1952 VW Beetle
On this date in 1949 — 71 years ago! — the first VW beetle was introduced in America. It would be thirteen more years — 1962 — before I got my first VW and then I had them more or less continuously until 1985. Of all the cars I’ve known in my 67+ years of driving, the beetle has been the most memorable, most important, and actually, without peer. If they were still making them, I’d surely be driving one.
As it is, we have a big, boxy, supposedly “safe for old people” Suburu Forrester. It’s “okay.” But it’s not fun to drive — too many bells and whistles. And it’s too big. It hardly fits through our old single-car garage door. So far, I’ve scraped both rear fenders and knocked the passenger mirror off. (Well, not totally off. But I broke the outer housing; it’s only a matter of time.)
1968 VW Bug — The Best of the Best!
Granted, even back in the mid-eighties when I traded in my final VW for a Chrysler, I had been feeling a bit like I was riding a roller skate on the freeway. Those eighteen wheelers, sometimes one on either side of me, were massively intimidating. But, in all other ways, I loved my bug.
Air-cooled engine — no radiator worries. Engine in the rear — no problems on minimal ice or snow unless. Gas mileage — I don’t remember except that during the oil crisis of the 1970s, I was better off than most. And best of all, it was small enough to tuck in almost anywhere on the crowded city streets of the Bay Area.
Sydney’s Super Beetle – Painting by Nancy Lloyd, 1980
The first VW bug I had was a ten-year-old ’52 with the split back windows and starter on the floor (I think.) I actually “married into” that VW. Marta’s dad had bought it used several years before I met him. It was the first time I’d driven a four-on-the-floor transmission. In the summer of 1968 I bought my own VW at the factory in Wolfsburg, Germany. Charlie inherited it when he graduated from high school just after I had picked up a ’74 super beetle in London.
I miss every one of those VWs. I’ve had a number of cars since, and only the PT Cruiser came close to the satisfaction I felt when I was behind the wheel of the bug. And maybe the Prius came close. Meanwhile… I sure do wish there was a way to skinny down our present car — especially for entering and leaving the garage.
I, too, drove Beetles for 50 years, starting at age 16. I sold my last one to a young man who was enamored of the antique aura of the Beetle, to the point of installing a roof rack so he could attach a vintage suitcase. I, too, moved to a Subaru (an Outback).
I really like your depiction of driving the Beetle on the freeway being like “riding a roller skate!”
I could go zero to 10 off the line with the best of them, but other drivers didn’t get aggressive with me, never thought I was trying to outrun them.
Thanks for the charming story.