AutoHunter Spotlight: 1979 VW Super Beetle Convertible

Aug 10, 2023

The Beetle bids America adieu

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Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this frame-off restored 1979 Volkswagen Super Beetle convertible. This vehicle has been with the seller for 42 years, which is practically the car’s whole life. This VW is powered by a fuel-injected 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine backed by a four-speed manual transaxle. Features include European-style headlights and heated rear glass. Finished in Alpine White with white convertible top over a white vinyl interior, this garage-kept Super Beetle comes with plenty of extra parts (check the auction page for the complete list) and a clear title.

Not only was 1979 the last year for the Beetle convertible, but it also was the final year for the Beetle in America. It’s likely a vehicle that more people alive have had experience with than any other. Though its origins may come from a dark place, the Beetle and its offshoots have brought millions of people to a happy place. Even if it’s not American, the Beetle is an American institution almost as much as the Model T.

In 1997, the body was bead-blasted and refinished in the original color of Alpine White (code L90E). Additionally, the frame for the manual convertible top was restored and the top was replaced. Features include European-style headlights with chrome rings, dual side-view mirrors, and heated rear windshield. Four of the videos in the auction page show walk-around footage of the exterior as well as the interior.

A set of 15-inch gray Volkswagen steel wheels is wrapped in 165R15 Arizonian Premium Metric steel-belted radial tires.

The front bucket seats and rear seat were reupholstered in white vinyl, plus new black carpeting was installed in 2022. Features include Motorola AM/FM radio and a newer steering bushing.

The instrument panel includes a 100-mph speedometer and fuel gauge. The odometer reads 104,384 miles, which includes 72,000 miles added during the seller’s 42 years of ownership.

Power is provided by a fuel-injected 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine backed by a four-speed manual transaxle. The engine was replaced in 1983, and currently has logged fewer than 2,000 miles since being rebuilt and tuned for high-altitude (8,000 feet) driving in 2018. A video on the auction page shows a cold start of the engine.

This Volkswagen is equipped with four-wheel independent suspension that was rebuilt and fitted with urethane bushings in 2022, with the rear axle shafts being rebuilt in 2021. Braking is provided by manual four-wheel drums. The exhaust exits at the rear through a single outlet.

As part of the sale, the seller will include a black convertible top boot, black bra, two-piece car cover, tools, new wiper relay, removed original parts, spare parts and miscellaneous components, seat upholstery, service records, and owner’s and service manuals.

The auction for this 1979 Volkswagen Super Beetle convertible ends Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at 12:50 p.m. (PDT)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

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