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Herbie, the Adorable Love Bug sits ready to Rock 'n
Roll and G-O Racin' (The Tomaso Collection)
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The vehicle pictured above may/may not still be on
display. As these pictures were taken during last Summer; August, 2016...
SPECIFICS
Year: 1963
Make: Volkswagen
Model: Beetle
Engine: 1.2-liter (1192cc) Air-cooled Flat-4 cylinder
Transmission: 4-Speed Manual Transaxle
Layout: rear engine/Rear Wheel Drive
Horsepower: 40bhp @3,900 RPM
Top Speed: N/A
Ferdinand Porsche, Sr. was
commissioned by Adolf Hitler to build what he deemed the "People's
Car" in 1934, in what ultimately became known simply as the Beetle or
Bug with production beginning in 1938.
And would go onto record the most mass produced vehicle of all-time with its
final original body-style's production finally ceasing in 2003, before the new
Beetle permanently replaced it.
And just for reference, during the 1963 Beetle's model
year's introduction that inspired Herbie the Love Bug', gasoline cost a
whopping 29-cents per gallon in the good 'Ol USA...
NOTES
Everybody knows who Herbie the Love Bug is,
right? As I know I saw I-T as a 'Wee lad growing up, but it's been a long time
ago, although pretty sure I must have seen one of the originals staring the
late Dean Jones, who passed away in September, 2015.
Ironically, Jones died just over one month before I left for that
year's United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, at Circuit Of The Americas.
Where Yank' Alexander Rossi, perhaps you've heard of him by now? Was making his
North American Formula 1 debut as part of his five race deal at Manor-Marussia
as Roberto Mehri's replacement. As Rossi was the first American to compete in
Formula 1 since Scott Speed's stint at Scuderia Toro Rosso between 2006-07.
As Rossi, who'd go onto win the following
year's Indy 500, the magnanimous 100th running as a rookie in 2016, driving for
Andretti Herta Autosport, chose the number 53 as his personal number in F1
supposedly due to its Love Bug connection...
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1965 Beetle
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ETC
Ironically, Karmically, or Symbiotically?
Take your pick Folks, as just days after wrapping-up this story 'N puttin' a
Bow upon I-T; Hya! Tuh-Duh!
After waffling on whether or not to watch;
Err listen to another rambling, perhaps funny? Episode 'O Fast 'N Loud. The Feb
13th show just so happened to feature the Monkeys giving a 1965 stock VW Beetle
the Gas Monkey Garage treatment...
Pictures
Herbie Love
Bug photo Courtesy of Clarity Pictures
1965 Beetle image source: photobucket.com