Aircooled VW South Africa

[edit]I checked the VIN, which dates the car to June 1956.[/edit]

Most of you know I'm more into buses than beetles, but a right-hand drive oval ragtop has always been my dream beetle. mrsfig and I have been harassing forum member Madbones to give us right of first refusal on his original, patinaed 56 ragtop ever since we first saw the car about a year ago. Two weeks ago, just before we left on our latest road trip, Richard Madbones contacted me to say the car was for sale and we had first dibs. Needless to say I told him to consider it sold.

We went and collected the car today. She drove beautifully all the way home, until the oil light came on a kilometre from home; it seems the flywheel oil seal had dried out and pissed out all the engine oil. Other than that, she drove like a dream. We intend to preserve the car in this condition, so it won't be restored.

The story has it that the car was found abandoned in a barn by construction workers building the N4 Platimum highway. It was sold to John Watson, who then sold it to Werner Alker, who displayed it in his museum for many years. A year or two ago Werner sold the car back to John, who in turn sold it to Richard.

Right now I'm grinning from ear to ear.

LOVE the car, but HATE you!!!

Congrats - she's a beaut

What Pine said

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

cheeky little so and so. She looks amazing. Are you gonna fix the front fender at least? Think me it as retro fitting. . . come on fig, its the least that old lady deserves. Just get her straight. . .

no wayz, that little ding adds character to the whole theme

Fig, the last 6 months I have been contemplating on and off if I should respray my 58, but after seeing this you just helped me make up my mind, she is staying as is. completely OG, warts and all. Expect to see her, hopefully parked next to this one, at the 75th beetle celebration!

This car is just too cool for words, an Oval and a ragtop, wow, happy for you. At least we know she has gone to a good home, where she will be amongst friends

The car will get some detail clean-up, but I don't know how far I'll take it, or whether I'll fix the fender. The damage extends to the bumper mount. I have the original small overriders, but the bumpers on the car have the holes for towel rail overriders, so I'm on the lookout for a set of original Euro spec bumpers, and also a Shatterprufe logoed windscreen. The only rust in the car is a large hole in the floor in the right rear passenger footwell, in front of the battery; otherwise she's totally dry.

Another surprise is that this is a Uitenhage assembled beetle, which blows my theory that no sunroof beetles were ever assembled in SA. It's certainly the first SA assembled sunroof beetle I've ever seen; all the rest were imports.

hi fig . wat r the euro spec bumpers

Congratulations, a very nice and special car! Well done

Love the patina!! I really like the look of the back

farhaad.sonday wrote:hi fig . wat r the euro spec bumpers

Like the bumpers on this beetle, no US-spec towel rails like you see on 60s SA beetles:

Mannnnnn I love this beetle !!!

Congrats FIG !!

so basicaly its the same as the ones u currently have on except that it does not have the holes for the towel rails. i bought a brand new set with overiders for my '66. looks beautiful except that they are half the strength of the og ones and rusts easily. looking back now id prefer to put chrome gromets on those holes if i didnt find good og's