Boris Schmidt's 1973 1303 Beetle

Tuesday, 9 October 2007

Jon Gilbert

As soon as we saw this 1303 at the VolksWorld show 2007, we fell in love with it!

Germans: you've got to love 'em! Past differences and football aside, they have done quite a bit for the world. Not only did they give us Einstein and discover the X-ray, they have also given us good ales, the Bratwurst sausage, comedy mullets and ladies such as Claudia Schiffer and Heidi Klum. And let's not forget that they also produced our favourite little vehicle, the Volkswagen.
In fact, without the fatherland, we might never have known the car as it is today, since it was a German who invented the automobile.
In 1844 a boy named Karl Benz was born in Karlsruhe (a city famous for introducing the use of trams on train tracks to achieve a more effective form of public transport and the site of Germany's largest oil refinery). By the time he was 41, he had built the world's first practical vehicle that utilised an internal combustion engine.
Over the years Germany has come up trumps with unprecedented engineering designs, from furniture to the latest sports cars. Their products have to be some of the best in the world and they're certainly some of the safest as they have to meet strict methods of testing and discipline.
Now I don't know if engineering is in the Germans' blood or whether it's their upbringing, but when it comes to the VW scene, they are right up there with the best in terms of meticulous restorations and rebuilds.
Boris Schmidt, owner of the gorgeous 1973 1303S you see here, comes from Germany and, rather aptly, also lives in Karlsruhe. He works for Porsche but also produces the Steiner Rad alloys with his friend Andreas, so he knows a thing or two when it comes to engineering and safety. You can see this for yourself just by looking at his car and, true to native form, he has executed his restoration project perfectly and come up with brilliant results.

For the full story on this gorgeous Kansas beige 1303 check out the November 2007 issue of VolksWorld magazine. On sale 5th October 07 to 2 November and then available through back issues.