3/08/2016

40 horses. 6 volts. One owner -- until today.

Oops, I did it again.
Seat covers are not original but much of the rest of the interior is. Currently not running, but we'll fix that, my little pretty.

You can't tell from the pic, but that's a Kennebrew license plate frame. Lower edge of the decklid is mangled and doesn't clear the bumper without some origami action, but it's typical and minor.
This is a Maaco paint job that looks pretty good for the price. Windshield gasket has rotted and there's rust in the corners -- nothing I haven't handled before.

A little backstory on the 1965 Beetle that I brought home today (with the able assistance of brother Paul): When I was a kid, we had a 62 VW, and my first car was a 65 sedan that looked a lot like this one (more beige). When Nancy and I moved to this neighborhood in the 90s, I learned pretty quickly that the house on the corner was still owned by the parents of a third-grade classmate. In fact, I recall a sleepover there circa 1965, the year Mr. Myers bought this car. It has the original window sticker. In the 90s and 00s I loved seeing Mr. and Mrs. Myers heading off on errands in it -- that distinctive fweem that all VW nuts can hear two blocks away -- and I'm sure I said more than once, "If you ever contemplate selling it...." I was flattered that the family remembered when time came to pass it along.

It's not a cherry showcar or a total time capsule, though it looks pretty sharp for a 50+ year old. Part of the beauty of this car is that, up until just a few years ago, it was just someone's wheels; a well-made appliance that held up and accumulated affection as it received regular use. Other than making the necessary repairs, I'm planning to leave it as untouched as possible, dings and patina and warts and all. And drive it.
 

Now I just have to find someplace to hide it from Nancy.




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