0:00
We decided to be like the Volkswagen and we wanted it to be 50% bigger
0:07
The funnest thing for this is being on the freeway. People just chase you to try to get up next to it
0:15
and then they almost run you off the road because they're not looking where they're going. Some vehicles dominate the street with sheer size of the street
0:27
dominate the street with sheer size alone. The Volkswagen Beetle isn't one of them
0:33
The bug is the great car, but it's very small. Being dwarfed by other vehicles on the California roads
0:40
led two generations of this family to the only logical solution. They were going to need a bigger bug
0:49
My dad and I just thought it would be nice if we had a Volkswagen that was comfortable
0:52
and not feel like you're going to get run over in traffic. It a big vehicle It bigger than a Hummer
1:09
We decided we liked the Volkswagen and we wanted it to be 50% bigger, which is a huge amount
1:19
but it was a little bit too big to actually drive on the street legally
1:23
So we scaled it back to 40%. And supersizing. But supersizing such a classic is no mean feat
1:32
We had a 59 Volkswagen convertible. We basically digitized it. We scanned it everywhere, got that computer file built
1:40
and then took it apart and made each part 40% bigger on the computer
1:45
Use that information to build templates and get all of our dimensions and things
1:51
and then started fabricating from there. The platform that we started with for
1:57
The huge bugs is a Dodge truck so it could handle all the weight and the size and the scale that we needed to go And then everything built on top of that And while it based on a 60 car this big beast has a good few mod cons
2:13
It's got all the creature comforts that you'd want in a new car
2:17
Power steering and heated and air-conditioned seats and a Volkswagen with air conditioning is kind of nice
2:23
We did a lot of work in here to hide the power window controls
2:28
and the power door locks and all of the modern stuff and still make it look like a Volkswagen
2:32
All of the controls from the Dodge truck and the gauges are on a gauge pod
2:38
that comes down from under the dash so that while you're driving it, you get all the information that you were getting
2:44
from the Dodge truck. But when you park it and get out and it goes back up inside and you can't see it
2:49
so it still looks like a Volkswagen. The Dodge is an automatic transmission
2:57
and the Volkswagen's are manual transmissions. It has a simulated, brake pedal in there and a clutch pedal, but they're actually both brake pedals
3:05
It just it looks like you push the clutch in and do the manual shift but it an automatic so it nice and comfortable drive My favorite thing is that it not a prop You can get in it and jump in it it runs it drives it does all the stuff it supposed
3:18
to do. It's not just something that's big and shiny and sitting in the background like it is right now
3:27
The funnest thing for this is being on the freeway. People just chase you to try to get up next to it, and then they almost run you off the
3:35
the road because they're not looking where they're going. And it will come as no surprise
3:39
This big bug attracts big bucks. There's quite a few offers on it that are standing
3:45
that are humbling that people want to pay the kind of dollars they want to pay for something that we built and we love
3:51
But the Volkswagen's not going anywhere right now. Just when I see it, it just makes me smile
