There’s a lot going on here with this 1963 VW Beetle convertible, which is technically done as a Speedster tribute, along with a bit of a 40s Ford body kit molded in. Are you keeping up? I’m not sure what the origins of this fat-federed Beetle are, or whether this was indeed one kit or a series of custom fabrications with a partial kit welded on. Find it here on Hemmings.com and listed for $11,950 or best offer.
The fenders are huge, and the seller says it features a “….partial 1940 Ford body kit, less front end.” So we have a Ford body kit of sorts gracing the rear; a Porsche Speedster-style top with what appear to be custom shortened windows; a suspension that has definitely been lowered; wide dog-dish-style wheels; and huge fenders front and rear. The finish is described as “…custom pinstripping and paint applied to base Red Oxide appearing primer or paint.”
Inside, it appears to be standard Beetle far with a Bug dashboard and seats, and what look like custom door panels. The steering wheel is also aftermarket, and I’m not sure what secrets the back seat holds with that chopped top coming down over them. The elongated rear section would seem to promise at least some jump seats back there, but it looks like the backseat is now just an empty storage space. While I’ve seen Beetles with noses made to look like a 40s Ford or Rolls-Royce, I’ve not seen this rear-end conversion before.
The seller notes the motor has been hotted up a bit, which is good to see considering the rest of the car is so wild; a stock powerplant would be a disappointment: “Engine is a 1776cc rebuilt high performance engine. Runs well. Good power. Trans: Previous owner claims a Freeway Flyer 4-speed trans with highway ratio gears.” While tracing its origins may take a lifetime, there’s no denying this is a Beetle that would get lots of stares at any cruise-in you may attend. Is it too extreme or just the right amount of period-cool?
A lot of body customization on this one. I think the fenders are fully custom as it part of the back. At least one of the kits cut off the roof behind the doors to meld in a 40 Ford style rear. ’37 according to this…
http://californiastreets.blogspot.com/2014/01/oakland-street-sighting-1970-volkswagen.html
It looks like the body kit is a German “Speedster” style kit. It has the exact same look except for the additional customization of the fenders.
http://car-from-uk.com/sale.php?id=92285
California Super Speedster
Malibu Speedster
I used to own this, looked a lot better when I had the Astros Supremes on it basically just a body kit on a cut up bug, easy to build
Yeah, but what’s the weird red kit kar in the background of the first photo??
Not a kit car but, an early aluminum-bodied Nash Healey roadster (assuming it’s no a replica). Very, very cool machine.
No, not a Nash Healey – if you look at the actual Hemmings ad you can find another photo where you see a side view of this little red sports car with doors and rear fenders that are very TR3 like, so maybe it’s a TR3 with a Nash Healey front end? Who on earth would do something like that. But I think I met this particular seller when I lived in Washington State, he tried to buy my 1 cylinder Bond MiniCar and my 3-wheel Citroen Lomax for very, very cheap. No, he didn’t succeed.
Needs the rumble seat!
The California Speedster reminds me a lot of the Hebmuller: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Type_14A_(Hebmüller_Cabriolet)
Beatnik – you beat me to it! Saw my first Hebmuller down on Santa Monica Blvd, and a Denzel once on Riverside Drive in Burbank 50 years ago!
Well it isn’t a 1963 VW Beetle body, for starters it has a fuel door in the front right quarter panel and a pad dash. Pull door levers on the doors. So it is at least a 1968 VW.
The pictured ads show the company name, BGW, who made and marketed these kits over 20 years ago. They also sold a rear section that resembled a scaled down sedan delivery. Of the many body mode alternatives theirs seemed to have better proportions than most.
Did a check and a surviving company exists with a website still showing this and other products under the name Spectre BGW Ltd.
They are titled by the vin on the pan not the body
Marcus after 1968 there is a vin on the dash,required by DOT in the US anyway. Prior to 1968 the vin was on a plate behind the spare tire up front so it would be there. My point earlier was beware!
I think the body is a ’69, as the fuel filler door doesn’t have the finger dimple. The 69’s had an inside fuel door release, the 68’s didn’t. Plus, with all the negative camber on the rear wheels, it would make it a 69. 1968 still had the swing axles unless it was an automatic. No pix of the underside to prove this.
And someone beat me on the Hebmuller. The first time I saw one in a magazine, I wanted one, though it will never happen.
I like this, but worry about all that camber showing front and rear.
I’ve saw the panel truck, the 40 Ford and Rolls kits installed on cars actually sold at VW dealer in Greensboro, NC in the late 1970s. It was wild seeing them professionally done (paint was first rate and any trimming required was done right) and the markup wasn’t as extreme as one would think.
According to the Wiki info, the Hebs stopped leaving the coachbuilder in small numbers after a fire and never made it to the late 1950s, much less the 60s and beyond.