According to Hagerty, a condition 1 (essentially perfect) '67 Beetle in early 2012 was worth $17,000. Today, they say $24,000.
It wasn't the vehicle a housewife or a two-term Republican or anybody normal would buy. Naturally, America's youth loved the Thing--the only problem was that few of them could afford it. In 1973, the Thing cost $3150, almost as much as many sports cars and nearly $1000 more than the '73 Beetle.
Here, are the highest priced VWs from the auction:
- $302,500: 1965 Type II 21-Window Deluxe Bus.
- $143,000: 1967 21-Window Deluxe Bus.
- $39,050: 1979 Super Beetle Convertible.
- $38,500: 1968 Bay-Window Custom Bus.
- $38,500: 1979 Super Beetle Convertible.
- $36,300: 1964 Beetle Custom Woody Wagon.
- $34,100: 1956 Beetle Sunroof Sedan.
The base Station Wagon cost $2,495 with seven seats, and $2,517 for the nine-seater. The basic 1968 Campmobile listed for just $2,110, but for an additional $655, buyers could purchase purpose-designed camping equipment that included bedding and curtains, plus an icebox, stove, and sink with a 4.5-gallon water supply.
1967 VW Beetles are one of the most sought after cars for many air-cooled VW enthusiasts. 1968 was the first year for the padded dash and four lug wheels. 1969 was the first year for independent rear suspension, making them and later years a great choice for a baja bug.
The Coolest VW Vans Through the Decades
- 1950 Type 2.
- 1951 Westfalia Camping Box.
- 1962 T1 Transporter.
- 1963 T1 Samba (a.k.a. Sunroof Deluxe)
- 1968 T2.
- 1970 Kombi GT 70.
- 1979 T3 Traveler Jet.
- 1979 Hybrid-Electric City Taxi.
Data based on 41 auction sales. About the data. Examine the data. note: The images shown are representations of the
1971 Volkswagen Transporter and not necessarily vehicles that have been bought or sold at auction.
Volkswagen Models.
| Bodystyles | Median Sale |
|---|
| Campmobile | $12,484 |
| Station Wagon | $22,000 |
Known officially as the Volkswagen Type 2 (the Beetle was the Type 1) or the Transporter, the bus was a favorite mode of transportation for hippies in the U.S. during the 1960s and became an icon of the American counterculture movement.
Production ceased in 2014. However, all is not lost! This counterculture symbol is about to make a comeback in 2022—as an electric vehicle. Currently known as the I.D.
The Current VW Camper You Can't BuyIndeed, the venerable VW Camper Van lives on, but despite being named the Grand California it's not available in the U.S. It's built and sold by the automaker's commercial vehicles division, and is based on the tall-roofed T6 Transporter.
The VW Bus is a Type II. It is called that because it was introduced as the second type of vehicle VW made, the first being the Beetle (and why it is referred to as the "Type I"). The Type III employs a rather flat "pancake" cooling system design, while the Bus and Beetle use an up-right fan shroud system.
Curiously, VW placed a sticker on the dashboard that read, "The allowable top speed of this vehicle is 50 miles per hour," though R&T noted that with a tailwind, a Micro Bus was perfectly capable of cruising at 70 mph on a level highway.
The classic original BeetleThere are about a million reasons why the Volkswagen Beetle is a great collector car. First, there are a lot of them—these cars were unbelievably popular when new, particularly in California, the land of the rust-free car.
Engine Rebuilding
| Type I Rebuild Prices, 2019 (Beetle, Ghia, Thing, Type III, Transporter through 1971)—Typical price, stock rebuild, including installation: $3000 - 3500 | |
|---|
| Basic engine rebuild, stock 1600cc, normal parts, machining & labor | $3000 |
| Head cores | $150 |
| Crankcase core | $275 |
| Clutch kit | $250 |
Cheaper gas was around $. 29 per gallon. In 1965 a Beetle Bug was around $1,389 fully loaded, which was a heater and a radio!
Model OverviewPrices rose slightly with the 1960 Deluxe Sedan now costing $1565, the Sunroof Sedan $1665, and the Cabriolet $2055.
The VIN can be found in several locations, most commonly under the rear seat, on the door frame/post of the front doors, or on the dashboard near the windshield. Additionally, for the VW Bus, the VIN may be located on the car's firewall. The engine code may be found on the machine pad on front of the engine.
Overall, it doesn't seem like the Karmann Ghia is the best VW made but look deeper and it will be revealed that it indeed is. Despite it's flaws, I must remember the time that it was built. VW went for a sports car that was not only beautiful, but it could almost always be driven to its limits.
The price for this restored driver droptop is $14,000 which if you've been tracking Karmann Ghia prices lately like I have will probably raise an eyebrow in interest.
Data based on 30 auction sales. About the data. Examine the data. note: The images shown are representations of the 1969
Volkswagen Karmann-
Ghia and not necessarily vehicles that have been bought or sold at auction.
Volkswagen Models.
| Bodystyles | Median Sale |
|---|
| Coupe | $11,275 |
For its final model year, the vestigial rear seat was discontinued for North American models, as it lacked provisions for seat belts; all Karmann Ghias for 1974 were marketed strictly as two-seaters.
Volkswagen Celebrates 60 Years of the Karmann Ghia, But Won't Revive Brand. Just the Facts: Volkswagen on Tuesday marked 60 years of the Karmann Ghia, but told Edmunds it has no plans to revive the brand. The Karmann Ghia, sometimes called a "poor person's sports car," was positioned above the Volkswagen Beetle.
