[Stocker]

Many people loved 'em and many others hated 'em. Bought my '62 in 1967 from a friend, and it seemed to be in very nice condition when I got it. Within months it was garbage. Because of my job (and my girlfriend) I drove it a few hundred miles almost every weekend. We had a very cold winter and that bug had virtually no heater or defroster (I had never heard of the optional gasoline heaters). I have described the heating system as a hamster blowing through a straw, and that still seems accurate. The engine ended up with good compression in one cylinder. A strong gust of wind could literally push it into the other lane. It was good in snow (with snow tires) but otherwise a worthless turd. In comparison, a 1954 Ford I got from a dealer for $50 was luxurious. It had a 272ci V8, 3-speed with overdrive, and a heater / defroster that actually worked quite nicely.