In 1969 I turned 17 and my dad bought me a 62 Beetle.
[this is a photo of someone else's 62 beetle]
Dad paid $200 because the engine was blown and quarter panels and bumpers were banged up. Then he taught me how to rebuild an engine. Truth be told, I got the theory and grinded some valves and seats but mostly I was extra muscle and handed him the wrenches like the assistant in an operating room. I took apart the upholstery too and with the help of my girlfriend, we hand stitched the seams. I also got lucky when I found someone selling their black 60 Beetle body that was in great shape for $50. They were building a dune buggy with the chassis and motor. The body parts were interchangeable and in one day I transformed my car into a much better looking car. That’s the kind of Dad I had.
It was a perfect car in Secaucus, NJ. When the snow came, it went over everything and smaller parking spaces in Jersey City, where I went to High School, were not a problem. Since then I have owned many other interesting cars and each one has a story.