As kids we had a daily half hour commute to a private school and back, my dad driving. There were five of us siblings searching for “bugs” along the route. We said, “ Slug bug, no slugs back!” There was a whole lot of slugging going on!
When the new Beatles came out in 1998 I bought a blue one!
I'm not as crazy about the new Beetles, as I don't think they're truly "Volks-wagons". The original Beetle could be repaired by nearly anybody with the Owner's Manual and a few tools (not me, but when it comes to auto repair I'm the original ten-thumbs!), but the new ones are just a modern VW with all the extra stuff cars now have, and nowhere near as reliable.
I know a lot of that "extra stuff" means less air pollution, but I wish Volkswagon had figured out a way to add a catalytic converter to the original Beetle and still made it easy to repair.
My first car was a 1958 Bug. A stick shift with a 24hp engine. With the small, oval window. The front seats slid off and could be reversed. Very handy for 16-yo love making.
My artist friends painted it from top to bottom. It was the talk of the school parking lot though the nasty Vice Principal asked me quite firmly to take his name (with an arrow pointed upwards) off the bumper below a Kilroy-style figure in back.
The best part of beetles/bugs is that they’re firmly planted in the technology of the 1930s. They never really moved on, which means that they can be serviced with basic mechanical knowledge and tools.
The worst part of beetles/bugs is that they’re firmly planted in the technology of the 1930s. Cars were maintenance intensive back then, requiring frequent adjustments to brakes, valves, points, belt, cables, etc. (At least they didn’t have coolant issues!) Air conditioning? LOL! At least the later ones had brakes that were modern-ish.
Which is not to say that I don’t kick myself for not buying a 1964 bug in 1976, and a 1967 body-off restoration in 2008.
My dad was a Volkswagen mechanic in the 60s and they had a vending machine for little toy Volkswagens about the size of a matchbox car in their office. I would get to get one if I was quiet. I only got a couple. Many friends and girlfriends had these in high school even in the late 70s and early eighties. Cute chicks always drove them. I was actually in a few crashes as one of my beetle owning friends, he wasn’t a very good driver and drank a lot. We went plummeting off a mountain road in January in Montana, we rolled 3 times and came to a stop against a large fir tree. The little strap is very handy along with the dash handle, I was able to suspend myself with these two handles while the beetle rolled. After coming to a stop, we extricated our selves just in time for the sheriff to show up and arrest him for multiple driving violations. I was cold, wet, covered in bong water, stale beer and cigarette butts but no injuries or arrest for me anyway. He fixed the beetle only to crash it into a furniture store a few months later. I missed that one. They were really amazing vehicles, very easy to fix and work on and surprisingly durable. Every time I hear one to takes back 50 years, such a different time.
I can so relate to this post! My first car, in 1974, was a 1964 Volkswagen beetle. The color was Panther Pink (really a pinky purple), and it had a sunroof. I had to lift up my feet when I went over a puddle, or they would get soaked! It cost $400. The gas gauge did not work, but the math was easy: It had a 5 gallon fuel tank.
Alas, the windshield wipers went out six months later in the middle of a November rainstorm, and it hydroplaned into the car in front of me in a rush hour traffic jam. My mother refused to let my Dad fix it so it was drivable again. I sold it for $200, and cried as it was towed away.
But then I discovered ’66 Mustang convertibles, and life was never the same!!
It is so great to see them, not so much on the coast but inland, yes. Like a trip down memory lane. If memory serves the very last VW Beetle came off an assembly line in Mexico, 2003. So you're in right territory. I think there was a huge party (not uncommon, right?) to commemorate it.
Yes!!!. I have property in Tempoztlan outside Cuernavaca and I see beetles all over. I envisioned if I ever lived there, I would paint it up “hippie flower power” and ride around blaring out late famous Mexican musician, Juan Gabriel (Latin version of Elton John). Querida….
I am a FOREVER fan of the VW Old School (circa 80s/90s) Pop Top Camper Vans… my family and I took an entire summer and hit every National Park up and down the old Route 66 when I was just 9 or 10 years old… BEST MEMORIES ever! They don´t make em like that anymore!
Love your story. And your pictures. So many colorful bugs!
If you are ever in Culiacán, Sinaloa, you might enjoy checking out the botanical garden. There is a vocho crashed into a tree. The artist, Francis Alys drove it from Mexico City to the garden where he crashed it. Here is a video of the end of the journey, https://youtu.be/eZhhJ9dmvKs?si=0ZdRSps9RM9Tkhhb
How amazing that your first car was also your dream car. That's so special. And what how great that they're still kicking around in Mexico. Is a Beetle Mexico roadtrip on the cards?
I had a friend in college (1980s, this was) who had a black Beetle that she had painted with orange tiger stripes. When riding as a passenger, I often forgot about the exotic paint job and wondered why nearby motorists were honking and waving ...
That baby blue Beetle was my first car! Heater boxes rusted out so we kept a down sleeping bag in the back seat for those Minnesota winters. Always started and I could fix it myself...
My big memory of the VW bug was my friend and I hitching between north-central PA and New York City and getting a ride in a bug the whole way. Three of us crammed in the front seat, but to make it in one hitch was miraculous.
BTW, I rented a basement room in Boulder in summer of ‘83. If you bought ice cream at the Haagen Dazs at the mall, I was probably the one who served you. Fun times!
“Punch buggy no punch back “. (Please tell me you get that reference)!
As kids we had a daily half hour commute to a private school and back, my dad driving. There were five of us siblings searching for “bugs” along the route. We said, “ Slug bug, no slugs back!” There was a whole lot of slugging going on!
When the new Beatles came out in 1998 I bought a blue one!
Maybe they'll reboot it again and we can all buy one more!
I'm not as crazy about the new Beetles, as I don't think they're truly "Volks-wagons". The original Beetle could be repaired by nearly anybody with the Owner's Manual and a few tools (not me, but when it comes to auto repair I'm the original ten-thumbs!), but the new ones are just a modern VW with all the extra stuff cars now have, and nowhere near as reliable.
I know a lot of that "extra stuff" means less air pollution, but I wish Volkswagon had figured out a way to add a catalytic converter to the original Beetle and still made it easy to repair.
Yeah, original all the way!
I do like original better as well.
I do, too! Though here there was a „Yellow“ at the beginning of that sentence. :-)
Love the yellow Beetles!
Damn, you beat me to it (pun not intended)
I do! 🤣🤣🤣
My first car was a 1958 Bug. A stick shift with a 24hp engine. With the small, oval window. The front seats slid off and could be reversed. Very handy for 16-yo love making.
My artist friends painted it from top to bottom. It was the talk of the school parking lot though the nasty Vice Principal asked me quite firmly to take his name (with an arrow pointed upwards) off the bumper below a Kilroy-style figure in back.
Good times.
Do you have a picture? Would love to see that.
Check your Messenger!
I had a 1965 Transporter that I loved/hated.
The best part of beetles/bugs is that they’re firmly planted in the technology of the 1930s. They never really moved on, which means that they can be serviced with basic mechanical knowledge and tools.
The worst part of beetles/bugs is that they’re firmly planted in the technology of the 1930s. Cars were maintenance intensive back then, requiring frequent adjustments to brakes, valves, points, belt, cables, etc. (At least they didn’t have coolant issues!) Air conditioning? LOL! At least the later ones had brakes that were modern-ish.
Which is not to say that I don’t kick myself for not buying a 1964 bug in 1976, and a 1967 body-off restoration in 2008.
You are right about both things!
My dad was a Volkswagen mechanic in the 60s and they had a vending machine for little toy Volkswagens about the size of a matchbox car in their office. I would get to get one if I was quiet. I only got a couple. Many friends and girlfriends had these in high school even in the late 70s and early eighties. Cute chicks always drove them. I was actually in a few crashes as one of my beetle owning friends, he wasn’t a very good driver and drank a lot. We went plummeting off a mountain road in January in Montana, we rolled 3 times and came to a stop against a large fir tree. The little strap is very handy along with the dash handle, I was able to suspend myself with these two handles while the beetle rolled. After coming to a stop, we extricated our selves just in time for the sheriff to show up and arrest him for multiple driving violations. I was cold, wet, covered in bong water, stale beer and cigarette butts but no injuries or arrest for me anyway. He fixed the beetle only to crash it into a furniture store a few months later. I missed that one. They were really amazing vehicles, very easy to fix and work on and surprisingly durable. Every time I hear one to takes back 50 years, such a different time.
Sounds like you could've written your own Beetle story! LOL LOL I hope your friend became a better driver as he got older!
Slightly better, but not before many other crashes. I am actually very lucky apparently. Some folks maybe should not drive at all.
PUNCH BUGGY NO PUNCHBACKS
Got lost in a "etymology of punch buggy" rabbit hole, if anyone is curious about the origins of the game:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/12ymuaf/whats_the_origin_of_the_childrens_game_where_you/
Love seeing all my favorites in one post!
I must say I never drove one, but that's because I never drove a single car in my life: I don't have a driver's license.
I can so relate to this post! My first car, in 1974, was a 1964 Volkswagen beetle. The color was Panther Pink (really a pinky purple), and it had a sunroof. I had to lift up my feet when I went over a puddle, or they would get soaked! It cost $400. The gas gauge did not work, but the math was easy: It had a 5 gallon fuel tank.
Alas, the windshield wipers went out six months later in the middle of a November rainstorm, and it hydroplaned into the car in front of me in a rush hour traffic jam. My mother refused to let my Dad fix it so it was drivable again. I sold it for $200, and cried as it was towed away.
But then I discovered ’66 Mustang convertibles, and life was never the same!!
Panther Pink! Love it! My dad drove a Mustang for a while, but the Beetle always had my heart.
It is so great to see them, not so much on the coast but inland, yes. Like a trip down memory lane. If memory serves the very last VW Beetle came off an assembly line in Mexico, 2003. So you're in right territory. I think there was a huge party (not uncommon, right?) to commemorate it.
Yup, the Puebla plant produced millions of them!
Yes!!!. I have property in Tempoztlan outside Cuernavaca and I see beetles all over. I envisioned if I ever lived there, I would paint it up “hippie flower power” and ride around blaring out late famous Mexican musician, Juan Gabriel (Latin version of Elton John). Querida….
I'd wanta picture of that!
I am a FOREVER fan of the VW Old School (circa 80s/90s) Pop Top Camper Vans… my family and I took an entire summer and hit every National Park up and down the old Route 66 when I was just 9 or 10 years old… BEST MEMORIES ever! They don´t make em like that anymore!
My family had one of those as well, which I totally forgot about!
I truly think there is a FAM when it comes to VWs!
Love your story. And your pictures. So many colorful bugs!
If you are ever in Culiacán, Sinaloa, you might enjoy checking out the botanical garden. There is a vocho crashed into a tree. The artist, Francis Alys drove it from Mexico City to the garden where he crashed it. Here is a video of the end of the journey, https://youtu.be/eZhhJ9dmvKs?si=0ZdRSps9RM9Tkhhb
Thanks!
How amazing that your first car was also your dream car. That's so special. And what how great that they're still kicking around in Mexico. Is a Beetle Mexico roadtrip on the cards?
I wish it were but it's not. Maybe one day!
I had a friend in college (1980s, this was) who had a black Beetle that she had painted with orange tiger stripes. When riding as a passenger, I often forgot about the exotic paint job and wondered why nearby motorists were honking and waving ...
🤣🤣🤣🐯🐯🐯
That baby blue Beetle was my first car! Heater boxes rusted out so we kept a down sleeping bag in the back seat for those Minnesota winters. Always started and I could fix it myself...
I wish I could've fixed mine, but I am incredibly untalented when it comes to mechanical things!
I love the perky and colorful little Beetles!
My big memory of the VW bug was my friend and I hitching between north-central PA and New York City and getting a ride in a bug the whole way. Three of us crammed in the front seat, but to make it in one hitch was miraculous.
BTW, I rented a basement room in Boulder in summer of ‘83. If you bought ice cream at the Haagen Dazs at the mall, I was probably the one who served you. Fun times!
I THOUGHT YOU LOOKED FAMILIAR!!! 🤣🤣🤣