1972 Beetle

MOTORING NEWS - Dirk van Blommestein's beloved green and black 1972 VW Beetle has been a regular sight in Riversdale since January 2018.

"The Beetle was a birthday gift from my daughter, June, who stays in Vereeniging," says Dirk. "The mags were also a gift from her." The interior of his VW 1300 is mostly original, although some changes have been made to the outside.

The famous people's car, officially known as the Volkswagen Type 1, is a two-door, rear-engine car originally intended for two parents and three children.

Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, wanted a cheap car to be mass-produced for his country's new road network. Engineer Ferdinand Porsche and his team finalised the design in 1938, but the war that broke out in 1939, shifted production to military vehicles. On 17 February 1972 Beetle No. 15 007 034 was produced, which surpassed the total production of the Ford Model T, the previous record holder. By 1973, the total production was over 16 million, and by 23 June 1992, over

21 million had been produced.
The Beetle featured a rear-located, rear-wheel drive, air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine. A boxer engine is a flat engine where each piston has its own crank pin, so the pistons opposite each other move together, like a boxer's gloves - hence the name. It had two doors and a flat front windscreen and accommodated four passengers with luggage storage under the bonnet in front and behind the back seat. Although certain initial features were subsequently revised, the overall shape endured. However, over 78 000 small changes were made during its production until 2003.

Its owner's pride and joy, this particular model, which has 180 000km on the clock, features interior painted metal surfaces, a metal dash consolidating instruments in a single, circular holder for instruments, adjustable front seats, a fold-down rear seat, swing-out rear windows, front windows with pivoting vent windows and heating via air-to-air exchange manifolds operating off the engine's heat.

The back window and front vent are still original.