Having just caught an original oval-window VW on the go recently, here goes another, but not under its own power. The tow rig is a nice vintage GMC too. Now this oval window is hardly original; it’s a custom, including an extended front end, something I’m not familiar with. The wide whitewalls and some other aspects made me wonder briefly if this was perhaps a genuine vintage custom from a distant era.
That thought didn’t last long. It may have sat for a while, but undoubtedly those reproduction tires don’t exactly date back to the fifties, even if they don’t quite look fresh. And me thinks that the front end job is a more recent phenomena, as I don’t seem to remember seeing that, although I hardly hang around the custom VW set.
Getting a good shot of the front end was hard, while on the go. It’s the VW suspension, but mounted further forward reversed, and lowered some too. Maybe Adam will enlighten us further.
It looks like the front axle beam suspension is actually reversed to extend the wheelbase. Seems to have some kind of bracket set up to put the steering assembly back out front. Never saw that before. Looks like a single port 13-15-1600 engine. Must be some kind of ‘Rat Rod’/Roadster conversion. Shame to see it all hacked up like that. I like the 68-72 GMC that’s towing it, though.
There seems to be a tend with de-fendering, slamming and extending the wheelbase on Bug’s lately. Sort of a hot-rod bug in the 32′ Ford Highboy vein….I think It’s an OK idea…..Shame they practiced it on a vintage Oval though….
Its been hacked into a baja street rat the good thing is its NOT an OVAL just one of the later beetles that are still common
Aaaaannnd now Adam is here to further explain.
This is what is called a Volks-rod. They are not my cup of tea either. To me they all look like a Beetle that’s midway being parted out.
Some of them have extended front ends with the Beetle beam like this one. Others have full Model A style suspension up front. While others are junky Beetles with the fenders unbolted and rattle canned black.
I am not a super purist, my Bus is lowered (nothing cut, all bolt ons) but these just don’t do it for me.
This thing is _FUGLY_ ~ .
I’ve seen more than a few old Beetles chopped into wanna be Hi Boys , this thing looks sad .
Were it any good atall , they’d be _driving_ it like every one of the strange (to me) Hi Boy VW’s I have seen .
-Nate
I like that GMC.
Well the oval that I remember best was at New England Dragway back in the late 60s. Had a mid engined sbc and an engine compartment cover that looked like suitcases. Would have loved to see it in detail. Some things were out of bounds even with a pit pass.
I like the look of the Volksrod except for the cut off rear body. I really like the GMC with the original looking paint job. My favorite vintage and make of truck. Makes me want to drive my ’67 GMC short stepside!
I actually quite like it. I’d certainly take this over another cookie cutter dune buggy
I can get behind this. Ive seen a number of rat bugs up my way, and an aircooled flat 4 DOES sound pretty bitchen thru straight pipes. Looks like a blast to drive, and a fun little car.
Reminds me of one I saw in my neighborhood, which looked like someone’s unfinished project. I never did see it on the road and it’s no longer where it once sat, so i don’t know if the owner moved or gave up and sold it. Kind of a cool look though, to me at least. There are enough old bugs around for this not to be sacrilege–I wouldn’t do it to an oval for sure though.