WARNING.— The person in whose name this vehicle is displayed may or may not be the current owner of the vehicle. Readers are warned, therefore, that this entry is not proof of ownership.
Details
- Registration Mark
- SIO 547
- (a) Type:
- (b) Year:
- 1972
- (c) Colour:
- Havana Brown
- (d) Paint code:
- LD8A
- (e) Engine CCs:
- 1200
History
- (a) Country of origin:
- Ireland
- (b) County first reg'd:
- Kildare
- (c) Current or last known location:
- ?
Model information
1200 Beetle Deluxe
Info
Our very own Trevor owns a Havana Brown (LD8A) Beetle. It’s a Beetle that holds great sentimental value to Trev as his grandfather owned it and when it was almost too rusty to save, it was gifted to Trev who has enjoyed every minute of ownership since, from being a restoration project to a daily driver to now being more of a weekend toy.
Apart from all that, if you have ever seen a Beetle painted in Havana Brown you will appreciate just how great a colour it really is. Most people would laugh if you said that a brown Beetle could be nice but when you see one that is either restored or just well polished and maintained, the colour brings out the shape of the Beetle and it makes the chrome pop. It’s an odd one, because brown shouldn’t work but it does, and I think in the future we will see more Beetles being restored back to their original Havana Brown hue or repainted in Havana Brown, as people look for the most striking colour to paint the Beetle they are restoring. I owned a 1977 Havana Brown Beetle but sadly, back then, I thought it was a seriously uncool colour so I repainted it bright green!
This Beetle is one of those rare beasts; an Irish assembled Havana Brown (LD8A) Beetle, that survived into the 1990’s at least, maybe further but we don’t know for sure yet. What we know is that this Beetle was assembled in MDL’s plant on the Naas Road in Dublin in August 1972, before being sent to Kildare to find its new owner ready and waiting. The new owner didn’t hang around too long and registered their pride and joy in September 1972. As you can see, this 1200 Beetle Deluxe had not changed a lot in 20+ years of service. It is obvious that the Beetle has had some work over time and it was certainly in need of some more work, possibly even a full restoration by the time this photo was taken but it was complete and original. I love the original number plate; a rare thing to find still in place after many years of ownership, and it’s always a sign that a car hasn’t been messed around with too much. I’m a fan of originality and the first thing I always notice is the number plates. It’s an illness 🙂
If you recognise this Beetle or know any history of this old workhorse, then please get in touch and we can update this listing – beetleireland@gmail.com
Additional Photos
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