eBay Listing: Custom 1965 VW Beetle 4-Door
Strange and stranger. Found on eBay is this twin-engined, 4-door VW Beetle classic. By twin-engine we mean one engine at each end of this unique VW bug. The story is that the original owner created the dual-purpose Beetle to tow low-mileage cars during the sixties. The car was titled and registered for road use in Minnesota and driven for many summers. 1981 was the last year this four door Volkswagen Beetle was registered, after which it was carefully stored.
Doctor Dolittle would approve. This remarkable Beetle is the pushmi-pullyu of VW Bugs.
Out of Storage, Back in Again
At the beginning of the new millennium, the owner rolled the pushmi-pullyu Beetle out of storage and began an extensive restoration. A new exhaust system was installed, the engine got a complete overhaul along with rebuilding the carburetor and brake system. Unfortunately, the owner passed away before his restoration plans came to fruition. It would take over a decade before someone carefully brought this unique Beetle back to life again.
Inside the 4 Door Beetle
Inside the car are two driver’s seats, two steering wheels, and two gear shifters. According to the seller, the joining of the two halves was done with serious build-quality by professionals and is invisible from outside the car. The floor pan is neatly welded in the center, using two front halves, with the seats bolted into the factory positions in the floors. The rear floor accommodates the drivetrain with a tunnel that’s welded-in to clear the transmission. Additional support for the “rear” body work relies on a strong and simple sub-frame made of square-section steel tubes.
The 4-door Beetle concept is so brilliant, it makes you wonder. With so many Bugs collecting dust in garages and barns, why don’t we see more custom-built Bugs with suicide doors? A less ambitious build with just one drivetrain would be substantially less difficult to complete. Take a run though the VW Beetle listings and let your imagination run wild!
