No Rust And Highly Original 1958 VW Beetle Deluxe
1958 marked the 20th anniversary of the Volkswagen Beetle, with The People’s Car still meeting the objective of remaining cheap and simple, holding true to the concept it was originally designed for. This ’58 model has a great story behind it and remains in overall excellent condition, so if you’ve been in the market for a vintage Bug this one’s probably worth checking out. The VW is presently in Riverview, Florida, but not before a long stint of time in Arizona then California, and can be found here on eBay, where the current bid of $10,000 isn’t enough yet to change the reserve status to met.
The history here goes that the original holder was the owner of a Volkswagen dealership in Arizona, who remained in possession of the car until his passing. It was then given to the beneficiary, who sold the car to a lady in California where she had a tune-up and valve adjustment performed then added a new set of tires before selling it to the current owner, who states that the panels are free of rust and the paint is believed to be original. A few imperfections in the finish are mentioned, but the exterior is said to still retain some gloss.
Amazing is how the seller describes the upholstery, and judging from the photos most of the interior seems to live up to this designation considering it’s past the 60-year mark at this point, with the headliner stated as being one component inside that is showing its age. Moving forward, things in the front storage area are equally as well-preserved, with a peek behind the dashboard revealing a level of order that’s hard to find fault with anywhere and making me wish all autos had such easy access to this area.
A look underneath reveals another impressive viewpoint, with this being an area that the current owner has put a lot of work into since acquiring the VW. The seller says the car previously had an excessive amount of under-body coating, which he removed and discovered like-new original pans with a platform that is stated as being in remarkably fresh condition.
That’s also still the original motor out back, said to be running strong after only 78k miles of use with a manual transmission that’s stated to be shifting perfectly. This is one of those cars that’s just making me smile from every angle, and I imagine the price will keep steadily climbing until the gavel drops, but even then there’s always the possibility the high bid won’t have reached the reserve. Any guesses as to where the seller may have set his price point here?
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Comments
Nice! This is where I’d put my money instead of in that crusty green one a few cars back.
Exceptional example. How much more than $10k will be determined by the most fanatical bug enthusiast. Dad had a ‘56 that was an early lesson in primary mechanics for us boys, using a lawn mower platform minus the B&S motor to drop and pull out the engine-floor jacks were way above our financial discretion!
Crazy to think that no one wanted the company after WW2 when it was available for financial reparations-but then again maybe the work attitude of the people in the factory was of realizing it was “sink or swim” economically that made it all the more successful.
Deja Vu. In Berlin, Germany bought a new 58 Bug w/German specs for just under $1,000. German Marks exchanged at DM4.20 for a Dollar. Those were the days.
I’ve wondered for a long time why after offering metallic colors in the mid/late ’50s VW abandoned them after ’59 or thereabouts until the 411 launched in ’68 and didn’t offer them on the bug again until the spring specials started up in ’73 or so.
Pun fully intended, this guy is going for the gold. Reserve is at least $20K, probably $25K. And he may very well get it.
The ’58 Bug was a dramatically improved car. Improvements over the ’57 were: bigger windshield, new instrument cluster, signals moved to top of fender, new engine cover, new gas pedal, new steering wheel, better brakes and bigger clutch. At $1545, it was the cheapest car you could buy and remained so until the Gremlin undercut them by $100 in 1970. An old friend had a ’58 Bug, in our senior year, his 1st car. He paid $65 bucks for it in 1972. We had a LOT of fun in that car, stuff you wouldn’t think of doing today, but hey, it was the 70s! Let’s hear the VW stories,,,the ones you can tell that is.
Or the biggest difference was the no longer oval rear window. I had quite a few in my youth with a ’57 being the one I miss the most. The body was dropped onto a 1970 all independent suspension, had a twin port 1600 cc motor, Saab disc brakes at all 4 corners, bigger wheels and tires, lowered suspension, and no rust.
I don’t see a fuel guage, is it hidden within the speedometer, or did you have to calculate your mileage?
It didn’t have a fuel gauge. If you ran out of gas there was a lever you would pull to switch to a reserve tank.
Thank you. Now that you wrote that, I remember something about it.
Actually you reached up with your right foot (momentarily taking it off the accelerator pedal) and moved the lever (it was L shaped) 90 degrees clockwise.
VW’s had a reserve tank for when you ran low. Had a 1960, one of the greater cars I have owned. Lov’d it.
Interesting VW however a couple questions on how original – (1) the muffler and tailpipes don’t look correct for 1958 (2) there is a metal strap connected with U-straps on the rear axles that crosses over the transaxle, again this doesn’t look correct for 1958.
The rear lid apron is no correct 4 tab.. Probably a rear accident in its lifetime.. Other than that its like my 1959 I bought 5 years ago for 8K… no rust anywhere but it needs paint and interior.. So price is right cheap if I may say so,,,
I had 1960 bug back in ’74. Pros, It was fun to drive and got good gas mileage and I could push start it my self if the battery was dead. Cons, I had trouble hooking up my giant 8 track player because the car was 6 volt. It wasn’t exactly a chick magnet
Ah yes, the 6 volt kerfuffle. Took a little good old American know how to fix that, my friend. My ’58 Volvo was 6 volt, and I had a 12v battery in the back seat and my KRACO 8 track in the glove box. Trouble there was, on long cruises, “Light my fire” got slower and slower,,
HoA_ hilarious….a slower version of that Doors tune would be even more hypnotic than the original.You might just fall asleep at the wheel!
My significant other had a ’57 in high school as a two year old car!
Back in the early Nineties I bought a beautiful sunroof 1600 ’67 from a friend who had a VW shop and gave it to my stepson. Being the not too attentive yute he was, he got it stolen by some of the low ridin crowd as he lived in a neighborhood adjacent, if you get my driftt.
Anyway, one day the cops stop the perpetrators and realize its stolen. In the few weeks since it disappeared it had been spray painted with grey primer over a previously immaculate VW light blue..and not well.
The stepson got the car back and one day, said perp arrived at his door and asked for his jacket that he left on the floor in back. Nonplussed , said dumb-a stepson gave it back to him!
Before that car he managed to destroy a ’78 MGB, an Audi 100 and finished off with his grandfather’s early eighties Buick Regal which he had to enter by climbing through the drivers door as it someone got sideswiped. They’re out there :)
My first car was a ’58 Beetle at age 15. It never drove as it had a major transmission problem, but at $75 and no license yet, I didn’t care. I had a CAR!!! LOL! Engine ran great and it was then that I learned how to do oil changes and valve adjustments. She was quite rusty (being in Michigan) and when anyone sat in the passenger’s seat, the floor would sink. I actually brush painted Rust-o-leum over the entire bottom of the car! Anyway, a guy from my neighborhood offered to buy it and I talked him up to $85, as I had put money into it. (Yeah, rubber pedal pads and a dome light! LOL!) Months later, I bought my first driver, a ’62 Beetle, again with my paper route money. Good times! :)
Now, that’s a barn find.
Roof Rack “NOT INCLUDED” Why show a picture of the car with a roof rack on it? That roof rack really set’s that Beetle off…