1966 VW Typ III Variant Squareback

[@stephantrzonnek1720]

You made my day. I grew in Wolfsburg, where most of these cars were built and I remember sitting above the engine... first VW bug, then typ IV variant and later in VW bus type 2.a and 2.b. I love the sound of those engines to this day. 😁

[@4ndy65]

Parents bought our 1st type 3 squareback in the UK (TCU 914L ) Amazing childhood memories of camping fishing and arguing over who slept in the back where it was lovely and warm because of the rear engine Thank you for posting🙂

[@cobrasteve414]

Comments such as yours are the reason I enjoy posting these videos. With all the negativity in the world today, it is nice to reflect upon simpler times of the past. You made mention of the warm area above the engine. That was my favorite place to sit as a child so I could listen to the wonderful sounds my fathers Variant would emit!

[@Geitzeist]

I've owned three Type IIIs back in the day. My first was a '72 Fastback I hotrodded while in highschool. After I wrecked that, I transferred the various hop up bits over to a '69 Squareback which I drove around for a few years. Sometime in the meantime I bought a bone stock '67 Fastback. I daily drove that car for quite a few years. I think the carbureted Type IIIs were probably the most reliable aircooled VW ever produced. Good power and room to stretch inside. Really wonderful cars.

[@cobrasteve414]

Just have to remember to adjust the valve clearances every 3,000 miles instead of 6,000 mile intervals which the Beetle requires. AND keep the engine RPM's up ! Twice within 20,000 miles my father damaged two engines (#3 cylinder, the "hot spot" as he would often shift at 1,500 RPM (or less). He told me my driving style was wrong by shifting at higher RPM points but I never "dropped a valve" due to overheating.

[@Alexis368]

Just beautiful. My dad bought a '64 squareback around to '93/'94. Since then I fell in love with every VW, but specifically with this one. Thanks for upload this!

[@cobrasteve414]

Everyone seems to want a bus (Typ II), but they're simply too expensive for me. The Variant is a happy medium and a car which can be daily-driven during good weather.

[@alexanderzachary4650]

My parents had a 1970. They got it in Germany, drove all over Europe with it, then shipped it back. It was still around when I was a toddler in the later 70s and I have some vague recollections of it. It was then given to my uncle who drove it a few more years!

[@cobrasteve414]

When I was young my favorite seat was the "trunk" area behind the rear seat. I could sit directly over the engine and listen to all the mechanical parts interacting. Yeah, I'm a true gearhead with 30W oil coursing through my veins.

[@Vincentanton2032]

Such a great car. Back in the middle school a mother of a friend drove seven children to school. That was in the 70s. The color was orange. Here in europe you don't see them so often, but they are still there. All the best for you and the car! Wonderful video, calm and cool. Greetings from germany!

[@cobrasteve414]

Viele danken! Not too many VW Variants on this side of the Atlantic, either. This one is truly special being a low-mileage survivor and a solid, comfortable car to drive.

[@andrewmellon5072]

I bought a 73 square back in 75. In Canada 1600 fuel injection porshe engine. I drove it coast to coast out canada back through the States. Sleeping in the back. It had a gasoline cabin heater but after a few miles even at 15 f below it was warm from the motor and always started. It could drive all day at 85 on speedo. I regularly did a 205 mile trip in 3 hours. Except for safety and only 2 doors it was probably the best car I have owned. Fuel consumption of no consequence then but in late 20s to imperial. gallon.

[@cobrasteve414]

Ah yes, the good old days! I was never fortunate enough (translation: I was too cheap) to have a gas heater, but from what I have heard, they did an excellent job of keeping the interior warm on those bitter cold winter days. Why has VW lost sight of what attracted so many buyers? All we want is a simple, well-constructed, reliable, and easy-to-maintain (by an individual with an ounce of common sense) vehicle. Where VW left off, Honda and Toyota picked up and have been running with the ball ever since!

[@andrewmellon5072]

@@cobrasteve414 Dear Steve. The square back I had was second hand, hence the gas heater. I couldn't agree more about the decline of VW. I am Irish and lived here most of my life. I have owned a bug 71, the boxer engines are too hard on gas in Europe after 73 oil crisis. I owned a Darby, possibly polo in US, a 81 diesel golf,rabbit, an 83 diesel passat estate, a 91 diesel jetta. Even in those days wheelbearings and bushings failed. I inherited my dad's 12 skoda estate 1600 tdi. It goes like the wind but it broke down, the Siemens injectors insulation fails, limp mode! The dash failed , a front wheel bearing failed. It seems the Vag group are concentrating on reducing costs rather than quality. I was at Covera, murcia, spain Airport, at Easter, I was watching the taxis Hyundai, Toyota, Lexus. No Mercs or big Puegeots. Sadly the European cars are no longer reliable. All best.

[@cobrasteve414]

@@andrewmellon5072 And why would Merc yield to the crazed environmentalists by utilizing biodegradable wiring harness insulation back in the 1990'sair-conditioned

[@cobrasteve414]

@@andrewmellon5072 Apologies for the last rant...I was making the point about rodents finding the biodegradable wiring insulation as being tasty.

[@goblinsgym]

Thank you for a trip back to my birth year ! My parents drove me around in one when I was a toddler.

[@cobrasteve414]

There were some cool cars back in the 1960's! My folks had a Variant, as well, and many fond memories!

[@muckle8]

A glorious old workhorse - faithful and uncomplicated - love it ❤️ - more than a passing resemblance to the early Volvo Amazon wagons too - go easy on those exhaust valves in that heat.

[@cobrasteve414]

Excellent suggestion and thank you for your comment. She's a keeper! Most air-cooled VWs had recommended 6,000-mile intervals for valve lash adjustment. If I recall correctly, the Type III "pancake" or "suitcase" models should have valves adjusted every 3,000 miles. On my Type III cars I always adjusted the valves every 3,000 miles and noted the exhaust valves tended to be "tighter" when it was time for the clearance adjustment. My father burned up two engines in his 1964 Variant S in less than 20,000 miles for two reasons, in my opinion, due to the fact he did not have the valves adjusted often enough as well as he did not believe in "revving" the engine...no wonder they got hot and dropped #3 exhaust valve every time. I tried to tell my father, back when I was a teenager, he needed to increase his engine RPM between shifting as the cylinders needed more air for cooling, but he insisted the higher he would rev the engine, he would wear it out faster. His reference point was diesel locomotives as he worked for a railroad. While I can understand his reasoning, the diesels were water-cooled, and diesel engines tend to run cooler than their gasoline-powered counterparts. It was similar to comparing apples to oranges, and I eventually gave up trying to convince him otherwise.

[@florianwagner7279]

Thank you for this video 😊 👍Reminding me on the first car I ever remeber in my life. My Dad had one of these 66 models, when I was three years old.. It has the opposite color scheme (white body, red interior) but the same sound with double caburators. The type 3 squareback was a very good commercial success in Germany that days, but they weren‘t beloved cors and more treated as family cars and commercial vehicles. They didn‘t got very much of attention from their owners. Typ 3 problem in Germany was its chassis and body which was rusting rapidly due to wet and salty roads in winter. Since Volkswagen changed to the Frontwheel driven new generation in 1973 with the Passat ( Dasher in the US) Typ 3 were branded as oldfashioned cars and died almost out by end of the sventies, cause nobody asks for it. Nowadays they are very rare and not visible on the roads anymore.

[@cobrasteve414]

Is it not interesting how cars prior to the 1970's had much more "character"? Each was unique and had their good and bad traits, but each was a culmination of each manufacturer's ideas. The concept of the VW, much like the Ford Model T, was to provide affordable, reliable, and easy-to-maintain transportation. Today's society is one which does not cherish quality, rather, accepting whatever junk (and I do mean garbage) the manufacturers produce, so long as it is "attractive" and has more bells and whistles than the next brand. There are countless reasons why we enjoy our classic vehicles, but for me, when I am driving one of my classics, it takes me back to a simpler time in my life--until the next inattentive idiot nearly causes a crash while glued to his/her cell phone--and brings me back to reality.

[@davidmorris826]

Back in ‘70-‘71 I had a ‘63 Type III Notchback. It was built to be imported to France. It had km speedometer and the owners manual was in French. It was a 1500 cc engine with a single side-draft carburetor. It’s top-end was about 145 kmph, about 90-95 mph. It was low on compression and was hard to start, took a lot of starter motor winding to get it to fire up, which drove my future mother-in-law crazy when I was leaving my fiancé house at midnight.😂 After having a ‘65 beetle in high school, the type III was roomier and it had a lot more power than the 40 hp bug. Like this square back it too was red with white interior. I’d like to drive one again just for old times sake.😊

[@cobrasteve414]

I am not an expert but I believe the single carburetor version was the "base" model...very rare these days and likely very collectible. The notchback style was always a favorite of mine as not only were they good-looking, but only a few (relatively speaking) were imported. Besides, the notchback, not being part of the standard U.S. lineup, made it even more desirable to me as I always gravitated toward the unusual cars...and this was back in the day when one was an outcast for wanting to be different.

[@vikos78]

Very nice car with the open roof that makes it even more desirable. We did not get than many here in France.

[@cobrasteve414]

Yes, the sunroof is definitely a plus. The Variant (Squareback) I owned in college did not have a sunroof and I was fortunate to have found one with this desirable option. Every time I take this car out for a short ride it takes me back to my college days!

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you! My father's Variant nor did my college car have a sunroof...truly adds more fun to the driving experience.

[@kevincarlson668]

France had thse Citroens,Peugeots,and Renaults I loved,though.

[@shahsheikh541]

That’s my childhood right there….such happy memories!

[@cobrasteve414]

You made my day! So many of us have fond memories of this car and if I can make a person or two each day smile as they reflect on their childhood, I have accomplished more than I could do during my daily job!

[@biobrat86]

My dad had one of these (white, blk interior). Loved that car, my older brother wrecked it. Still miss it, really fast for a VW and fun!

[@cobrasteve414]

My Dad had a 1964 1500S, which was one of the reasons I bought my 1969 model while in college. His had the factory twin Solex carburetors and yes, it seemed faster than the Beetles back in the day.

[@mrdunns3338]

Posting here from the UK. My parents had one for many years, from 1970 and I passed my driving test in 1974 in that same car. Registration was a UK reg UJR 828H and I still have that old plate on my garage door. Here in the UK, it was only sold as a Variant, but others based on the same platform with different fastback styles were available, but I don't remember them all. Not the most comfortable for long journeys as a teenager in the middle back seat, all of which were very hard. We had a roof rack and took canoes from Northumberland to Cornwall for holidays, arriving with a very numb bum after a 14 hour trip, long before any convenient stops en route. No major problems until the engine started misfiring, eventually traced to the distributor. The distributor drive shaft was wearing due to lack of lubes from the engine and the base plate for the points activated by the vacuum capsule wore, allowing the ignition timing to go way out of kilter. Apparently, many different types of Bosch distributor were fitted here in the UK and it took a long time to source the correct parts. I helped my Dad with maintenance and checking valves, changing plugs was a nightmare, but back then, we all had more hairs and fewer chins.

[@cobrasteve414]

Love the UK sense of humour (spelling intentional)! Yes, a few years ago we all had "more hairs and fewer chins", not to mention I don't fold like I used to. I have two Triumph GT6 cars (Mk II & Mk III) and I need to do a driving video for them someday. Just watching me "fold" myself to get in and "fall out" of the car is comical! Do I love European cars? You bet! Each has its own personality and uniqueness, unlike the boring cars of today. Sure, today's cars may perform well, but one needs degrees in both Computer Science and Electrical Engineering to maintain them...not my cup of tea. Weekend maintenance, be it valve clearance adjustments, changing fluids, minor repairs, are all part of the experience we gearheads call "fun"!

[@richardmessenger9474]

Great vehicle..had on in Germany back in the 70s...then I got a notch back..both of them were fantastic..went to UK and back to Germany many times...one day the notch back managed to drop a valve in Belgium...got it towed back to Germany and got another engine from the breakers for DM 150...best thing about them both had an electric heater fitted with a timer so you could go out to a nice warm car in the winter..👍👍

[@cobrasteve414]

Never seen an electric heater...was it for the cabin or the engine?

[@richardmessenger9474]

@@cobrasteve414 the control was built into the dash with a clock and the heater inside the boot at the front with a couple of hot air pipes into the cabin and it ran off petrol from the tank...it was fantastic in the winter when it was -10...just set the clock for about 20mins before you went to work come out to a nice defrosted car warm as toast...👍👍

[@cobrasteve414]

@@richardmessenger9474 Okay, then I do recall these heaters. I believe we called them "gas heaters" as they ran on petrol. For some odd reason we (U.S.) refer to petrol as gasoline or "gas" for short. Gas to me is something which refers to an element in a gaseous state. Sorry about going off on a tangent...back to the subject. While I never owned a VW with the auxiliary heater in the boot, I was told by many it performed quite well.

[@neilfromdownunder9204]

That goes really well and the motor sounds so sweet, great car that should last forever with the proper maintenance.

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you! Car had a definite "miss" when I got her so I went through the "procedure". First, ensure the valves are adjusted properly. Next perform a tune-up by replacing the spark plugs, ignition points, plug wires, distributor cap & rotor and setting the timing. THEN, if necessary (and it was not), adjust the carburetors. So many owners would immediately begin fiddling with the carburetors with disastrous results. Mine is idling a tad high in the video and I have since dropped it down to where it belongs. By the way, through the process of tuning the engine, I did discover two push rods which were bent...and after I adjusted the valves, it ran good for a moment then began having issues again. I discovered two valves had excessive clearance which was puzzling as I had only adjusted them the day before. That was when I discovered the two bent push rods...solution was to replace all of them as I did not know if any of the remaining push rods were compromised. She's been running like a Swiss watch ever since!

[@richardhill6125]

Oh the memories. My first VW back in 69=70 high school days was a 64 Squareback. It was a lot of fun. I wasn't very good at mechanics yet and it eventually pooped out. From what I remember it was in pretty good shape body/interior wise. I sure wouldn't mind having another one now but I still need to get my 72 Super Beetle put back together and on the road. Enjoy that Squareback.

[@cobrasteve414]

The '72 Super Beetle is a cool car...did not have the curved windshield, correct? Everyone I meet who has a stalled project I give this "Pearl of Wisdom": Do something every day, no matter how trite. Even if it is removing a single nut and/or bolt, but keep the momentum going forward. Eventually you'll finish it!

[@richardhill6125]

@@cobrasteve414 Yes. 71 and 72 were the flat windshield models.

[@rogerneves7898]

I had a 64 notchback during those years. The 6 volt system meant it didn't like to start very well in winter!

[@cobrasteve414]

@@rogerneves7898 We never got the notchback version in the U.S. When I was young I recall seeing them occasionally as American GI's would bring them back after their tour in Germany. I always loved the style and would love to have one now, but they have become expensive and rightly so. Besides, I might really test my wife's patience by adding "just one more"!

[@rogerneves7898]

@@cobrasteve414 I'm in Nova Scotia, Canada. I liked it so much I bought a 67 later. It had a 12v system and no tubed radio!

[@914Mike]

Very common for the Type 3 to overheat at high speeds. My mom had her engine replaced 3 times ( she didn't want to slow down...) by the time she gave it to me with 168,000 miles. There was a fix that removed the side vent louvers and reversed them to force the air to enter at high speeds. Mine ('66 1600S) had the overload spring on the rear axel, I could really load the back up! The sunroof eventually stuck closed, but never leaked... Oh and the rear hatch hinge broke on one side.

[@cobrasteve414]

It is truly amazing how "solid" this car is...then again, VWs of that era were much more simple and robust. While she is not a speed demon, she is fun to drive, relatively easy to maintain, and does not look like another "squished jellybean" going down the road.

[@bigears4014]

Normally the overheating was the thermostat sticking

[@jimplatts6172]

Dad bought one in 1969 on about day 4 or 5 he had two bull calves to deliver to my uncle that mapped out the next 8 years of its life. I think he bought it so he could sell the farm van and it did the job well collecting and delivering supplies spares ect he spent very little on it and passed it to me when the front wings started rotting. I repaired them up in my back bedroom ran it for 2 years it was a grate work horse and extremely reliable.

[@cobrasteve414]

My father's '64 Variant also suffered from corrosion on the top of the front wings above the headlamps. As an early teenager, I wanted to "help" Dad by performing a repair using Bondo (body filler). I could not understand why the body filler would not "set" (harden). Being a typical American male, I SELDOM read instructions. Had I done so, I would have realized one must also mix a hardening agent with the body filler to allow the chemical reaction to occur to make it solidify. Needless-to-say, I had a mess on my hands which I corrected the following weekend.

[@zelphx]

I am so jealous! Enjoy, the warm months!!!

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you! and I love the 2-60 Air Conditioning...Two windows "down" and 60 mph!

[@MH-fb5kr]

I had orange color of this car. Drove from Maine to Belize then California and back to Maine. Camped from back of car… the days when I had almost a year to fool around. Sold it for enough to fly to Scotland for a month in gliding school.

[@cobrasteve414]

That's what Iove about unique classic cars...they bring back so many great memories for people. Thank you.

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

We had a 65 Beetle and 59 Caddy at that time. Always wanted to take the VW. Noisy, simple and fun.

[@cobrasteve414]

As a child, my favorite place to sit was directly above the engine--that way I did not have to share the back seat with my two sisters--and could be left alone listening to the various mechanical noises emitting from the engine.

[@Davett53]

VERY COOL!.......In 1971 I was about to have my folks help me buy my first car, as I was heading off to college. I had my heart set on that very model and year of the VW Square-back. We couldn't find one, though instead, I found a 1970 Opel Kadett LS. Which was a fastback. I reconfigured the back seat, to hinge upward, so I could pass-through large cargo from the trunk into the back seat space area, perfect for a college student's gear. The Opel was a German car imported by Buick dealerships for sale in the USA, in Cleveland, Ohio.

[@cobrasteve414]

My first car was a 1955 Beetle, and a 1969 Squareback was my second car. Many fond memories (all clean!) with my Squareback as it was a very versatile car. Dad had a 1964 Variant (Euro model 1500-S) Squareback prior to my purchasing mine and it was the first manual transmission vehicle I had ever driven. Very ingenious of you to reconfigure the back seat of your Opel Kadett...perhaps some automotive engineer took note of your "modification" as modern sedans and hatchbacks have incorporated this feature. I grew up in NW Indiana and had a friend who had an Opel GT.. It appeared to be a good car with typical German-quality (excellent). Sad I cannot say the same about German cars today...full of too many gimmicks and electronic BS which will eventually fail (translated = $$$). The beauty of German cars from the 1950's thru the early 1980's was they were relatively simple...their philosophy was "form follows function"...the engineers were in charge and not the marketing clowns. Today a modern Benz looks like an overgrown Toyota (squished jellybean).

[@Davett53]

@@cobrasteve414 Good to hear your stories. Indeed, it would have been better to have found an Opel GT,...which resembled a pint-sized Corvette. Very sexy and shapely, with headlights that folded into the body. My Opel Kadett LS, was well appointed on the inside, with well placed dashboard, fresh-air vents, comfortable supportive seats, and (sports car) precise, rack & pinion steering. I attended college in Athens, Ohio, at Ohio University. The area was very hilly and with newly paved, winding asphalt roads, that were so much fun to drive on, with my Opel. All my friends owned older VW Beetles, back in the day. I still love them, along with the poor-man's Porsche, the Karmann Ghia.

[@20vtechnik]

What a wonderful wagon!

[@cobrasteve414]

It is a practical and economical classic!

[@Davett53]

Congratulations ! You have a very fine car.............Ahh the simpler times before seats came with head-rests.

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you!

[@megalomotors]

Could have been my view as an 9 year old in the back of a sky blue '67 squareback stuffed with teammates on the way to a soccer game in the Fall of '75. Car still fresh from a Maaco paint job! 😂

[@cobrasteve414]

I remember that light blue color...had a '67 Beetle in the same color. Where I grew up, we had Earl Scheib for quick paint jobs. I believe their motto was "In by 9, out by 5". Paint was applied reasonably well but one better remove all trim or it would become the body color, too. Now that I think of it, they were way ahead of their time as cars today seem to have all emblems and molding painted the same color as the body.

[@tsr207]

Both my uncles had this car - reliable and sturdy - we just called them by their engine size

[@cobrasteve414]

My father's squareback was a Euro model...1964 Variant 1500 S...it is the one Iearned how to drive a manual transmission.

[@thomasschafer7268]

Super cooler VW. In Deutschland sind die leider alle schon im VW Himmel. Bis auf ganz wenige Ausnahmen. 👍👍👍🇩🇪

[@cobrasteve414]

Viel danken!

[@j.1294]

Great vid! Thank you for not adding any music!

[@cobrasteve414]

Thanks! In the immortal words of John Cleese, "And now, for something completely different!" I decided not to include music on this KZbin video as it would only detract from the essence of the car. Music applied correctly can add to the enjoyment, but most of us "gearheads" want to hear to the symphony of the multiple controlled explosions from each cylinder, the growl of an exhaust system, and the unique sound of air rushing through the carburetor(s). My opinion, Ferrari nails it quite well with the proper balance of the aforementioned--most especially with their Colombo V-12 engines from the 1960's.

[@vumba1331]

Learned to drive in one of those, great car, enjoy.

[@cobrasteve414]

My father's 1964 Variant was the car I also learned how to drive a manual transmission...very forgiving.

[@dennismarks6133]

Such a nice car with the typical old beetle sound. I'm also into Volkswagens but newer ones like Golf Mk2 and Mk3 and Corrado.

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you for your kind words. Car makes me smile every time I take it out for a drive. As a freshman in college, I drove a car nearly identical to this one so it brings back many fond memories. With so many of these cars being customized today, I enjoy being "different" by having one completely "stock".

[@carlosbusto7382]

My father had one in thr 60's it was a great car.

[@cobrasteve414]

My father had a 1964 Variant which is why I purchased a 1969 model a few years later while in college. I preferred his car as it had the twin carburetors instead of the fuel injection system.

[@kevincarlson668]

Well done,and your senior Volks is adorable.

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you, Kevin!

[@ScranMan-oi8qg]

I remember these in Scotland as a small child in the 1970s and the later bigger versions & there were lots now you don’t see nothing like them not fir decades. This world seems sterile & boring in comparison in every aspect 😮

[@cobrasteve414]

You can say that again! Everything looks the same...cars today, especially the electric ones, have little or no soul!

[@cobrasteve414]

Each time I take her for a drive it literally transports me to a simpler time in my life. This moment, while fleeting, is a welcome escape from the reality of today with the chaos and noise of day-to-day life.

[@JamesUniv]

Absolutely incredible

[@cobrasteve414]

Very kind of you...thank you.

[@frankbox850]

3 yrs ago I found a crashed 1966 Squareback "Teak" w/sunroof. She was in storage since 1969

[@cobrasteve414]

Have you repaired the car yet?

[@brianscotland3913]

i LOVE THESE CARS.

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you!

[@duanetrivett750]

Killer car ! I wished I would have brought the one my old girl friend in the early 80s had but I did not. Regret.

[@cobrasteve414]

I know the feeling...like the 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL roadster I could have bought from my friend in 1976 for $5K. Hindsight is always 20/20.

[@anml4676]

You lucky fellow. I had a pale blue 1972 Type III for years, very reliable and so simple to maintain. The squarebacks are called Station Wagons here in Oz. Must change the engine oil quite regularly as they have no oil filter, is yours like that? Mine had a "big bore" kit which took the engine up to around 1800cc (with the original twin-port heads). The big-bore kit included a "Porsche-Grind" camshaft which gave a bit of extra "poke" without sacrificing power at low revs. The "big bore" kit was an option when re-building the 1600 engine, and it improved the fuel economy too. Such well designed cars - you could have the engine out in around 20 minutes. Does yours have the windscreen washer bottle pressurised by air from the spare tyre? I can't see a washer bottle next to the tyre so maybe that idea came after 1966. I sorely miss my VW Type III.

[@cobrasteve414]

I searched for several years to find this one. No intention of ever letting her go. It's in the will for one of my sons to inherit... and he loves Volkswagens.

[@cobrasteve414]

I recall "back in the day" Volkswagen actually marketed (printed advertisements) the Typ II (microbus) as their idea of a station wagon even though the Squareback design was more in line with the American "station wagon". Oil changes should be every 3,000 miles but since I do not drive mine less than 1,000 miles per year, an annual oil change is sufficient. My car is completely original and still has the typical reusable oil screen in the bottom center of the case halves, the same as the Typ I Kafer (Beetle). If memory serves correct, Beetle valve lash adjustments were recommended every 6,000 miles and the pancake/suitcase engine (as found in Typ III) VW recommended valves to be adjusted every 3,000 miles.

[@ramonlevine8012]

They have filters. First you drop the oil. There are 5 or six bolts around it that have to be removed. It's a screen filter which has to be washed in a parts washer or a pail of gasoline.

[@andrewmellon5072]

The spare on the square back ran from the spare. This was the same for the beetles. No good .

[@enriquelopez9124]

Awesome Volkswagen Squareback

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you! She's a keeper!

[@drfalcon4102]

I had a 1965, What a steaming Pile of Dung

[@cobrasteve414]

Was your car built on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon?

[@cardiffchris]

The German lady, who drove us to school always called it a "Variant" instead of Squareback.

[@cobrasteve414]

Variant was the name the "rest of the world" knew the Squareback as. Who coined the term "Squareback" I have no idea.

[@emmanuelofori6521]

Dont remember last time i saw one.Ok i think 3 months ago i saw a blue one sitting somewhere but for that one it would have been 30+ years of not seeing one.

[@cobrasteve414]

Yes, indeed, they are rather rare these days. I particularly enjoy how utilitarian they are. One can pack a lot of stuff in there!

[@hasbeengood]

What an absolute cream puff. Love it!

[@cobrasteve414]

Thanks! So many Typ III's are customized these days but I prefer mine as they left the factory...but as the saying goes, "to each his own".

[@garethjudd5840]

My late father had one of these back in the 70s and it constantly broke down due to insufficient cooling air flow to the engine at the rear. Early VW busses suffered from the same over heating problems.

[@cobrasteve414]

My father burned up two engines inside of 20,000 miles as he refused to "rev up" the engine...hence it overheated and dropped a valve in #3 cylinder, the hot spot.

[@mikemeyers4016]

I have a 66 in peru wonder if it would be worth bringing back , great condition because of the climate

[@cobrasteve414]

Your call. Unsure of the shipping cost and if you are bringing it up to sell for profit or simply to enjoy on the roads? These are a rare sight, indeed, on the roads today.

[@daveylee4677]

50k mi.! Nice! I had a few VW bugs back in the 70’s. I always had a spare engine in the process of a rebuild. A rebuilt engine would give a good run for about 45k miles. Good Luck with yours.

[@cobrasteve414]

Thanks! Dad would never "rev" his '64 Variant 1500 S and consequently, burned up two engines in a 20K mile span. He swore off VWs since. Later, when I acquired my college car ('69 Squareback), I revved up the engine frequently to which Dad replied, "You're going to wear out the engine prematurely." I tried to explain the air-cooled engine needed the rev's, most especially the pancake/suitcase engine, but he never listened. Dozens of VWs later, I made my point by driving them "my way" with little issues. If I recall correctly, the "upright" or Beetle engine needed the valve lash adjustment every 6,000 miles, whereas the suitcase (Type III) engine required valves to be adjusted every 3,000 miles.

[@robertstanley629]

I would love to find one of these. Very hard to find in Canada

[@cobrasteve414]

They are difficult to find, indeed. I would recommend The Samba website as it is an excellent resource for enthusiasts to find not only cars, but parts for restoration. The majority of folks on this site are fellow VW afficionados who graciously share their knowledge and expertise to help one perform everything from maintenance to full restoration of a project. When I decided I wanted another Type III Variant (my first and only one being one of my college cars), I scoured every want ad, website, etc., and reviewed three cars prior to committing to purchase this one. Not only did I find an honest seller and an excellent example, but my car was also equipped with the desirable factory sunroof--something my college car did not have. Be patient, keep a close eye on the market, and you'll find one!

[@markhealey9409]

Wow! Beautiful! 😍😍

[@cobrasteve414]

Thanks!

[@007JHS]

I had an Australian delivery '71 type 3 squareback... Took the clock out and installed a tachometer in its place.

[@cobrasteve414]

I'd like to add a tach to mine in the same place...I believe it was a factory accessory. Seems like they're expensive, though...I'll save my money and maybe update some day.

[@007JHS]

@@cobrasteve414 Mine was an aftermarket tacho... bought from K-mart (in Australia) from memory... Just chose one that matched the size of the hole and slid it in.

[@davidwelsford3189]

Lovely example - my first girlfriend had the same model in 69, same paint colour but the slushbox and Bosch K-Jet FI. Your cold idle speed sounded like 2000 rpm, but seemed to settle down :)

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you, sir! My first Variant, which was my second car, the first being a 1955 Beetle, was also a 1969 model. It was very useful for carrying camping gear (tent, stove, sleeping bags, etc).

[@rewis3d]

I had one of these in the 90s, same colour in New Zealand, it was a 1970 if I remember correctly, though that might have been the year of my beetle.

[@cobrasteve414]

The Beetle, Karmann Ghia, & Microbus (Type II) seem to get all the glory...but the Variant/Squareback is the most practical, in my opinion.

[@alanohashi224]

Had one of these wagons, blew 3 engines due to overheating, I think. Not enough air gets to the engine below the wagon bed. Once going cross country, a piston melted. After the 3rd failure I sold it to the mechanic fixing it and used the $ to go to India for 2 months. I would drive this car dreading the next failure.

[@cobrasteve414]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience, Alan. Overheating could be caused by a number of reasons, from incorrect ignition timing, not having high-enough engine rev's for the engine fan to cool the cylinders, or perhaps some of the engine tin being absent. Back in the day some lazy mechanics would fail to replace all of the engine cooling tin which was critical to direct the air flow. It is never fun to work on a car after someone who was either unqualified or did not exercise care. Thank you for sharing your story...I'm certain you have great memories of your trip to India, so hopefully it was worth it!

[@djekna]

Beautiful!

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you!!

[@IMG71.....]

Wonderful 👍🏻👌

[@cobrasteve414]

Thanks!

[@kcindc5539]

Zoinks… one of your cylinders isn’t playing nicely with the others. It should sound like a muffled sewing machine but at that super fast idle it sounded ornery - I’m guessing a cylinder head issue?

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you for your comment. To be honest, I haven't taken the time to reduce the idle speed. The car has plenty of power, accelerates well, and does not emit any smoke. The next time I replace the spark plugs I'll perform a compression test to determine if there are any issues and to also establish a baseline for the engine's condition. Thank you for your comment.

[@buck9739]

Awesome my dad had one

[@cobrasteve414]

Mine too...Dad's was a 1964 Variant (Euro model). That is why in 1973 I bought a used 1969 Squareback while in college.

[@buck9739]

@@cobrasteve414 nice I remember when a bear tried to break into his car. He thought it was a person. Funny now. Another time his coworker lifted it up and moved it. I would love to get one such a cool car. Later in my dads life he had a Volkswagen fox station wagon. It wasn’t square but still neat.

[@cobrasteve414]

@@buck9739 I had an Audi Fox years ago...traded a motorcycle helmet for it. The car had a blown head gasket and it just so happened I had an extra VW Rabbit engine lying around. Since the parts were interchangeable and the original Fox head was warped (overheated), the Rabbit head was a direct bolt on after the valve job, of course. Simple yet VERY reliable car!

[@buck9739]

@@cobrasteve414 holy resourceful. The Franken wagen.I think vw simplicity is what was so appealing. And they where fun.

[@alecjones7299]

Yeah, we got those down here in Brazil

[@cobrasteve414]

Were the Brazilian versions the same? I thought their body styles were slightly different?

[@gutgess1966]

Whats abut the german License Plate from Frankfurt - Germany ? Has it running in Frankfurt in his first Years, or is it only a stylish decoration?

[@cobrasteve414]

Good eye! Merely a stylish decoration.

[@vwdarrin]

sweet

[@cobrasteve414]

@@vwdarrin Thank you! It is fun to drive.

[@scottjeffries4361]

Nice VW, Ahh the good old days....

[@cobrasteve414]

Thanks!

[@paulaspinall919]

Body is straight as a die. Interior is in great condition. Did they ever come with carpets? I remember them having rubber floor mats only. Nice motor.

[@trevorchambers1812]

Yeah, it doesn't need carpets. Or anything else for that matter. Lovely.

[@cobrasteve414]

Not sure about the carpeting, although I can say mine has the original carpeting which is in need of replacement. Perhaps the "deluxe" versions had carpeting? One of those projects I have yet to tackle....

[@alexfriedel]

Never seen one of those b4 don’t know if we had that model in England

[@cobrasteve414]

That is a good question...not sure I have ever seen a right-hand drive Type III, but I thought the Type III's were manufactured in Australia? I'm not an expert...something I heard over the years.

[@backwoodsbungalow9674]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXi2lX-LmsyUiM0

[@backwoodsbungalow9674]

Apparently import duty made the VW Type III price in line with more luxurious cars, so few were sold in the UK.

[@alexfriedel]

@@backwoodsbungalow9674 I did not think I had seen that model here b4 Thanks for letting me know 👍👍

[@type3666]

I hace a same car , same year , same color :))

[@cobrasteve414]

Car puts a smile on my face each time I take her out for a drive....

[@volksfordgarage7135]

Very nice!

[@cobrasteve414]

Thank you!

[@Антон-п5ц2д]

Is this a shooting brake?

[@cobrasteve414]

Never heard of the Variant being referred to as a "shooting brake"...I believe this term is a more modern creation? Regardless, the amount of room in the car in relation to its size is excellent!

[@Антон-п5ц2д]

@@cobrasteve414 shooting brake is 3-door wagon, for example this type of body has aston martin db5 and volvo p1800es which are not so modern models :)

[@cobrasteve414]

@@Антон-п5ц2д Then I guess it would qualify. Have not heard that term until recently.

[@TrashLefties]

Owned same year.

[@cobrasteve414]

Good or bad memories?

[@Cichy_Silesia]

Mój ojciec miał takie auto. W czasach za żelazną kurtyną to było coś

[@cobrasteve414]

Samochody, które są dziś produkowane, są nudne. Wszystkie wyglądają tak samo. Mimo że dorastałem w Ameryce, zawsze ceniłem europejskie samochody. Były przyjemniejsze w prowadzeniu i znacznie bardziej oszczędne.

[@Cichy_Silesia]

@@cobrasteve414 zgadza się

[@liliana6571]

❤

[@cobrasteve414]

Thanks!

[@hasse7487]

Schön Auto!

[@cobrasteve414]

Viele danken!!

[@mjriazi9001]

The engine speed of this Volkswagen is not adjusted and one of the cylinder heads is not working properly. This type of Volkswagen was completely silent.

[@cobrasteve414]

You're right.

[@briangarrod8664]

Jealous or what!!. Enjoy

[@cobrasteve414]

Thanks, Brian! Classics like this don't cost an arm and a leg, nor require taking out a second mortgage to maintain. That adds more to the "fun factor"!

[@pgilb70]

WE had 2 here in Oz as the family car. The type 3 was Oz made and poorly made. The front of the steering wheel even fell off...

[@cobrasteve414]

That's what I cannot understand...the VW crowd also say the same thing about VWs from Brazil--the quality is not up to "German standards". Regardless of where the cars were manufactured, the same engineering went into each of them. Still puzzles me.

[@makko]

in sweden wi call it the refrigirator

[@cobrasteve414]

For a car which has dimensions slightly larger than the Beetle, I believe the Variant (Squareback in the U.S.) offered fantastic space utilization.

[@davidbryanbartlett4071]

Rust Bucket

[@cobrasteve414]

Only if one lives in the rust belt. Only corrosion I could find was a 1/2" diameter "bubble/blister" on the lower trailing edge of the driver side door.

[@alvarocandio8811]

El video se ve más la espalda del conductor !!!

[@cobrasteve414]

Gracias!

[@Awesome-Wels]

Squareback - a weird name. Why not Estate?

[@cobrasteve414]

Blame it on silly American advertising executives. Why do we have cars on this side of the pond with ridiculous names such as Avalanche, Tundra, Ram, etc. At least they did not call the VW 1600TL the "Hunchback"!

[@Awesome-Wels]

@@cobrasteve414 😃 Thanks. The TL in Germany was nicknamed ,,Traurige Lösung'' which means ,,sad solution''. Not far from Hunchback ...

[@cobrasteve414]

@@Awesome-Wels Sort of like "DODGE", or Drips Oil Drops Grease Everywhere", or "FORD" First On Race Day". Car folks can be very creative!

[@Awesome-Wels]

@@cobrasteve414 👍 Both I never heard before.

[@Lollygagger-k4p]

Very nice, but I wish people would stop using the fish eye lens. Toyally distorts the otherwise well blended lines of this or any other car.

[@cobrasteve414]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm still a novice but since I'll be retiring soon, no excuse now for not "getting up to speed".

[@comentaristavirtual3631]

Desse veículo só aproveita o nome , o design de estilo e o tipo de acabamento. Os demais itens tudo tem que mudar. O estilo do veículo é bonito. Mas as tecnologias dele não servem para o futuro. As curvas e aerodinâmica precisam se adequar a estática dinâmica cinética e custos de fabricação . E as peças componentes precisam se adequar a novos acessórios e tecnologias de navegação, segurança e conforto.

[@cobrasteve414]

Os carros fabricados hoje são chatos. Os carros elétricos estão sendo forçados goela abaixo por políticos corruptos que são compensados pela China. Por esta razão, prefiro carros mais antigos, que são de melhor qualidade e relativamente fáceis de manter.

[@YotamAmit]

Yotam amity’s is that great mathematicians vvjj high jhang

[@alfderbabybenz7092]

Sound is sadly quite bad on this Video...

[@cobrasteve414]

If I can ever get monetized by KZbin, perhaps I can afford an improved microphone.

[@davidanderson8469]

I had the EFI version and it was an unreliable pos.

[@cobrasteve414]

I guess I was fortunate. The 1969 model I had in college was completely original, reliable, and had the factory fuel injection. I do recall many people converting them over to twin carburetors once they began having fuel injection issues. This was the early days of fuel injection on mass produced cars so the learning curve has not flattened out yet.