A teenager who spent years restoring a Volkswagen Beetle with his dad watched their hard work get wrecked in a crash. Now, the little car they called Herbie is getting another chance, and it looks nothing like it did before.
The 1972 Volkswagen Super Beetle was totaled on May 22, 2026, when another driver hit it from behind and pushed it into a vehicle ahead. Its young owner had driven it for only six months.
Rather than walk away from a car that had been part of his childhood, the teen and his father began a new project. Their plan was to give Herbie a Baja Bug makeover, with the rugged looks of a classic off-road Beetle.
A recent Reddit update shows how far the project has come. The white Beetle still wears Herbie’s famous number 53, but its new appearance tells a very different story.
Six Years Of Work
My 1972 vw super beetle Baja Bug project is going great.
by
u/Confident_Pain_9619 in
beetle
Herbie first arrived as a gift from the teen’s father on his 10th birthday. Back then, it was little more than a rolling shell. Over the next six years, the two worked together to turn it into a show car.
According to an earlier Reddit discussion, their finished Beetle won several trophies and was valued at about $15,000. The teen finally got his driver’s license in December 2025 and began using the car regularly.
That came to an end while he was driving home from school. In another post about the wreck, he claimed the driver who hit him was texting. He later said he escaped with bruises and shin splints.
With Herbie badly damaged, he turned to fellow Volkswagen fans for advice. Some urged him to save what he could and start with another Beetle. Others thought the car could still be rebuilt with enough time and money.
A Different Herbie
The teen told commenters he received $13,500 from insurance and that the engine survived the wreck. He also said he’d buy a 1973 Super Beetle for $600 and transfer usable parts from Herbie to keep its memory alive.
By summer, he and his father were working on the Baja conversion. The new look was a big change from the show car they had spent years building, but it meant their project could continue.
There were mechanical concerns, too. Unlike a standard Beetle, the Super Beetle uses front struts, which can make a Baja conversion more complicated. Some Reddit users warned that the front suspension would need proper support and alignment.
The teen explained that his father works with sheet metal and that they had already purchased a brace for the front suspension. He said his dad planned to reinforce it further.
Back On The Road
In his latest update, the young owner shared a photo of the white Baja-style Beetle parked among fallen leaves. The familiar red, white, and blue stripes and number 53 remain part of its appearance.
A commenter asked whether he planned to change the front struts. He explained that the car already has a strut brace in the front trunk and that, for now, he mainly intends to drive it to and from school.
The response from other Volkswagen fans has been supportive. Some praised the decision to keep working on the car, while others shared stories about their own unfinished Baja projects.
For the teenager, the work is about more than having a unique ride. In a previous update, he made clear how much the Beetle means to him and how long he hopes to keep it.
When another Reddit user praised his dedication, he replied, “Thank you. I intend to keep it for the rest of my life.”