It's true about the stories. I'm only 58, but they were still common when I was 16. My best buddy's mom gave him her old one when he got his license. Needless to say, we spent a lot of time driving around in that beetle.
I just bought a 1974 beetle on eBay. During my test drive I was shocked at how little power it had, the bad braking and the bone shuddering ride. But then I realised its a real car and needs real skill to operate. Respect to classic car drivers they don't need the ABS, power steering, active suspensions and turbo boosts, just good old fashioned driving skills...and a sense of humour
This is true! Driving a classic car is so different from newer cars. There's no real fluff to them, just good ol' solid cars. Not to mention, there's rarely a dull moment when driving a car like a bug. :)
Hello from Germany! Last year I bought a 1997 Mexico VW 1600i with fuel injection in dark green with a sunroof . Even with a Katalysator it still is a beetle and the sound is great. A long dream came true. My parents bought their first car 1970, when I was three years old and I remember this great moment when I see this brand new light blue VW Käfer 1300 with metal sunroof. After 8 years the Beetle left our family and I was very sad. But a friend of mine get to his 18th birthday 1985 one of the last from VW Germany official imported Beetles from Mexico. We have a lot of fun with this car. One time in winter I was sitting next to the driver scratching ice in the inside from the front window but our feet were warm ;-) Now I'm happy to share this moments with my 15 years old daughter and she is already a fan now. Please more videos on your block!
Thank you for sharing! Love how the VW's ran in the family. I've also had to scrape ice on the inside of the windshield on real cold days from the condensation freezing. lol There's rarely a dull moment driving a beetle, that's for sure. :) More videos coming soon, thank you for checking out the channel and commenting!
Love the engine sound in the car. Seeing you drive it everyday makes me want to sell my daily driver and get back to basics with a beetle everyday. I've had idiots pulling out in front of me for years!! I'm guessing they think you're not going fast even thou your on a highway. It makes no sense!! Keep the v-logs rolling!!
Just bought a 71 bug as my first car and I'm 17 - it's so fun to drive just a little terrifying at the same time as the brakes are non existent and it's practically touching the floor - you've earned a new sub!
Congrats on your car! Sounds like your brakes need to be adjusted and possibly replace the master cylinder. I just replaced my master cylinder last week.
There are several low-cost engine and exhaust modifications you can make to wear your car will have no problem going 70 plus miles per an hour on the highway. If all your heater and engine hoses are in place and in good shape you should have no problem getting Heat once the car warms up. 5 to 10 minutes max. As for the brakes, you could convert them over to disc brakes on the front and that would improve your braking efficiency. You have a great looking car and it's definitely worth investing a little to get it up to speed sort of speak
hi Vane i love it that you love your bug and drive it every day. . its way cool. . love the patina over marina blue. i had a 74 marina blue 1300 in the past as well as an early bay bus. its interesting that 2 out of the 3 things you dont like about your bug involve how other people persieve and behave around you rather than the bug itself. i am currently restoring a 84 mexican 1200 with my son and one thing we are doing to improve heating and help against rust is to remove the heat flow from the heater channels and duck it straight into the car from under the back seat. also make sure your thermostat and heat vanes are installed in your fan housing and working properly. if that doesnt help you can get petrol fueled auxillery heaters too. . . love your vids take care.
You're right, my gripe is more with other people that the actual car. lol Thanks for the tips and for checking out the channel! That's really cool you're doing a resto with you son. That'll be some great memories you'll both cherish, no doubt. Take care!
I,ve owned 5 bugs four air cooled and a 99 beetle i have the same passion for them as you seem to they are so much fun to drive. love your blog keep up the good work
You're right. Life's too short to drive boring cars. Mine is a 71 super beetle, me I love to drive it every day. I too get asked questions and told stories.
had a couple of bugs, a van, by far my favorite though was a vw thing. that was the most awesome ve ever. had a gas powered heater for the cold days that kept ya toasty and when it was warm strip everything off and fold the windshield down. it didnt hurt that it also had a 1875 cc so it had more pep then stock, and front disc conversion so it had the stopping power as well.
I´ve just heritage Beetle from my Grand father (he can´t no longer drive), it´s a 1954 Beetle, my grand father was a chemical engineer in Bavaria, here in Colombia. He wrote every peso (colombian dollars) he ever spent on the car and the km because the pedometer only goes to 99.999 max and the stars from 0km; the car has 814.720km to this day and he spend 67´680.000 Pesos (about 22.321 Dollars) in 63 years He drove the Beetle around Colombia in roads where only horses could walk in order to cities and small towns for more than 30 years I am restoring the car and it my daily car here in Medellin Colombia, and hope that it will last ages and ages Un abrazo desde Medellin
WOW! Que chèvre! Not only are you inheriting VW history but family history. That is really awesome! Have you thought about making videos of the restoration? Id love to watch it come to life. Thank you for watching and sharing your story!!! Saludos desde los EU.
Hi, I found your videos a few weeks ago and just now realized that I saw your Beetle at Simple Transport 9. I was looking at your Etsy page and recognized the single cab that you did the lettering on, then I remembered seeing the Beetle. I've loved VW's for as long as I can remember. My first car was an '88 Fox, and last October I bought my first air cooled VW, a 1970 Bus. It's not my daily driver, for the same reasons you mention in your video. Driving it home for the first time was when I found out that its top speed going up a moderately steep hill is 40 mph! It has a little pinstriping on the rear hatch, but sadly it was painted over. The design is still visible because it's slightly raised. Thanks for the great videos!
Very Interesting comments. Either you love it or hate it.Have been living with these small beautiful creatures for a long time now and i absolutely love it. i restored a 73 beetle In Dubai couple of years back and looking to do another one in Sri Lanka soon.
The main problems you have: people tailgating and people pulling out in front of you, are things that everyone experiences. I have a modern car and these things happen to me too! Don't blame that cute little VW!
I just drove my bug to school today alone for the first time! I'm so excited that i can now drive without getting nervous by my dad, lol. by the way, nice video, i saw it before bed and yes! I can relate to all 3 problems, but it's still a beautiful feeling to drive a classic bug.
I remember riding in the back seat of my Aunt's Beetle, it was one of my earliest memories. I have an 82 Rabbit diesel now that I've owned for a couple of years, but I've been looking at the Beetles. I also get people come up to me and my Rabbit at gas stations lol, and thumb's up's while driving etc. Pretty fun. Great video I'll check out more
I absolutely love my '68! The unique purr of the engine takes me back to childhood, along with the uniquely pleasant interior smell. Re heat: For max heat, I discovered opening the rear heat vents (both levers straight up) and cracking open the vent window causes the heat to cook me out. With the window cracked, the heat flows into the cabin easier because of air pressure. The rear vents feel good blowing on the back off your calves. My defrost is crummy, so I just use a towel. Agreed the speed could be a little faster. My car will go 70mph, but the engine screams rpms, so I keep it 60-65, and people don't get upset. My only significant complaint is no A/C, because driving in the desert oven can get unbearable! If the car had A/C, I'd be able to drive it daily. That's really the one thing I'd change. My experience is exactly the same as yours with friendly strangers approaching and reminiscing their happy memories with their own Bugs. It's fun to see people light up with joy and hear their great stories. Old folks will surprise you sometimes. The best upgrade I've done mechanically was upgrading the ignition points (and coil and plug wires) to an electronic Pertronix 3 unit. It goes inside the old distributor just like the old points. The car starts instantly, runs silky smooth, has more acceleration, and runs 35 degrees cooler. The engine should last longer running cool. Sorry if that sounded like a commercial! Lots of people name their Beetles; mine is Ringo.
Ha! Before I even finished reading your first sentence, I was thinking the purr of the engine and the smell! I love the smell, weird as it may be. It takes me back. Nothing like a VW beetle smell. Thanks for sharing the info and checking out the video!
Have you ever considered upgrades?-the drum brakes to disc brakes; Adding more horsepower-changing to a 009 distributor with a pointless ignition system; going from a one barrel carburetor to a progressive two barrel or even a dual 34 carburetor system. Also make sure thermostat is hooked up correctly and all of your air connections to your heater boxes are tight.
I love my 1965, I drive it as much as possible. You are right, people love to pull out in front of me too. It's not like they can't see me or at the very least hear me coming 😂
Hello, Vane...saw you driving and decided to watch--then comment. I have not commented on your VW for some time. You mention the poor heating in the car's cabin. If the thermostatic assembly in the engine is missing (lots of people remove them) that could be a key reason why your heat is not so good. Also, making sure that the flaps beneath the rear seat and those in the front foot-wells are in good working order can greatly improve cabin heating. I see some rust on the exterior of your Beetle. If the heater channels are rusted through, this will completely thwart cabin heating. Otherwise, a Beetle with all of the heating components in place and properly operating will keep you toasty and happy. Happy Motoring, Vane! jay
Thanks for the comment! My heater is actually good, just not as good as modern cars (of course! Wouldn't expect it to be). The rust on the outside is all surface. Its actually a west coast car, completely solid underneath and solid heater channels, I created the faux patina look. I really appreciate the recommendations and your comments! Thank you for watching, happy motoring!
I believe I watched this video a while ago and never commented, just wanted to say I really enjoyed this video. I like the stories that you told. Also thanks for taking us on the ride it was really cool.
I have same problem with rude people pulling out in front of me where I have to nail the brakes. I upgraded my front brakes to disk and put driving lights under the bumper . it helped some but I think people see it and think they don't want to get stuck behind me. I only have 36 hp in my 59. but it will still do 65 and hold it on level ground. it just takes an hour to get there 😄
I'm not sure what hp I'm running, probably around the same, its a 1600 with dual carbs. She'll go 70 easy, sometimes I creep up there and don't even realize it. I just don't like to push her past 60 for too long. :D
I love VW Bugs! I've never had one myself, but friends have had them, and my sister had a 74 Super Beetle convertible that they bought new. I also love manual transmissions, and most bugs are manual shift. One of my friends had a really nice '67 dark green bug in the early 70's, what a fun car! Glad you love yours, have fun with it!
@@vanepinstriping recently I have been thinking about possibly getting a bug, if I can find a decent one that isn't priced too high. They are asking big money these days for used bugs! Yes I did have some good times in the 70's, if I could go back I would try and buy a Bug and bring it with me to 2019! Have fun with yours Vane Pinstriping!
if you look at the entire heater system and eliminate every little gap, opening, and get the right seals and metal bits, you'll have heat with good heater boxes...especially at highway speeds...my uncles 73 and my 74 and 79 all have great heat....
I can definitely relate! I don't have a Bug, but drive a 66 Corvair because as you said, life is too short to drive boring cars! My car isn't fast either, but she has an air cooled rear engine just like your car. In fact lots of Corvair and VW enthusiasts get together at air cooled car shows. The Corvair was at least in part inspired by the Bug. I love the fact that my car is a pillarless hardtop design. no doubt your Bug will run forever with some regular maintenance and TLC ;-)
I am Mexican. Here almost every single family of this country of 110,000,000 population had something to be with a bug. "Vocho". Even richest people used to had one in their garage in some point of their lives. During the 70s and 80s a very chosen option for driving lessons and first car. LOL. .....even the rich ones! We had 3 bugs in our family at diferent times. Now a drive a 2014 Passat. ...but believe me girl. ... no car offers a driving experience than a vw old beetle. The rest of cars. ...(incluiding mine) are comfortable. ...but boring.
MrCesarM XD Not only that. People in new cars in a hurry always seems to be annoyed by the fact a bug low speed. Life is great and these morons think that driving fast is better than enjoy the real life at normal speed
Hello, I'm writing from Perú, I have a brazilian VW Beetle, made in 1976 and I love it. I travel with mi VW around to Perú and I want to travel to other countries. Greetings from Perú :)
Yes :) Normally here en Latin America the argentinian people travel with their VW Kombis from Argentina to Alaska, in USA. Where are you from? Grettings :)
wow! same thoughts with how I also love my bug but not really can say anything I hate about it...other than the drum brakes...there's just so much good vibes and nostalgia it gives to people anywhere I go... there's one weird tradition though here in my country...when people see a VW Beetle, they will tap another persons head when ur not aware and hold a salute sign on the head, Hahaha. the one who doesn't salute gets another tap on the head. its very interesting that it draws respect and love to every people of all ages :)
That's interesting about the tradition, I've never heard that before. Here in the States we have a thing called punch buggy. When you see a beetle you punch the other person in the arm, not too hard tho. lol I find it funny when I drive past people and see them punch each other.
Cool! That tradition must have same roots as ours hahaha, anyways looking forward to more videos, ill share something, i saw vw Buggy near our place and i couldnt help but pull over and chat with the owner hehe, its one awesome buggy
PLEASE continue with your vlogs on the Bug...I subscribed and dig your point of view concerning the Beetle. I wish I could dive a stckshift though, but with a Bug I'm sure it would be easy to master. I'm in! (laugh)...Peace...♐
i have a 68' beetle as my daily driver and i would have to agree with you 100%. its a wonderfull car and i wouldnt part with it despite it surprising me with new problems every week
well, i don't have any issues with my bug... it reaches 75 and even 80 with no problem,but this one has flat pistons which give better compression, electronic fuel injection and disc brakes on the front end. All these features are from the factory. Old carburated bugs are a little slower, but yours can go that fast with a few tweaks and a front disc brake conversion to able to stop it.
Yes, I'm considered converting to disc brakes but I'm just going to leave her as is for now. She will go 70 easy on the hwy without really even noticing it, I just like to take it easy on her.
The broken tabs on the seat rails causing seat to move while accelerating, breaking and cornering. Transmission poping out of gear, (means time to rebuild). Great vid!!
On your heat situation, check your duct tubing under front truck. They rot and flake apart which gets inside opening of heat channels. I replaced mine and blew compressed air through inlet after heat risers. Make sure to put blanket down to catch all the dirt and trash lol, but my heat works great now and have to turn it down after about 30 minutes.
"Life to short to drive a boring car " words to live by I have a 1962 bug but I daily a 1966 mustang and I think that is the worst thing is when people pull out in front because it's a older car and if you replace a lot of the seals for the heater it should hear up quicker and better mine has good heat
I totally agree with the brake situation. It seems like since I have gotten my current bug everybody wants to pull out in front of me. Even with my brakes doing good it is still scary. Seems like no one pulls out in front of me when I am driving the Prius. Also, I remember my old bug having a great heater but, I have only used the heater in the one I have now once. It took a little while but, worked great once it started working.
I don't know what it is about the pulling out in front of the bug! Only thing I imagine is they think its old and slow...which is true. lol But also slow at stopping. Thank you for watching! :)
they're not really that slow for a 60's/70's car [0-60 in 18s]. It's just that they hesitate when you try to accelerate [Herbie style maybe]. It's because the Solex carburettor was a bad design. Top speed should be over 80mph - if the engine is basically fine.
PS. I take my 72’ VW Karman Ghia on short sprints up to 90+ mph. As long as it’s lubed, valves are adjusted correctly it response very well on the road. Light unassisted manual steering, and a torsion bar spring keep both the Ghia and the beetle planted secure on the freeway. Semi’s should be avoided as the draft and effect your handling at higher speeds. Have fun and don’t baby that car, it was designed during WWII to drive up muddy mountain roads and be revved to its sweet spot to function at its best. Maintenance is cheap compared to today computer based autos. Peace!
Amen to the brakes thing! Even though my old VW is a Scirocco, I'm still like "Hey, dude, no ABS on this thing! Why are you cutting me off?" And the 'rocco can actually go fast.
At first I was thinking no way please don't bash the bug 😑but you didn't actually I totally agree with your opinion and I can add the fifth one never live around people who want your vw bugs so bad they wait for you to leave in another vehicle and tighten up your valves and twist your distributor. And I gave them a 1970 vw bug with a new tranny. Go figure that one out
I drive a '64. My 1st car was a '64, way back in '74. My brakes will throw you through the windshield, and my heater will cook you. This is all stock 40 hp. People complain but don't realize that these were once new cars and were perfect! Bad brakes and bad heaters are maint. issues.
if you ever wanted to their are brake conversion kits out their to convert your drum brakes to disk and they work a lot better than the drums and if I'm correct the 70's Beetles had front disk brakes so if you wanted to replace those as well it would make the car stop a lot faster.
Check the adjustment of your heater cables. Your engine should have a functioning thermostat that controls the movement of air vanes in the cooling tin to speed the warming up of the engine and hopefully you're running all original German cooling tin. It was unfortunately common for mechanics to toss the thermostat and air vanes years ago and your car may no longer have the thermostat and / or control flaps. Even air cooled engines can run too cold without the thermostat parts. These cars have plenty of heat when everything is working. Nice Bug!
I have a 72 VW 82k Miles. Matching numbers. 1600cc. Your beetle looks as if it is a 1600cc also. W 36kon the engine? You should have no problem keeping it at 65-75 np. Theses engines are rock solid and very simply design. Very little moving parts and are meant to be revved. That’s why fourth gear is really tall. 1st is a granny gear for quicker off the line starts, 2nd and 3rd are meant to get up to speed, 65 mph. 3rd 4th should be revved until engine sounds strained, 2nd gear up to 35 mph, 3rd to 55-60 mph then to 4th for cruising speed up to 70-80 mph. The flat four horizontally air cooled beetle engine was designed to be driven only without ever lugging the engine. This can make the car seem loud and takes a bit getting used to but it will thank you for it. Remember 1rst=Granny gear, like a mountain road bike. 2 & 3 are to be revved up to speed and tooling around town. Fourth is cruising at 50 on main roads up to 70- 75 on free way. You have to plan your merging and be aware of 90mph modern cars coming up in your mirrors. Other than that you will blend right in. At 65 70mph.
same here on interstate, get right up on me ...what I hate is the wind from a tractor trailer when they pass...heat works good if you get OCD about it like my uncle...his bug wold go 80 and he had heat...car was welded down the middle ! - 73 bug
probably because most of the later bugs come in much better conditions compared to older ones, and then theyre also pretty inexpensive. nice 67 by the way! me and my dad are working on a 1969 baja bug!
Yep, that's one of the big reasons. More affordable and in good condition. I'd love to have a split window early bug someday....but that'll be after I get a split window bus. :)
My two gripes would be no AC in summer, and fact it's a bit slow to accelerate. I don't like to drive very fast, but other people are horrible as you said.
You said it, life’s to short to drive boring cars. Some feel they need turbocharged this and hemi’s that. I plan to make a bus or beetle my daily. There’s not an ounce of hurry in my old soul so I’ve been told many times over the years. I’ve loved busses and beetles since I saw my first one (of each) when I was 5 down in Virginia Beach. 30 years later and I’m still looking for my dream vehicle “my bus” but would definitely be overjoyed to find my dream beetle. VW on lass!! Peace and love.
Things I hated about mine. Getting advice from people who thought they knew more than they do, also running through puddles with the drum brakes. That first stop after needed to be done way in advance to get all the water off them so they actually worked.
LOL, Thank you! You're not the only one. I have a buddy that does upholstery, he tried giving me a free brand new set but I wouldn't take it. I love my seats the way they are.
I note that only one of your complaints about the car was actually about the car itself. Takes too long to warm up on a cold day. All your other complaints were about how everyone else behaves around you when your driving your Beetle. ;-)
I love it. I am looking into getting one. A 72 1600 for 2,500. But I am gonna try to get it a little cheaper if I can. Cheap to maintain and no more car payments
I live in Phoenix, AZ, and rive a '68 Bug. It's my 5th Bug. You don't have to worry about heat here (mine doesn't even have any heater boxes) but A/C would be nice. Not going to happen though. The thing is, you have to love these things to drive them on a daily basis, and you also have to be a halfway decent mechanic, and a good improviser. I also ride a 1978 2 stroke manual shift Vespa scooter. Pretty much the same thing on two wheels. Slow, poor brakes, needs a lot of maintenance, Needs a lot of repairs. Using vehicles like these requires a commitment. It's not like going down to the local dealer and buying a brand new vehicle (though I hear some of those are not so reliable either) There is a reason why drivers of vintage bugs still wave at each other. It takes a lot to keep one going, and anyone willing to put up with all the issues deserves respect.
Gerald Scott hey brother any tips on driving it when its hot out? I just picked up a 72 and I live in El Paso tx hell Paso what the locals call it lol, anyways Id love to know what precautions or what u don't not over heat
I think those three are more like what other people hate about me driving a bug :D Basically their problem... Well, excepting of the brakes but I think it's not only problem of the Beetle... People in modern cars just don't respect others who loves to drive older cars with weaker brakes... Unfortunatelly (I think not only in our country) it's hard to prove someone hit his breaks so hard after getting right in front of you... so only thing you can do is to put your feet down from the gas pedal, just chill and let them enjoy their nerves to the fullest, right? :) PS. if you ever get the idea to think about what you hate about the Bug feel free to wrap it and send it to me :D I'd appreciate all those little "flaws" every single ride :D LOL
Vané some of these encounters you are describing in your video might come out of people just wanting to get a close look at your beetle. Of cores then, well aware of imposing a threat to you as they crawl up just behind your bumper. I guess that some just want a good look, then accelerating out of a dangerous situation. I can´t drive a car due to my poor vision. I ask might you: Isn´t accelerating out of a hazardous situation, preferred to slamming the brakes? If I would be a passenger in a car behind yours, I would probably call on the driver to get a close look. As the driver speeds and passes you, I would hold up the peace sign, that is two fingers up like bunny ears. It’s a salute from the flower power era. You might know the … Peace, love and understanding … how people meet may come on to both something and to nothing, promoting a somewhat at ease approach in socializing … it´s the intention that counts … How about a video on “things I love about the vw beetle”? You will get many viewers, I´m sure.
Hey Hi ! somethings to consider ...not sure of your front tire size, but if they are smaller than the 165 stock size your speedo is reading fast ..so maybe you think your doing 55 but maybe your doing about 52 fro example. Also your 73 bug has a good trans for the freeway as far as bugs go ... it has taller gears then previous generations like my 70 ...73 and later have the 3.88 ring and pinion ( better for the highway ). Your bug sounds good ! if it is a 1600 dual port with dual solexs and a header you can cruise at 65 easy if you want ( maybe your happy at 55 ;) ...I keep my 70 between 60 and 65 on the freeway for an hour at a time about twice a week with no problem...you just want to make sure the timing is correct and adjust / check the valves every 2000 to 3000 miles and use premium gas...disc brakes are probably the best think you can do to an old car so you can stop with all these new cars when the you know what hits the fan... lol. I apologize for talking your ear off... keep on buggin ... looking good !!
Hi! Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, my front tires are 135 so my speedo reads about 5mph faster than I'm actually driving. She can go 60-65 without any issues. Even 70 or so but I prefer to take it easy on her. I do pretty good keep up with regular maintenance, oil, valves etc. and she only gets premium. People without a bug don't understand why I put it in but it's best for her. I don't mind spending the extra money. 😁 Thanks for checking out the video and commenting!
good deal ! ...maybe where your at the premium is higher than 91octane ? back in the day the regular was 91 which VWs like :) . looks like you have some wide open spaces where your living ...not too congested ....very nice .
I would think a Super Beetle could easily keep up with modern interstate traffic they're not that underpowered. You might check into a tune-up make sure everything is okay, maybe a valve adjustment plugs and wires that the carburetor looked at. Cool car though for sure.
Living the dream. Here in Norway you must be 18+ to drive. I studied late so i'll probably be 23 before i get my license. But anyway, the dream is to drive a vintage beetle as the main car. (1956 oval) I mean, if people got by back then, for sure it's manageable in today's modern society right? Also no salting of roads where i live. Only problem i see is strong side-wind since i live near the coast. And beetle's are very sensitive to wind, or so I've heard. What is your experience in bad weather/strong winds etc? Btw, great video.
Thank you for checking out the video! You're right, they can get blown around a bit by strong winds but its manageable. I think its fine for daily driving but its definitely different than a newer car and requires a little extra effort but its all what you're willing to put into it. I got caught in a terrible rain storm one time, pouring rain super heavy. It was so heavy the windshield wipers couldn't keep up. I couldn't see so I just pulled off the side of the road and waited for it to pass. A newer car would've been fine so you just have to be willing to deal with situations like that. I think it just adds to the adventure! :)
I think the one thing that I hate about my bug is that the first half of the gas tank lasts 2 weeks, the second half of the tank lasts about 3 left hand turns or 20 minutes - depends on which comes first!
I have an MGB and people pull out in front of me all the time....I wonder if because its small they think I'm further away. I've had a few beetles in the past, you are certainly wearing your coat in the winter.
