VW to Restore the Microbus That Survived the California Wildfires
In the photo, it looked to be entirely spared, but the far side was blistered by the heat.
Now, Volkswagen of America has offered to restore it back to its original glory, as a symbol of hope.
After devastating wildfires tore through neighborhoods around Los Angeles, there was little hope to be found. Rich or poor, people lost their homes and possessions, and many are still waiting to be allowed to return home. But among the countless images of charred destruction, one stood out: a white-over-blue 1977 Volkswagen Type 2 Microbus, surrounded by burnt and broken buildings but seemingly untouched.
Mark J. Terrill
|
AP
AP photographer Mark J. Terrill snapped the above photo, and it instantly went viral. A vintage VW Microbus is as pure California as it comes, and for such a machine to have survived seemed like a little fragment of magic in a time when many were reeling. However, it wasn't completely untouched by the fires. It suffered significant scorching on the right side, which is hidden in the photo. Now, Volkswagen of America will be restoring this survivor to like-new condition.
The '77 Bus belongs to Megan Weinraub, a resident of Malibu who designs surfboards and skateboards. She was learning to drive a manual transmission with it. Before that, it belonged to Weinraub's business partner, Preston Martin—also a surfboard maker. He lived in the van during his senior year of college to save money. His mom sewed curtains for it. This VW van is so 100 percent Californian, they should put it on a flag and fly it over the state capitol.
Volkswagen
Volkswagen of America needed special permission to rescue the T2—which Weinraub has dubbed 'Azul' for its blue hue–as the area was still closed to the public. From there, it was shipped to VW's Oxnard campus, where Volkswagen's historic vehicles fleet is stored and maintained. It's going to need significant mechanical work and repairs to the scorched side, but it's in the right hands.
Along with offering to repair Weinraub's beloved VW, Volkswagen also donated to the California Fire Foundation earlier this year. The announcement about the restoration came on June 2, which happens to be the third International Volkswagen Bus Day on the national day calendar.
Volkswagen
Volkswagen T2 buses have been homes and transportation for many people over the years, not to mention a Hollywood star in films such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Little Miss Sunshine. It could not be more fitting that, when SoCal was hurting, a little VW Microbus provided a small miracle of hope.
Brendan McAleer
Contributing Editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.
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