The 100,000 Beetle
We are honored to offer this incredible bit of Volkswagen history for sale here at Oldbug.
It is a car that is a true museum quality vehicle with a provenance like no other
Beetle that we have ever offered before.
This is the actual 100,000th Beetle to come off the assembly line at the
Emden VW plant in Germany.
The Emden plant opened in 1964 to keep up with world demand for the Beetle.
During the 50th anniversary of the opening of the plant, VW shipped this Beetle back home
to Germany for the celebration and displayed it at the factory.
When this car rolled off the line on Jan 11th 1966, the factory stopped to celebrate.
They covered the hood with flowers, made a special bronze tag to affix to the car
and the factory workers posed with the car and a special sign to commemorate the event.
This was a landmark achievement for the factory that still to this day produces cars for the world.
The car was shipped to California along with a boat full of other Beetles and was sold
at a dealership in the San Francisco Bay area.
It went through a lifetime of owners and spent its working days among the
psychedelic streets of the Haight Ashbury and was even rumored to have had
Janice Joplin as a passenger one night. The owner at the time kept the car
for many years and moved out of the city to start an organic farm away from the
drug filled parties and wild ways. When the car was discovered as seen above
there were remnants of those wild days under the seats and in the deep corners.
Narcotics anonymous tokens as just one example
.
The special tag from the factory under the hood being
the only remaining detail that hinted at its special place in VW history.
From an amazing milestone "birth" with great celebration
to a long wild life in the smoke filled hippie days,
then to retire on a farm and bake in the California sun.
Then discovered, restored to absolute perfection
and then return home to the factory in Germany for a celebration once again.
This Beetle has a story to tell like no other on the planet.
Today the car rests in a private collection in Oregon in the hands of a fanatical collector.
He has cared for it like a fine jewel and has not only kept it in spectacular condition,
he has improved upon the spectacular restoration to make it even more accurate and to make certain that
the car is mechanically as well done as the cosmetics.
Inside and out the restoration is spectacular.
The fellow that wrote the checks for this craftsmanship did not hold back.
There are receipts for well over $100,000 on the build of this car. Yes...I'm serious!
It really is an amazing car quality wise.
Add to that the mind bending history to it...I can not imagine a Beetle
that can match it. It is an absolute one of a kind car.
The seller has provided some wonderfully detailed images that I have posted all below.
For the most part they speak for themselves so please scroll and enjoy.
I will chime in with any special details of note...but as they say, a picture is worth 1000 words!
Below are close to a hundred photos.
(you do the math there ;)
Top to bottom this car is impressive!!
Have you seen enough?
Truly no bolt left un-turned, every bot of it has been restored to an impressive level.
Here are some photos of the car when it was on display back at its birthplace in Emden Germany
for the 50th anniversary of the plant.
Amazing.
For VW to arrange for the shipment of the car all the way from the US and back for the event,
it proves how special the car is when it comes to the place in history it holds.
It was big news and it spread all through the media...the "homecoming"
was the crowning achievement, the car coming full circle.
It was featured in magazines and newspapers all over the globe.
What a story, and what a long, strange trip its been.
Now this amazing car is available for sale.
It is a spectacular machine that deserves a truly special home.
The current owner has had his fun with it, but he knows there is a better spot for it to be than his garage.
It should be where people can see it and take in its history.
No matter where it ends up, I am sure the next caretaker will be very proud to own it.
Asking
$75,000 obo
For More Info...CALL
951 767 1600
or email oldbug@earthlink.net