Again welcome aboard! Thanks for coming along - all safety checks and inspections have been completed. We'll be having a smooth flight, but if anything needs attention on these pages please let me know. I want everything on these pages to go smoothly for your flying enjoyment.
On this page you'll learn about my "German Affair" - my love of the greatest car ever made, the VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE!!
Isn't it cute! I have a 1967 fully restored Bug. I receive many "Road Trophies" (thumbs-up & waves) every time I take it for a drive. I love it when people smile, wave, or mouth the words, "what year is it?" I have had all sorts of cars, Lexus LS-400, Corvette, and BMW - driving these cars no one really looks aside, but when I drive my Bug - everyone looks, honks, and waves. It truly is the People's Car," the car that America loves, the car that everyone has a story about.
Brief history of the Volkswagen Beetle - a remarkable car- there will never be anything else like it!
The origins of the Beetle lie in Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler and Ferdinand Porsche wanted to produce a cheap, small car that everyone could afford. Thus, the "People's Car" was born.
The design changed many times before 1937, when construction of 30 WV series cars set the style and standards for the original Beetle that began production in 1938.
They have been sold all over the world with an army of devoted drivers throughout the years. The end of the "German-Built" Beetle came in 1978, with over 16 million produced. On May 15, 1981 the 20 millionth was produced in Brazil. Production continues today in Mexico and Brazil - the Brazilian Beetle is fueled by alcohol ( a great alternative to fossil fuels!)
In 1948, the first Beetle convertible, a two-seater was built. A later model of the convertible, built by Carmine Ghia, became the best selling convertible in the world!
In February, 1948 Henry Ford II turned down an offer to purchase the car and factory in Wolfsburg, Germany as part of the war reparations. One of Ford's advisors said, "I don't think what we're being offered here is worth a damn." We have to wonder what his thoughts were 20 years later when Volkswagen became Germany's biggest company, and VW's were being built at the rate of one a minute 365 days a year and exported to 130 countries!
In 1949, the first VW's were shipped to the United States - they sold for around $800. By 1960, more than 500,000 Beetles were on the U.S. roadways, and two years later, sales reached 200,000 annually.
In 1970, a "blow-you away" engine was introduced with an incredible 57 horsepower!
The end of U.S. sales of the Beetle Sedan came in 1977 - cost about $3,600. The year 1979 saw the last Beetle convertible for the U.S. With that came the end of U.S. Beetles - nearly 5 million had been sold in the U.S. alone!
The reason for its success - the basic design was simple, suited to almost every country in the world, cheap transportation, and the simple engine needs little maintenance. Good product, good service, good value, and good company organization was the philosophy that drove the VW to generate so much enthusiasm.
The Best Year Ever!
The 1967 Beetle was a special year, many feel this was the all-time best Volkswagen. Here's a list of the items that were either first, or last for 1967:
Standard 12 volt electrical system
Rear apron and deck lid - one year only
Seat belts and latches - (it takes an engineer to figure them out.)
Narrow body moldings
Driver's side door got a handle on the inside
Standard reverse lights - the only year with externally mounted reverse lights ( they are cool.)
First year to have push style door lock buttons - outside door handles and inside crank windows were one year only.
Late 67's had a one year only bumper - shorter override bars. Last year for the fully chromed big bumpers.
New seat design - seat release was made into the seat back.
Bigger rubber covered dash knobs - one year only.
Last year for small tail lights.
Last year for mechanical gas gauge.
Last year for front hood release under the dash.
Last year for "crooked" shift handle.
Last year for five lug wheel.
Last year for the COOL painted metal dash.
I'm sue there are items I've missed - but I think all these things make the 1967 the one to have. Perhaps the perfect VW!!
Links To VW Sites For More Information
Der Burgmeister's Air-cooled VW Place
Der VW Kafer Pages and Oval Registry
Vintage Volkswagen World Wide Website
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