It’s hard to imagine a high school kid not wanting to be seen in a VW convertible in 1987, especially given the alternatives in 1987. Not every parent had a Mustang or other old pony car to pass on to their kid, but more likely a “K Car” or similar. Meanwhile, this rejected VW is listed on craigslist in North Republic, Missouri for $1,200. If it’s not too rusty and the engine is not stuck, the price looks really reasonable. It is a couple of years newer than the more popular beetles, but is still a cool car. It looks pretty complete except for the running boards.
The question is, then, could you get this up to a “condition 4” car, running and driving, for less than $3,000 or are you better off finding a running convertible for $4k or $5k? Assuming the best, it would need at least fuel and brake system work as well as a top and upholstery work to make it drivable. And, would you stop there or do body and paint work? One could also install a dual port engine and add some horse power. Where would you stop?
Source: barnfinds.com