Simple and robust
It’s a long time ago now, but the announcement by Volkswagen that it was launching a new series based on its familiar Beetle mechanical platform caused quite a stir back in the early 1960s.
Named the Type 3, it was available in three guises: wagon, sedan and fastback (the shape you see here).
Though not without their faults over the years, the basic mechanical package is a very simple one to work on and you’ll find people become addicted to this platform. Given some basic maintenance, they are a tough unit that should cause you no stress.
This example in Western Australia is probably the model to have: 1970 with all the attendant updates, fuel injected and with a manual transmission. In fact, this very car featured on our pages way back in 2009. It was then considered a particularly good one and the photos suggest it’s been looked after since.
More rare in Australia than a Beetle, they often offer better value for money.
This one is on the market for $12,000.