I am the proud and embarrassed owner of Bob the beetle. Bob was so named by Mr. Kelly, Bob's second owner. I am only his third owner.
This little guy was bought in Germany by an Air Force pilot in '66 and driven to Alaska via Canada (such is the dent on his left bumper - moose ran into him and all have agreed it needs to stay as a part of Bob's history) After Bob (origonal owner) retired, he moved to Lakeland Florida and worked for Piper Aircraft as a test pilot. Bob and Mr. Kelly worked lovingly on "Bob", keeping him tuned up and even gave him a beautiful paint job in Piper Red (with gold specs
. Unfortunately, in the late 70's Bob was killed in an experimental aircraft crash at the end of the runway - just before Sun and Fun (when it was just a little tiny podunk airshow). Bob's widow, knowing how much Mr. Kelly also loved the little bug, gave him "Bob". Mr. Kelly and Bob tottled around town and back and forth to the airport until one day Mrs. Kelly decided that Bob needed to be parked and Mr. Kelly needed to grow up.
Not willing to relinquish his buddy - Bob sat in the driveway for several years, developing a leak in his beautiful rear window and thus rusting out the battery pan and the driver side floor pan (sorta - that's another Bob adventure Along comes my wonderful hubby who sees Bob, and knows that Mr. Kelly isn't allowed to tinker or drive him anymore. For over a year my husband would make his monthly visits and ask if Bob was for sale yet - always adding how much his wife had always wanted another beetle. You see, when my husband and I were dating in High School - my mom gave him the dubious job of teaching me how to drive stick. I had already mastered the 4 barrel carb in his '76 Cutlass Salon and was starting to get a nice little racing reputation going. I think they were trying to slow me down - anyway - driving the first bug was THE BEST and so many memories. I digress...sorry.Mr. Kelly finally agreed to let us buy Bob, and I was soooo suprised when we went to pick it up - I didn't know we were getting the bug - we were supposed to be picking up some aircraft info - I just cried and hugged Mr. Kelly.
Of course there were stipulations: No chopping, no teaching my daughter how to drive it, and never change Bob's name (blasphemy!!!).
It's now been nearly 10 years later and I still have Bob - and I fight with myself everytime we go through a rough patch on whether or not it's a wise thing to keep a vehicle that we #1 cant drive #2 cant ever seem to afford to fix. Am I becoming one of those miserly old people who holds on to a dream and lets it rust in the barn???
Anyway, that's my bug story : ) Hubby and I will celebrate 28 years this month, we have two fantastic children. Our son is wonderfully tatooed beyond a mothers recognition and the father of 4 - our daughter is a beautiful woman and mother of 2. My husband is retired AF and I have recently been diagnosed with a rare disease. By the way - February 28 is National Rare Disease Day. We have 2 horses, 2 cats, 2 dogs and are currently seriously contemplating moving to Reno where our daughter lives.
Ya bored yet?? LOL.
Sylvia