VW Beetle Found Buried Under an Abandoned House Gets First Wash in Decades

Even though it looked like they may spend a bit more time in what once was a garage, mostly due to the junk that blocked the entrance, the Beetles were eventually dragged out. And while two seemed damaged beyond repaint, the blue convertible appeared to be in decent shape given the circumstances.

YouTube's "5150mxVW" decided the drop-top deserves a second chance. But before he started checking things up under the hood, he gave the German classic its first wash in decades. And surprisingly enough, the body is still in one piece, while the soft-top looks far better than expected.

But is this Beetle still road-worthy? Not by a long shot. Not only the engine is completely stuck, but the old Volkswagen will need a long list of replacement parts to become safe for road use. I'm pretty sure this thing doesn't brake and it may also have issues driving straight.

But the new owner seems motivated enough to give the Beetle a makeover. And the good news is that it still has an original, numbers-matching engine. A solid reason to restore this car to its original specifications.

Speaking of which, it seems that this Beetle is a 1970 model. The German compact gained many upgrades that year, including a Luxus Package with added comfort features and a new engine. In 1971, Volkswagen introduced a new version with increased luggage capacity in the front. The then-new 1.6-liter flat-four was rated at 60 horsepower.

1970 was one of the Beetle's best years sales-wise, with almost 1.2 million units delivered. Only a small fraction of them left the factory with convertible tops, which is why drop-tops are more difficult to find. But of course, this Beetle won't be worth much until it gets a proper restoration.

But until we get to see it flex its flat-four engine, check it out getting a much-deserved cleaning in the video below.