1956 Volkswagen Beetle - Classic

rag top sunroof Coupe

4cyl air cooled

Manual

1088850

Clear

Gasoline

This is a classic 1956 rag top oval window Volkswagen beetle. It is what is usually known as a resto-mod meaning it has an early body on a later (70's) chassis with fully independent rear suspension and ball joint front beam. It is an older restoration but still in extremely nice condition and is completely drivable as is. The Body is in great condition with just a few very small dings, the worst of which is on the left front fender (see pictures). No rust to worry about. There does appear to have been some repaired damage in the nose that can really only be seen from underneath the car or if the spare tire is removed and you look into the spares compartment. In general the car is very straight and nice. The coral red paint is also in extremely presentable condition. There are many very small chips and a few minor scratches. In general the car looks fantastic with just a little bit of age showing. underneath the pan looks fabulous with no rust or damage at all. The interior is extremely nice with Porsche 356 seats (quite valuable by themselves!) that match the carpet and door panels. The rear seat has about a 1" burnt spot but otherwise very nice. The mohair headliner is very nice with a just a few dirty spots here and there. Carpets are decent. door panels are great. Dashboard and steering wheel are very nice. The glass is all good except for some scratches on the drivers side window and wing window. The heat and defrost works amazingly well (for a VW). The front trunk area is in very nice condition with a super clean custom gas tank that looks like the early style but with provision for a fuel sending unit so that this car does have a working fuel gauge. The Speedometer works well although seems a bit optimistic (reads too fast). I do not have the cardboard trim pieces for inside the trunk area and without them you get a cold draft and some extra noise coming into the passenger area. A simple blanket fixes this problem but could really use the correct pieces. The Engine is a 1600cc single port that runs extremely well. It has good crankshaft end play and starts easy and runs strong with no leaks. The four speed gearbox works perfect and has a Skat T handle speed shifter. It has four wheel disc brakes that work great. It does not have a mechanical handbrake but does have a working hydraulic line lock (these can't be trusted as a parking brake though). The electrics are 12v and in very good condition. The charging system works great as does the lights, and wipers. The horn does not work. It has Semaphore turn signals that work absolutely perfect. The Rag top sunroof does not leak at all when closed. The canvas fabric is in very good condition except the front two corners look like they where either never finished properly or the metal has torn through the canvas. It either needs a bit of stitching or possibly reinforced corners attached. The top does open but needs a bit of tidying up as the action is not very smooth. It has wooden blocks for guides and I was told these should be a plastic type material? The suspension is lowered and it has an adjustable front beam. The ride is quite firm but comfortable. The stock engine is plenty capable but I would imagine this car was envisioned to have a higher performance engine to match the lower stance and upgraded brakes and in fact there are access holes cut into the inner rear fenders for adjustment of dual carbs that it must have either had at some point or someone was planning to add. The steering is excellent and the car tracks well. The Porsche Fuchs wheels are in great condition and the Michelin tires have plenty of tread left although they are older and have very minor sidewall cracks. The fronts are 145 SR15 and the rears are 165 SR15. This Beetle is overall in great condition and ready to jump in and drive. It has a clear title showing the year as 1956 and the VIN on the title does match the number stamped on the tunnel under the back seat. It comes with a good spare tire and a jack. It has a key for the ignition switch but does not have keys for the doors or engine cover. Buyer is responsible for shipping costs and arrangements. I highly recommend and encourage a personal inspection if possible. The VW can be viewed by appointment in Granite Falls WA (near Seattle) I reserve the right to end the auction at any time. International bidders welcome, but please be aware of the extra time cost and effort involved BEFORE you bid. Car must be picked up within 30 days. Feel free to ask any questions. Have a look at my other auctions for more collector vehicles. Please watch the video of this beetle in action: