1963 Volkswagen Beetle

Description

Cool VWs have been around as long as there have been hot rods, and this 1963 Volkswagen Beetle has an awesome restomod look that's instantly retro yet still deliciously contemporary. With a strong-running 1641cc engine, a quick-shifting 4-speed gearbox, a wicked stance, and all the charm that makes VWs so popular, this slick little Beetle gets a lot of things right.

Silver-over-red has worked on European sports cars for years, so why not employ that classic, slick, and incredibly sexy combination on a sporty VW Beetle? The silver paint certainly gets attention and makes the affordable Bug look a lot more expensive than it is, in fact, when we had it parked next to a vintage Porsche it looked totally in its weight class. Finished not long ago, it shows incredibly well in person, although up close you might find a blemish or two that's probably inevitable after a few years of cruising. But that also means you can get in and drive without worries, and that's the kind of car we like best. The curved shape of the Beetle with a crease right down the beltline makes an ideal candidate for a vivid paint job that really accentuates the sheetmetal, and with those black steelies, bright chrome, and luggage rack up top, the curb appeal is off-the-charts. Flashy chrome bumpers are the perfect endcaps, while the brightwork around the headlights, taillights, mirrors, and even the super-cool antenna give it a fantastic look without erasing any of the original design, and it's worth noting that all the fenders are still steel. Pre-1965 Bugs are considered the real 'classic' models, with their smaller windows, flatter windshields, and teardrop boor lids, and when they're finished to a high level like this '63, they always garner the most attention. Neat accessories like the VW cowl emblem, the Deutschland license plate up front, and those streamlined running boards complete with vinyl skid coverings add to the look, and with that raked stance this baby looks like it's going 80MPH just sitting still.

The interior takes traditional hot-rodding cues and applies them to the tidy VW. Factory low-back buckets wear custom seat covers in deep red, high-end vinyl, and matching door panels were stitched up to complete the look and accented with billet handles for a very cool steampunk look. Black carpets are protected with durable floormats, the headliner is taut, and a red-rimmed steering wheel with a chrome VW center cap all spice up the interior, which feels far more luxurious than you'd ever expect out of a Beetle. A VDO speedometer features a red trim ring and needle that matches the theme, and it really pops inside the fully painted steel dash, which also houses a fresh Pioneer AM/FM/CD/AUX head unit that powers speakers below the seats. There's no A/C (although an ice-chest A/C cooler comes with the sale and plugs right into one of the two USB ports under the dash), but the heat/defrost unit works great, while the coolest part of the entire cabin is probably the custom shifter that's topped with a 'Vans' knob for a unique spin. Up front, there's a very nicely finished trunk that shows off how solid this Bug really is and it includes a new gas tank for safety.

The engine is a crate 1641cc flat-four, air-cooled, of course. There's a 110 Engle cam and 69mm counter-weight crank inside, dual Weber carbs up top, and a lightweight flywheel, giving this VW some genuine performance. It's nicely dressed with chrome and black powdercoat throughout, including the air shroud and firewall cover and to serve as the background. It starts easily thanks to a new Painless wiring set-up and runs great with few miles on the build, as you'd expect from an engine this well built. A robust custom exhaust system that sounds aggressive without losing that distinctive VW whistle and there's an auxiliary oil cooler to help control temps. The close-ratio 4-speed manual transmission shifts better than any VW in our recent memory and you can see that it's quite clean underneath, with a nicely preserved pan and lots of new components including the adjustable front beam suspension that sets that wicked stance. Front disc brakes are quite welcome and the powdercoated black steelies come adorned with Baby Moon hubs that perfectly finish the look, wrapped with 175/55/15 front and 205/65/15 rear performance radials.

Great-looking and surprisingly fast, this custom Beetle delivers big fun in a small package. Call today!