'72 Beetle... 16 Years in One Post

[neohic]

It's no secret that I was a VW guy before flocking to Jeeps. Sure, I've had way more Jeeps than VWs, but the VWs from my past have been nothing less than special to me. This is mainly the story of my 1972 Beetle. It's been around longer than I've been putting together build threads, so it kind of got the short end of the stick. I've been thinking a lot about this car lately, and I found it fitting that I put something nice together for it.

 

Things start way back in 2000. I was 14 a the time and I had was bugging my parents about letting me buy my first car. See... I had it in my head that I'd buy something cool and fix it up in time for me to get my driver's license. That did happen... sorta. I started scouring the newspaper classifieds (because that's what we did way back then) along with asking my parents to drive down side streets in hopes of finding that forgotten jewel. That jewel was found in the form of a 1976 Volkswagen Beetle.

 

 

Not bad for a Minnesota car. It was in an accident... sandwiched, actually. The front end damage wasn't too bad, but the rear was pushed in pretty good. This car would end up being a very large piece of my vehicular education. The deal was originally made that the car came with the parts needed to make it whole again, but they were still attached to another car. One afternoon and a sawzall later, and I had the start of something!

 

 

It made for a fun summer! Bodywork... built a hot little engine for it... put it up for sale... wait, wha'?! Yup... just in time to start driving, I put my first car up for sale.

 

 

The problem with the '76 was that, while it looked good on the surface, it had some rust and a few other little issues. I had it in my head that I wanted a clearer car to start with. This was really the first automotive adventure I'd been on. California, here I come!... and I did! I found the '72 online (that was something special in itself at the time!) and my family decided to turn it into a road trip.

 

 

Let the bodywork begin! I was 16, full of ambition, and Dad was willing to help. Time for another fun summer!

 

 

The car got mostly done the summer before my senior year in high school. By mostly done, I mean the bodywork was finished and everything else got boxed up and filled my parent's garage. All the work was done at my cousin's shop about 50 miles away from home. This made for many, many weekends of spending time with my dad. Some fun, some not so fun, but all making for what I consider important while building a vehicle.

 

Since then the little Beetle has seen car shows, my marriage, a house, a shop, a big move, another house, another shop, all the while being perfectly fine with waiting its turn to be enjoyed.

 

 

This car was my go-to fun vehicle. I loved it and it seemed to love me back! We too had our fun times and our not so fun times, but it was always in head that that, while fun to have a fleet of vehicles, one can only enjoy one at a time. That being said, the little car would get a few hundred miles or so each year, get put away each winter, and then it would come back out to do it all over again.

 

At this point, the car has been in my possession for 14 years. It hasn't just been me who loved this car though. My dad would drive this car whenever given opportunity. I'd toss him the keys and he'd just run off with them like he had Willy Wonka's golden ticket! The summer we spent working on this car turned out to be one of those experiences that you talk about years later... we still do, and we relate to it like it was just yesterday. I love my dad.

 

Then the decision was made that we'd move to Colorado. That thought was burning in my head everyday since that decision was made... one can only enjoy one at a time. Very unfortunately, this story takes a turn... another major decision was made, and it was time to let the Beetle go. It was a few weeks ago... Easter, I think? My dad and I were sitting in my parent's living room and I just came out with it. "So... would you have any interest in buying the Beetle?" He didn't even skip a beat. "Yup." I told him my price, my parent's talked it over for a week or so, and that was that. It felt like giving up. It felt like sending an old pet off to live with someone else. It felt like... abandonment. I hated the feeling and I hated myself for making the decision. Still, it had to be done. We're hoping to be moving west sometime this summer and moving half way across the country with five and a half vehicles just didn't make sense. Even if we stuck around here, the XJ has its role in life, the Eliminator has its role, the daily driver is just that, the dune buggy will be a fun nice weather driver once done, and the Beetle fit that bill as well. One can only enjoy one at a time... sadly.

 

Today was the day. Funny thing is, the title was originally made out to my parents when the car was first brought into the state. Things have just come full circle. The same tow bar that brought the car to me was being used to pull it away.

 

 

I cried. Never have I cried over a vehicle before. So many memories and so many miles of smiling. I'm happy to know that the car will continue to be enjoyed, however. I'm also happy to know that it will continue to be well taken care of, and I get the joy of being able to keep it in my life and still drive it when we see each other again.

 

We had one last cruise this morning. It was nice. First time out since last year and it had been sitting all winter. Put the key in, turned, and it fired right up as is always did as if saying, "Hey buddy! It's going to be a great driving season!" 30 miles later, I got that thrill again. That smile was back on my face right up until the last turn back into the driveway.

 

 

So long little car. You will be missed everyday I turn a wrench or the key of another vehicle, and you left so much more than an empty place in my garage.

[HOrnbrod]

Call me Cpt. Obvious, but the little guy went to a good home.   :cheers:

[benjy_26]

Great, GREAT project thread. Someone must have been chopping onions near me towards the end, though. I'm glad you and your dad enjoyed the car, but I'm REALLY glad y'all enjoyed each other.

[88Pghcomanche]

Cool story.

 

:thumbsup:

[500 MJ]

Great thread Ben! Dad and I had a similar story back in the day...

 

My brother used his now father in law's beetle last summer as the get away car at his wedding. The days up to the wedding he and I got to drive it around. That was the first time I'd ever been in one, lots of fun! I can easily see the draw to these little cars after riding around in that one for a few days.