[TwoToneAlex]

Having a chat with a new lecturer in his late 50's about my Beetle, he mentioned that his sister had his dad's bug as her first car but it hasn't moved out of the garage in over 25 years
After a few more questions, he told me it was either an A or B reg and had a split window UK RHD!
He's asking his dad whether he's interested in selling it and getting back to me on Monday!
You never know ....

 

[Francois van der Elst]

If it's an A or B reg then it ain't going to be a split window.

63 or 64.

Good luck, my first was a '63 that had less than 30K miles on it and had been owned by the Mother of one of my Dad's friends.

 

[Gus Smith]

Good luck!

It'l turn out to be a 1303 cut'n'shut! :lol::lol:

 

[TwoToneAlex]

Hmm, he seemed pretty sure it was a split window Perhaps he was on about the VIN ?
Thanks FVDE

 

[Gus Smith]

Maybe just an early shell on a 63 pan?

TBH I would not touch a car with a barge pole if it was on non original shells! Just my opinion!

 

[Francois van der Elst]

If it's been standing for 25 years then the best you can hope for is a solid ish shell, it will need a complete mechanical rebuild after that lenth of time, and thats assuming that the garage is brick and reasonably water tight and decently ventilated.

If it's a concrete garage then it'll be rusted to fuck.

Lets hope it's a goood'un, but don't go getting your hopes up eh?

btw, a split wouldn't have a suffix letter, the first year was 'A' in 1963.

And Early 60's cars are the best ones

 

[AngelVenomous]

Good luck!

It'l turn out to be a 1303 cut'n'shut! :lol::lol:

You joke about it but many years ago I was told of a "really old Beetle for sale in Gateshead" with "a split rear windscreen" and the guy "only wants a few hundred" so I whizzed over, spoke to the guy and the garage door is opened to reveal........... a completely knackered 1303 with a cracked rear windscreen!

Turned out the reason why the rear screen was cracked was because the body and chassis were twisting as the car was so rotten(no bottom 6 inches, doors falling off, chassis spine has the strength of Jacob's Crackers etc etc) And this guy still wanted over £500 for it!

 

[Francois van der Elst]

Maybe just an early shell on a 63 pan?

TBH I would not touch a car with a barge pole if it was on non original shells! Just my opinion!

You wouldn't like my '55 RHD Cabriolet then. :lol:

 

[AngelVenomous]

Hmm, he seemed pretty sure it was a split window Perhaps he was on about the VIN ?
Thanks FVDE

Could always be a re-registered import car. In those days there was no Q-reg so they just gave them new registrations.

Mrs Venomous's 1302 is a '71 but it has a '72 K-suffix as it was imported into the UK in 1972.

 

[Prawn_Star]

You wouldn't like my '55 RHD Cabriolet then. :lol:

NOBODIES touching it.....bar the restorer one day.

 

[TwoToneAlex]

Ahhh sweet
Well i'm not getting my hopes up, just one of those moments you dream about

 

[Brian Burrows]

Could always be a re-registered import car. In those days there was no Q-reg so they just gave them new registrations.

Mrs Venomous's 1302 is a '71 but it has a '72 K-suffix as it was imported into the UK in 1972.

That's what I was gonna post . . . if it was a Split bug imported in '62/'63 it would have been given a mark (plate) for that year

 

[Francois van der Elst]

That's what I was gonna post . . . if it was a Split bug imported in '62/'63 it would have been given a mark (plate) for that year

RHD?

Would have to be an Irish or Swedish car then, can't see that being a realistic one.

I'd bet it's either a Split or a 60's car, not a split with a sufix plate.

 

[thirteen-o-two]

A mate and I drove to see a car Ted Birtwhistle (sadly gone just after Tatton i think) a few years back. He described it as a Karmann Cabrio needing a bit of work as it had been stood a while. We pissed ourselves laughing when we got there LHD rotten KArmann body resting on an equally rotten RHD chassis - steering wheel on the left and pedals on the right.

It wasnt worth a shite - he was such a loveable old git we couldnt fucking fall out with him so we forced him to make us a cup of tea before we piss off back home

 

[Brian Burrows]

RHD?

Would have to be an Irish or Swedish car then, can't see that being a realistic one.

I'd bet it's either a Split or a 60's car, not a split with a sufix plate.

Ah! I missed the RHD reference . . . as you say (post) Swedish Split Bugs were RHD

My 'gut' tells me it's an early 60s Bug (still cool )

 

[ian c2]

maybe somebody cant read a reg plate , and its a split that just happens to start/end with an A or B ??

 

[TwoToneAlex]

Hmm, the plot thickens....
Guess it's just the waiting game now

 

[ian c2]

A mate and I drove to see a car Ted Birtwhistle (sadly gone just after Tatton i think)

i didnt hear about that .
thats a shame .
he was a good old bloke .

 

[TwoToneAlex]

Perhaps Ian
TBH Bri, I would be happy with anything

 

[KyleNorth18]

Well be happy with what you have then and give me the mystery bug
I'm not so modest :lol: