1961 Volkswagen Beetle Coupe Description

1961 Volkswagen Beetle Coupe

First registered with the California Department of Transportation in March, 1961 1200-cc horizontally opposed, air-cooled four-cylinder engine Four-speed synchronized manual transmission Dark red exterior/red interior 80,737 miles Period-correct 40hp engine Converted to 12-volt electrical system for better reliability Pioneer AM/FM stereo with CD player and amplifier behind rear seat Correct body panels Desirable “Snow Flake” taillights Wooden roof rack

MotoeXotica Classic Cars is pleased to present this unique and rarely seen 1961 Volkswagen Beetle from dry California! This Bug has 80,733 miles on the clock and has the period correct 1200cc, 40 horsepower air-cooled, flat four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission. It was converted to a 12-volt electric system for better reliability.

Car has the correct body panels, headlight covers and desirable “Snow Flake” taillights. Exterior shows good patina on body and bumpers. The weather stripping around the rear side windows is blemished from age. This Bug comes with a wooden roof rack. Original equipment wheels with chrome VW “moon” hubcaps ride on generic radial tires in front and Euro metric radials in the rear. Both sets are sized 165R15.

Inside, the front bucket seats are in great shape. Carpet and headliner are in decent condition. Dashboard appears original, with fuel gauge, speedometer and odometer all in working condition. There is a Pioneer AM/FM stereo with CD player in the dash and an amplifier behind the rear seat.

The Volkswagen Beetle first came on the scene in 1947, but they were known by a different name. KdF, short for Kraft durch Freude, meaning ‘Power by Joy’, was designated to these small, gas-friendly vehicles. In English, the name Beetle was used and in German, they were known as Kafers.

The Volkswagen Beetle (officially the Volkswagen Type 1), informally in Germany is a two-door, four passenger, rear-engine economy car manufactured and marketed by VW from 1938 until 2003. With 21,529,464 copies produced, the Beetle is the longest-running and most manufactured car of a single platform ever made.

For 1961, significant technical advances occurred in the form of a new engine and transmission. The engine remained at 1200 cc but the power increased to 40 hp primarily due to an increase in compression ratio to 7.1:1. The carburetor received an electric automatic choke and the transmission was now synchronized on all forward gears. The traditional semaphore turns signals were replaced by conventional flashing directional indicators worldwide. This year included the 1960 additions of a front sway bar and a hydraulic steering damper. GET OUT AND DRIVE!

Current mileage on the odometer shows 80,737 miles and it is sold as is with a clean, non-actual mileage Arizona title. Title further shows car was in the state of California in December, 2015.

VIN: 3820535

EIN: 9441672

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