The Book Depository First Beetle: Resurrecting a 1938 Prototype by Clauspeter Becker
25 ratings
TO EXPLORE MORE
Price: £54.36
Brand: The Book Depository
Description: First Beetle: Resurrecting a 1938 Prototype : Hardback : Delius, Klasing & Co : 9783768838504 : 3768838501 : 15 Aug 2015 : This is the story of a miracle on four wheels, discovered in a field in Eastern Europe by two of the most competent collectors of air-cooled Volkwagens: the 38 split window Beetle.
Category: Books
Merchant: The Book Depository
Product ID: 9783768838504
MPN: 3768838501
GTIN: 9783768838504
Author: chris white
Rating: 5
Review: This is a truly lovely book, mainly for the photography, which consists in the most part of excellent studio photos, printed on nice paper stock. The book obvious covers the restoration of a single Beetle prototype, but there is a wealth of period detail, drawings and advertising. I suspect the text of the book is a translation as the English isn't perfect (imagine a German guy speaking English), but that in no way detracts, if anything it actually adds a charm to the narrative of the restoration, and the enthusiasm and passion for the project shows. If, like me, you have a passion for old Beetles and do a bit of your own welding and restoration this book will be particularly enjoyable. I get the impression that money was less of a concern for these guys than it is for most of us, but the car deserves it, and the level of craftsmanship that's displayed is superb, from welding to interior, paint to engine. I'd say this is my favourite book in my VW library, I'd love to see more of similar quality.
Author: KAV
Rating: 4
Review: Jay Leno once said that if you can't afford fancy cars, then buy fancy books. So, I have been collecting car coffee table books for years. They are beautiful to look at and always have great information inside. This VW book is similar in this manner but is really targeted towards a niche crowd. In this fairly slim volume the reader learns the story of finding one of the original VW Beetles, or as the Germans called them Type 1, built in 1938. It is a fascinating story starting in Lithuania with barely a car and the process the team used rebuild this iconic vehicle. It's not a book about VW the company or VW the car. It's the story of how one group of dedicated VW enthusiasts sourced, recreated, and scoured for parts to build this car. With the help of the international community of VW fans, the team was able to get everything need to complete the task. I rebuilt a 1967 VW Beetle years ago so I appreciated the level of skill needed to restore this car and what a marvelous piece of machinery the Type 1 was. I read the entire book in one hour, so I'm not sure I would spend $37 again on it. But if you love VWs or restoration books, this one's a keeper.
