1972 Volkswagen Beetle 1776cc |

Closed Auction- Unsold

1972 Volkswagen Beetle 1776cc

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Mileage~43,000
TransmissionManual
Engine1.8L
LocationBishop Auckland

AUCTION CLOSED

1972 Volkswagen Beetle 1776cc

Introduction

Danny

Professional Consigner

By the start of the '70's VW were spending big to give the Beetle a last hooray before the Golf arrived. The result was the most usable and practical iteration of the iconic peoples' car.

By the early 1970's VW Beetle sales were flagging. This was a thirty year old model after all and competitors were taking chunks out of the Beetle's market share. To bridge the gap until the all new Golf arrived, VW resolved to undertake the biggest re-engineering of the Beetle in its life time. This radical plan aimed to bring the Beetle's offering up to the standards of the contemporary competition. It was both a bold and costly plan requiring significant re-tooling to give the world a bigger, more refined and better handling Beetle. The result was the acclaimed 1303 and 1600 Beetles.

This Beetle started life as one of these late 1,600 GT cars, enjoying all the benefits and refinements that bought with it. Additional to that the car has undergone a series of further modifications during its lifetime. Key among these is an upgraded 1776cc engine with twin carburetors giving the little bug "significant pull" according to owner Mark. The mechanical upgrades don't end there, however. The clutch has been upgraded to handle the additional power, the suspension has been lowered and is adjustable, a twin quiet pack exhaust is fitted and the car has 15 inch, deep dish alloys fitted all round.

The car was restored and upgraded by a previous owner in around 2005/2006. At that stage the car is believed to have been sprayed in its current metallic Alfa Black paint and the new sports bucket seats and other interior modifications were made too.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Danny after meeting Mark the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

The amazing looks and uprated engine are what first attracted me to this classic Beetle. What was a surprise, however, was the faultless reliability and the way in which it never fails to make me smile.

Mark purchased the Beetle in 2018 with a view to using the car as a Sunday driver and to get out to some local car shows in. He, like the rest of us, couldn't predict what 2019 held in store!

As a result he has hardly been able to use the car. During that time his work commitments have changed too, which means he is now looking for an enthusiastic new owner for this uniquely modified Beetle. He'll be happy to answer any questions about the car and his ownership in the comments section below.

Mark

Vehicle Owner

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Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

A significant schedule of modifications has given this Beetle dramatic road presence and endows it with definite head-turning looks.

Wheels and Tyres

The Beetle is fitted with 15 inch Spirit of America alloy wheels. They appear to be in good used condition with no obvious major dents to the rims. We think some elbow grease and the correct products could bring the shine back to the wheels.

The rears are shod with Hercules H/P 4000 tyres in a chunky 245/60 configuration whilst the fronts wear 205/50 Roadstone tyres. All are reported to exhibit good tread depths that are evenly worn.

Owner Mark reports that he still has the smaller original wheels which will come with the car. Please take a look at the photos and videos for a detailed view of the wheels and tyres.

Bodywork

The bodywork on the Beetle has been subject to modification in keeping with the rest of the car. The car is fitted with fiberglass wings which are 2.5 inches wider than standard and a louver panel is fitted over the rear screen. Custom, vented side-skirts have been fitted to the car, at some point, the rear lights are custom additions and the headlights have been upgraded to LEDs.

The bodywork appears to be in good, used condition with no obvious dents or dings noted or reported. We have taken hi-resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves.

Paint

The car is finished in metallic "Alfa Black" and is mostly in good order. As you will see from our comprehensive photographic package there are some areas of paintwork that need attention. Some surface deterioration and bubbling is evident in several places and is an area that a new owner may wish to address.

Owner Mark reports that he has a new long bonnet and apron in primer together with professionally matched paint which will be made available with the car.

Again, please take time to review all the images and videos showing the paint from different angles and reflections, to assess the condition for yourselves.

Glass and Trim

The glass all appears to be in good, used condition with no areas of de-lamination, fogging or discolouration noted or reported. As mentioned, the car is fitted with a louver trim to the rear window in keeping with the modified looks on this Beetle.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

In keeping with the eye-catching exterior, the interior of this Bug has undergone extensive modification and customisation.

Seats and Carpets

The white vinyl sports bucket seats were fitted as part of the restoration in the car's past. They are high-backed with deep bolsters and lend a sporting ambiance to the interior. They appear to be in very good condition with no areas of concern noted.

The carpets are a contrasting mottled grey and also formed part of the interior upgrade. As such they present in very good condition throughout.

Please take a look at the extensive media for a detailed view of the cabin.

Dashboard

The dashboard has been fitted with a custom, deeply padded cover and additional switch gear and supplementary gauges have been fitted. A large, centrally mounted tachometer takes pride of place in this customised and upgraded interior.

Mark reports, that the milometer has been stuck since before he bought the car in 2018 but that the speedometer works as expected.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

Both steering wheel and gear stick are custom additions, in keeping with the ambiance of the interior.

The wheel is a chunky, four-spoke affair with a leather covered rim. The gear-level is a heavy-duty chrome T-bar addition. Both appear to be in good overall condition.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

The 1.8 litre, twin carburetor engine fitted to this sporty Beetle not only makes this a classic that is entirely at home on today's roads, but it sounds great too!

Engine and Gearbox

Owner Mark reports that an upgraded 1776 cc, twin carburetor engine was fitted to the Beetle during its restoration by a former owner. The engine was rebuilt around a new block, and Mark estimates that the engine may have only covered in the region of ~10,000 miles.

As you would expect then, the car starts very well, idles smoothly and pulls strongly. Mark reports that all other mechanical systems operate as expected.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension and breaks have been subject to some maintenance work during the ownership of the current keeper. Invoices for this work are included in our photographic package.

Mark explains that suspension has been lowered and is adjustable on the front beam if required. It is reported that both brakes and suspension work as expected although Mark does report that suspension is on the firm side due to the sports orientated modifications.

The Drive

For Beetle aficionados this is an eye-catching and significantly modified example of the breed. The uprated engine, lowered suspension and big wheels and tyres give it a classic modified Beetle look and stance.

Electrics and Other

The car is fitted with a modern Sony sound system with Mark reporting that the sound from the speakers has become intermittent recently which he believes to be an easy fix.

The remainder of the Beetle's electrical systems are understood to be in good working condition, with the exception of the odometer as mentioned previously.

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History and Paperwork

The owner reports to having a file of paperwork, invoices and bills detailing previous restoration work available to the new owner.

Whilst we have been able to document the V5 and a few recent invoices, there is a more detailed archive of paperwork available with the car. This details the work that has been undertaken by previous owners of the Beetle.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
09.06.15	MOT	43,682
08.05.14	MOT	43,682
22.03.11	MOT	43,682
04.11.09	MOT	97,751
23.10.08	MOT	91,015
06.10.07	MOT	97,212

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Key Details

ModelBeetle 1600GT with 1776cc upgrade
TransmissionManual
Reg. Date1972
CC1,776
Mileage~43,000
HistoryPartial
ColourMetallic black
Interior ColourWhite
Chassis #1132347149
Engine #5545AD366390
Last Service2019
RestoredYes
Engine RebuildYes
MOT ExemptYes
Road Tax ExemptYes
HPi ClearYes
Former Keepers10
Tyre TreadGood
Tyre BrandMixed
BrakesDiscs
LHD or RHDRHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Owned~4 years
Key FeatureModified example

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All Images

History and Paperwork

All Videos

Vehicle Location

Bishop Auckland, County Durham

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Auction Closed

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This car didn't meet its reserve price and may soon be available as a private sale - please contact us for more information.

Ask Questions

Seller : Mark

Post a comment or ask the owner a question about the car.

Member

cassiejones

Hi mark has it been keeped garaged?
thanks Cassie

Author

Mark

Hi Cassie thanks for your query. I don’t have a garage so the car has not been garaged in my ownership since Oct 2018.
I can confirm the previous owner had a garage and informed me that it was garaged throughout his ownership.
Thanks

Member

cassiejones

Ok thanks Mark, another question do the heating channels work?
Thanks
Cassie

Author

Mark

I believe these were removed when the last owner had it restored. If that’s such a thing? It doesn’t have heating. He had the dash covered in leather. Hope that helps.

Member

cassiejones

ok thanks

Member

brewsy

Hi Mark, The bottom of the A pillars looks to have received a fair bit of welding and repair. Do you know when and who did it?

Thanks,
Marc

Author

Mark

Hi Marc,

Thanks for you query. Unfortunately I don’t have any info on this. I’ve owned the car since Oct 2018 and haven’t had any welding done. If you can see evidence of that it must have been done by the previous owner. So I wouldn’t know when and who by I’m afraid.

Thanks

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Vehicle Location

Bishop Auckland, County Durham

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