1956 Volkswagen Beetle

1956 Volkswagen Beetle Sales on the West Coast were climbing and, for some years, were even disproportionately high. In 1954, VW distributors in just four West Coast cities sold slightly more than half of all VW's sold in the U.S. A year later, that percentage climbed eight points, and even in 1956, West Coast sales amounted to 40.1% of all U.S. beetles. East Coast distributors as well as those in other parts of the country were picking up steam fast. From the book Small Wonder, 1965, by Walter Henry Nelson.  For consignment, a 1956 Volkswagen Beetle coming to our Hallowed Halls with the true mileage unknown, and professionally built with a mix of vintage and upgraded components. With a base price of $1,995, more than 38,000 Beetles were sold in the U.S. in 1956. Today, early cars are rare and collectible and represent one of the most iconic automotive endeavors of all time.   Exterior The Beetle was offered in 12 colors in 1956 but the most common selection was the base color of black, and our example is bathed in it like a vat of ink, enhanced with the use of black wheels, but not just any black wheels. These are 15-inch Fuchs wheels wrapped in 165/80R15's with an early 2024 date code. Black paint makes the trim pop on this car including the colorful Wolfsburg crest on the nose, the headlight rings, shoulder trim and hood center line. Out back, however, the black is uninterrupted until you get to the curved chrome bumper. If you grew up around Beetles, the inclusion of substantial running boards rendered the car more approachable and allowed for small kids to greet a returning parent with a step up. The vertical windshield and curved rear window help define the legendary shape of the Beetle where the paint and metal are in fantastic shape. Only a scratch on the decklid and a chip by the running board are the imperfections we note.  Interior Tidy oxblood red door cards fill the space with a smooth material, a silver trim line, and a pleated map pocket in excellent condition. Black piping augments the red bucket seats and provides a nice match with the exterior, while the simple rear bench copies the materials and trim, all in great shape. Thin spokes tie the black steering wheel to the hub, leading to a shiny black dash with the speedometer straight ahead, while ivory knobs present tasteful switchgear. In the center and surrounded by silver trim, is a tachometer also on board is a Rockford Fosgate sound system with red clad speakers in the footwells. A stout shifter rises from the center hump and the light colored ceiling opens up via the canvas top.  Drivetrain Under the hood, well, under the hood, there's a gas tank and not much else. For the engine, we turn to the rear hatch and find a super clean powerplant that according to our consignor, is 2196cc's of flat four goodness, fueled by dual Weber 44 2-barrel carburetors. It is mated to a Freeway Flyer 4-speed manual transmission that keeps the power out back with 3.88 gears. Disc brakes are now found on all four wheels.  Undercarriage Minimal surface rust, clear knuckles, and a coating of oil on the engine underside renders the belly driver quality but fully intact. The belly pans are clean. Headers lead right to a stainless steel muffler which emits a wide exhaust tip to complete the relatively short exhaust system. Independent suspension in front is matched with rear independent suspension with a swing axle, trailing arms, and torsion bars in the back.  Drive-Ability One of the reasons Beetles sold in the millions has to be the fun, almost toy-like operation and configuration. And this one is no exception, firing up all CC's and eagerly moving onto the test loop with a bit of giddy up you might not expect. We first notice that the horn honks when the wheel turns but the car tracks and handles very well and most functions operate as intended. The driver's side windshield wiper is missing, and the remaining wiper only moves ¼ of the sweep,