Sarge! What was it like...

[javabug]

...to buy a brand new VW Bug?

Was spending some time with The Book II last night and your blue '69 caught my attenion again.  This goes for others who were able to do it as well.  Let hear it...lots of us here were never able because we just weren't here yet!

[Jim Ratto]

hey Gabbard what did the plate on the black KG mean?

[Sarge]

...to buy a brand new VW Bug?

Was spending some time with The Book II last night and your blue '69 caught my attenion again.  This goes for others who were able to do it as well.  Let hear it...lots of us here were never able because we just weren't here yet!

Buying a car brand new car for less the $2,000 would be hard to imagine nowadays.  Back in 1969 it was big money for somebody making $6,000 a year, though.  I was blind to other makes of cars having been a VW nut from the start, so it was the natural thing to buy once I got out of the Army and it was pretty much all Sharon and I could afford.  I still had my '63, so Sharon got to drive the new car from the start.  I remember adding some chrome rims after I got my job at Auto Haus, then a quick shift kit and soon thereafter one of the first S&S Quiet Pack exhaust systems.  It wasn't until I took the job at the Porsche Audi dealership in 1974 that the front end came down, black trim, 914 Mahle alloys and a mild 1776 Kadron / Engle 110 engine combo entered the picture.  Those were the days.....

[louisb]

...to buy a brand new VW Bug?

Was spending some time with The Book II last night and your blue '69 caught my attenion again.  This goes for others who were able to do it as well.  Let hear it...lots of us here were never able because we just weren't here yet!

Buying a car brand new car for less the $2,000 would be hard to imagine nowadays.  Back in 1969 it was big money for somebody making $6,000 a year, though.  I was blind to other makes of cars having been a VW nut from the start, so it was the natural thing to buy once I got out of the Army and it was pretty much all Sharon and I could afford.  I still had my '63, so Sharon got to drive the new car from the start.  I remember adding some chrome rims after I got my job at Auto Haus, then a quick shift kit and soon thereafter one of the first S&S Quiet Pack exhaust systems.  It wasn't until I took the job at the Porsche Audi dealership in 1974 that the front end came down, black trim, 914 Mahle alloys and a mild 1776 Kadron / Engle 110 engine combo entered the picture.  Those were the days.....

So, just how long did it remain Sharon's car? 

--louis

[Sarge]

So, just how long did it remain Sharon's car? 

Hmmmm, let's see... I'm thinking October of 1969 by the date on this pic from Carlsbad 

The interior shot reveals a chrome glove box door, coco mats, Empi slick shift kit, and a Muntz "Blue Light" four track tape deck.  The speedo shot was taken on the road when the odometer clicked off the first 1,000 miles.  My apologies for the crappy Instamatic photos....

[danny gabbard]

hey Gabbard what did the plate on the black KG mean?

, Like the car was ruff---huh. It needed a better body man, The car was ruf,huh!

[WCB Hitler's Hot Rod]

hey Gabbard what did the plate on the black KG mean?

, Like the car was ruff---huh. It needed a better body man, The car was ruf,huh!

I always thought it was a precaution to any Porsche Ruf owner.

[javabug]

Thanks...I like that you and Sharon bought the car new, and used and improved it for 20 years or so. 

Its still somewhat mind-boggling to me the thought of walking into your local friendly dealership and driving away with one that has zero miles.  I'd probably still check underneath to make sure the heater channels were in solid shape in the showroom!

[louisb]

I remember going with my parents to the VW dealership to buy our '76 Westy. It was cool driving it off the showroom floor.

--louis

[Rennsurfer]

I remember being in 1st grade and buying our 1968 Savannah Beige Beetle, brand new, at the dealership. My Dad got rear-ended in that car. We had a new engine installed and had all of the bodywork redone. But the car was never quite the same. So, in 1969, we bought a new beige Fastback. I'll never forget that new Volkswagen smell of the interior.

Sarge, that must've been awesome to be of driving age, buy your own new VW, then modify it so you can enjoy it. Good stuff.

[OgCalLook]

So, just how long did it remain Sharon's car? 

Hmmmm, let's see... I'm thinking October of 1969 by the date on this pic from Carlsbad 

The interior shot reveals a chrome glove box door

Chrome glove box door + mini skirt = 

[67worshipper]

So, just how long did it remain Sharon's car? 

Hmmmm, let's see... I'm thinking October of 1969 by the date on this pic from Carlsbad 

The interior shot reveals a chrome glove box door

Chrome glove box door + mini skirt = 

i like yer thinkin og

[nicolas]

So, just how long did it remain Sharon's car? 

Hmmmm, let's see... I'm thinking October of 1969 by the date on this pic from Carlsbad 

The interior shot reveals a chrome glove box door

Chrome glove box door + mini skirt = 

i like yer thinkin og

chrome glove box door + bloke in tennisshorts = 

[deano]

I late '67, my brother and I went over to our local VW dealer in La Habra, to look at buying a new '67. He wanted a Java Green one, and they had a ton of them on the floor and outside in the lot! Oh, mercy! Anyway, the salesman talked us out of buying a '67 since the all-new '68s were about 2-3 weeks away. Like a idiot, he waited, and came back to see the '68s. We did not like what we saw and drove away. That is as close to buying a new VW as we came. The used car lot was full of '60s, but not too many buses or T-3s. Hard to imagine that scene today. I still drive by the old dealership every once and awhile but no more VWs on the lot.

[javabug]

All good stories so far, guys.  Thanks a bunch.  Probably the only thing better than buying a new VW in the 60s/70s is buying a new VW in the 60s/70s in Southern California!

[johnl]

All good stories so far, guys.  Thanks a bunch.  Probably the only thing better than buying a new VW in the 60s/70s is buying a new VW in the 60s/70s in Southern California!

You've got that right !!!      NOTHING

[johnl]

All good stories so far, guys.  Thanks a bunch.  Probably the only thing better than buying a new VW in the 60s/70s is buying a new VW in the 60s/70s in Southern California!

You've got that right !!!      NOTHING

Sorry, got happy fingers and pushed the button to soon.  What I was saying is NOTHING was better than being in SoCal during those years and having a VW and great friends was simply Icing on the Cake................