At $19,500, Might This Customized 2003 VW Beetle Ute be a Deal?

In the present day’s Good Worth or No Cube Volkswagen Beetle pickup has a clear title as confirmed by its Carfax. Which means its customized booty was crafted not as the results of an accident, however simply because. Let’s see if that laissez-faire perspective extends to its worth.

Owing to its design and options, one may simply describe yesterday’s 1988 Nissan Stanza wagon as both splendidly bizarre or weirdly fantastic. Add to that its low mileage and virtually as-new situation and it offered fairly the bundle. Sadly for the vendor, few of you noticed paying $13,500 for that bundle. The end result was a 78 % No Cube loss.

With its cute appears to be like and dashboard flower vase, Volkswagen’s reconstituted Beetle gained a popularity amongst some as being… nicely, a girly automotive. In distinction, pickup vans are sometimes thought of by those self same gender-siloing people as among the many manliest of automobiles, subsequent to, I assume, steam locomotives and tanks.

Detest be it for any of us to make such broad generalizations both means and as such we received’t be getting right into a discourse on who precisely this customized Smyth-bodied 2003 VW Beetle pickup is for. As an alternative, let’s speak a bit in regards to the firm that constructed the automotive.

Mark Smith based the extremely revered package and element automotive firm Manufacturing facility 5 Racing again in 1995. That success apparently not being sufficient, he bought his curiosity in FFR to his brother in 2012 so he may begin one other firm, Smyth Efficiency. That endeavor centered solely on El Camino/Ranchero-style pickup truck conversions for vehicles. Thus far, the corporate gives conversions for a slew of Volkswagen and Audi fashions, Dodge’s Charger, and a bunch extra. I like to recommend testing the Audi A4 ute on Smyth’s net web page.

Earlier than you do this, nonetheless, let’s eyeball this Beetle and Smyth’s work. Amazingly, this VW was not a wreck when transformed so its bones needs to be good. The conversion appears to be like as skilled as you possibly can need and encompasses a smooth tonneau on a hinged body and a fold-down gate for entry to the small, completed mattress.

The proportions are moderately passable for the conversion since Smyth prolonged the rear fenders and mattress previous the place the Beetle’s former bumper sat. The inside is all inventory Beetle again to the headrests. Behind these is a brand new cabin cap with a hard and fast rear window. Every part within the 69,000-mile Vee-Dub appears to be like to be in glorious form.

It additionally ought to provide some get-up-and-go to go together with its fascinating appears to be like and added utility. That’s owed to the bottom automotive for this conversion being a Beetle S. That has the 20-valve AWG 1.8 4 which, with its K03 turbo/K04 impeller, manages 180 horsepower and 235 lb-ft of torque. Sending that energy to the entrance wheels is a six-speed guide. Based on the advert, the automotive is in glorious situation and sports activities new tires, an alignment, and refreshed brakes. The vendor additionally says it runs “completely.”

That is an odd and oddly intriguing little automotive. Contemplating how lengthy Smyth Efficiency has been in enterprise and the variety of fashions it at present gives conversion kits for, one must assume there’s no less than a modest marketplace for such automotive/vans.

Contemplating that, we’ll now should determine if this conversion is price its $19,500 asking. What do you say? Might this Beetle pickup be price that a lot? Or, is that this a Ute with a worth you’d dispute?

You determine!

Dayton, Ohio, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.

H/T to Don R. for the hookup!

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