In the US, all we ever got was the “Export” version of the VW Beetle, meaning the highest level of trim and with the biggest engines available at any given time (there was a brief exception in around 1974-1975 when the non-Super Beetle had low trim/interior content but still had IRS and the big 1600cc engine). But Germany and other parts of Europe always had at least two versions, one of which was the “Standard” Beetle. It was extremely spartan, and kept the lower-tech items going for years longer than the typical “DeLuxe” Beetle, like cable brakes and such. One of these days I would like to do an in-depth article on the Standard Beetle, as it’s rather fascinating how much on-going demand there was for a VW that was some 10 or 15 years older in its features and brutally spartan in its interior.
Roshake found one of the later versions of a Standard in Budapest. He tagged it a 1971, but it has to be at least 1973 or later due to the “elephant foot” tail lights. The engine was still the 34 hp (40 gross) 1192cc version that first appeared on the DeLuxe and Export in 1961.
Fun fact that I didn’t know until a dive into Standards a while back: they kept the older 30 hp (36 gross) 1200 engine for several years after the 34/40 hp version arrived. And they kept the completely non-synchronized crashbox transmission into the early 1960s! One could buy what was essentially a 1939 KdF Wagen as late as the early sixties! Ok, the engine was a bit larger, but the mechanical brakes and crashbox were straight from the original VW.
And of course none of these Stanadards ever got the double-jointed IRS, or disc brakes or other goodies. Bare bones motoring, but there was a demand for that, and VW filled it, right into the 1970s.
I think the standard was available in Canada, because I remember seeing these at various auctions from there. I wonder if the price difference between the bare bones and deluxe models was comparable to that of the big 3’s trim levels (Biscayne/Bel Air, etc).
AFAIK the “Custom” (or “Canadian Standard) had most of the Deluxe exterior features, the very basic interior and some of the mechanical ones – I don’t think they went as far as cable brakes, not so much as a safety issue as one of simplifying parts stocks and service procedures.
Yes, the Canadian Standard was something of a hybrid.
Here’s a CC post on one:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-european/my-ex-curbside-classic-1962-volkswagen-beetle-canadian-standard-another-canadian-market-oddball/
A ’66 1200 ‘A’ Custom that was sold new in Canada showed up at a local car show last summer. I posted photos of it here: https://forums.aaca.org/topic/361398-vw-odd-option/page/2/#comment-2250036
While i am certainly familiar with the Beetle form and as a child, rode in a number of them as sold in Finland in 1960s, i dont know the detail differences that allow one to suss the year of production. What are the outward clues that indicate this is a Standard version? Would love to see some interior shots of a standard vs the “luxe” version of same year.
The lack of any chrome/bright trim, on the hood, around the windows. No badge on the rear engine cover. Black front trunk handle, etc..
Many years ago, my sister moved to Miami and bought a brand new 1973 Beetle, and I think at that time they were still $1,999. Non-Super. It had no options, not even a radio. Yellow with black interior.
She sold it to my brother in 1977, who gave it to me in 1983. I had the motor rebuilt in 1986, I believe. Sold it for $1,000 in 1990, maybe 1991.
Always very reliable and, once I replaced the exchangers, made tons of heat. Not fast, didn’t handle very well, but it was very sturdy and the build quality was excellent. Really miss that car.
I remember when I got the car in ’83, there were plenty still on the road and getting service wasn’t a problem; but by the time I sold it, shops were disappearing rapidly and so were the cars. A shop near my house that had been in business a long time and had 20-30 cars in the yard in various states of repair/salvage, one day the sign was down and all the cars were gone. Just like that. It seemed all the folks who worked on the air-cooled VW’s all retired or closed up shop that decade.
IIRC, an easy clue to the early ‘70s U.S. market non-Super Beetle was the flat windshield, as is seen on this European example.
But those US market non-Super Beetles weren’t genuine “Standard” Beetles. They still had the full IRS, 1600cc engines and other content and trim that the European Standard models lacked. They are not consider true “Standards”; just lower-content US market Beetles.
There was a low-content US market Beetle for a couple of years, but it too was not a genuine Standard, although it had some hallmarks of them.
A stripped version of the Beetle?
(((shudder)))
Unsynchronized gearbox?
Woof – I used to drive a Falcon with one and it was a SLOW experience.
I never knew there was a version of the Beetle like this. Cruel.
By this time the Standard had a syncro box.
how about cable brakes in the rust belt?
We used to call the cable brakes “push and pray”, they were okay at lower in town speeds but not good over 50 MPH and even the 36 HP Beetles easily went that fast .
The Canadian standards didn’t have cable brakes, I’ve had a few of them .
These 40HP 1200 Beetles were sold in Britain with a twin port 1200 CC engine, a “D” case dual pressure relief valve that was very good indeed .
The only one I saw for sale in California was original paint but was rusting from the inside out .
Brazilian Beetles came in the 36hp versions for a long time too .
-Nate
This brochure from September 1953 reflects a New York based dealler stamp and has specs for the standard Beetle, including crash box and cable brakes. I’ve had this brochure since I bought it as a kid from an ad in the back of Motor Trend. I had assumed from this that the strippers had perhaps been available in the early years, before VW sales began to catch fire.
Cover page for the brochure.
If the image isn’t attaching, try reducing the file size. If it’s under 1,200 pixels in the bigger dimension, it should attach.
Yes, the Standard was imported for the first few years, but that stopped before VW sales really exploded in the US in 1955. I’m not exactly sure what the last year was for the Standard here; maybe ’53 or ’54.
Probably about the time Wolfsburg set up Volkswagen of America and took over sales from the Max Hoffman organization.
Duh!
Double duh!
There were several basic type 1s in the campus parking lots in the ’60s and ’70s. They were immediately recognizable by the lack of chrome and, on some, German dealer plaques on the driver’s side cowl. It seemed to me one or two may have had painted hubcaps but not sure at this late date.
Sat my driving test August 1961 rural Argyll Scotland in father’s standard Beetle no chrome, crash gearbox and cable brakes, After being told that I had passed the instructor asked why I was double declutching and when I explained no synchromesh he smiled and said to use less revs when changing down. Later had to drive home with broken clutch cable and what a job to replace.
This could also be a post 1978 ‘Mexico’ Beetle; the air vents on the C pillar, was something the last German stripper 1200 Beetles lacked.
It also looks to me this one has a black dashboard; again not standard on the final German strippers.
These Mexico’ were sold in the Netherlands and Germany until the early eighties. The Dutch Importer ‘Pon’ bought lots of stock, because there was still demand.
The front seats with headrest make me wonder if these were added later on.
Indeed it is a Beetle from german postal service, hence the color.
These “Bundespost Postkaefer” were even below the standard Beetle, so this one was upgraded to Standard after it’s working life. It even explains the number 13. Under that sticker is the badge from Deutsche Bundespost (=postal service).
Thanks for clarifying! I tore lots of Beetles apart in the ’90’s. I remember there were small differences; carpeting, etc. They also had some rubber knots to prevent the swingaxles from jacking. Rust prevention was very poor. I used them as donors.
Years ago I rebuilt a 59 Aussie Beetle for a friend the list of parts required was extensive so a complete but mostly stripped 63 model was found and it had one of these later 1200 engines and ran just fine according to the beetle bible they were produced in 72 only, anyway it all fitted together like leggo except the front fenders and a good running driving beetle was the result.
Oz got a local Standard 1200 in ’63, which I thought miserablist, but yikes, not down to bicycle brakes and no syncros (the latter were only not included after decades of use)! It only lacked chrome anywhere (incl bumpers and wheelcaps), austerity trim, no steering damper(!), fuel gauge, sunvisor, washers or horn ring.
Rather like the most expensive ultra-sport 911’s now, though more gets less.
At the opposite end of the Beetle spectrum was the home market Deluxe. Export models, at least to the US, always had drum brakes, even the Super. My gray market ’67 model 113 Deluxe Sunroof Sedan had front disc brakes, four lug rims and a steering column lock. It was also 6 volt.