic, a Beetle was by no means flimsy thanks to the car’s egg-shaped design and separate chassis/floorplan.

While over 21 million Beetles were made, comparatively few good examples survive, especially original cars like this 1972 1300. UK-supplied and with just one registered keeper from new, this car’s provenance is unprecedented and its accompanied by a substantial history file. Around £1,000 has recently been spent on mechanical recommissioning, ensuring this Beetle is ready to driven.

After 52 years, it’s showing signs of age in places, with some corrosion starting to creep in, but we’d take provenance and originality over shiny paint any day. For those seeking a light rolling restoration project or fans of original patina, this would be a great buy.

The History and Paperwork

82,701 miles indicated
One registered keeper from new
Exempt from road tax and MOT testing - (last MOT expired in January 2020)
V5C present
Original VW Service Record
Service stamped up to 57,279 miles in 1988
Recent invoices for mechanical recommissioning, servicing, and most recently, the fitment of a new clutch in June 2023
Supplied new by Colindale Volkswagen
Original dealer window sticker
Original suppling paperwork and book pack present

The Condition

Texas Yellow paintwork in good overall condition
The bodywork looks to be very straight, with the doors fitting and panels aligning as they should
The chromework shows some pitting in places but remains eminently presentable
Some signs of corrosion can be found around the lower bodywork, but this would appear to be predominantly surface rust
The wings are beginning to corrode at the edges in all the usual places, but the rust does not appear to be excessive at this stage
The underside appears straight and solid overall, with some surface corrosion and underseal lifting as you’d expect for an unrestored Beetle of this vintage
OEM steel wheels painted silver and complete with hub caps
New Maxxis tyres fitted in August 2021
Superbly preserved original interior
Radio blanking plate still in place
The correct floor matting has mostly survived and remains in place
There are a few small blemishes to the original Tex upholstery and some age-commensurate wear but they’re eminently serviceable
The original controls, instruments and dashboard
Only the smallest of blemishes present to the original headlining
Very smart door cards
Highly original luggage compartment
The spare wheel still pressurises the windscreen washers

The Mechanics

1,300 cc air-cooled flat-four
Four-speed manual gearbox
Drum brakes all round
Benefits from copious mechanical maintenance during recent years
Well-presented and commendably original engine compartment
New clutch fitted last year
We’re informed that the engine starts readily and runs well
We’re not informed of any apparent mechanical issues

BEFORE YOU BUY

This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following:

✓ The seller is registered as a private seller which means consumer rights stemming from EU consumer protection law do not come into effect. However, you are still covered by Car & Classic’s own Terms and Conditions..

✓ We request that a non-refundable fee be paid if you are the lucky winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted Please refer to our helpful FAQs and T&Cs for specific rates.

✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is Where Is’ basis and without warranty. Photos and descriptions are solely for guidance purposes and it's customary to carry out a full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase for your own peace of mind.

✓ VAT is included in the buyer's deposit. VAT may or may not be included in the final bid or offer price, as specified in the listing.

✓ We want a smooth transaction just as much as you do and as such we run all UK-registered cars and motorbikes for sale on Car & Classic through an online HPI check to verify that they show no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and have no finance owing, allowing you to bid with confidence.

✓ We also check whether vehicles are recorded as being written off as part of an insurance total loss claim at the time an advert is placed on Car & Classic and we helpfully provide write-off category labels (Cat C/D/S/N) for your assistance. However, the presence or absence of a label does not guarantee the vehicle’s status and it is always worthwhile carrying out your own full vehicle history check before making an offer on a vehicle.

✓Buyers are responsible for vehicle collection

or delivery. Importing vehicles may result in additional customs duties and import taxes so it’s worth checking beforehand.. If requested, we may refer you to a third-party shipping company who can help. For more details and to speak to the team, email [email protected]