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
- TIR 72
- (a) Type:
- Type 1
- (b) Year:
- 1977
- (c) Colour:
- Manila Green
- (d) Paint code:
- L63Y
- (e) Engine CCs:
- 1200
History
- (a) Country of origin:
- Ireland
- (b) County first reg'd:
- Offaly
- (c) Current or last known location:
- Meath
Model information
1200 Beetle Deluxe
Info
If there’s one thing we can be sure of it’s that Ireland will keep throwing up fresh barnfinds for some time to come, well, hopefully anyway!
TIR 72 is one such find. This Beetle which has never really done the show scene and has been off the road popped up on a sales site. I saw the advert and was intrigued but also interested in hearing more about it. The Beetle was in Meath and as one of our Volkswagen pals is also in Meath I thought I’d ask him to check it out for me (April 2023). I had spoken to the seller and liked the back story. It was owned by his father since almost new and was his own main car for many years. It was in some ways pampered, having had lots of repair work over the years to keep it on the road but also looking well. The interior is probably the most preserved I’ve seen in a long time, in terms of the seat upholstery which has been protected from harmful UV rays under a set of seat covers. The body was a little rough but it was definitely worth saving. I was interested but could not get to a happy place with the seller when it came to price and as is always the case in the sale of family heirloom classic Beetle, both parties have to be happy with the deal.
My loss is someone else’s gain and in this case I am happy to report that TIR 72 is now in Galway in the hands of a VW enthusiast who is planning on carrying out a full restoration, something that this survivor Beetle is crying out for. We can’t wait to see the progress and to update this listing with the ‘finished’ photos!
What I know is that this Beetle was brought in to Ireland as a fully built up unit and sent to PJ Woods in Clane to be sold. In August 1977 it was registered to its first owner in Offaly and shortly after that it was bought by the most recent seller’s father and that’s it. This Manila Green (L63Y) Beetle never left the family which is so unique when talking about a 1977 Beetle.
Check back for update photos of TIR 72 because if the new owner’s collection of rare VWs are anything to go by, this will be a fantastic restoration.
Thanks Deckie for taking the time to check out this Beetle for me. Your knowledge and advice was invaluable.
Additional Photos
