Comments about this vehicle

Author	Message
antp ◊ 2004-07-16 13:31	Ici en version course, au début du film elle apparaît en version "d'origine"
-- ◊ 2005-01-28 13:24	et elle s'appelle choupette -- Last edit: AC/DC 10
rjluna2 ◊ 2007-06-06 03:03	For USA market. Has USA specified headlight with headlight assembly.
Murf32 ◊ 2008-09-01 08:17	Correct me if I'm wrong, but, didn't Herbie have some real nice luxuries to help him along for racing purposes?, I thought that I had read somewhere that Porsche provided him with the suspension parts and most importantly the engine that allowed him to do so well, as it would seem a slight doubtful that (and while I have all the faith in him in the world) Herbie couldn't have performed as well with VWs small Air-Cooled engine and 4 spd Manual.
classicarfreak ◊ 2008-09-08 02:40	Herbie is the star for the whole Herbie series. He is a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle (type 1) ragtop. An unmodified beetle could probably only reach 80 or 90 mph. Of course, this is no ordinary beetle!
Herbie3Rivers ◊ 2008-11-13 03:49	EMPI did instal a Porsche 912 motor in the car used for the racing scenes. Along with the standard vw 4 spd trans(Porsches had 4 spds too). Porsche 356 brakes, lowered suspension, EMPI camber compensators, Superior control arms, 3 point harness, a roll bar, and 15x6 widened wheel round out the package. And don't doubt that a stock beetle could perform as a race car. There were racing series in the 50s and 60s that that would accomidate stock VWs. And there were races of all Beetles during that time too.
chicomarx ◊ 2010-01-16 05:48
chicomarx ◊ 2010-01-17 00:26	And Herbie's original color is L87 Pearl White. "Under normal circumstances, the interior would be a matching white. However, Herbie's interior was painted a special non-reflective grey color so the camera and studio lights would not reflect." Quote When beginning production of the film, Disney set up a casting call for about a dozen cars, and kept them outside the studios for the crew to examine during their breaks. Among the lineup were Toyotas, Volvos, and of course, the pearl white Volkswagen Beetle. When the crew walked by to inspect the cars, they would kick the tires and grab the steering wheel to see how it handled. However, when they came across the Volkswagen, they began to pet it, and so the Beetle got the job. (imdb) -- Last edit: 2010-01-17 00:40:59
electra225 ◊ 2010-01-27 07:25	Disney at the time claimed the car was a '59. Why?
Ingo ◊ 2010-01-27 12:06	No idea, it's clearly a 1963-model. btw: there were more than just one "Herbie" built.
chicomarx ◊ 2010-01-27 21:02	A modified 1959 Beetle was used, owner Herbie3Rivers (who posted above) see Link to "newbeetle.org" Quote Herbie started life as a German 1959 Fjord Blue sunroof deluxe Sedan. My car's one of 8 built by EMPI (the VW speed gurus) for Disney in 1967. Of those 8 there's only 4 accounted for. In total there's 23 original Herbies out there. No one's really sure how many were built. I estimate around 50-60 for all 4 films, not including the 36 built for Herbie Fully Loaded this past summer. Anyway, back to my car. My Herbie was used extensively at a 2nd unit stunt car in The Love Bug. My car had all the cool modifications made to all of the Herbies. Rollbar, 3 point harness, 15x6 wide wheels, lowered suspension, etc. In addtion to these my car also had several camera mounts installed, one of which was installed in the back of a customised front seat back. After the movie, Disney sold all of the Herbies as there wasn't a plan for a sequel. My car was damaged at some point either during filming of The Love Bug or after shooting wrapped. But Disney purchased as many of the first Herbies back as they could to film Herbie Rides Again. This time around my car was painted solid white with a large red cross on the hood. The scene that my car and one other Herbie were painted for was cut from the final release of the movie, yet a picture of the scene was put on the view master reel for the movie. After Herbie Rides Again, my car went through several different museums(including the famous Harrah's collection) and private's owners before ending up with VW collector Daryl Adams. He restored Herbie for his private collection of vintage and extremely rare VWs. He's also owned as many as 9 original Herbies at some point or another. The only problem was he didn't restore the car correctly. I bought Herbie from a now closed museum in Branson, MO in 1997. I've enjoyed Herbie for many years, and am now getting around to finally correct the restoration mistakes. I've already redone the decals and stripes with the correct colors and placement for a "The Love Bug" Herbie, But I still have a LONG way to go. I still have to paint the interior gray to movie spec, install the custom made wide wheels, replicate the rollbar, and re-install the racing harness.
electra225 ◊ 2010-01-28 14:12	Thank You ingo and chicomarx
huntmom ◊ 2010-06-16 23:49	i was wondering how many ragtops were released in 1962 if anyone knows
Dommz517 ◊ 2010-07-08 23:28	Murf32 wrote Correct me if I'm wrong, but, didn't Herbie have some real nice luxuries to help him along for racing purposes?, I thought that I had read somewhere that Porsche provided him with the suspension parts and most importantly the engine that allowed him to do so well, as it would seem a slight doubtful that (and while I have all the faith in him in the world) Herbie couldn't have performed as well with VWs small Air-Cooled engine and 4 spd Manual. The stunt cars that were used for filming did have a Porsche 356 motor, better suspension and so forth. In the movie though it is said that Herbie was stock numerous times and that the only reason that he is so fast because he has a "heart".
Herbie3Rivers ◊ 2010-12-22 20:35	huntmom wrote i was wondering how many ragtops were released in 1962 if anyone knows Well in to the double diget thousands.
Herbie3Rivers ◊ 2010-12-22 20:36	Dommz517 wrote The stunt cars that were used for filming did have a Porsche 356 motor, better suspension and so forth. In the movie though it is said that Herbie was stock numerous times and that the only reason that he is so fast because he has a "heart". Only one car had a Porsche engine and that was for racing. It was actually a Porsche 912 motor that was replaced with a 356 Super 90 motor long after the movie was done. There were some stunt cars that had hopped up VW motors and rumors are floating of one that wore a Judson Supercharger. For the most part though, the VWs used just had stock motors. -- Last edit: 2010-12-22 20:37:43
racersg ◊ 2012-03-20 02:13	I think 6 stars: RULES THE MOVIE!!!
LiveEatSleepVlksWagn ◊ 2012-08-02 19:33	It is not a 1963 Volkswagen Type 1, I'm not sure of the year. When Dean Jones opens the door during a scene he pulls is, which is the pre 1963 [original] style door handle. The original style had a button that was grabbed as the door handle was grabbed to open it. If in fact is is a 1963 he would have pushed the button on the handle then pulled it, not just pulled it.
LiveEatSleepVlksWagn ◊ 2012-08-03 03:58	tore-40, I was discussing this with my head mechanic, and we can't figure out why It took you a year and 7+ months to comment on Herbie3Rivers. And on a side note, every one used in screen definitely has a 1963+ hood because of the deletion of the Wolfsburg Crest on the hood. Other clues point to it being a pre 1963.
LiveEatSleepVlksWagn ◊ 2012-08-04 01:40	As for the time limit bit, me and my mechanic just got done rebuilding two dual ports and thought we would have a bit of a laugh. The Herbie[s] used all were made to look like 1963+. Anyways, If you need help to verify or pinpoint what year yours is, I can help.
cudak888 ◊ 2013-02-14 05:22	liveeatsleepvlkswagn wrote And on a side note, every one used in screen definitely has a 1963+ hood because of the deletion of the Wolfsburg Crest on the hood. Hardly. The Wolfsburg crests have simply been cut off the trim of the pre-1963 cars, resulting in a larger gap between the trim and the latch. The main photo is an example of the cut-off trim - compare the spacing between trim and latch with the genuine '63 in Thorndyke's showroom: -Kurt -- Last edit: 2013-03-18 16:31:49
LiveEatSleepVlksWagn ◊ 2013-04-24 04:54	Kurt, you know so little about the little car. There would be two small slit type holes where the Wolfsburg Crest originally was installed. They could have not been "simply" cut off without having to patch the holes and paint the car. The more likely thing is they simply got a 1963+ hood. I bet they just cut off the fuel gauge in the scene where they show the dashboard too.
cudak888 ◊ 2013-04-24 16:56	liveeatsleepvlkswagn wrote Kurt, you know so little about the little car. There would be two small slit type holes where the Wolfsburg Crest originally was installed. They could have not been "simply" cut off without having to patch the holes and paint the car. The more likely thing is they simply got a 1963+ hood. I bet they just cut off the fuel gauge in the scene where they show the dashboard too. I'll ignore your condescending remarks and focus on the job at hand: A. So they had to fill the holes. Whether welded up, glassed over, or filled (Bondo), few of the cars bought by Disney were L87 in the first place - which would render the modification moot. A '63 hood may not have had the slits for the crest's installation, but it wouldn't explain the shorter trim. One fellow - upon restoring an original Disney unit used in both The Love Bug and Rides Again found about 5 paint jobs in total on the car - two of which preceded the L87 paint job which it received for TLB. Believe me, a number of these cars received some cheap bodywork and a Macco paint job for the movie. B. First off, if you remove the fuel gauge from the dashboard, you'll wind up with a square hole in the dash grille. Type 1's began to receive gauges in July 1961 (for the '62 model year) as discussed here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=424471. All this means is that the car cut up for in-studio dashboard shots was made prior to July 1961. Some exterior shots in the movie show dashboards with the gas gauge. In the meantime, have a look at the Disney Car registry at LoveBugFans.com: http://lovebugfans.net/disneycars.htm Herbie #12 from Monte Carlo is a good example of the hood issue. Note that the car is a '62 - hence, it should have a Wolfsburg crest - and in the screenshot from the movie, the gap between the latch and the trim is noticeable. What's more, it looks as if someone restored it incorrectly with the '63 trim, as the gap has visibly decreased on the restored car. http://lovebugfans.net/herbie12.htm -Kurt -- Last edit: 2013-04-24 17:00:52
LiveEatSleepVlksWagn ◊ 2013-04-24 17:49	You missed the my point. I know if you remove the fuel gauge, a square hole will be there, more evidence that this was not a 1963. I'm happy you know that it wasn't just "cut off" without any more body work to make it appear newer. Check out the picture in the top right of the dash, no gauge!
cudak888 ◊ 2013-04-24 20:31	liveeatsleepvlkswagn wrote You missed the my point. I know if you remove the fuel gauge, a square hole will be there, more evidence that this was not a 1963. I'm happy you know that it wasn't just "cut off" without any more body work to make it appear newer. Check out the picture in the top right of the dash, no gauge! Agreed; I understand your point. I believe the 1963 year is given as the "official" overall accepted year of what Herbie's prototype is supposed to represent, errors of the prop cars ignored. However, if we were to be entirely correct, the effective range for cars in The Love Bug is '57-63. Yes, even an oval made it into the film: Link to "lovebugfans.yuku.com" The whole thread is a fantastic read, I might add. -Kurt
LiveEatSleepVlksWagn ◊ 2013-04-24 23:22	Yes, it does seem 1963 is used loosely. Do you know what scene the 1957 is used, I'd have to check that out before I can comment on that. We're helping anyone who is building a replica Herbie with our analysis of small details!
cudak888 ◊ 2013-04-25 03:15	LiveEatSleepVlkswagn wrote Yes, it does seem 1963 is used loosely. Do you know what scene the 1957 is used, I'd have to check that out before I can comment on that. We're helping anyone who is building a replica Herbie with our analysis of small details! I believe two '57s made it to TLB, but only the Swigart/Alonso car that I linked above has been documented to its respective scenes, as follows: Bombing down the mountainside (not the studio shot, looks like something shot behind the scenes during the take) - note the fake fabric sunroof cover on top of the existing faux neoprene roof: Smashing over tires at Riverside (did a number on the floor pans, according to Tony): Where it picked up its damage in TLB: As the yellow wreck in Rides Again: Not the '57, but the same wrecked hood off the '57 (confirmed by the shape of the damage on the LH side) on one of the TLB '58-63s for the purposes of the story: And, of course, the car today, refurbished (but not restored) by Tory Alonzo: I highly suggest reading the thread from page #1 ( Link to "lovebugfans.yuku.com" ) through the end. That car was pieced together by Disney with the hood, bonnet, and door off other Herbie donors for its cameo in Rides Again (in latex yellow and green paint). -Kurt -- Last edit: 2013-04-25 03:18:44
train68 ◊ 2018-05-28 00:27	I heard that Herbie got his racing number from a baseball player, but I forget who.
night cub ◊ 2018-05-28 00:51	Don Drysdale of the Dodgers
Stevil101 ◊ 2020-12-09 18:49	This may in fact be incorrect, but I've heard there were only two (or three) genuine 1963 models used in "The Love Bug". The only 1963 models that I know of is the one with the stock engine, the one driven from the backseat (in the main picture) and the other which had a Porsche engine for the race scenes (Herbie #2). In the scene where you first see Herbie in Thorndyke's showroom, it appears to have the right hood for a 1963 model while the rest of the Herbies did not. Anyway, when he first appears onscreen, he is slowly moving by himself, but there is no driver in the backseat. In the scene where Jim and Carole walk in the park as Herbie follows them with his doors wide open, you can tell it's the same car seen in the showroom due to the hood trim and the lack of the driver in the backseat like the main blind driver car. Herbie #2, or H2 for short, is really a bit of a Frankenstein-esque creation. To save on the costs of building the cars, EMPI pieced them together from junkyard wrecks. H2’s body consists of the rear 2/3s of a 1960 sunroof Beetle, and the front clip and chassis of a 1963 Beetle. Thanks to a sympathetic restoration, the welds joining the two cars are still in evidence today on the A-pillar and on the door sills. But the pieced-together body is only the beginning. It looks to me like Herbie #2 may have had some repairs during filming because when you first see Herbie in his racing scheme, the 53 gumball on the hood looks slightly off during the race scenes before the El Dorado. Here are some pictures of him before and during the El Dorado where you can tell the differences. I really want to know if the second picture is still Herbie #2. Before the El Dorado: /vehicle_13113-Ferrari-250-GT-Berlinetta-1960.html During the El Dorado: https://pics.imcdb.org/0pb/herbie84b.jpg -- Last edit: 2021-01-08 05:50:48
Nick37 ◊ 2021-09-13 22:16	cudak888 wrote Agreed; I understand your point. I believe the 1963 year is given as the "official" overall accepted year of what Herbie's prototype is supposed to represent, errors of the prop cars ignored. However, if we were to be entirely correct, the effective range for cars in The Love Bug is '57-63. Yes, even an oval made it into the film: Link to "lovebugfans.yuku.com" The whole thread is a fantastic read, I might add. -Kurt There were a variety of cars, similar in year but with glaring differences in body style that were modified to make them all look the same. Tony Alonzo's is a perfect example. They just cut a hole in the rear window to remove the oval and make it the rectangular style of the 60s model years. They didn't even put glass in it. Not sure why they left the obviously late 50s rear deck lid on it though. I used to be a huge fan of Herbie as a kid, and A friend who had Disney recorded the five aired episodes of the "Love Bug" TV series that they released in 1982. I can confirm that in the series, they state Herbie's model year as a '63 model. The Larry Linville character is trying to get Jim Douglas' driving school closed and asks if the car is a '49, or a '52 before Jim's co-worker defiantly says it's a '63.
plutopup ◊ 2022-01-01 01:44	I remember Herbie, he's the racing car of Volkswagen Bug.

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1960 Volkswagen Sun-Roof Sedan 'Beetle' as 1963 model [Typ 1]

1960 Volkswagen Sun-Roof Sedan [Typ 1] in The Love Bug, Movie, 1968

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