1971 Volkswagen Beetle |

Closed Auction- Unsold

1971 Volkswagen Beetle

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Mileage~59,662
TransmissionManual
Engine1.6L
LocationCardiff

AUCTION CLOSED

1971 Volkswagen Beetle

Introduction

Matt Nolan

Professional Consigner

Lovingly restored, this VW has been upgraded to 1.6L which makes it more than capable of keeping up with todays modern cars.

Produced from 1938, it's probably safe to say that the Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most iconic vehicles ever produced. Practical and reliable was the order of the day in the design of this classic, and not to mention affordability, which is how it became known as the peoples' car. Over 80 years on the production line, the Beetle has gone through many changes, from rear split screen, to oval window, suspension changes and engine upgrades. It's a car that has evolved over time without moving too far away from its classic roots.

This example comes in a beautiful "Marina Blue" colourway and has restored bumpers, a newly added storage shelf as well as a new stereo and speaker system. The Beetle also comes with the benefit of a 1.6L engine upgrade which has been restored, tuned and detailed. The VW is finished nicely with the addition of a stainless steel exhaust adding a lovely touch to the car's exterior. It comes to market from over a years ownership in which time it has been upgraded to a 1.6L engine.

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

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

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

With a soft spot for VW Beetle's this has been John's pride and joy for over a year now.

Having been passionate about VW's for most of his life John was really proud to take ownership of this car. "Its such a lovely car that really draws everyone's attention when I take it out on the road"

"When I first got the car I quickly realised that I needed an upgraded engine to bring this car up to modern day standards, i invested in a 1.6L engine which made a big difference in the performance". As well as the engine upgrade, John has invested in having the engine area of the car restored. Some other areas of the car have been improved too, replacing the front and rear bumpers of the car as well as adding in a bamboo storage shelf and upgrading the speaker and stereo system which now sits in place behind the glovebox neatly hidden away.

He goes on to tell us "With a recent change in my career unfortunately the time has come to sell my beloved car, I'm sure I'll regret the decision but I hope one day I'll be able to buy it back!". John will be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments section.

John

Vehicle Owner

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Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

Presented in a lovely Marina Blue, the VW is beautifully colour matched all the way through the car - characterful and charming, these cars always attract attention.

Wheels and Tyres

The 15" wheels have been painted grey with the wheels and tyres overall looking to be in good condition. We noted some slight evidence of corrosion on the outer sections of the rim which may benefit from some touch up work to bring these back to their former glory.

Kumho PowerStar tyres are in place around the sides of the car showing a good amount of tread and with no comments in the MOT about these. Please take a look at the gallery section for more detailed images of these.

Bodywork

Overall the bodywork looked good, we noted no major areas of concern when looking over the car. The panelling sat flush and aligned nicely all the way around the Beetle's exterior. We did note that the passenger door was a little tricky to close first time due to a protruding door seal.

Highlighted through our hi-resolution images and exterior video, we take a closer look at how the car looks across various angles. Take a look over the video for yourself for a detailed look where we take in various angles and viewpoints for you to get a real taste of what's on offer and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The Marina Blue paintwork looked great looking around the car and we noted that the paint application looked even all the way around the cars exterior.

In line with the age of the car, we did observe some paint bubbling with a little rusting on the rear wheel arches and the rear of the car. Some slight evidence of stone chips were on the paintwork in a small section on the bonnet cover when we looked around the exterior.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass around the car looks to be in a good condition with nothing that we noted to be out of the ordinary whilst looking over the Beetle. We didn't note any major signs of damage across the trim areas but there were some slight signs of perishing on the window rubber.

Looking over the interior trim we noted no cracking or warping with the headlining sitting well and looking clean also. Having been replaced last year, the new style 'Euro' bumpers and brackets have been retro-fitted to the VW in August 2021, and show in a lovely condition with a really nice chrome gleam in the light.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

A smart interior, the classic colour matched dash area is complemented by a bamboo shelf for storage.

Seats and Carpets

The interior looks fantastic with smart vinyl seats. The seats show in a good condition throughout, only a small repair to the drivers seat base to note, but nothing that caused us a particular concern overall. Seat edging and piping looked to be well maintained also.

Looking over the footwell areas showed the carpets to be in a good condition, and on closer inspection looking underneath the carpet areas showed to be equally respectable. Inside the front positioned boot everything is well presented and looks as it should do. Please see the interior gallery for more detailed images of this.

Dashboard

A smart looking dash shows its VW character with period reflective dials and switches in place. Underneath the dash area, the owner has had a bamboo shelf area installed for additional storage. This shows to be in a great condition having only been added to the VW in August 2021. The shelf area also houses the speaker system.

Take a look through the interior image gallery for a more detailed look at what the Beetle has to offer.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

Smart classic retro styling is everywhere on the Beetle, with the steering wheel looking to be an original item. The same can be said of the gearstick and look to be both original and show in good condition with minimal wear.

The gear knob is a simple setup and finished in black. Please see the interior gallery for more hi-resolution images of the interior.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

Engine and Gearbox

With a newly upgraded 1.6L engine being installed in December 2021, the car is much more up to date with the more modern power from todays cars. Having been restored, the engine shows in great visual condition, a tidy engine bay with colour matched paint having been applied.

Along with the new 1.6L block, new spark plugs, new carburettor, HT leads, oil filter, fuel hoses, crank and alternator pulleys which were all upgraded or serviced at the same time as the engine installed.

We noted no issues from start up which we've recorded in the "Mechanical review" video. Take a look over the video for yourselves to see the Beetle out on some local roads and hear how the car sounds and handles when out and about.

Suspension and Brakes

Sitting tidily on the road we noted no issues with how the car handled or sounded when out on our journey. The owner let us know that the brakes were working as expected also.

The Drive

The ride out in a Beetle is always a fun one filled with nostalgia. The upgraded engine makes a great difference to the cars performance and the added modern upgrade of a stereo system makes the soundtrack to the drive one that you can personalise.

Known for their durability and simplicity there appears to be no issue with the VW when out on the road and drives as to be expected with no unwanted surprises. John let us know that he had no issues with how the brakes responded or how the suspension handled.

Electrics and Other

The VW is a simple straightforward setup, John let us know that the oil gauge and temperature gauge worked as they should with no cause for concern on our visit. We went over the limited electrical options when out on our visit and didn't note any issues on initial inspection.

John would be happy to answer any questions you may have about any of the electrical features should these be needed. Head over to the comments section if you're interested in learning more about what the Beetle has to offer.

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History and Paperwork

Coming to market from over 1 year ownership, this Beetle has seen an upgrade to a 1.6L engine in the current ownership as well as some exterior renovations.

With an upgraded 1.6L engine, this Beetle not only looks the part but goes well also. At an initial cost of £700, the 1.2L engine was upgraded to the current 1.6L in December 2021, as well as a major service and other work coming in at a total cost of ~£2,500. With the upgraded power the VW is ready to take on new adventures with its next owner.

Its not only the engine itself that has had attention paid to it, looking over the engine bay shows a great amount of care and detail - cleaned and degreased, with new spark plugs installed, new carburettor, HT leads, oil filter, fuel hoses, crank and alternator pulleys all upgraded or serviced last year. The current owner has also upgraded the front and rear bumpers which now show a great amount of shine in the light, a new bamboo storage shelf, stereo and speaker system (which sits flush inside the dash area) as well as an upgraded stainless steel twin exhaust setup and electric screen wash system.

Even though the Beetle is exempt from needing an MOT, John has chosen to have this completed anyway as he would like the new owner to be certain the car is sound from inspection so they can be confident in their purchase. With the MOT being completed, the Beetle has shown no advisories and is valid until July 2023.

Should it be needed, John would be happy to answer any queries or questions you may have to support your purchasing decision in the comments section below.

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
11.07.2022	MOT	59,590
24.03.2021	MOT	54,276
02.03.2020	MOT	54,222
25.10.2018	MOT	53,465
13.04.2018	MOT	52,857
12.12.2016	MOT	51,614
06.06.2016	MOT	51,480
06.07.2015	MOT	51,335
01.07.2014	MOT	50,737
13.06.2013	MOT	50,462
15.04.2012	MOT	49,854
01.04.2011	MOT	49,125
05.11.2009	MOT	49,601
30.10.2008	MOT	49,382
31.10.2007	MOT	49,219
08.11.2006	MOT	48,990