By Jim Brennan
Here’s another Hooniverse Wagon Wednesday Marathon posting, celebrating the fact that Spring can’t get here soon enough. While not fitting in with the theme of the great American Road trip, this particular car does fit in with your typical European vacation time in which the average paid vacation is between four and five weeks. So let’s explore this rare 1973 Volkswagen 412 Wagon.
Take a look at this marvelous Volkswagen offered for sale at the Daniel Schmitt & Co. of St. Louis. This is one of 2,200 1973 Volkswagen 412 Wagons produced, and the last rear engined, air-cooled Volkswagens introduced, as the front engined, front wheel drive Passat/Dasher replaced the Type 4 line in 1974. The 412 was a re-design of the 411, with famed industrial designer Brooks Stevens responsible for the facelift.
The seller is a dealer in fine European classics, and this car has been kept as if it was an expensive classic car. According to the listing:
1973 VOLKSWAGEN 412 STATION WAGON ONLY ONE OWNER SINCE NEW!
FULLY DOCUMENTED WITH ORIGINAL OWNER’S MANUAL, ORIGINAL BROCHURE, SERVICE BOOKLET, COPY OF ORIGINAL TITLE AND MUCH MORE! LOADED WITH OPTIONS, INCLUDING RARE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION!
Would you find this very rare Volkswagen lustworthy, or just kick it to the curb? Asking price is $14,900. See the listing here.
Jeff Glucker
I love Wagon Wednesday!!!!!
i clicked to see the full ad, because I was itching to see more pictures, and found it funny that it proclaims: "Warranty Available!" "this car qualifies for a 5 year, 100,000 additional miles powertrain warranty." Wonder how much that is.
That being said, the quad headlamps and front clip design look Saab-ish to me, and I prefered this VW wagon better.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/2682469781_4a8459cebb_o.jpg" width="400">
The earlier 411 introduced in 1968 had a high, blunt nose, but that was very unfashionable by 1972, and I have to agree. I prefer the lower 412 nose.
<img src="http://wikicars.org/images/en/thumb/e/ed/Front411.jpg/741px-Front411.jpg" width=400>
I've always liked the looks of the squareback the best of all VWs. I looked at some to buy, but they were all very rusty or worse here. When I look at my Amazon wagon in profile and squint, I see this, but bigger. That makes me happy.
A friend in college had one in the same color except for a tan interior and a stickshift. Nearly $15,000 seems a bit much even in excellent condition – these cars might have been technically interesting but in truth were pretty dull to drive.
If Brooklyn brownstone people knew they could get this car in this condition for $15 grand, there would be a fight to reach the counter, it would make them cooler than all their friends with W123 wagons. I officially like it myself because of the Brooks Stevens connection, though the same money would get the best Stevens-refreshed Studebaker Lark Daytona in the country with suspension modifications and a supercharged V8.
Fuel Injection = Run Away!!
When I was a teenager, one of the neighbors had a 412 wagon. I can still hear that up-down-up-down-up-down lopey idle.
Damn, that is pretty clean. Just not my spot of tea. Too much to go wrong for that amount of change. Same could be said about modern VeeDubs.
Pretty looking VW. Like an uglier squareback with a better engine. T4 motor FTW
I like the vintage wooden VW roof racks even if a bit cliche. Were these factory options? A quick google shows EMPI still makes em. It would be cool to find one with a smaller profile to put on an old American wagon or suv. Those proportions only seem to work on a VW.
Wow. In the "learn something new every day" department, I did not know that Brooks Stevens worked on the design. Makes me wish I had bought one back in the 80's when I coulda for one tenth of the asking price for this example.
I like it, but not for that price. Sorry but at the end of the day that is just too much money for a rather unloved VW model.
"Only 2,200 wagons produced in 1973" This is NOT true!
Where does that information come from?