1978 VOLKSWAGEN SUPER BEETLE CONVERTIBLE ORIGINAL CHAMPAGNE EDITION 1600 FI

Up for auction is this 1978 Super Beetle Convertible. This is an original Champagne Edition.

I purchased this Beetle for my wife to drive this summer while her other car was being restored. Her other Beetle will be ready in the spring and this one can go on to be enjoyed by the new owners. Here is a little bit about the car. We purchased it from a local VW enthusiast who had owned it for 5-6 years. He rebuilt the original fuel injected engine late last summer and claims it had less than 2000 miles on it since the engine overhaul. The engine runs well and has a lot of power. It burns no oil and has zero leaks. I would put my word on his claim that it was rebuilt.

First off, this is a driver. This is not a restored show car. It is very presentable but does have some room for improvement. Exterior wise... I would rate the paint and body in the 6-7 range. There are a few dents and dings as well as some chips in the paint. Thereare no visible rust holes in the body and the car is quite sound all around. The only rust I can find present in the car is in the floor pans under the rear seats. There are a few small blisters but the pans are still very sound everywhere else. I would not even do a pan half on these pans. A few small patch panels no more than the size of a dollar bill would take care of it. The heater channels are quite solid with zero signs of rust inside or out. I do see a quarter size blister on the drivers side inner front fender as well. I pushed on it to make sure everything else was solid around it and it is. That sums up all of the rust on this car.

The interior is very presentable. I believe it to be all original minus the carpet. I can not verify that but I do know that it is very hard if even possible to get the Champagne interior which is what leads me to believe it is original. There are to rips in the seat or door panel upholstery. The only real flaw is the small section of headliner behind the rear seat on the drivers side. I can tell that the headliner got pinched in the convertible top hinges at some point. Otherwise the headliner is in great condition. The dash is in good condition with no cracks. There is no radio installed currently. The exterior of the convertible top does have 1 small tear about 1-2 inches long. This also would be the original top in my opinion. It is German pinpoint vinyl in the light off white which is also not common. Most people replace these tops with the cheaper bright white top.

Driving down the road... This car is quite enjoyable to drive. It drives straight, smooth and stops just as well. I do notice the usual steering wheel shake that many Supers have but this one shakes around the 45-50mph range and it is not violent. Just very slight. The upper steering shaft support bearing could use to be replaced as you can feel a little slop in the steering column. This is a $10-$15 part that takes about an hour to replace. I don't think it has anything to do with the shimmy but it may. It does have new tie rods, ball joints, brakes and tires. The previous owner had the wheels powder coated the correct silver and had the wheels re-mounted. He did point out that he did not have the wheels/tires balanced after he had this done. I have meant to take it in and have the tires balanced but did not get to it. This may very well be where the slight shake is coming from. The shake is honestly slight andNOT the (shot front end that rips the steering wheel out of your hands).

The engine has been rebuilt as stated earlier and is still factory fuel injected. We have had no issues with the injection at all. Of the 100s of VWs I have owned this is the only fuel injected one I have owned and I am quite impressed with it. It starts well, accelerates with no dead spots and actually gets pretty good fuel mileage. The clutch and transmission seem quite solid and have no issues.

The convertible top boot is included but not pictured. Also included is a new fuel sending unit that I purchased but did not get installed. My wife said that the gas gauge works when it wants too so I purchased the new sending unit.

Overall this car is not a project. It is a hop in and drive. This car does have some room for improvement but everything could be done as you were driving it. If you are looking to do a complete restoration this would also be a great candidate as it is pretty much all there and solid. Feel free to contact me and come take it for a drive. Also feel free to call, text or email with any questions

Many more pictures on request.

Adam Kottke 815-222-0644