There’s a healthy number of air-cooled VW Beetles on the road here, including a few convertibles. But this doubly air-cooled Super Beetle caught my eye, as it’s rather surprisingly rough for a cabrio. They’ve always been much rarer and worth a whole lot more, so they’re almost inevitably in quite nice shape or better. Not this one. And I’ve rather taken a shine to it, as it fits into my plans.
I’ve always had a soft spot for these soft top VDubs. They’re even more old-fashioned and anachronistic than a regular Beetle. In a way, I’m a bit surprised that Porsche even decided to build one at the beginning. Well, did he?
In all of the descriptions of the VW’s early development, there was always only talk of the sedan. But at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wolsburg KdF factory, there was a cabriolet prototype on display along with a regular sedan and a sunroof sedan. Not surprisingly, the cabrio is the one that Hitler got into (with Porsche looking on proudly), and was later driven around in (Hitler loved cars but didn’t drive).
No cabrio KdF wagens were ever built. Likely the prototype was to show off the possibilities as well as to please Hitler, as he did like open cars.
After the war, several coach builders were interested in making VW cabrios, including Karmann and Hebmuller. Those two were chosen have them build the official VW cabriolets, and suitable strengthening of the platform frame, as well as many other structural changes, were part of the joint program. production on both began in 1949. Hebmuller’s (above) was a two-seat version, and Karmann the four-seater. After a fire ravaged Hebmuller’s plant, production become more difficult, and eventually unprofitable, and ended in 1953.
That left the field to Karmann, which built the last Cabrio in January of 1980. Quite a run.
The VW Cabrio was always quite a bit more expensive than the sedan, the premium running some 20-30%. The thickly-padded top was unlike the typical convertible tops on American cars, with its 2.5 inches of insulation and full headliner.
Of course, it had no where to go when folded, except to block the view to the rear, if you were short. It was part of the pre-war charm.
This is a first year (1971) Super Beetle, identifiable by its big, fat nose. Later Supers also got a rounded windshield. The Super Beetle sedan only lasted through 1975, as the remaining sedans reverted to regular Beetle style. But the convertible coninued to be built on the Super Beetle chassis through 1979, which meant that VW was making it only for the Karmann cabrios in those last few years.
I’ve long wanted a VW Cabrio ( a non-Super, though), as it would just about be the perfect vintage car for how we use a vehicle on weekends: to get to our favorite trailheads, which involve scenic two-lane highways followed by miles of gravel US Forest service roads. A convertible would be perfect for enjoying the scenery to its fullest, but who wants to subject a Mercedes 280SL to that kind of abuse? A slightly ratty VW Cabrio would be just the ticket. No need to even close the top while hiking either. Or worry about getting stuck.
I’ve always loved the look of the Hebmuller, so stylish… It looks like a VW speedster. I too am more attracted to “driver” condition vehicles, the show queens are just too fragile and worry-inducing.
+1 for the Hebműller. Much prettier.
There is/was a late 70s cabriolet a few blocks from my house. That car looks near showroom condition. It was a daily driver even though the owner has a newer VW.
I am seeing “driver condition” Rabbit convertibles occasionally on my local Craigslist. Between being “chick cars” and very rust-prone, I will admire VW convertibles, but would hesitate to own one.
BTW, I once owned a “beetle” sedan about the vintage of the featured car and a mid 70s 914.
The pictures of Hitler in one are kind of jarring. For ever these cars have been almost the sole province of well off, often Jewish young ladies. Gosh if Hitler doesn’t chase you off, the appeal must be very strong.
For the kind of service you are talking about Paul, you should perhaps hold out for a Thing, the 181. Or now that I think about it, Hitler might have had a thing or two to do with that one as well.
You and my late father would get along very well on that issue. After leaving the Chevrolet dealership, he was approached by Volkswagen of America to open a new dealership in nearby Indiana, PA. After giving it some thought he decided that he just couldn’t earn a living selling cars for the same people who’d been trying to kill him 23 years earlier (wounded at Cassino).
Johnstown, PA had a large Jewish population, all of whom lived in the very upper class western suburbs of the town. The area was a hotbed of Volkswagen cars just before they took off big time, and Mercedes-Benz a good decade before they became the status ride of choice. My father could never understand why somebody who was Jewish would want to be seen is those cars.
My father never came right out and said so but he felt the same way about Japanese cars. (He was wounded in the South Pacific.)
My father, who was British and fought in the western desert, Italy, and Burma, lived in Italy for a year blowing his service savings after he got out of the RAF and later married my mother, a German girl who he met while she was studying in London in the early fifties. He owned 2 Bugs that my German mother loathed for their manual transmissions, she knew how but disliked driving. I think he downright loved Italy and had obviously no hard feelings to Germany. He loathed Japan though never really explaining why and was aghast when the first Japanese car was bought in the family. They married and started anew in Canada where I was born and we later moved to the USA for my father to take a job. I was a late in life kid for them in 1969 when my father was 49 and my mother 39.
I am amazed how quickly Americans took to German cars so soon after the war especially Volkswagon and Mercedes that seemed so tied to Hitler personally. That Jewish people do is downright shocking especially when the memories must have been fresh.
That was common among older folk in Australia, who had lived through the war years – in my experience it was commoner among those who would have been civilians than those who served overseas. I had an aunt who was like that – then she bought a Ford Laser. I didn’t have the heart to tell her it was a Mazda 323 under the skin.
My tween-age daughter referred to my 76 beetle cabrio as the “nerd-mobile” until I picked her up in it after school one day and all of her friends shouted “Cool Car!” Now she wants me to pick her up in it every day!
Gotta admit, though, the car featured here has way more character than mine does. I love the flat paint and the rusty chrome. Thanks for the post, Paul!
Neighbor has a ’79 convertible Beetle that looks new. Parks the car under cover year round. It’s only driven in nice weather. I always wanted a later model Karmann Ghia convertible with a nicely built engine of around 90-100 hp. I like the ’73 up with the curved windshield myself. The ’75 up suspension with the rack and pinion steering is much improved over the earlier Super’s. But a ’70 or older would be a good choice as well. The front suspension is a lot stronger. Friend has a really nice ’67 that I rode in a few times, really liked it. It also had a healthy engine and was lowered just a little bit.
Those darned rowdy fellows in late 30’s Germany were thought to have done some odd things with very early Beetle prototypes involving human hair in the seats *yuck*. Some early hubcaps also had a different more controversial insignia then the usual logo. The history of the Beetle is one of my favorites next to the Tucker 48.
Paul, you want a drop-top for light off-roading? The Nissan Murano convertible would be perfect for you! You could even have the top dyed dark green so it would match your ’72 LTD.
I’m not much of a beetle fan but I do like that ragtop, the later cars were a vast improvement over the early ones, VW got them nearly right just as the market evaporated.
This is a 1972 model, not a 1971. The ’71 had an engine lid with two sets of louvers that were wider. The 1972 has the four sets like the vehicle pictured in the article. By ’73, it had a curved windshield and fatter tail-lights.
I’ll take my anorak off now.
Here is a picture from the ’71 brochure. The convertibles always had more cooling vents in the decklid vs sedan because the sedans had an air intake under the rear window that the convertible lacked.
FWIW ;
The top isn’t correctly folded on this car ~ when you take a extra 60 seconds to properly lower the top , it sits further down and doesn’t impede rearward vision atall .
But of course not , it’s a _German_ car , they don’t do silly things like that , make bad visibility .
I’ve had quite a few VW Typ I Cabrios , from 1954 through 1975 , all were pretty good but in the end , I’m more a sun roof kinda guy .
If you buy an early Super Beetle (Typ 131) , the later version of front suspension bolts right in allowing much better ride , handling , servicing etc. so apart from rust / collision damage , don’t pass up that cheap old one you find .
-Nate
I didn’t realize that open Bugs were built by outside coach houses. That may partially answer my question on why didn’t VW ever build the Beetle as a hardtop.
That Hebmuller version sure is pretty, but rare. As to the featured car–it’s a very good point that one generally doesn’t see ratty Beetle cabriolets. But, then, it’s getting rarer and rarer to see truly ratty Beetles of any stripe. This one does have significant cool factor!
I’m glad I found your article today! I bought my 1971 VW Cab. this summer, and it was in pretty rough shape. We now are almost done with remodels (keeping original paint and patina) and are finishing putting on a new convertible top, as we had a frame and nothing else when we bought it.. I have updates on my bug over on my blog. This is my newest post with links to my other VW posts: http://www.marlagrace.com/2016/03/beetle-mania.html . Would you mind if I linked to this article in a future blog post?
Of course not. Enjoy your Cab!
In September 1970 while walking down the street in Munich I saw a very pretty black and white VW type 1 soft top–like a roadster, but with roll up windows. I thought it the handiwork of some custom shop like Spohn perhaps. It was years before I heard of the Hebmuller VW and realized what I’d seen.