Hello everyone I've been looking into getting a VW bug for a while, preferably a carbed one. What I want to know is, how reliable are these in long distances and around the city. What should I look for mechanically when looking for one of these. Thanks in advance.

 

I would suggest that you look for a 1967 Bug. They are the first of the 12 volt engines and still retain the older look (old style bumbers) and are very reliable.

Do a compression check, 130 to 150 is good, check crankshaft end play by griping the front pully and giving it a tug back and forth. Should be about .012mm of play. Excessive play could mean wear in #1 main bearing.

 

Yes, all that he have said was true. What I don't want in classic beetle was their engine sounds but I still love them.
[8D]

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The 1967 was about the last good one, the engine block was
aluminum, in 1968 and up the block was magnesium, 68 and up
had problems with the head studs pulling the threads out of the
block, then you had to install over size studs and then they would
pull out after the engine got hot. The 67 was a good vehicle, but
you should know about the old beetles, they should have the
exhaust valves replaced every 40,000 miles, they had a bad habit
of breaking off a valve head and trashing the engine. They also were made for 91octane leaded gasoline only, which is no more,
they will run on todays gas very well, but over a period of time on
long trips the valves have a chance to burn. Wolkswagen never
made a beetle engine for the US that ran on unleaded, they just
quite sending them here and that's where the Rabbit came in.
info from 35 years Volkswagen experience with Volkswagen
of America.