Millions of Volkswagen Type 1s (which is the official designation of the Kafer – aka the Beetle) have been produced in all sorts of places. From Germany to Australia and from Brazil to Malaysia, there isn’t a region that didn’t see a factory churning out the beloved Bug. And it’s only natural that some of them are still alive and kicking while others are meeting an unfortunate demise just as we speak.
Over 21 million Beetles have been produced by the various Volkswagen outlets between 1938 and 2003, and Lance Bush, the owner of the Texas small town Restored father and son business knows that very well. These great folks are in the habit of scavenging both the Internet and the real world in search of “rusty relics” that will be transformed into hidden gems. Among them, it seems there were – quite literally – hundreds of VW Beetles.
Well, the latest one – which has been uncovered in a junkyard, abandoned, and waiting to be scrapped for metal parts – is a bit special. Although it’s probably a 1968 example, so it doesn’t have a direct connection with the famous movie car, there was still a treasure trove of neat documents waiting for them inside. And so, it was only natural to follow the hints as this particular car probably came out with a better story than anyone possibly imagined.
By the way, if you like to watch the mesmerizing process of bringing back to life a beat-down car you’ll probably love the cinematic way of dealing with things that were deployed here. After all, it keeps with the Herbie the Love Bug theme, especially during the initial introduction. After that, better gear up for about 50 minutes' worth of tinkering and behind-the-scenes footage (from the 4:50 mark onwards), as this build is one of those projects that gets thoroughly documented.
But, in case you’re in a hurry and just want to check out the outcome, we advise jumping to the 53:30 mark. This is where the very final touches make way for the completed build, which turns out as a great Herbie-inspired restoration... with a twist. That’s because the crew wasn’t afraid to make this little wonder entirely their own, all the while still keeping with the general theme so that anyone can recognize the inspiration from the very first moment.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News