1974 Volkswagen Beetle

This lovely 1974 Volkswagen Beetle is coming from the vendor's estate after he sadly passed away just 12 months after purchasing the Wolfsburg classic. Before he bought it, there had been some restoration work around 1999, when it was enthusiast owned and successfully used in various concours events. The previous keeper, who was also a VW enthusiast, had owned the Beetle for 19 years and also used it for shows. In 2005/06, it was given another freshen-up, including the interior. But, as you will see, the car is still in stunning condition and seeking a new enthusiastic owner to take over the reins.

Finished in what is believed to be Harvest Gold, the Beetle presents extremely well. Starting at the front of the bug, there are some tiny stone chips to the bonnet, as you would expect for a 17-year-old respray. The chrome bumper is in good condition with just a small amount of tarnishing but no dings or dents. The headlights are in good order with no cracks, and the reflectors appear in good condition inside the units. The indicators are also in good condition, with just a small amount of tarnishing on the chrome tops. The bonnet aligns well and opens and closes as it should with the latch inside the glove box and the button on the handle.

Looking from the side profile, the doors look to align correctly, with an equal panel gap. The windows are in good order with no noticeable scratches, as are the chrome trims and the rear quarter window seals. There is some slight pitting on the door mirrors, but these are a readily available item and relatively easy to replace should you wish. Looking where the wings meet the body, there doesn't appear to be any signs of corrosion, and the same can be said when looking down the running boards. There is a slight amount of worming under the paint on the offside rear quarter, but it hasn't broken through the Gold paint.

At the rear, the engine cover fits well, opening and staying in place as it should. The badges are in good order, as are the rear light lenses. Like the front bumper, this is free from dents but does have a small amount of tarnishing. The rear window has no noticeable scratches and the seal is free from perishing.

The original steel wheels are painted silver with a chrome VW hub cap and are in excellent condition. There is a set of matching tyres which have plenty of tread remaining.

The inside of the Beetle has been restored and is in excellent condition throughout. The grey/black tweed seats are in superb condition both in the front and rear with no signs of wear. The front seats tilt forward as they should, allowing access to the rear. The door and quarter cards are also in good order, with no damage or scuffs.

The dashboard, being part of the body, is finished in gold and has no scratches to point out. With just one instrument fitted, the odometer has a reading of 39,663 miles and is said to be working correctly. Within the paperwork is an invoice for the reconditioning of the period looking Grundig radio, carried out in December 2005. The switch gear is relatively minimal, as you expect for a 1974 Beetle, but what is there is in good condition and working as it should.

The carpets have also been replaced and therefore are in excellent condition with no signs of excessive wear, and looking up, the headlining sits nice and tight with no discolouration.

The 1300 engine fires up without hesitation. With the unmistakable sound of the air-cooled Beetle engine, it comes to an even idle with no untoward noises or smoke. Looking around the engine bay, some new items have been fitted, such as the distributor cap, condenser and oil filler. There were no apparent signs of any leaks when looking above or under the engine at the time of our visit.

The car is said to drive well and move through the four-speed gearbox as you would expect. When it comes to stopping, the Beetle has drums all around, so they are less efficient than disc brakes, but they do work correctly and bring the car to a halt in a straight line.

The floor pan looks in excellent condition with no signs of corrosion. It has been covered in stone guard to protect it, but this is applied in a thin, even coating so as not to hide anything untoward.

The History file speaks for itself on the Beetle. There are an extensive amount of invoices dating back to the late 80s, and also previous MoT certificates, which you can see were regular and covered just a few miles between each, which would suggest the mileage appears to stack up to be the original low 39,663 miles. There is the service book present, which has stamps from the early 00s, and again, these are in keeping with the mileage history.

In the past 15 years, this lovely 1974 Beetle has covered approximately 500 miles with regular MoTs up until 2014, which then started again in 2022, when it passed with no advisories after replacing the front brake pipes. The current MoT is valid until the 7th July 2023.

A lovely low-mileage example of a German classic which is ready to be driven and enjoyed. Whether you use it as a weekend toy or take it to the show field, you can rest assured this classic VW Beetle will bring plenty of enjoyment for the new custodian.

This is a fantastic opportunity for any Volkswagen fan to own a classic ready to use Beetle. We estimate this German icon will fetch in the region of £9,000 - £14,000.

Viewing is always encouraged. The car is located with the vendor in Broughton near Preston, to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’