1965 VW Beetle Woodie Barn Find Is The Perfect Candidate For A Quick Restoration

The classic Volkswagen Beetle has acted as a base for a myriad of different vehicles over time, from the iconic Meyers Manx dune buggy to all sorts of kit cars.

But it looks like the good old Beetle could even be transformed into a woodie wagon that resembles a 1940s Ford, as shown in the video embedded at the top of this page, published on the Carchaeology YouTube channel.

This particular red Beetle is a 1965 model that has been sitting for quite some time, with the previous owner inheriting it from his uncle. He tried to put it back on the road but never got to finish the project, so he sold it.

As you can see in the video, it's quite the charming little thing, even if the faux-wood side panels are past their prime and it’s missing its hatch. But as the presenter puts it, it looks like the perfect base for a quick turnaround project, with its base air-cooled engine still sitting in the back and the same basic mechanical layout as the Beetle.

It’s also clear from the list found glued onto the tailgate that the previous owner had plans with the car, but as is the case sometimes, these old cars don’t always get the attention they need. A new vinyl roof was purchased and there was some electrical work done to it, but that’s about it.

The woodie Beetle is quite a quirky little car, with its pre-war American face and custom side panels. As it turns out, there’s a company called Stevenson Projects that started selling plans for a do-it-yourself kit in the 1980s to transform a ‘50s or ‘60s Bug into a so-called VW Woody. In fact, the California-based company will sell you a set of $40 plans today, but as mentioned on its website, “these plans are 30-odd years old and are not DOT-Approved.”

Nevertheless, it’s nice to know that an obtainable cute classic like this got into the hands of someone who can repair it and bring back its shine so that it can roam the streets once again (albeit not in the rain.)