Patti & Eggo
Model:
1969 Super Beetle
Name:
It looks like an egg!
Color:
Original paint color is L90C, Toga White, although it’s been painted over once before.
Mileage:
I purchased a new odometer, and I have put 4,500 miles on it since.
Motors:
A stock 1600 motor.
Owned since:
2020
Owners:
The previous owner was fixing it up for his sixteen-year-old daughter. When she finally turned sixteen, she said, “Dad, we live in a really hot environment. I want a Honda Civic with an air conditioner.”
Location:
California
Favorite driving song:
I typically listen to anything eighties: B-52s, the Cure, New Order, Ramones.
I have had several air-cooled VWs. I wanted my first car to be a Volkswagen, but my dad said, “No way. Those cars are crap. You’re getting a Toyota.” So I ended up with a Toyota, but I negotiated a deal with my mom. I started working at fifteen and a half, so I saved up all my money and found a ’67 Volkswagen Beetle named Tweedle. She said, “Your dad and I got into an argument about you buying this car, but let’s go get it anyway.” As I was signing the paperwork, my mom looked at me and said, “Your father is going to kill me.” I can’t tell you how many times my dad ended up towing Tweedle and me off the freeway. He said, “I told you not to get this car.” I said, “But I love it.”
That first Beetle got stolen, and the person who stole it painted it with black primer everywhere, including the dashboard. I saw him driving it around, so I ended up stealing my own car back. I did get the police involved. I said, “I know where my car is,” and I pointed at the garage. The police knocked on the door, and sure enough, my car was in the garage. My wallet with my driver’s license was still in the car! I ended up painting the car pink in case anybody stole it again.
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After that, I had a ’67 twenty-one-window Bus with a pull-back top, a ’66 Bus, a ’69 Squareback, and a ’66 Karmann Ghia that I restored from the ground up.
Then I took a seventeen-year hiatus from owning a Volkswagen. Where I was living, I was not allowed the space to have another car in addition to the car that I drive daily. Once that changed, I bought a ’72 Datsun pickup. I loved that truck because my dad had one when I was growing up. But I had trouble finding parts for it, and—I hope I don’t offend any folks—there was a lot of misogyny within the Datsun community. They weren’t too happy about having a woman in the pack. So I sold the truck.
I sold the Datsun and bought a Beetle in July of 2020. The person who had it previously was fixing it up for his sixteen-year-old daughter and was restoring it back to its original state. When she finally turned sixteen, he said, “Here’s your car,” and she said, “Dad, we live in a really hot environment. I want a Honda Civic with an air conditioner.”
He set the bar a little bit higher and I negotiated with him on the price, but he was so happy that the car was going to someone who absolutely loved Volkswagens. He gave me a really awesome deal on it.
I’ve done some things to the car: I had it wet-sanded and polished. I’ve had some cosmetic stuff done. It had the standard suspension in it, so I had the front lowered and the back lowered. It’s got a stock 1600 motor in it—everything else is pretty much stock on the car with the exception of the wheels and the suspension. It came with this handy rack that I’m super happy about. It’s not an aftermarket one. It’s an original rack.
They’re just that unique car. There isn’t anything else like them. They are simple. If you want to learn how to work on a car, you can literally take the motor out on your own. They were affordable and a great car to learn how to drive a stick. She is one of my best running Volkswagens. The furthest I’ve driven is to Bugorama in Sacramento. I am going to keep this baby and maybe add another one. It’s a car for everyone—the people’s car. My kids love Eggo too.
I do have an emotional connection to my car because Volkswagens have a very distinct smell and they really take me back. Before my dog passed, she hated the Datsun. She wouldn’t get in that truck—it had bad juju. Then I bought Eggo, and she hopped right in. Just before I had to put her down, we did all the things that we loved to do together, one of which was a ride to the beach in Alameda. She was my sidecar Sally. I still have her dog leash in here. I have a lot of emotions around this car and my love of Volkswagens.
The cool thing is when you’re driving down the street and you’re passing someone, they’ll give you a thumbs-up or give you the peace sign as you’re driving by. It’s a vibe. It’s a feeling. I love Volkswagens. Just smelling them.
