A weekend trip out to the Yosemite area would not be complete without a quick search through the classifieds to see what’s on the local market. Plenty of people go on vacation and look at real estate with an eye towards buying their mountain get-away, but, as the saying goes, you can sleep in your car but you can’t drive your house. In among all the modern cars, snow cars, and beaten up pickup trucks, there are a handful of gems. First is this 1969 VW Type 3 Fastback, for sale (or trade) in Placerville, CA for $4000.
Unfortunately, the selection of photos is not too generous, and for some odd reason the seller chose to squash his four photos into one small collage, instead of leaving them separate to appear in a gallery at greater resolution. This one is said to run and drive, although whether it does so well or poorly is left to your imagination. The only issue the seller mentions is a problem with the brake lights. It’s said to have a clean interior, so perhaps cleaning some contacts and grounds in the rear of the car will solve the issue. Other than that, it looks quite nice, with a slightly lowered stance, Porsche 914 Fuchs 4-bolt wheels, and nice pale blue paint. It’s also one of the more desirable early versions with the tapered tail lights and slim chrome bumpers, among other things. By 1969, the Type 3 also enjoyed such improvements as the first production electronic fuel injection system, and a suspension consisting of front torsion bars and rear trailing arms (not the previous swing arms). Is it fair to expect these, with light modification, to be as quick as any of the sporting cars of its time? Head out to Placerville and find out!
Rusty But Trusty 
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