“CIRCLE THE WAGEN is our feature-length documentary/love-letter to the vintage Volkswagen subculture in America—that close-knit underground community for whom the joy of driving is the joy of living.

Five years ago, my good friend Dave was planning to move back to LA after living in NYC for several years. Most people in the same situation would buy a plane ticket. Dave bought a bus. A 1972 Volkswagen bus. On eBay for $787 dollars.

A short flight to Des Moines, a grueling twenty-hour drive (that should have been about six), and three breakdowns later Dave found he and his baby blue transporter stranded outside of Tulsa, OK. It was only at this point that Dave, like a normal human being, bought that plane ticket back to LA.

But, as fate would have it, three short months later Dave found himself back in Tulsa to pick up the bus—now affectionately dubbed “The Croc”—with Charlie Pecoraro, myself, an RV packed with film equipment and a merry band of movie-making miscreants, and the adventure that we have come to know as Circle the Wagen had begun.

The mission was simple, or so it seemed: get that baby blue VW bus back to LA using the highways and byways of old 66, the “Mother Road.” Needless to say, the three months of sitting in a church parking lot in Tulsa did nothing to improve the mechanical condition of the the Croc. But it was through the countless breakdowns, backfires, and blow-outs all across Middle America that the unexpected heart of Circle was revealed: a vast network of regular folks, VW owners themselves, who, out of the goodness of their heart and a deep love for these iconic vehicles, rescue perfect strangers who have been stranded by their beloved rust bucket.”

I can’t wait to see film.

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Vehicle Information:
I exchanged a few emails with the owner of this car. From the photos and information I have, it looks like a very solid ’67. I love when people pay attention to small details. German square weave, etc. This one will go fast.

Status: Active on eBay
Mileage: 62,649 miles
Location: Los Angeles, California USA
Contact: Information on eBay

More info from the seller:

“Outstanding example of the Classic 1967 VW Beetle. Rare Factory Sunroof in excellent working condition. This is the model and year to collect-finally 12 volt, w/many improvements. Original Stock appearance & stance, but with a 2110cc Dual Weber 44 IDA motor, custom exhaust, 4 speed with higher 4th gear for freeway driving. Only 3500 miles on this motor-enough to completely dial it in and have it set up-a truly turn-key classic with all the desirable ’67 Factory upgrades-but usable performance. Targa California Rally 2011-covering 1000 miles in 3 days at a fast clip. 4-year old restoration with all new rubber, seals & Porsche 356-quality paint.

It is amazing how much attention this car gets! People just don’t usually restore-and then drive vintage VW’s done to this level.

Always Southern California Car with an original 62,649 miles-DMV certified mileage of 59,050 on 8/31/2007-Speedometer replaced at that time-now showing 3,579 miles.

West Coast Classic Restoration did complete new interior ($4,000) last March, with hand sewn door and rear panels, new seat foam, white headliner-pleats correct for the ’67 Sedan.

Brakes and suspension replaced-all new hoses, wheel cylinders, master cylinder, rear wheel seals, new shoes, tie rod ends, fresh 4-wheel alignment from old-school Bear Brake in Glendora, CA. Larger front sway-bar added and new shocks all around-ride height and “stance” the way it should be. Correct 15″ VW steel wheels with brand new Vredestein Classic Sprint tires. Becker Europa AM/FM radio-works perfectly.

This car was on display at Power Porsche in Newport Beach, CA for 2 years and not for sale. It was displayed inside on the marble floors next to new Porsche’s, Audi’s, etc. The restoration and paint is that nice. During the purchase of another car-I asked them if they would do a 2-car deal and they said sorry, it was not for sale. After appealing to the GM, and due to the fact they were beginning a major renovation at the dealership and needed space, they reluctantly let the car go-as a 2-car deal.

This car was lovingly restored by a serious Porsche enthusiast who put over $35,000 into the car during the restoration. His daily driver was a Porsche GT3 and by the way this car rides and drives you can see his vision in the restoration. The paint quality, now 4 years old, is way above most restored VW standards. It’s a Porsche 356 quality paint-job that has obviously had perfect blocking and wet sanding to make the luster this deep. In my opinion with classic milestone vintage cars, like the ’67 VW, keeping them as original as possible is where the value holds and increases over time.

What attracted me to this car, after the paint quality was that it has been restored to appear completely stock-but with serious performance. The car has been driven by me, not put up on a pedestal so if you search the car carefully you’ll find a small rock-chip here and there-as would be expected of a car that’s driven. No scratches, dents or door dings however.

All of the 1967-specific-items such as door handles, headlamp and turn signal fittings, interior, etc are in place. The 2110cc motor with dual Weber carbs cruises beautifully at 75-80mph. But what’s amazing is how much power it has from there on! Need to pass a car? Just step on it at 75 and take off. This car is so quick it’s really surprising. I’ve never had it on a dyno – but I’ve owned several built-up Porsche 356′s and it would leave them in the dust.

When I bought the car, it had a tan interior and headliner. It doesn’t sound bad, but really was not right for the car. It had the correct German square-weave carpet, etc but the seats were too soft and the door panels were cheap TMI items and not up to the quality of the rest of the car. So the best vintage VW interior place around, Lenny’s West Coast Classic in Fullerton did an incredible job. They hand-sew their own door and interior panels and materials and craftsmanship are top of the mark. They put in a complete and correct off-white interior including headliner and new seat foam. It transformed the car’s interior to light and bright and would be correct for the red paint. We sadly need to let this car go in order to complete another long-term restoration. And I do mean sadly!

I urge you to drive as many “restored” 1967 VW Beetles as possible, then come drive mine. Check my 100% positive feedback and bid with confidence. The car is being sold as-is, no warranty implied or expressed, but there are no issues needing attention. Valves have been adjusted less than 200 miles ago. Tune-up, service, oil/filter change all recent.

The car is available for inspection and I urge anyone out of state to fly in and drive this car home, but do see it in person. There’s not much I can say that the car doesn’t say for itself in appearance and the way it drives. The vehicle is located near Los Angeles and I’m happy to have a professional inspection done at the shop/dealership of your choice at your expense.”

The one thing I did notice is that the engine is not period correct to the car. Normally, it would not fit the criteria of 1967beetle.com. However, it’s obvious that this ’67 has been loved and taken care of with a close attention to detail.

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The fantastic ’67 mentioned yesterday is actually for sale! Restored by West Coast Classic. Need I say more? Here’s the detailed info. Someone buy this car before I drive down to So Cal and grab it myself.

West Coast Classic
Lenny Copp
714-871-1322

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My Good friend Timm Eubanks and I recently completed an interview with Lenny of WCCR. A huge thanks again to Timm for making the drive and shooting photos.

Photos: WCCR

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Tell us about the history of your ’67 Beetle?
I grew up with a beetle. Mom had a ’68 savannah beige auto stick she bought brand new. I was born in ’73 so my earliest memories include that VW. We moved to Florida in 1988 and left the VW behind. 20 years of Wisconsin winters and road salt had taken its toll. No matter what, vintage cars remained in my blood.

The story of my beetle starts in Sarasota, FL. In the spring of 1990. I was 16 and just got my driver license about a month before. I was working in the front yard when I heard this god awful racket of a car ripping down the street. It was white with a patina of reddish surface rust, red late-model doors, no bumpers, and a loud, aftermarket exhaust. I could tell it was a ’67 from front fenders. About two minutes later it flew down the street again. All I could think was “COOL!”

An hour later I was walking around the block and saw this beetle sitting in the front yard of a house. It had a FOR SALE sign in the window. I stopped and talked to the owner. His name was Herb Burgart. I ended up working out a deal to buy the car. A few weeks later she was mine! Herb had to drive the car to my house because I couldn’t drive stick.

Fast FWD. One day on my way home the beetle started to spit and sputter. I looked in the rear view mirror only to see flames. I grabbed a fire extinguisher and quickly handled the situation. As it turned out, the pressed fitting on my fuel pump fell out. The fuel filter was actually still intact, just melted a little. All in all, no real damage. Whew!

In summer of 1992 my parents moved back to our home state of Wisconsin. I brought my beetle and began the restoration. On March 13th 2000, the place where my beetle was stored was foreclosed on. One day the movers came and took everything including my ’67 and ’72. I got a hold of the company and they said I needed to “pay $150 in towing fees” to get the cars back. The owner of the foreclosed property told me not to get them yet because he was going to sue the bank for grand theft and he would give me part of the settlement. A few months went by and I decided to get my car anyway but the number was now disconnected. I tried to locate where they went but just like that the cars were gone.

On March 14th 2010, ten years and one day from the loss of my beetle, I got home from work late, sat down, and started searching classifieds. An ad caught my eye; it was a ’67 beetle for $600. I clicked on it and said “holy err ‘cow.” My wife knew right away. It was my car! I went and picked my ’67 the next day, It sucked that I had to buy the car twice, even though I had the title. A friend said I should show up with the Sheriff and say the car was stolen 10 years ago. The car was stored in a barn. It was still in great shape, but a lot of the small parts, which I had removed some 15 years earlier were missing. It turned out that the company that removed the cars went out of business shortly after I talked to them.

When did you start the restoration?
I always tell people I started the restoration the day I bought her back in 1990. But to be realistic, I started in 2010.

How long did the restoration take?
Well, as of today she is still “work in progress.” I would have to say the work is about 60-70% complete. Pretty much all the mechanics are put back together; all that is left is wiring and finishing off the interior.

What were some of the challenges you faced during the process?
The first thing was to find someone to fix the front-end damage. I didn’t want some bonehead with a cutting torch to mess with my baby. Luckily, I found Mark Massey, of Old VW Restorations. He’s about 40 minutes from me and does awesome work. He grafted on the new front apron and painted her. I can’t tell you how happy I was! And best of all, he treats your car like it is his very own.

The other thing was to find a good supplier of quality parts. There are so many venders that gladly offer poor quality. I have found Wolfsburg West to be great resource for parts and information.

In your opinion, what makes the ’67 Beetle so unique?
The ’67 is unique because it is a hybrid, taking from both the old style beetle and the new style beetle, which is what attracted me to this year. You have those awesome bumpers with the overriders, low back seats; you have to open the hood to gas up. Then you have the 12-volt electrical system and the bigger engine.

What parts were the hardest to find?
I thought it would be the doors, seats, front clip, or hood, but those turned up as soon as I started looking. At this point in the restoration, the hard thing is that silly air cleaner bracket. I know they are out there, it’s just taking time! I have to say, The Samba has been a great resource to find parts. I now that I am in the home stretch and am sure I will realize other parts I need. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this interview.

What is your take on doing a 100% stock restoration VS non stock?
It really is up to the owner. You have to follow your heart and listen to your VW. That being said, I really hate to see someone cut into perfectly good German steel. I know some guys that are total purist, if you even have the wrong tires on your car, they won’t talk to you. I am not that way, I love to see a perfect stock car, but I enjoy a slammed bug with a big engine.

Any ’67 Beetle specific tips or words of wisdom you would like to offer?
TAKE YOUR TIME! Do a lot of research. Find fellow enthusiasts like Eric Shoemaker here at 1967Beetle.com to ask questions. He’s a wealth of knowledge. I kick myself for not emailing him sooner. Don’t rush to get something together and end up destroying the part; I have done it. It’s is not worth it. Whatever you do with your restoration, drive and enjoy it!  I keep a restoration bog, but have been a little slow updating. Here’s a video of us putting the body on. Thanks 1967beetle.com!

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If you have an original or correctly restored ’67 Beetle (or parts) that you’d like to list for sale, please reach out for more information. Also, see the classifieds FAQ.

Between e-mail subscribers, Twitter, and RSS 1967beetle.com reaches a growing audience. The content is niche and unique to folks who are doing stock restorations.

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You just finished reading "’67 Volkswagen Beetle Classifieds" on 1967Beetle.com! I'd love to hear your thoughts about it!

I still don’t think the new Beetle will ever come close to such a timeless classic as the vintage Beetle. What do you think?

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With that said, the only advertisers that will ever be showcased here are the folks with their hearts in the right place in terms of services or high quality parts. If you’re one of the mass mailed catalogs that claim “high quality”, we’re probably not good fit for each other. However, if you are one of the few good folks, please reach out to learn more about how we can build a lasting relationship.

1967beetle.com is gaining exposure daily. Between e-mail subscribers, Twitter, and RSS it reaches a growing audience. The content is niche and unique to folks who are doing stock restorations.

Additional information about advertising with 1967beetle.com.
Thanks,
-Eric Shoemaker

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“Is your fuel tank gauge not quite on the level? Or, worse yet, perhaps your early Beetle cabin is reeking with fuel vapor? If so, the problem may be your fuel tank sending unit. Over time, the pivot point of the unit can wear, causing a release of fuel vapors that ultimately find their way into the passenger cabin. Conversely, cracks can form in the float device to cause the level indicator of your fuel gauge to read inaccurately. Unlike other aftermarket versions, our new reproduction units are made as original. Molded from high compression zinc die-cast housing, and properly sealed to prevent escape of nasty fuel vapors. Made by Wolfsburg West.”

Part number: 113919049C. This fits from ’62 to ’67.
Thanks guys for your dedication to this great hobby.

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This beautiful ’67 comes from a reader of 1967beetle.com in Australia named Glen Orriss. It’s a 1300 deluxe. I don’t know much about the production run of ’67s in other countries, but this one is worth a mention because of its unique features. It looks more like a ’66, but is in fact a ’67!

Thanks again Glen for sending over these great photos!

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