Comments by "Helmuth Schultes" (@helmuthschultes9243) on "American Reacts to The Rise u0026 FALL of the Volkswagen Beetle" video.
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The Beetle build and durability is what setup the classic DUNE BUGGY activity.
The solid floor pan construction and very well performing suspension and engine performance, combined with durability allowed many to be converted into low cost fun machines running in effectively offroad environment. Dune buggy born by the fun of running a Beetle.
I had opportunity on gaining my driver's license in 1969, as my dad had restored an old 1960 Beetle he picked up for $50 from a wreckers yard for my mum to drive to work. That I borrowed many weekends for travel with my RC model planes, and gliders. I took it to places I later had caution taking a 4WD. I came close to getting stuck many times, but each and every time managed to extricate the Beetle unassisted. It just went on and on.
Even got it on two wheels once misjudging a merging intersection, and turned the corner of over 270 deg angle at excess speed. Completed entering the other road up on two wheels, and got it back level in over 100m of the other road.
Loved that car, which we sold in 1974, to a widowed lady with four children urgently needing a car to keep her job at the factory my mother worked at. We sold it for $200, which this other lady drove for 12 years till mid 1980s, so some 36 years old Beetle, and it then still working fine.
Mum got a new Toyota Corolla when we sold that Beetle. Dad actually rebuilt several Beetles at start ofv1970s as he had a petrol station and workshop, and kept his mechanic occupied in free/idle time. Allowing the mechanic to be paid rather than forcing part time work. The mechanic also was given free use of workshop to convert a VW Combi bus into a Camper Van. Sadly on completion the mechanic lent it to a close friend, who wrecked it a write-off multi rollover crash speeding on a mountain dirt road.
Yes our family had several Beetles from a 1956 model in Germany, to one in Australia 1960 after migrating, to a VW 1500 Station wagon, and then the wreck restored old Beetle. Also at least six Beetles restored and sold from our petrol station workshop activity. These involved typically panel beating and engine over haul, repainting and such. All bought for from $10 to $100, as wrecker status. Even got some external overhaul repair work from customers as a result, and sent engine repair jobs by other petrol stations. Dad had lots of VW factory work background and much engine experience because he a "fitter and turner" by trade, had done factory engine overhaul, and machine/constructing race spec engine build at the VW plant in Melbourne Australia. Our VW 1500 was even engine performance boosted by getting some Porsche heads on its engine.
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