Whenever I see a cool car around the neighborhood, I take pictures and send them to my pal Eric up in Portland who runs Other People’s Things, my favorite car blog. He responds with some knowledge and we post the results here and it’s called “Car Beat.” Here’s what Eric has to say about this oddity:
Wow.
What can I say? It’s not exactly ugly, but it isn’t pretty either. Definetly a custom job, but I couldn’t find any info on the kit or manufacturer (though this guy in Arkansas has a similar kit)
I’d say it’s a good impression of a (most likely) American built custom kit on a German car imitating a pre-war British coupe, which at the time were imitating their bigger American cousins.
Thanks, Eric!
People did this to their VW Bugs all the time in the 70s.
Yeah, I was about to say the same thing. My neighbor when I was a kid had a fake Rolls-Royce front end on his bug. As far as I know they were just fiberglass kits you bought outta catalogs.
Yea, what was that famous catalog for auto stuff? J&P?
J7P was for motorcycle, maybe this was it. http://www.jcwhitney.com/
JC Whitney?
Yes,thank you, JC Whitney. My mind has fogged after all those years of inhaling brake cleaner.
I’ve seen these kits for bugs several times–one with the look of a Rolls Royce hood,
The Willys Gasser look rear window(s) treatment is kinda cool.