1965 Volkswagen Beetle

- All Original, Survivor
- One Owner
- 1,714 Original Miles
- 1192cc 4 Cylinder
- 4 Speed Manual Transmission
- All Original Paint
- Original Bill of Sale
- Recent Tune Up at German Auto Service: New Brakes, New Starter, New Fuel Tank, Five New Tires, New Battery, and Rebuilt Carb
- Collector Grade Beetle

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1965 Volkswagen Beetle on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the car due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 170 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

'Presenting America's Slowest Fastback" - 1965 Volkswagen Beetle magazine advertisement

The Alt_Driver website provides some Beetle history: “Volkswagen produced over a million VW Bugs in 1965, and with pricing under $1,400, it's easy to see why they were so successful with sales. First-time car buyers were quickly attracted to the deal. This coupe featured a 40-horsepower air-cooled engine located in the rear with a cool bubble hatchback body style. The drivetrain also included a rear-wheel drive layout with a 4-speed manual transmission, and with its small size, it proved to be a pretty fun and practical car to cruise around in.”

“The 1965 Volkswagen Bug model did see a few noticeable changes from previous years. Practically all of the body stamping was redesigned, and that opened up more room for larger glass. The flat windshield was replaced by one with a curve, and the size increased by 11 percent. The door glass increased size by six percent, and the rear window was 19.5 percent larger. Overall, it opened up the style a bit more, and gave it a much more modern look.”

The 1965 Beetle 1200 offered here is a real piece of history. Not only is the car all original—including the original Ruby Red paint—it is a one-owner car with (what comes next is not a misprint) 1,714 miles. That's 30 miles per-year on average! This Beetle is fully documented and fresh from a comprehensive service performed by the respected team at German Auto Service in Grand Rapids. Its original dealer invoice dated August 24, 1965 is included in the sale. The car has been well maintained through its lifetime and remains unmodified. In addition to so many Beetles suffering the ravages of exposure to the elements (as the Alt_Driver writers noted), many others suffered from well-intended, but ill-advised “updating” that reduced their appeal and value. Not here.

The exterior Ruby Red (L456) paint is in very good condition for its age. Only slight patina is present on the horizontal body panels. There are no dings, dents, or other damage to any sheet-metal body panel. (To best assess the quality of the paint and trim finishes, please be sure to view the close-up photographs of the car in the accompanying gallery.) Chrome bumpers (with overriders) and chrome body trim—including the louvers on the rear-engine-cover, cabin-glass surrounds, front-hood, and running boards—are in excellent condition virtually free of pitting. Window glass—including the new-for-'65 curved windshield—is pristine, as are all lighting lenses. Correct Vredestein® Sprint Classic 165-series tires are mounted on the car's original 15-inch wheels with VW-logo-embossed chrome hubcaps.

Inside, the colors, finishes, and codes from the factory (as provided by wolfsbburgwest.com website) are:

Upholstery material K450/K441 Mesh Grey/Oxford grey
Headliner color K456B Cloud white, vinyl
Door pillar color L358B Cloud white
Door panel color Ksk90/Ksk8 Oxford grey/Dolomite grey
Carpet color front T307 Tin grey
Armrest color Ksk90 Oxford grey
Assist strap color Ku003 Cloud white
Wheel disc (center) L41 Black
Rim (outer) color L87 Pearl white
Floor mat color Anthracite
Steering wheel color Silver beige
Gear shift and brake lever color L469 Anthracite
Seat frame color L466 Silver beige
Steering column tube color L466 Silver beige
Grab handle color Silver beige
Running board mat color Black
Bumper color (type 2)
Shift boot Anthracite
Dash, shift knobs Silver beige

Please view the close-up photography in the gallery to assess the excellent condition of all the Beetle's interior soft and hard surfaces including upholstery, dashboard, instrument lenses, graphic markings, original radio, paint, and more.

The rear engine bay, home to the 1,192-cc VW horizontal-4-cylinder, is complete and tidy. It appears much as it must have the day the car was delivered. The recent extensive maintenance service is fully documented, including photos of the invoices presented in the gallery. Viewed from below, the chassis is similarly clean, complete, and undamaged. The lower surfaces of the engine and 4-speed manual transmission, and suspension components are visual focal points. Only expected surface rust is present on some untreated metal.

The Beetle's original identification tags remain as mounted at the factory. All documentation mentioned here, as well as the full complement of owner literature (even including a copy of the hardback book “Fix Your Volkswagen") is included in the sale.

While the more than 170 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '65 VW Beetle in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

We are proud to present this historic Volkswagen for sale.