Beatlemania!

Are you really sure you bought it for her??  Engine looks like it's been updated a bit. Back in 1969,  my brother bought a New bug for $1969.00 what a deal, we a a ton of fun in that bug....after all it was the age of Aquarius and the beginnings of the 70's!!
Looks like you'll be able to rekindle some memories too.  

In the late 1980's I worked in Khomeini's Tehran where lots of old American cars and old VW Beetles were still in use without spare part supplies in a country politically segregated from much of the world.
The assistant in our office drove a 1958 Beetle and I was wondering how he was getting  parts like oil and air filters for maintenance .

He said that car was so old that such parts were already not needed for that... I am sure that Beetle is still in operation somewhere today.

Actually one of the cars with highest milage was a Beetle that its owner used for commuting between his home somewhere in California and LA. I guess it had near 1 million kilometers on it.

Nice !! Ron , I am sure she is one happy soul and should be to have a loving husband Cant believe I just said that but what ever ... my grandmother had a 1969 auto-stick shift now that was difft. LoL , my uncle had one back in the day he ran into some one and went head first through the windshield , I had to junk grandma's the runners were falling off busted glass and other reasons , the man at the salvage yard told the guy to put that one to the side sa I am sure he had people wanting parts !?!? Getback

My first assignment to Germany in 1973 I eventually bought a GI "pay day special" (hoopty car) from a PCSing* (returning to "The World") fellow soldier for $150

It was a 1951 split window VW with a 1000cc engine

When I PCSed back to the states, a fellow GI got it for $125

Years later I saw one go across the auction here in Dallas for $85,000

The real shame is: back in the 70s a GI could import 1 (ONE only) non USA vehicle simply by posting a import bond and uppon retreival at the US port change out the lights and glass to DOT standards.....Dang

* Permanent Change of Station

Are you sure that's a 66 Ron?  Looks pre 65 to me.  In 65 they changed the bumpers to meet federal requirements.  First picture looks different, two different cars?  Green/Blue. Tail lights in second picture look correct for a 66.  

I had a 63, bought for $250 and sold many years later for much more.  It was our only car for years until I bought my wife a new 1969 Mustang.

I remember at Christmas visiting my wifes family when it wouldn't start at around 10PM.  Her uncle pushed it with his Chrysler Imperial over riding the rear bumper and caving in the engine cover and moving things around a bit.  After some maintenance, in a snow storm we drove it about 60 miles back to Rhode Island.  Loved that car.

Picture - Daughter Terri just turned 55.....

Hi Ron,

Congratulations with the purchase and a happy birthday to Mrs Ron. I hope the Beetle will give a lot of trouble free driving. I'm sure it is a '66 model (from august '65 onwards): it's got the wider track and the bigger windscreen.

Now you'll have to follow with a nitro scale model, a Baja Bug or a bigger one in 1/8 scale for example. Some time ago I got a 1982 MRC Bullit:



Mine is still in bits though. It's powered by a OS Max 21 FSR with a guillotine carb.

Lieven

Yes, got my dates mixed up.  It's 1968 when they went to the new style bumpers.

We had some beetles before they were cool and super collectible. Beaters, right before I was learning to drive. My dad and my brother could do a clutch is less than 10 minutes because at the time jacks were not needed with these light vehicles. The engine weighs 200 lb and the body without the engine is even lighter to tip up on the front wheels.

Phil