'56 Beetle Oval

I was just 17 in 1988 when the July '88 issue of Custom Car dropped through my letterbox. I devoured every issue, but this particular one I remember to this day. Having been out of the country and unable to attend the first Bug Jam in '87, I was desperate for that year's event to come round and in this issue of CC was a one-page preview of said event. More than that though, this issue had Kevin and Mike Nagatani's '59 rag-top Bug in it. Hey, I'm not going to knock them for their stonewashed jeans, this was '88, but I will blame them for making me think that buying a full chrome dress-up kit for the engine in my own pale imitation of their car was a good idea.
I didn't really understand the significance of the dual 48IDA Weber carbs on the car's 1835cc engine at the time, or its 10.3:1 compression ratio and Street Eliminator cylinder heads. For me, a cash-strapped teenager on a tight budget, it was all about the looks. And their car had those in spades - from its perfect, de-chromed, ice blue paint (though the copy said it was actually light green) to its polished Fuchs alloys and its wicked stance, I loved that car. My white '68 on Moon discs looked absolutely nothing like it, of course, but that car inspired me to greater things.

For the full story on this car make sure you pick up a copy of the August 2009 issue of VolksWorld

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