Classic Wheels Spotlight: 1979 VW Beetle

Growing up, Sue Kenny watched a lot of ‘beach movies’ and fell in love with the Volkswagen Beetle. These were fun, little cars, and if it was a convertible, there was always a surfboard hanging out the back.

As time went by, the thought of owning one herself got pushed to the back burner. Raising her son and her career needed to be her top priority.

Fast forward more than a decade and, with Sue’s son grown up and her career well established (a sergeant with the CPD), it was time for her to revisit that VW ‘Bug.’ She started looking through online marketplaces. There were a few promising ads, but they weren’t quite what she was looking for.

Sue says she wanted her Beetle to have a red body with a black top and interior, but nothing she could find appealed to her. While visiting another website, she found a triple white convertible, in Valparaiso, Indiana. After watching the listing for a bit, the seller dropped the price, twice. Not sure if she liked it or not, she took a ride to check it out. A friend went with her, and they looked it over very carefully.

With only 58,000 miles on the odometer, it was in very good condition, with one exception, it didn’t run. The original owner’s son guaranteed that it would run once the fuel line was repaired. Everything else checked out, the body was solid, and the engine was not locked up.

Sue made a deal and the next Saturday it was towed to her garage. Coming from a family of car buffs, Sue got teased by her brothers: “Who would buy a car that they don’t even know if it will run? And a VW on top of it!”

As the previous owner predicted, once the fuel line was repaired, the car started right up as if it were brand new. After a few things were addressed, like an oil change, replacing the stabilizer bar, and a general ‘going over’ to ensure it was safe to drive, Sue was off and running.

According to Sue, she drives her bug as much as she can, and it’s very dependable. “It really handles very well – even in the rain. It’s easy to park and it fits the city life, perfectly!”

The car is 100 percent original except for the paint, same color just a better finish. The brakes are still a four-wheel drum system, it stops just fine. It has been suggested that she convert to front disc brakes, but for now, they are staying the way they came from the factory.

The last year for the VW Beetle in the U.S. was 1979. The cars were outlawed for safety and emission reasons. Production continued in Mexico and South America until 2003. Approximately 3,000 white Beetle Cabriolets were built in 1979. On the right side, in front of the door, there is a badge that reads “Karmann.” This indicates that the car was built at the Wilhelm Karmann GmbH plant in Osnabruck, Germany. Only the convertibles had this distinction.

Sue plans on doing some small repairs and upgrades this coming winter, mostly to the interior. She wants to redo some of the interior, including new door panels with door pockets, and repair the dash pad.

Sue named her car Louise after the character in the movie Thelma and Louise. She says she loves to take Louise to as many shows as possible. Not only does she like to show off her car, but she likes to meet new people and make new friends. She said everybody has a “bug story.” Being around classic cars is in her blood. Her father restored a 1931 Model A pickup truck. Her father and brothers also have their own classics.

While at a show this summer, Sue was awarded the “Concourse Award.” And this past weekend, Louise won the “Sponsors Choice Award” at Darla’s Cafe, in Tinley Park. She heard from other family members that her brothers were a bit jealous.

Sue said she has been thinking about getting a surfboard to finish off the beach look. So, you just might see that surfboard hanging out the back next year.

If you have a car you would like to see featured in Classic Wheels, contact Rudy Host, Jr. at Classic.Wheels.Rudy@gmail.com.