[KevinTodd]

My family was raised on Beetles. My dad had several before I was born, and I distinctly remember smashing my head more than a few times on that flat windshield when my dad would bump the brakes a bit too hard. If I'm remembering correctly that was his 66 in Panama Beige. My brother had several too--all late 60's--one of which had a transplanted P-car engine hanging out the back. Damn that thing was a loud, snarling, angry beast as I recall. I remember one morning I walked out to catch the school bus and someone had stolen the wheels and tires off of it.

I had a couple of my own also---the '73 almost killed me one day. I was driving in the rain-too fast for conditions I'm sure-and saw a Dodge Dart stop in front of me. I had nowhere to go and slammed on the brakes. That did exactly what you would expect in the rain-hydroplane me right into the back of that Dart.

I woke up in the hospital with a broken pelvis, broken public bone (ow) and a lacerated kidney and spent the next six weeks hobbled pretty good.

My dad took me to the wrecking yard to see the car, or what was left of it anyway. The driver's seat was where the passenger seat had been--the impact occurred directly on the driver's door.

The guys in the wrecking yard couldn't believe I had lived through that accident.

I need to find a pic of the car and scan it--

I still love vintage beetles but haven't had one in years.