VW Convertible.

[Tim]

Not sure where to put this, so I am dumping it here for the moment.

This is a car I have been after for a few years, along with other interested parties according to the owner. So why is it still there then I ask myself.
I have called numerous times over the last 3 years in an attempt to get face to face with the owner. Which I did. She is a lovely woman, but somewhat attached to the poor old rotting beetle. After numerous promises to arrive at a price if she can, and promises to call me when she has a figure in mind.....nothing.

Now that I have the fastback, squareback, and recently the south african khombi, I have convinced my self I have enough to be going on with, and I'm not into hoarding something i am not going to use. So hence this post for one of you lucky chappies that my have better luck than me.

So....story as far as I have been told, the present lady owner bought it from a Dublin couple many years ago, had work done on it, and drove it as her daily. Its a left hander that came in from California. Its locked and i never got to see inside or the engine. She was toying with the idea of getting a price for a restoration when I told her in its present condition its a donor car for another project. I told her 20k would not do a resto on it given that a roof resto would be over 3k. When she recovered, she said she would think on it, and get back to me, which she never did. Its parked outside her brothers house, and he would be happy to see it moved on. Its in Mullingar. Its gonna take more than tender loving care, so if you scare easily then look away now. If you have any questions, post em up.

Tim

 

[Tim]

By the way, the car has been parked here in the one spot,for at least 8 years as far as i know.
I couldn't get near the engine as the boots locked, its a 1600 engine and 1302 body.

 

[AndyKelly]

Whats the asking price for the car?

 

[Tim]

Whats the asking price for the car?

Thats a question that was asked by me, and many others over at least 3 years for me, and more before me. But I could never get a straight answer from the owner, who promised on a few occasions to ring me. Thats why I'm posting it here. Hopefully someone will eventually get to save it. I dont even have a number for you, but I can tell you exactly where it is if you want to try your luck. Last conversation I had I suggested that in its present condition she would struggle to get more than 5oo euro for it, and she wasn't impressed. Its hard to convince someone that their pride and joy is only worth a few hundred euro. Its hard for them to accept that in its present form, its a donor.

 

[BLZEEDUB]

...surely someone who's an honest straighttalking restorer n genuinely wants a 1302 droptop to restore (must be someone somewhere out there that does), n can convince the owner that he/she etc will restore it to its Glory days, document the process, or least give them regular updates n promise them a day out to a show or something when it's all restored n on the road ... ala them YouTube vids I sometimes get anchored down watching
Eg- preferably a 'Scott' type from 'coldwar-motors', rather than his good mate on the same channel, a ' Dean', of `Deans Greasey Flips' fame...

 

[Tim]

...surely someone who's an honest straighttalking restorer n genuinely wants a 1302 droptop to restore (must be someone somewhere out there that does), n can convince the owner that he/she etc will restore it to its Glory days, document the process, or least give them regular updates n promise them a day out to a show or something, ala them YouTube vids I sometimes get anchored down watching
Eg- preferably Scott from 'coldwar-motors', rather than his good mate on the same channel Dean, of `Deans Greasey Flips' fame...

I told her that if i took it, i would make sure it would not end up a parts car. I think one or two other guys promised the same. Problem is she lives in Dublin and is hard to meet to thrash out some deal. It has a sentimental value to her and she is probably getting it hard to make a decision on it. She is a young person, and i think its gonna be tricky enough to get a deal done. Or maybe I have just lost my sparkling personality along the way ;-)

 

[GerBean]

Looks in a very rough shape indeed, why is it when you get older yah want to hold onto anything

 

[trev]

...surely someone who's an honest straighttalking restorer n genuinely wants a 1302 droptop to restore (must be someone somewhere out there that does), n can convince the owner that he/she etc will restore it to its Glory days, document the process, or least give them regular updates n promise them a day out to a show or something when it's all restored n on the road ... ala them YouTube vids I sometimes get anchored down watching

Eg- preferably a 'Scott' type from 'coldwar-motors', rather than his good mate on the same channel, a ' Dean', of `Deans Greasey Flips' fame...

I've met a couple who bragged about buying cars from people, promising the sun moon and stars about how they're going to restore it, how it was the exact same one their dead dad used to own, how it brought back all the memories, choking back the tears etc all, how they only had "x" to spend, lowballing like mad only to flip the car as soon as they got it home.

Miserable carry-on

 

[Tim]

I've met a couple who bragged about buying cars from people, promising the sun moon and stars about how they're going to restore it, how it was the exact same one their dead dad used to own, how it brought back all the memories, choking back the tears etc all, how they only had "x" to spend, lowballing like mad only to flip the car as soon as they got it home.

Miserable carry-on

I know where you are coming from, and thats something you can absolutely do nothing about unfortunately. But she knows I am part of a vw club community, as well as I keep my own cars on the road if its a vw . I warned her a about the low ball merchants that would flip it , or break it for parts, even to the extent that even in its present form its worth far more than a few hundred she has been offered.
I even offered to spend time on the car in her yard to see if i could get it driving for her, which might help her decide what she would do with it. Thats why I think it might happen for someone else. Thats why I put it here so that something positive might happen for her and the car, and keep it out of the clutches of the flippers and the scrappers.

 

[BLZEEDUB]

....and of course on the other end of the spectrum there's the owners who have well meaning intentions of "doing it up one day" only for the car to fizzle to nothing recognisable- I witnessed this on a beetle I used to call n ask about locally here- started off as a complete stock early 70s tombstoned lamp beetle - a tad scruffy but restorable- ....a decade n a half later it had structurally descended into a rusty flatpacked form... Decklid was still defying gravity so by the near end I thought that at least might be salvaged.....
... anyways I visited the farm again during the wuFlu lockdown as it was "sorta" within the ridiculous travel limits, n there was little else going on...
Sort of a sad story in a way as the owner was under the impression his son would "be back from living abroad one day, and would restore it".... Anyway things 'opened back up' the flatpacked beetle n a few rusty farm implements had vanished - no doubt the scrappers had the lot...
...about half a mile away there was a house with a very very rusty bay out the back in the horse paddock - I asked about n the owner regailed me with tales of how strong n reliable the engine was... I got round to asking would he sell it n amazingly he replied yes, but added that I wouldn't like the price, as he rented the place n had moved 4 times in the last 12 years n he had to have it "professionally moved" n the asking price would have to cover that n a "few jars" ....

My auld fella covers a few miles n will stop n ask about any old VW he sees laid up as he knows I'm into them .... His theory is that a lot of these folk in their autumn n winter years are lonely, n like to have the old car in a prominent place, visible from the road, as it provides them with attention n a chance to chat n reminisce about the good old day n the faithful service of that old car.... Once old car goes, so do them auld chats n chance meetings, n they don't want that ...

 

[Tim]

True enough, but many of them owners believe they have a diamond in the rough, " and sure dem old beetles are worth loads of money, coz there rare enough old yokes" And they dont realise that once you get stuck into them old vdubs, you can find yourself with this under a decent looking wing, like i did today on the squareback. After starting on the front end and the petrol tank bulkhead with all the front wings on ..

 

[biddlebop]

I know that woman detty is her name and the car is owned by a daughter in America. And after many years calling in and enquiring about it. It's a case of I have it but you can't have it that is all to prevelant in this country, can't figure out the mindset. I think that it is a conversation piece and it probably has more service to the owner or supposed owner for being a reason to call in. The person is a retired local county councillor so I reckon that is the gig there. Just my two cents worth there. Hope it helps. And it's probably gone to far now for saving.

 

[Tim]

I know that woman detty is her name and the car is owned by a daughter in America. And after many years calling in and enquiring about it. It's a case of I have it but you can't have it that is all to prevelant in this country, can't figure out the mindset. I think that it is a conversation piece and it probably has more service to the owner or supposed owner for being a reason to call in. The person is a retired local county councillor so I reckon that is the gig there. Just my two cents worth there. Hope it helps. And it's probably gone to far now for saving.

Just to let you know, I was talking to the owner who is not named detty, and the owner lives in Dublin. I also spoke to her brother at the same time as the owner on the same day. I suspect maybe we are talking about different cars.

Tim

 

[biddlebop]

It's beside Lidl in woodlands. The daughter must be back from the states,as it is a while ago. But it's the same goose chase even Seamus was in on it and it is the same gig. Time better spent on other things. Nice people but the result will be nil. But you might be the one to charm them. And I wish you all of the luck there.

 

[biddlebop]

I seen that there's a nice original karman convertible in Longford on the DD. He is a member I think Seamus did a service on it and it a good one.

 

[Tim]

It's beside Lidl in woodlands. The daughter must be back from the states,as it is a while ago. But it's the same goose chase even Seamus was in on it and it is the same gig. Time better spent on other things. Nice people but the result will be nil. But you might be the one to charm them. And I wish you all of the luck there.

Same one alright.
I'm not sure there is any charming ability left in me now. Three plus years asking has me worn out.Its a pity that it will just rot away, and probably end up with Mr Scrappy, but hopefully not. They are not as expensive now to buy as they once were, but this one is proving to be a challenge ;-)

 

[biddlebop]

The water is getting in by the back of the pramtop you can only guess what that is like after 10 years or so sitting outside. Mind you it is served as a purpose as a conversation piece, as here we are chatting about it. Hats off to the guy or gal that gets it. Scoop and brush would be the order of the day when moving it .

 

[Tim]

The water is getting in by the back of the pramtop you can only guess what that is like after 10 years or so sitting outside. Mind you it is served as a purpose as a conversation piece, as here we are chatting about it. Hats off to the guy or gal that gets it. Scoop and brush would be the order of the day when moving it .

Hoover