Most Affordable Vehicle Ever Created?

[NSTG8R]

My '70 was a Baja Bug that I bought in San Diego, CA while I was in the Navy. Driving it back to Arvada, CO (in December) I had to disconnect one of the heater pipes and run it up to the Bug Spray carb to keep it from freezing solid. The car was no fun at all in cold weather, but sure was a blast on the back roads in the summer!

 

[John-b-gone]

This is what I turned my Bug in to: https://www.google.com/search?q=fib...CX26o6gPM:&usg=___JSQbR7VfXFvHRcXOaWHq9Pi9JI=

 

[DAVID BROWER]

I HAD A '72 SUPER BEETLE THAT I DROVE FOR AWHILE .
I GOT IT CHEAP FIXED IT UP & SOLD IT .

I ENJOYED MY KARMANN GHIAS A LOT MORE . I HAD 3 CONVERTIBLES
AND A COUPE .

MY FAVORITE AIR COOLED VW WAS A '71 CREWCAB PICKUP . ( 1st YEAR FOR DISC BRAKES )
I PUT A HITCH ON IT SO I COULD PULL A TWO BARREL HIT-N-MISS ICE CREAM MACHINE THAT I BUILT .

WE LOADED IT WITH COOLERS IN THE BED AND TABLES & TENT IN THE "TREASURE CHEST"
UNDER THE BACK SEAT . OUR TWO BOYS RODE IN BACK WHILE I & MY WIFE RODE UP FRONT .

WE WENT ALL OVER NORTH CAROLINA FOR SEVERAL SUMMERS MAKING & SELLING ICE CREAM
TO CROWDS AT FARM SHOWS & STREET FESTIVALS . IT WAS GREAT FUN & A LOT OF WORK .

THE VW TRUCK WAS AS MUCH OF A DRAW AS THE HIT-N-MISS ENGINE ( A 1915 SPOTLESS ) .
I EVENTUALLY SOLD THE BUSINESS AND LATER ON THE TRUCK .
MY KIDS ACTUALLY CRIED WHEN IT DROVE AWAY . I HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO THEM .

 

[NSTG8R]

SWEET! Love those kit cars! Always had a thing for the Laser 917. I think someone bought the molds and started making them again under a different name.

 

[Coss]

VW Bug was the first car I learned how to drive a stick shift in.
That same car was the first one I ever changed a clutch in too (always to remember not to rest your foot on the clutch pedal)

 

[AriLea]

Once I had owned a 1963 and later a 1967. Loved them dearly. Hated adjust valves every dang 12k miles. So $1,560 in 1965? Looking at my charts, incomes are 11x between then and now, so $1,560 is $17,000 in today's money.

Yes it should should have been discussed, but I didn't think it would compete that well. I was right.

 

[Gizmo]

Gentlemen can we end the bickering please; if you really want to read each other the riot act, go do it in a PM.
Wheaters; David always types in caps, if some of his post is in lower case, that part of a post by someone else. We all have adjusted; I hope you can too.
David I know you have a lot of other things going on; so don't get your shorts in a knot over a simple statement by another member.
We all make mistakes, and we all do know facts about other items. No harm no foul.

With that said; can we go take a toke of the peace pipe and move on?

Damn it! Just finished the popcorn and sitting down in the lawn chair. Now it's over.

 

[Ty]

As someone pointed out, please put older cars into today's dollars for fair comparison's sake...

To put my $2/hr wages from 1984 into perspective, I tell my kids that I used to earn 2 1/2 gallons of gas an hour. That, they can understand.

 

[AriLea]

BTW, for incomes, I've been using this chart. http://www.davemanuel.com/median-household-income.php

In 1969, I got $1.75/hr, or around $3,600/yr (8200 in 2015 money). (digging ditches)
In 1984 I was earning $19k /yr,, which is about $46k in 2015 money. (vehicle research)
Now, I've almost doubled that in 2015 money. Programming finally paid off, but the overtime is killer.

 

[Coss]

BTW, for incomes, I've been using this chart. http://www.davemanuel.com/median-household-income.php

In 1969, I got $1.75/hr, or around $3,600/yr (8200 in 2015 money). (digging ditches)
In 1984 I was earning $19k /yr,, which is about $46k in 2015 money. (vehicle research)
Now, I've almost doubled that in 2015 money. Programming finally paid off, but the overtime is killer.

I hear that; want to run some numbers for me on your "then to now" converter?
In 1970 I was making $5.12 an hour (pipefitter at a steel mill) in 1981 I was making $17 and hour (Automotive Upholstery), now that I'm retired I don't make beans, but I still live well.