1971 Volkswagen Beetle 1300

Sold

1971 Volkswagen Beetle 1300 – Reserve Met

Sold Price

£8,480

Mileage~47,014 on clock
TransmissionManual
Engine1.3L
LocationLeicester

SOLD

1971 Volkswagen Beetle 1300 – Reserve Met

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Glyn Parry

Professional Consigner

The Beetle is arguably one of the very best entry level classics money can buy - great looks and affordable to run and insure.

Produced from 1938, it's probably safe to say that the Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most iconic vehicles ever produced. Practical and reliable was the order of the day in the design of this classic, not to mention affordability, which is how it became known as the peoples' car.

Over 80 years on the production line, the Beetle has gone through many changes, from rear split screen, to oval window, suspension changes and engine upgrades. It's a car that has evolved over time without moving too far away from its classic roots.

With considerably low mileage for the age of the car, this VW has really been looked after especially over recent years having been largely restored by its previous owner. The car has had a great amount of attention given to its interior and exterior bodywork sections, including refurbishment of the seats, carpets, underside and body panels.

Over its recent ownership, the engine has been reworked to include an alternator conversion, new fuel lines, starter motor, a full tune up amongst other upgrades. Looking over the Beetle, it's apparent the hard work has largely been completed and would just need the final touches to get this up to being an outstanding example.

This listing was written from information supplied by Glyn after meeting Nathan the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

The Beetle is a real family favourite, it's simply beautiful to look at and if I had more time to spend driving and using her, she's a car I'd love to keep.

Purchased as a father and son family project, the VW had a good amount of work bestowed on it before its current owner Nathan bought it. Nathan said, "My dad's first car was a classic VW Beetle and so I bought this one to fix her up, and drive it to show events up and down the country to rekindle my dad's good old days and give us a project we would both enjoy."

Nathan has enjoyed the engine work he has carried out on the Beetle over his ownership, he went on to say, "Unfortunately I purchased the beetle at the worst possible time, late 2019, just a few months before Covid. I could only do bits and pieces rather than getting stuck into a full project with the car".

With the car now mainly held in a tented garage area, the car doesn't currently see many miles and with this, comes the need for a sale. Nathan said, "With limited time to invest in it, plus it's low amount of use, it's ultimately the reason I am selling her. For how nice she looks and sounds, she needs driving and love that I can not provide and deserves to go to someone more enthusiastic about classic VW's".

Nathan

Vehicle Owner

Nathan saved £1,440* when they
sold their VW with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

This lovingly restored Beetle is full of character, offering iconic, classic looks that are instantly recognisable.

Wheels and Tyres

The Beetle is equipped with a great set of cream VW branded 15" wheels with chrome centre sections that show really well around all four corners of the car. We noted very few issues with the wheels as we looked around the exterior.

Complete with a set of Vredestein Sprint classic 155 SR15 82S tyres to the front and rear, the condition of tyres looks great with no obvious cracking or major wear. We suspect these may have been updated as part of the previous owners restoration project to maintain the classic look of the car although no date codes were noted on these.

Please take a look at the photos and videos for a detailed view of the exterior of this VW and a closer look at the wheels and tyres.

Bodywork

It's apparent the restoration work carried out on the Beetle has really made a great difference to the overall look and presentation of the VW.

The only two points of observation were the doors to the car didn't quite align flush, the passenger door stood out a little more prominently than the drivers door, however, this is often a point to note on older type Beetles.

Looking in much closer detail at the underside of the rear offside of the car, there is a slight pull on the metalwork, although this was difficult to spot unless looking from underneath the car.

Take the time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The paintwork on this car really does look excellent and really shows it has been cared for since its respray from the previous owner. The paint looks even in colour and coat on each panel of the car. Originally the car was painted red, although has been returned to its original factory colour in the beige finish we see today.

We did note a small area of paint wear on the passenger side door due to the door not lining up exactly and causing a little abrasion against the B pillar. Corresponding small markings were also present on the main B pillar section.

Again, we have taken high resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves. The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

Windscreen section, sun roof, side windows and mirrors all appear in good condition and we could see no sign of scratching or chips on the glass. The chrome sections around the car were looking good too when we reviewed the exterior sections, having been restored by the previous owner.

You may note that on some of the exterior gallery shots that the 'VW 1300' badge isn't present, the current owner doesn't currently have the rear washer bolts and as such, we removed the badge when we were out on the road to save losing the badge due to it not being affixed. The badge itself however, is included as part of the final sale.

Roof lining looked good over the interior roof section. We did note that there were no sun visors on the car looking over the cabin area.

An area inside the cabin we observed of note were the door cards, the glue on the cards appears to have pulled away from the main body of the car and would need to be re-affixed. The seals on the whole look good around the car and in line with the rest of the condition of the body.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

The cabin of the Beetle retains the original, quirky character of this car with its luscious red seats and retro styling.

Seats and Carpets

Seat sections look great in the interior, comfortable and inviting, the red finish is smart across the materials - cream piping to the seat edges looks good also. We noted no rips or tears - there was just a piece of thread that was out of place on the driver's seat back, but overall, not a major concern.

Over in the rear seating area, the section looked like it had barely been used showing the Beetle has really benefitted from its restoration work from the previous owner.

Carpet mats look great and show with very few issues on these. Underneath the mat sections again show nicely and the quality is also reflected in the front boot where we noted great quality and a very tidy impression.

Dashboard

The slimline beige dash appears in great shape with no marks or scratches to report. Mileage counter showed with ~47,014 miles at the time of our visit. The central dash area showed the speedometer and mileage counter displaying well and without concern, again there were no observed scratches or marks on this section.

Twist buttons and switches on the main dash facing looked good and added a great sense of nostalgia to the stylish cabin. We noted no issues with any warning lights and the fuel gauge, oil temp and generator were functioning without concern. Our interior gallery section takes you over some closer images of the VW dash, head over and see the car's interior in finer detail.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The 4 spoke VW branded steering wheel with metal inset is in great condition with minimal concern. The wheel was missing a couple of screws but didn't effect the handling or steering in anyway on our drive out in the car. Overall the drivers section is a straightforward setup with minimal fuss and in great condition given the vehicle is just over ~52 years young.

A simple setup is present on the gearstick area, consistent with the overall feel of the cabin area, it's respectable in its presentation considering it's likely to be the original component present with the Beetle. We've captured high-resolution photos for you to review and appreciate the condition of the interior in our gallery section.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

The VW benefits from being tastefully upgraded over its current ownership with an alternator conversion, new fuel lines, starter motor, a full tune up plus many other features.

Engine and Gearbox

The VW started up and ran nicely when we fired up the car from cold. The engine runs very well, especially considering the car hasn't had much use at all, or many miles over its years - overall the Beetle would simply benefit from more use.

Venturing out on our journey, the engine sounded good and didn't make any unwanted noises or cause any fuss.

Take a look at the car and engine section which we've highlighted in the cold start section of the mechanical review video. We take the car on a short drive and go into further detail about the Beetle, taking it out on some local roads to get a better sense of what this car is all about.

Suspension and Brakes

On the drive out, Nathan took us around some local roads, we heard no knocks, bangs or squeaks from the suspension and overall the car performed as to be expected with no observed issues. The brakes felt to have no pull or vibrations that stood out to us when on the journey and brought the car to a stop.

We cover off the underside of the VW's exterior in our Mechanical gallery section. This area of the car showed really well with very few areas of real concern, the typical areas which tend to attract rusting at the front of the car, underneath the bumper, weren't showing issues which was great to see.

Head over to our video section where we've summarised our visit in more detail for you to view for yourself.

The Drive

The real focus of the 1300 is pure and simple driving enjoyment. The Beetle is meant to be loved, adored, experienced and ultimately, is a piece of motoring history designed with fun in mind which this example really delivers on.

Head over to the on the road video to hear our thoughts on the journey and to see how the car performs.

Electrics and Other

The Beetle is ultimately an early 70's car and doesn't have the convienances more modern drivers may be used to. A spare tyre with matched Vredestein tyre is located in the front boot.

Nathan told us that he has had no issues with the electrical elements on the car and to the best of his knowledge, everything was working as it should do.

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History and Paperwork

Not many car manufacturers inspire such levels of keen devotion from their owners as the Beetle - this one ticks a lot of boxes as a really desirable model.

Nathan, the current owner, has put a lot of time and energy into the car over his ~3 years of ownership. The 1300 has had an alternator conversion, new fuel lines and filter, starter motor, new belt, battery, a full service, timing adjustments and full tune to make the VW drive as good as can be. The heads have also been upgraded to run on unleaded fuel, where Nathan's aim was to make the Beetle more reliable and convenient to run.

Nathan purchased the Beetle in a brand new fresh coat of paint. The previous owner bought it in red and returned it to the colour it was when I came out of the factory. With its lovely beige finish and luscious red interior, the colour combination really does go well. Nathan added to the car's stylish look by encasing the engine in red and upgrading chrome additions in the engine bay, making the car really pop.

Should there be any questions required, Nathan would be happy to answer these in the section below.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house. Please note, the car may be in daily use, so the mileage may increase from that shown here - you can request an update check with us after you register your interest.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
23.09.2005	MOT	45,469

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Key Details

ModelBeetle 1300
TransmissionManual
Reg. Date28.04.1971
CC1,285cc
Mileage~47,014 on clock
ColourBeige
Interior ColourRed
Chassis #1112770477
Engine #AB586487
RestoredYes
Engine RebuildYes
MOT ExemptYes
Road Tax ExemptYes
HPi ClearYes - all clear
Former Keepers17
Tyre BrandVredestein
LHD or RHDRHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Owned~3 years, 8 months
Key FeatureCondition
Auction ID1329

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All Images

History and Paperwork

All Videos

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Seller : NathanL Sale Date 24.05.2023

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Vehicle Location

Leicester

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