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1963 Volkswagen Beetle Sunroof Sedan

  • Chassis Number: 5646797
Hollywood's automotive star, Herbie the Love Bug, make his introduction in 1968. The Volkswagen Bug was inspired by Gordon Buford's book Car, Boy, Girl. Disney used the most ubiquitous people's car of the 1960s and transformed it into a loveable, race-winning companion. It soon became an internationally recognized franchise.

This example is an original Herbie the Love Bug car. Some of the cars were designed for special stuns; this example was equipped for high-speed racing scenes. The car is finished in the appropriate livery and outfitted with a revised rear suspension, a dual-port engine, automatically opening doors and a high-pressure water pump used to squirt a the more villainous opponents.

The car was designated as Car Number 2 and featured prominently in the 1977 Walt Disney production Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, along with Dean Jones (Jim Douglas), Don Knotts (Wheely Applegate) and Julie Sommars (Diane Darcy).

After its on-camera duties were completed, Herbie was offered for sale at a public auction held at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, on August 9th of 1980. A buyer for Harrah's Club purchased the car for the famed Automobile Collection in Reno, Nevada.

Several years later, much of the collection was dispersed and this car was sold to Herbie Livingston of South Carolina. It was on display for several years in Mr. Livingston's 200-car museum collection before being purchased by Daryl Adams of West Palm Beach, Florida. In September of 1995, the current owner acquired the car.

The engine was rebuilt in 1996, but the car remains in studio-used condition and sports all of the distinguishing characteristics such as the Perlweiss paint, the tri-color stripe, '53' roundels and the yellow- on-black California license plates 'OFP 857.' Under the hood, the original Disney 'CAR NO. 2' stencil remains intact. The car still has its Trans France window stickers, a Carello fog lamp and 14' x 6' wheels. There are custom high- backed seats and a removable panel just above the engine compartment.

The engine is a 1740cc overhead valve air-cooled boxer engine fitted with a single downdraft carburetor and developing 60 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company located in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was estimated to sell for $75,000 - $125,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for $66,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2012

2012 Gooding and Company - The Scottsdale Auction

Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $75,000-USD $125,000 
Sale Price :
USD $66,000

1963 Volkswagen Beetle Auction Sales

Recent Sales of the Volkswagen Beetle

(Data based on Model Year 1963 sales)
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CUSTOM COUPE
Chassis#: 5496280
Sold for USD$27,500
  2024 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale AZ
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Chassis#: b3115982
Sold for USD$18,150
  2024 Mecum : Kissimmee
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet
Chassis#: 5513655
Sold for USD$25,300
  2024 Mecum : Kissimmee
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Chassis#: 5125338
Sold for USD$20,900
  2023 Mecum : Chattanooga
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Chassis#: 5125338
Sold for USD$15,400
  2023 Mecum : Dallas
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible
Chassis#: 5513655
Sold for USD$16,500
  2023 Mecum : Dallas
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Chassis#: 5279106
Sold for USD$106,400
  2022 Broad Arrow Auctions : Monterey Jet Center Auction
1963 Volkswagen Beetle image  
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
Chassis#: 5279030
Sold for USD$41,800
  2022 Barrett-Jackson : Palm Beach
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Sold for USD$24,000
  2022 GAA : February 2022
 
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
Chassis#: 5171275
Sold for USD$27,500
  2022 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale, Arizona
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle Custom
Sold for USD$13,200
  2022 Mecum : Kissimmee
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Sold for USD$17,500
  2021 GAA : July 2021
 
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
Sold for USD$9,000
  2021 Carlisle Auctions : Spring
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Sold for USD$13,250
  2021 GAA : April 2021
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Sold for USD$15,500
  2021 GAA : February 2021
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle 1200
Chassis#: 5506750
Sold for USD$34,351
  2020 Webbs : Collectors' Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Sold for USD$9,350
  2020 Mecum : Houston
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle Sedan
Chassis#: 5775187
Sold for USD$14,390
  2020 RM : The European Sale featuring the Petitjean Collection
 
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
Chassis#: 5076054
Sold for USD$19,250
  2020 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale, AZ
 
1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Sold for USD$11,000
  2020 Mecum Auctions : Kissimmee
 

Volkswagen Beetles That Failed To Sell At Auction

1963 Volkswagen Beetle's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
VehicleChassisEventHigh BidEst. LowEst. High
1963 Volkswagen Beetle 2021 Mecum : Kissimmee$10,000  
1963 Volkswagen Beetle56590532018 Mecum : Monterey$17,000  
1963 Volkswagen Bug 2017 Silver Auction Coeur d'Alene   
1963 Volkswagen Beetle52368482017 Mecum : Los Angeles$5,000  
1963 Volkswagen Beetle50750052016 Mecum : Monterey$7,000  
1963 Volkswagen Beetle 2015 Carlisle Events : Zephyrhills Winter Auction   
1963 Volkswagen Beetle 2015 Mecum : Kissimmee$9,000  
1963 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible51066252014 Mecum : Anaheim$22,000  
1963 Volkswagen Beetle Deluxe52145692014 Mecum : Anaheim$22,000  
1963 Volkswagen Beetle 2014 Fall Carlisle Auction   
1963 Volkswagen Beetle57759422013 Coys Techno Classica $14,000$18,000
1963 Volkswagen Beetle Street Rod 1776 CC50193492012 Mecum Anaheim, CA$26,000  
1963 Volkswagen BUG 2011 McCormick's Auction 51Palm Springs, California   
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 2009 Silver Auction Sun Valley$5,500  
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 2009 Silver Auction Coeur d'Alene$6,000  
1963 Volkswagen Beetle5540072008 MidAmerica Auctions National Sports Center$13,000  
1963 Volkswagen BUG 2DR H/TOP63988902008 Palm Springs Exotic Car Auctions February 2008$5,200  
1963 Volkswagen Beetle Two Door Sedan 2008 Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale$12,000  
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE55367752006 Silver Auction Portland$7,500  
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BUG TWO DOOR 2002 Kruse Auction Braunfels, TX$6,000  
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BUG TWO DOOR 2002 Kruse Auction Auburn, IN$4,100  
1963 VOLKSWAGEN BUG TWO DOOR 2002 Kruse Auction Auburn, IN$5,800  
1963 Volkswagen Bug 2D 2002 Toronto International Fall Classic Car Auction$4,200  
1963 VOLKSWAGEN HERBIE LOVE BUG MOVIE CAR 2002 Kruse Auction Auburn, IN$500  
1963 VOLKSWAGEN CONVERTIBLE 2001 Kruse Auction San Antonio, TX$5,200  

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1963 Volkswagen Beetle

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