1966 Volkswagen Beetle, 1300, Sea Blue. Courtesy of google images. I was 23 years old, in the Navy, and stationed in Argentia, Newfoundland. We had a Naval Station there and I was attached to the Station Hospital. I had a 53 Mercury that seemed to not want to start any time it was either moist or cold. This, in an island off the eastern coast of Canada. I had bought the car from another sailor after he had bought a new 1966 VW beetle.
Since I had paid him for this miserable, non working collection of future razor blades I figured that he was smarter than I. Since he was happy with the VW I thought I might do well to follow his lead..
Since I had paid him for this miserable, non working collection of future razor blades I figured that he was smarter than I. Since he was happy with the VW I thought I might do well to follow his lead..
Courtesy of google images. In 1966, VW had too many choices. Fastbacks, Notchbacks, Squarebacks, Karmann Ghias and two types of beetle. The pancake engines had some of the mechanics talking to themselves so I determined that I would buy one of the time tested beetles.
Google Image 1966 VW 1200 I could buy the beetle called the 1200 for a little over $1000 but I couldn't return to the States with it. The exportable 1300 went for almost $1400. The 1200 was essentially a 1965 beetle. The 1200 and 1300 names were the engine sizes. Had the 1200 been titled a 1965 I believe it would have been as legal stateside as the 1300.
For 1966 VW had added 100cc and got a booming 50 horsepower out of the 1300. The 1300 had seatbelts and a slightly different low back seat. I''m certain that there were more changes but I neither knew nor cared. I recommend this article by Paul Niedermeyer about my car. At least it could have been my car because we were certainly left with many of the same impressions.
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-european/curbside-classic-1966-vw-1300-the-best-beetle-of-them-all/ . This article goes further into the details than I can. One thing to note is that the 1300 seems to share the engine case with the 1500 and 1600; It must have been seriously under-stressed. That turned out to be a blessing. The article states that the gearing remained the same. Whatever the reasons they hit a home run with this car. It proved the basic power plant was super tough time and time again. Curiously the 67 engine was a 1500 that was rated at 53 horse. The first 100cc must have picked the low hanging fruit when it came to power.I drove a 1500 later but felt my car was just as strong. The article indicates to me that was all in the gearing.
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-european/curbside-classic-1966-vw-1300-the-best-beetle-of-them-all/ . This article goes further into the details than I can. One thing to note is that the 1300 seems to share the engine case with the 1500 and 1600; It must have been seriously under-stressed. That turned out to be a blessing. The article states that the gearing remained the same. Whatever the reasons they hit a home run with this car. It proved the basic power plant was super tough time and time again. Curiously the 67 engine was a 1500 that was rated at 53 horse. The first 100cc must have picked the low hanging fruit when it came to power.I drove a 1500 later but felt my car was just as strong. The article indicates to me that was all in the gearing.
Google Images There weren’t many differences in any of them when you left the engine compartment. The hubcaps were the most obvious tips. You could put the old hubcaps on the new car if you wanted to, but why would you.
When I drove away from the dealership in St. Johns I was immediately impressed with how quick the car was. I had driven any number of V8s and sixes. The little VW was far quicker. I actually had it above 90mph (slight downgrade) once and it got really scary. Acceleration dropped off markedly before 80 mph and it took forever plus tailwind for the last 10mph. Getting across an intersection and around town was where it excelled. Once again, Paul’s article tells us that the engine was new but the gearbox was still geared low for the weaker engine. That explains those characteristics.
When I drove away from the dealership in St. Johns I was immediately impressed with how quick the car was. I had driven any number of V8s and sixes. The little VW was far quicker. I actually had it above 90mph (slight downgrade) once and it got really scary. Acceleration dropped off markedly before 80 mph and it took forever plus tailwind for the last 10mph. Getting across an intersection and around town was where it excelled. Once again, Paul’s article tells us that the engine was new but the gearbox was still geared low for the weaker engine. That explains those characteristics.
Next to last year for the metal dash. Courtesy of Google Images. These could be pictures of my car. The colors are the same. It became pretty well known on the base. I probably would have had considerably more trouble but I knew all the police from working the emergency room. I had the car for about the last six months of my time there. I had orders to go to submarine school in New London that fall. I wasn’t real sure what I was going to get the car there. The Navy would pay to ship the car but if I remember correctly they would have shipped it to New Jersey. The decision was made for me when one of the unions called a strike and there were no planes.
Google Images On the 4th of July 1966 it was 55 degrees and everyone was wearing short sleeves. That was the warmest day we had all year. I drove across much of the island from Argentia to Port Aux Basques. Cannot remember having seen any countryside that was prettier. There I caught the Ferry to Sydney, Nova Scotia. It was an overnight cruise. I had 30 days vacation with my family and five days travel time. I drove over 7,000 miles. I remember calculating that it cost me about $.01 per mile.
It was a two lane blacktop trip when I could swing it but there many times when I could not. The fun was really in that I started the trip with a small map of New England and the Maritime provinces. I just followed my nose and took my time. When I crossed the border it was near Houlton, Maine. As I drove along on two lane blacktop the road suddenly split and there was a huge mound of dirt inside the split. When I pulled around the other side of the mound, there was a four lane highway with nary a hint of grease on the pristine concrete surface. I don’t know how long it had been open but it looked brand new and it was named I-95. It took me down to Ct. where I visited friends. Then it was on across country I had only read about. It was two lane blacktop through the hills of the Pennsylvania Dutch country. I found my way down to Interstate 70 and on to Kansas. The little car did not miss a beat.
I took the northern route back towards the east coast. Found New London and started a brand new life.
It was a two lane blacktop trip when I could swing it but there many times when I could not. The fun was really in that I started the trip with a small map of New England and the Maritime provinces. I just followed my nose and took my time. When I crossed the border it was near Houlton, Maine. As I drove along on two lane blacktop the road suddenly split and there was a huge mound of dirt inside the split. When I pulled around the other side of the mound, there was a four lane highway with nary a hint of grease on the pristine concrete surface. I don’t know how long it had been open but it looked brand new and it was named I-95. It took me down to Ct. where I visited friends. Then it was on across country I had only read about. It was two lane blacktop through the hills of the Pennsylvania Dutch country. I found my way down to Interstate 70 and on to Kansas. The little car did not miss a beat.
I took the northern route back towards the east coast. Found New London and started a brand new life.
Google Images No Wilt couldn’t fit but you can fit a half ton of sailor in one of these. The trick was to put the largest in the passenger seat and three in the back. I owned the car till late 1969. I could park it for a month and it would start right up. I could fill it with the aforementioned beef and it wouldn’t rub the wheels and it would get us where we were going. We were uncomfortable but we always made it back from the bars on bank street. It gave me all the loyal service one could expect of a friend and I returned that treatment.
Well not really. I pretty much ignored it or treated it like dirt. It was a good thing that VWs did not have a protective service (VWPS) because I would certainly have lost custody. It wasn’t enough that I just ignored it. You could make the case that I tried to kill it.
Well not really. I pretty much ignored it or treated it like dirt. It was a good thing that VWs did not have a protective service (VWPS) because I would certainly have lost custody. It wasn’t enough that I just ignored it. You could make the case that I tried to kill it.
Supercharger by Judson. Image by Google. This is a Judson Supercharger. It was designed to get some performance out of a 40 horse VW. I didn't like it when someone would blow by me in a muscle car. I have always been for the little guy and I have always been a big fan of drag racing. I had taken the VW to the drags (bracket racing) and had surprised a few cars with my totally stock VW. You would pull a hole shot but when you hit third gear the other car was either knocking on the door or had passed you. I don't remember my bracket but it had to be about 20 seconds.
The weak point on the 66-1300 was the clutch and I think that was planned. It was cheap and nothing else broke.The blower made all the difference in the world but it also took me so far out of the stock class that I moved my dog and pony show from legal bracket racing to the streets of Philadelphia.
The weak point on the 66-1300 was the clutch and I think that was planned. It was cheap and nothing else broke.The blower made all the difference in the world but it also took me so far out of the stock class that I moved my dog and pony show from legal bracket racing to the streets of Philadelphia.
Google Image but extremely accurate except for the color. With the supercharger and a set of headers this is how the car looked and the sound was addicting. Those were the only tips that the car wasn’t stock. My boat was in the shipyard in Philadelphia and it’s performance around South Broad Street and on the Schuylkill Expressway was evil.
The scary thing is that the suspension was not equal to everything the engine was putting out. One night on a brick pavement portion of South Broad, I took off from a stoplight and the car swapped ends. It acted just like the pavement was wet but it was not.
The scary thing is that the suspension was not equal to everything the engine was putting out. One night on a brick pavement portion of South Broad, I took off from a stoplight and the car swapped ends. It acted just like the pavement was wet but it was not.
1966 VW passing on. Google Image. I am normally a guy that refuses to quit. Possibly it was the recent death of a shipmate that installed a little common sense.
Sometimes you just know when the time for something is over. I knew it was time to stop being a squirrel with that little car.
Paul asserts that it was the best air cooled beetle ever made. I don’t know. I do know that I can recall at least four others that I personally owned. I started new with this one but I think it was the toughest of them all. The 1970 I drove around Guam was close but I can think of no area (except the 12V system) where it was better. If there were one I would want back new again, this would be it.
I would love to tell you that I treated it right and that it lived forever. It wouldn’t be true though. It took the abuse of a young sailor who liked to go fast and it did not break. I last saw it looking much like this, on the lot at Reedman Dodge as I was driving away in a new Cornet 440. I would like to think that we were both a little sad but probably it was just relieved.
Sometimes you just know when the time for something is over. I knew it was time to stop being a squirrel with that little car.
Paul asserts that it was the best air cooled beetle ever made. I don’t know. I do know that I can recall at least four others that I personally owned. I started new with this one but I think it was the toughest of them all. The 1970 I drove around Guam was close but I can think of no area (except the 12V system) where it was better. If there were one I would want back new again, this would be it.
I would love to tell you that I treated it right and that it lived forever. It wouldn’t be true though. It took the abuse of a young sailor who liked to go fast and it did not break. I last saw it looking much like this, on the lot at Reedman Dodge as I was driving away in a new Cornet 440. I would like to think that we were both a little sad but probably it was just relieved.
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