In the past few weeks I've been to SEMA and to the LA Auto Show (more on that in a later post) and it got me thinking about show cars for this week's Thursday Twister...the quiz with a twist. Find the best ex-SEMA (or other Hot-Rod) show car for sale on the interwebs. Be prepared to defend your choice.
In the world of reverse engine swaps, I love nothing more than an electric swap where at first glance it seems like a good idea (torque in off-road situations is good), but through further analysis...the consequences of running out of juice involves death via exposure. Find this 1968 Volkswagen Beetle Electric Baja offered for $10,000 in Jamul, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
It seems most Type 1 Beetles that still go clackity-clack around the neighborhood are either clean/original show cars or converted into "Baja" style monsters. Baja-izing your Beetle involves adding a heavy dose of off-road capability in the form of added ground clearance, cut (or flared) fenders, roll over protection, giant tires, and (of course) more power. It usually doesn't involve a switch to diesel #2, but today's Baja is something special. Find this 1968 Volkswagen Baja Bug offered for $10,495 in Yreka, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
The Volkswagen Beetle is the best selling car of all times, with over 21 million of the air cooled freeway clogging tweedledee-exahust-note menaces leaving dozens of VW factories around the globe. Most Beetles have long been cleared from the road due to careless owners, structural rust & accidents caused by miserable handling characteristics, and a precious few remain on the road today (okay, by few we mean..maybe...11 million). Of those remaining, they typically fall in the buckets of basket case, trailer queen or baja bug, the latter being our preference. Find this 1962 Volkswagen Baja Bug for sale in Chico, CA for $5,000 via craigslist. Seller submission from B Slus, who says he is "Selling to help fund my 1969 911e restoration project."
The Volkswagen Beetle is regularly transformed into an off-road post-apocalypse survival vehicle and jumped over sand dunes, but the pretty-boy Karmann-Ghia version is usually kept on the street and we don't know why. Break all the rules with this 1974 Karmann-Ghia Baja coupe for sale in Tiflon, GA (not HI as it says in the listing) for the asking price of $2500 via hemmings.com
The Volkswagen Beetle has been subjected to all sorts of customizations over the years, but the Baja Bug is clearly the favorite of the torch wielding redneck. Add some flared fenders, big sand or mud tires, raise the suspension and the Beetle goes from a budget family transporter to a budget rally and dune machine. And with a modern engine swap, its power to weight ratio will be notable. This Subaru powered Baja Bug project is a 1971 body sitting on a 1965 floorpan, and is for sale in Wabash, IN for $3,800 via craigslist.