The local Beetle graveyard, The Beetle Barn
I’ve been holding off on buying some necessary parts, as I’ve been planning a trip to the nearest beetle graveyard – a place called The Beetle Barn in Central Ohio. From the highway you can see around 100 or so Beetles and busses as you pass this place, so it’s been on the top of my list to go. Hey, if I can find some parts there, that’ll cut some costs, right?
Well, I got my brother to go along with me, as he has been looking for a VW Thing, and was hoping to maybe find something drivable or a lead on one. We pulled in an immediately saw two restored Beetles 70’s Type 2’s. So I knew I was in the right place. However all of the “Beware of Rottweiler” signs convinced us to head strait into the main building rather than loiter around checking out the rusting museum of parts.
The workshop was an amazing mixture of bug parts, motor oil, and assorted things under wraps. The owner was skeptical at first, which I was warned about by a few friends that he could be a little rough, especially if you are building rail buggies and not actually restoring bugs. I heard tales of his refusal to sell parts to people because they wanted to use them for something other than restoration.
Well, after the ice broke, I had my shopping list; radio antenna, taillight assembly, windshield washer tube, original bumper parts, ‘68 seats, any chrome I could find, and anything for early 60’s model I could find.
I quickly found out that if you were restoring a 70’s model Super Beetle, you would be in heaven. However 60’s parts were hard to find, even here. The majority of wrecks in the yard were Super Beetles, and come to realize, most of what was there were Supers and busses. Cross the antenna, seats, and bumper parts off the list.
After an hour or two of looking through 3-4 buildings, shelves of spare parts, crawling over engine parts, we could only muster one-and-a-half taillights.
There was one item in stock, the windshield washer pressure tube from the spare tire, brand new and in the original German box!
While looking around, I found this behind some things, and couldn’t believe it. A manual for early 60’s bugs. My brother gasped, he was amazed, as he can’t stand the Chilton’s manuals and has always been looking for other things.
This manual was awesome, besides needing a wheelbarrow to carry it, it was complete with hand-drawn illustrations of how to do anything. It was very complete and very detailed. That alone made the trip worthwhile.
This little trip cost me $180, but I did get the manual and the original taillights. I’m wondering if I’ll ever find an original match to the one that I bought, so now I have a quest.
I’m going back to the Sew Fine catalog and starting my shopping list. The antenna is very high on the list, as it is getting boring not having anything to listen to, even if it is AM.
April 1st, 2007 at 5:50 pm
I am looking for Either; The Beetle Barn, or the Beetle Farm. I passed it last summer off of 70 west, or 77 south, around Cambridge or St Clairsvills Ohio. Any Idea Where I could find it? My buddies and I are looking for some shells to buy. Split and oval windows.
Thanks
April 4th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
heyy im just restoring two beetles of my own, i have a 1975 and a 72 super beetle, looken for 2 new floor pans, a left heater channel, and the hole back seat thing for the super wondering if you could help me find these.. i also need 4 new or used rear wheel wells, (they fit on both cars) any helpwould be really apriciated, oh also i have a fiber glass tub i may build and was wondering if any one has any good websites were i can find some chrome… or any parts for either bugs, lol i got my hands ful with my bug projects =P
April 14th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
The Beetle Barn can be seen from Interstate 77, south of the 70 interchange. Take the Cambridge exit for Route 40 -
Turn right off the ramp onto Route 40/East Wheeling Ave. Turn left at the second light (between Speedway and Marathon/Wendy’s) on Byesville Rd. Stay on Byesville Rd traveling across RR tracks and then under the Interstate continue another 1/2 to 1 mi. to where the road “Y’s” off Turn left onto Vocational Rd.
The Beetle Barn is just ahead with its entrance on the right.
61581 Vocational Rd.
Cambridge, OH 43725
Phone - 740-685-6566
May 1st, 2007 at 8:22 am
hey i am in a bit of a pickle i spotted a vw beetle on the internet i live in ireland and i was suprised to see this bug came in from japan with 50 thousand miles on it, it also came with air conditioning but other than that it looked like a straight beetle it had 1303s markings on the back it is a 1.6cc the speedo is in kmh and the rear engine lid looks like something from a californian model i was wondering can parts be got for this right hand drive model?
August 11th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
i have a 1965 vw beetle 1200 very orignial
i am in South Africa - there is no parts
i would like to set up a import link to supply these spares since in SA there are many beetles spares are just a problem
Please help
October 7th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
I have a 1965 beetle 1200 i have it for approx 7 years i now have a problem i dropped a nut via the carb manifold, it has a valve miss
this is the best car i ever owned i have 2 other brand new cars but this is really the best i need parts and here in South Africa it is very difficult please advise how can i buy these parts from overseas by the safest means
January 19th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I’m in the process of buying a ‘71 beetle to redo myself. My friendly local VW mechanic is getting one road-worthy for me, then I’m going to do the interior and possibly the paint. The dealer that I use is in Maryville, Tn. and the shop is Bill’s Bug Shop. He’s a great guy and has a wide variety of VW’s including some Dune buggies and several Karmann Ghias. He even had the only SP2 in N. America for a while to do some work on it. My roommate and I have a Meyers Manx that is our daily driver. It’s on a ‘64 beetle frame and has the original engine. Bill has acres of VW’s of pretty much every type.
May 20th, 2008 at 10:58 am
looking to buy a beetle for my first car, however do not have any mechanical knowlege… would you recomend it?
May 21st, 2008 at 7:06 am
Definitely. A Bug is one of the easiest cars to learn on and to work on. I bought an old Camaro for my first car, and I should have done like my brother and bought a Beetle.
Usually you can find people who know things about cars, but I would recommend learning as much as you can to do as much as you can by yourself.
Buy some good tools, a good manual, and just start taking it apart (take pictures to know how to put it back).
Thing Fan
July 18th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
hey…I have a 1976 VW Bug called “Ladybug”…I’ve had this car about 2 yrs and it was a daily driver. I’ve been trying to learn all I can about it…The person who had it before had started or had redone this bug…as things don’t add up and now I can’t get it started. I need to charge the battery as its been sitting because I’ve been ill for some time. Any suggestions on how to identify what year engine is in this car??? I was told that whatever it is and they believed it to be a ‘69..air-cooled, I need to figure out what to do to get it running…gets about 40mpg…
As for working on them….I’ve found the car to be like a lawn mower or go cart engine….putt-putt with speed! The air cooleds are not complicated at all, unlike others I’ve had…and forget the newer vehicles with all the computer junk!
The door jam on this vehicle says Beetle, May 1976, Germany
July 18th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
i have another question. how do i get a front license plate onto my front bumper…in virginia a front license plate is required and the bumper has no holes to add one. Any suggestions ???
Thanks,
Karen
August 6th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
[...] at the Beetle Barn VW Graveyard, there were no [...]
August 24th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I just bought a 1969 VW bug, cute little thing but we have motor probs and the idiot chilton guide doesn’t seem to have the right motor in it. i have the numbers off the engine but i can reference them anywhere do you know where i can look to identify an engine by its numbers??
number 1:Zun diolge 1-4-3-2
number 2: H5691767
thanks
buggy Cat
August 25th, 2008 at 7:00 am
Buggy Cat
Your number 2 is your case number which indicates that your engine case is for an Aug, 1968 - July, 1969 1500cc engine. The number 1 is the engine firing order.
Also, if your chassis number (underneath rear seat) is between 119000001 and 1191200000 than it falls into the same date range. This can be very useful when ordering certain parts.
I hope this helps.
August 31st, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Hello,
I’m looking for a German Kübelwagen Type 82. Do you have any idea how to get one ?
Regards
Andreas Vogt
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:28 am
Andreas, I’m looking for pretty much the same thing. Well, a Thing at least. Finding original Kubelwagen’s is a pretty hard thing to do, but your best bet is to look in Germany.
Kubelwagen’s, and Thing’s are becoming more rare everyday.
Thing Fan
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:28 am
what yrs is same as 1972 beetle
October 9th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I am 48yo male, 100% disabled veteran, and have wanted an old Beetle since 2000. My 1st car was a 1967 Bug that I loved. My 2nd car was a blue 1971 SuperBeetle that became part of me. I’ve owned a number of cars with manual trans. But now mydisabilities make a stick shift too much 4 me. On my fixed income, finding a Bug and having it customized for me to drive is a just a dream. Do you know of a way to put either an auto trans or a CVT in a 1970 to 1975 Bug??