DailyTurismo

May 11 2021

Some Assy Required: 1978 Sebring Kit Car

DailyTurismo Classic Beetle, Kit Car, Sebring, Volkswagen 1

I’ve got a few cars in my stable right now that need a few things adjusted (let’s face it, when you’ve got a bunch of old cars, you always have a todo list)…but this next car is a bit more disassembled than any car I’ve ever sold. Which is probably because I prefer to buy my cars low and sell them high (who doesn’t!?!). But if you are on the buying side of the equation and have the time/energy/desire to assemble a cool vintage kit car, I think this next deal is about as good as it gets from a value perspective. Find this 1978 Sebring Kit Car offered for $8,300 in Mounds, OK via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

April 29 2021

Short Beetle Pan: 1966 Volkaro Kit Car

DailyTurismo Classic Beetle, German, Kit Car, Type 1, Volkaro, Volkswagen 4

Tipper Rock On sent this car in almost a month ago, and I’d mostly forgotten about it until I stumbled onto it in one of my late night peanut butter whiskey fueled search fests — and (this might be the Screwball talking) but I want this thing. Does it have an engine — naw! You can source your own. But it is a Volkaro, which is the Ferrari Dino-ish looking kit car from the twisted mind of some wannabe Bruce Myers. There isn’t much info available on the web when you search for Volkaro (DT’s article shows up 4th in the listings when you put the term “VOLKARO” into duckduckgo, for what it’s worth) but there is probably some guy living in the high desert that can tell you all about the genesis of the Volkaro and who built them and…but he doesn’t have the internet because he is afraid of getting COVID or the CIA in his computer. Anyway…you don’t need to know the history of Volkaro to know that you still should buy this 1966 Volkaro kit car offered for $2500 in Desert Hot Springs, CA via craigslist.

April 22 2021

1927 Bugatti Type 35: 1963 Volkswagen Beetle Kit Car

DailyTurismo Classic Beetle, Bugatti, German, Kit Car, Type 1, Type 35, Volkswagen 4

This might sound like a strange thing to say, but I’m going to say it anyway; This isn’t a bad looking Beetle based Bugatti kit car. I know that sounds crazy, but this thing isn’t bad looking, not just for a kit car, but for any car. I wouldn’t put it in the automotive hall of fame and I certainly want a better shot of the rear end…but for 50 Benjamins, this isn’t bad at all. Find this 1963 Volkswagen Beetle Kit Car offered for $5000 in Atlanta, GA via craigslist. Tip from Matt C.

March 13 2021

Volkaru Subaja: 1973 Volkswagen Baja Beetle

DailyTurismo Classic Baja Bug, Beetle, Subaru, Type 1, Volkswagen 5

I was wavering between featuring a derelict Valiant Wagon and a sub $2k BMW 5-series when my teenage kid found this next car and suggested that I feature it because “it is awesome”. That fact is undeniable, but it is also expensive and completely unpractical as a family commuter to do things like carpool to soccer practice and all of the things normal people do with cars. But this isn’t a site for normal people, and Friday the 13th fell on a Saturday this month (today!), so enjoy this Subaru powered 1973 Volkswagen Baja Beetle offered for $18,900 buy-it-now or make offer in New Smyrna Beach, FL via ebay.

March 8 2021

Z28 Clown Edition: 1978 Volkswagen Beetle

DailyTurismo Classic Beetle, Camaro, Chevrolet, Clown Car, Custom, Volkswagen, Z28 2

I have to imagine that there was once a circus somewhere that decided to skip the typical slapstick Benny Hill skits and decided to re-enact Smoky and the and the Bandit…but with clowns. Smokey would drive something black-and-white, it doesn’t really matter, but Bandit would need a properly clown ride and I can’t imagine a better car than this next thing. Find this 1978 Volkswagen Beetle offered for $5700 in Buffalo, NY via clownbook markettent. Tip from Matt.

February 11 2021

Dick Dean Kustom: 1969 Shala-Vette

DailyTurismo Classic Beetle, Dick Dean, Fiberglass, Kustom, Shala-Vette, Volkswagen 4

Dick Dean was a custom car builder who managed George Barris’ famous Kustom City garage for a few years, and is credited for building (or helping build) TV cars like the Munster Koach, Dragula, the Green Hornet’s Black Beauty, the Monkeemobile, Death Race 2000 cars, and the Ghostbusters ECTO-1. In the late 1960s Dean launched his own line of custom dune buggies built on shortened Beetle pans, including the Shalako and Shala-Vette. This work eventually lead to Dean building the Bricklin SV1 with Malcom Bricklin, but I still think his best design is the strangely appealing (not appalling) Shala-Vette. Find this 1969 Shala-Vette offered for $13,000 in Madison, WI (along with a number of other classics being offered by the seller including a ’59 Morris, ’70 Siata Spring, ’69 DAF 55, and others).

December 23 2020

Wintergreen: 1966 Volkswagen Beetle

DailyTurismo Classic Beetle, Type 1, Volkswagen 0

In all my years to automotive meandering, I’ve never owned a Beetle. But if I did, it would look something like this next thing. I don’t mind the drop spindle look, the roof rack is ready for a Christmas tree, and the 10-foot paint doesn’t scare me in the least. But I’d probably end up installing a 2500 cc stroker motor, hacking off the fenders, and turning it into a Baja Bug before crashing it in the desert…so it’s probably best that I’ve never owned a Beetle. Find this 1966 Volkswagen Beetle offered for $5800 in Sacramento, CA via craigslist.

December 12 2020

Finally, A Flying Car: 2000 Volkswagen Beetle Jet

DailyTurismo Late Model Beetle, German, Insane, Jet, Orbital Velocity, TurboJet, Volkswagen 3

I first got a tip on this jet powered Volkswagen Beetle a few days ago and dismissed it because it was so stinkin’ expensive (I could almost buy half a SoCal starter home for that much cash…) but then it kept appearing in the tips box from various tippers (Matt V, Carter, Matt C, probably a few more), so…as they say; when in Rome, burn down your neighbor’s house with a jet engine. Anyway, this is one way to get a Volkswagen New Beetle to be remotely desirable, but I still think the turboshaft powered 928 was the best jet powered car, closely followed by the deathwish Turbolden Jetodore. Find this 2000 Volkswagen Beetle offered for $550,000 in Sunnyvale, CA via craigslist.

December 4 2020

Monster Mutt: 1971 Volkswagen Beetle Custom

DailyTurismo Classic Beetle, Custom, Fast, German, Monster, Volkswagen 3

I have been watching some youtube videos recently showcasing Ken Block’s Hoonicorn racing against random cars in a drag setting. The Hoonicorn is a 1965 Ford Mustang converted to all-wheel-drive and sporting a twin-turbo 1400 horsepower V8. It is far from street legal, but it is not a drag car (it is purpose built for hooning) and to watch it stomp all over million dollar supercars is something special. Nobody (other than Ken Block) can afford the luxury of building his own Hoonicorn, but you can buy this next thing and get somewhere close for a fraction of the cost…maybe. It does have a boosted engine and sticky 315 tires all the way around, it’s only missing all-wheel-drive, a sequential gearbox, and 1000 additional horsepower. Find this 1971 Volkswagen Beetle offered for $5,900 in Antioch, CA via craigslist.

November 14 2020

Baja Bug Class 5: 1969 Volkswagen Beetle

DailyTurismo Classic Baja 1000, Baja Bug, Beetle, German, Race Car, Type 1, Volkswagen 0

I’m not sure exactly what it would cost to build a vehicle that would be competitive at a official SCORE (So Cal Off Road Enthusiasts) Class 5/1600 race event…but I have to assume it’d be a lot more than the asking price on this next vehicle. But that is the way the chip crumbles in used racing vehicles, and the builder’s loss is the buyer’s gain. This Baja Bug is only an awesome racing paint job (flames? numbers? stickers? — yes, yes, yes) away from getting you evicted from your condo association. Find this 1969 Volkswagen Beetle offered for $10,000 in Albuquerque, NM via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

cc-rider: Slicktop with the bro-ham roo…
Hugh Crawford: I always thought one of these…
Mr. Mark: I like the 6-speed but $9K? He…
Hugh Crawford: I see that one of these sold …
notthor: Wasn't Pacer X Speed's brothe…
SkidRow: "because whomever buys this m…
SkidRow: These can be a lot of fun. Th…
Chris Miller: Currently at about $25k USD, t…
Matt C: Can't find a source right now…
Hugh Crawford: Yes, but they pale in compari…