Guten Tag aus Cork

[airhead_eire]

Howdy all,

I recently signed up with the possibility of becoming a future Beetle owner. I have yet to experience aircooled VW ownership but I do have good experience of VW's and aircooled of sorts. I shall explain ! I have owned several VW's over the years, such as Golf GTI Mk2's, Corrado 16v, T4 Transporter and, currently in the driveway, sits a '04 T5 1.9 TDI campervan:

My experience of aircooled relates to aircooled boxer motors of another variety - BMW twin cylinders (affectionately known as Airheads):

(The above bike currently being restored by myself):

It's garage comrade - a 1982 R100:

I grew up in the 70's in a household where VW's were the norm: many Beetles, a 1500S notchback and several Karmann Ghia's (RIN 921 where are you now ?). Anybody here remember the British magazine VW Safer Motoring ? I still have some copies of these in the attic !
Anyway, that's me. Looking forward using the forum in the future.

Mark.

 

[trev]

Welcome Mark!! you're in good company, we have plenty of T5 owners among us too.
Got any photos of the old family VWs?

 

[airhead_eire]

Welcome Mark!! you're in good company, we have plenty of T5 owners among us too.
Got any photos of the old family VWs?

Thanks for the welcome Trev ! I would have old photos of my fathers Beetles alright I'd say. It was my eldest brother that had the Ghia's but he passed away two year ago so I have no access his photos. I'll see what I can dig out !
I meant to say, I did a bike trip to Wolfsburg last May and did the museum visit. Well worth a visit - it took us hours to take it all in. I've some photos of that too.

 

[trev]

good stuff Mark, look forward to the pics. Sorry to hear about your brother. A man of impeccable taste by the sound of it!

 

[airhead_eire]

Well he got me into motors of all sorts but VW's featured mainly ! His last Ghia was RIN 921 - red with cream roof, houndstooth seats, LHD and was bought from a Swiss doctor living in Kenmare, if I remember correctly. One of the other Ghias was GEI --- but I cannot remember the digits now.
I'm toying with the idea of going after a Beetle, preferably from the 60's or perhaps very early '70's. But I want to shift my MX-5 before bringing anymore metal onto the driveway !!

 

[trev]

60s beetles are few and far between in Ireland. Especially pre '67 6v beetles. Still plenty of 70s beetles around thankfully.

 

[Rez]

Welcome to Eircooled Mark. Nice bit of history there growing up with aiccooled cars

 

[airhead_eire]

Welcome to Eircooled Mark. Nice bit of history there growing up with aiccooled cars

Thanks for the welcome !

 

[airhead_eire]

60s beetles are few and far between in Ireland. Especially pre '67 6v beetles. Still plenty of 70s beetles around thankfully.

I kinda really like this ! Any thoughts ?

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/1966-vw-beetle/20745330

 

[trev]

Car needs some work

that could mean ANYTHING!!!! like it needs a set of spark plugs or it needs a full body off resto!!

you'd want to check it above and below thoroughly, like you would with any beetle TBH

 

[Coxy]

Welcome to Eircooled Mark. Really nice selection you have and a nice history of VeeDubs behind you too.
Sorry to hear about your brother but hopefully you'll continue his legacy of fine aircooled VWs. Best of luck with your search and don't forget there are enough of us scattered around the country to check one out for you if you can't make it.

 

[airhead_eire]

Welcome to Eircooled Mark. Really nice selection you have and a nice history of VeeDubs behind you too.
Sorry to hear about your brother but hopefully you'll continue his legacy of fine aircooled VWs. Best of luck with your search and don't forget there are enough of us scattered around the country to check one out for you if you can't make it.

Very much appreciated and thanks !

 

[RattyOval]

Welcome along Mark
sounds like you will fit right in. :drinkbeer:

 

[airhead_eire]

Welcome along Mark
sounds like you will fit right in. :drinkbeer:

Thank you kindly Sir !

 

[drifterex]

Welcome Mark, don't get a beetle. It's a trap. They all are .
​​​​​​Only joking (kind of)

I'm very fond of a MK2 I must say.

 

[airhead_eire]

Welcome Mark, don't get a beetle. It's a trap. They all are .
​​​​​​Only joking (kind of)

I'm very fond of a MK2 I must say.

Well, regarding a trap, I'm still doing the research and trying to get my head around the finer points of aircooled VW ownership !! To be honest, I'm making sure it's something that I really want to do rather than a regretful fad.

That red Beetle looks very tasty ! Is it yours ?

 

[Coxy]

With any old car rust is the killer, both of the car and your wallet so try and get the best one you can find for your budget. Easier said than done I accept but you can still find reasonably good project VWs out there. There are lots of VWs on the road that you could buy for a few quid more so you'd know they're mechanically spot on or you stump up for a fully restored VW.

What you need to be aware of is the lack of restoration parts available. People will quote lines like you can pick up a set of wings for €100 and doors are cheap but that's not the case any longer. Doors are at a premium, if you can find them as are front and rear quarter panels. Spurious wings aren't a perfect fit but you can work with them. The supply has dried up from Mexico now that production has finished so take all that into consideration when looking at a Beetle.

 

[airhead_eire]

With any old car rust is the killer, both of the car and your wallet so try and get the best one you can find for your budget. Easier said than done I accept but you can still find reasonably good project VWs out there. There are lots of VWs on the road that you could buy for a few quid more so you'd know they're mechanically spot on or you stump up for a fully restored VW.

What you need to be aware of is the lack of restoration parts available. People will quote lines like you can pick up a set of wings for €100 and doors are cheap but that's not the case any longer. Doors are at a premium, if you can find them as are front and rear quarter panels. Spurious wings aren't a perfect fit but you can work with them. The supply has dried up from Mexico now that production has finished so take all that into consideration when looking at a Beetle.

Thanks for the detailed and honest answer. Food for thought indeed.
I currently have a '92 MX5 which I hope to be selling shortly. Beetle ownership would be no doubt more maintenance intensive so I need to make sure that is the path that I want to go down. Having older motorbikes, time and money gets stretched as it is !!

 

[Coxy]

I wouldn't say they're more maintenance intensive, in fact, if you get a good one then they are so simple to own. If you simply stay on top of the regular maintenance like you would with any car; brakes, servicing, oil, tyres etc, you'll be laughing. My answer above relates to buying a project, and a project on different budgets. If you can sell the MX5 then you might be able to add that €€€€ to your piggy bank and buy a restored or well minded original Beetle. Many of the folks here have had their Beetle for years and apart from regular servicing, they didn't have to do anything else to them. Obviously storing indoors is a bonus which will keep the dreaded tinworm away.
The aircooled scene is a great one with fantastic friendships made from it and there is ALWAYS someone close by and willing to help.

What is your budget? Is it a restoration project you want?

 

[airhead_eire]

Have done restos with other cars over the years (and bikes), I would be hoping to avoid something full on I think. Some minor work, no problem. Mechanical work I can do myself but I'm no panel beater so that would have to be farmed out so hence me wanting to avoid bodywork.Unfortunately, Mk1 MX5's are not making massive money at the present, despite them getting older and decent ones getting a bit more scarce. Would it be realistic to buy something not needing massive body work and usable for ~ €6k.....perhaps something in need of a minor refresh but not serious rust repair ? Or am I way off target ?