I bought this car in 1970 as a high school student in Houston, Texas for $900 (my life savings), sparking a love affair over 44 years and 300,000+ miles. In about 2002 the poor Bug was vandalized – hood and roof stomped in, and turned over on its side. Not having funds to repair it and unwilling to part with it, I placed it in storage for almost 10 years.

Meanwhile, Mike Aiello entered the picture as co-artisan of candles and products sold in my wife’s shop. Serendipitously, Mike is also an auto customizer and restorationist. After my wife helped to get their products in other stores, Mike hugely returned the favor by taking on a three-year restoration project on the VW. His work was nearly miraculous, bringing an extremely rusty and squashed Bug back to pristine, like-new condition.

I am forever indebted to Mike for truly making a dream come true, and am quoted as saying, “If you want to believe in angels but don’t know what one looks like – (pointing) right there…. Mikey.

Sent over by a reader of 1967beetle.com, this original UK market ’67 Beetle is fantastic. (And, you’ve seen it before) They say a photo is worth a thousand words. With that in mind.. I’ll let Rob take it from here.

“I first saw the ’67 for sale at the Avoncroft Historic VW Show in 1999, with only 50,000 miles on the clock. The car was built on January 12 1967 and sold to Geoffrey Hubert Sheppy by the Volkswagen dealership, Arthur Moore & Sons Ltd. in Great Whitley, Worcestershire. Geoffrey owned it from August 1 1967 all the way up to June 25 1998, when he passed away. As the Service Manager, Donald Reece, had looked after the car so well over the years since first buying the car, Geoffrey left the Beetle to him in his will. Donald Reece was now in his 70s, and only used the ’67 as a second car, until he sold it in October 1999.”

You can read the full article here.
Photos: Michael Whitestone