The end of the VW Beetles

Had one myself back in 60's NZ. 6 volt split window 1954 model. Hard to start in winter.
My brothers friend, studying to be a lawyer, had a 1960's model. He had not long purchased it when he rang me one morning to say his VW would not start. I arrived with jumper leads and asked if he had done any checks on the engine. Was told  he removed what he thought was the radiator cap and topped up the water !!!

Towed it to a workshop to be drained, cleaned up and started.

The aforementioned is now a very successful lawyer.

My family's first car when I was still a teenager in Vietnam was a Citroen 2CV, and the second one was a '58 Beetle.  My husband's first and second cars in California were '58 and '61 Beetle.  My first car, also when I lived in California, was a '62 Beetle, then some years later, a '72 VW Karmann Ghia Cabriolet.  My stepdaughter's first car was a '72 Beetle. 

I guess you could say our family has always been full of Bugs and Beetles.

stumpy wrote:

...  he removed what he thought was the radiator cap and topped up the water !!!

Towed it to a workshop to be drained, cleaned up and started.

A great story, Stumpy! I wonder if he ever found the battery...!
I think the first wide back-window was on the 1959 model. It improved the looks of the car no end. I never liked that dinky split-window.
There were some wonderful adverts for the cars. I remember in Toronto (where I lived 1965-66) a huge billboard, nine tenths of which shouted "DON'T FORGET YOUR ANTI-FREEZE THIS WINTER", and in small print in the bottom right-hand corner a picture of a Beetle with the words, "Unless of course you're air-cooled".

stumpy wrote:

Had one myself back in 60's NZ. 6 volt split window 1954 model. Hard to start in winter.
My brothers friend, studying to be a lawyer, had a 1960's model. He had not long purchased it when he rang me one morning to say his VW would not start. I arrived with jumper leads and asked if he had done any checks on the engine. Was told  he removed what he thought was the radiator cap and topped up the water !!!

Towed it to a workshop to be drained, cleaned up and started.

The aforementioned is now a very successful lawyer.

I'm so jealous of you.

Still used in great numbers in this City! When I visited my son in the City in about 2000, half the taxis seemed to be Beetles! Lovely photos.
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