The old Bug is gone

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Jul 30, 2003 | 01:25 PM

dono

Thread Starter

Gone but not forgotten.

Joined: Jul 2001

Posts: 6,521

Likes: 2

The old Bug is gone

I read this morning that they (in Mexico) have built the last "old" bug. What a great little car it was - I had four of them. It was great to walk in a showroom, write a check for $1200 and drive away with a paid-for new car. Not to say they didn't have quirks - my first one had no gas gauge, just a lever sticking out of the firewall that would give you an extra gallon when flipped (if you forgot to put it back when you gassed up, you would run totally out the next time). And going into a tunnel at speed on a windy day was an experience - come out of the tunnel, catch the wind and CHANGE LANES! I was once hit broadside by a school bus, I could set in the drivers seat and touch the right door with my elbow - and I drove it to the body shop. When I moved (which was often) I would load all my stuff in the bug, hook it up to my car and go. The fastest my bug ever went was just over 100 mph behind my Dodge 440.
Dono in 2004

Jul 30, 2003 | 02:27 PM

carpe_diem

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 1,314

Likes: 35

The old Bug is gone

always fascinating design. wish I had one. porshe-designed "people's car".

Jul 30, 2003 | 09:35 PM

Jarlaxle

Laughing Gas

Joined: Jul 2003

Posts: 826

Likes: 0

From: New England

The old Bug is gone

Good riddance to a downright AWFUL car--slow to the point of being dangerous, awful brakes, knife-in-the-back handling (just like the early Porsche 911's), no heat, & a deathtrap in any type of wreck. Good riddance.

Jul 30, 2003 | 09:40 PM

TheWiz427

Post Fiend

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 5,964

Likes: 1

From: Woodruff, SC

The old Bug is gone

My Dad calls them "Hitlers revenge" but since they were made in Mexico too i guess they could be Montezumas revenge.

Jul 31, 2003 | 01:02 AM

TrunkSlammer

Senior User

Joined: Jan 2003

Posts: 315

Likes: 0

The old Bug is gone

I had a tan 67 baja bug.... I loved that thing, I could swap a 1600cc in 20min. Sure they caught fire a lot, but were still fun.

It also had big *** chrome stinger sticking out , man it was loud.

every thing I owned could fit in it, back in 83 I think.

Last edited by TrunkSlammer; Jul 31, 2003 at 01:09 AM.

Jul 31, 2003 | 09:02 AM

1956MarkII

Lead Driver

Joined: Apr 2002

Posts: 7,746

Likes: 7

From: Tampa Bay, FL USA

The old Bug is gone

Quote:

Originally posted by Jarlaxle
Good riddance to a downright AWFUL car--slow to the point of being dangerous, awful brakes, knife-in-the-back handling (just like the early Porsche 911's), no heat, & a deathtrap in any type of wreck. Good riddance.

You beat me to the punch- my first car was a '66 Beetle and it was the worst piece of junk I ever owned. More problems in 2 months than I can possibly list here. Traded it for a REAL car- 1970 Chrysler Newport Custom. Now THAT was a car!

Jul 31, 2003 | 09:23 AM

jamesmonty

Senior User

Joined: Apr 2003

Posts: 166

Likes: 0

From: Cincinnati, Ohio

The old Bug is gone

Proably one of the simplest cars to work on. Last I checked you could get a re-built motor with no core charge for $350. Now thats cheap. Too bad around here people thing they are made out of gold and want like $2500 for a rusted out one. I think you can get one of those Mexico bugs for $5-6K new.