Guaranteed to draw crowds of admirers wherever it goes, this 1967 Volkswagen Beetle V-Rod Coupe is the March 2016 Hot VWs magazine cover car and the only car of its kind in the world. A stunning, 1967 Beetle-based V-Rod, it is the fulfillment of the vision of designer and builder Bruce Bewarder. As the owner and operator of Eyeball Engineering, the custom VW specialist firm located in Fresno, California, Mr. Bewarder was renowned for his VW chassis parts and all-around expertise in helping his customers create and maintain the classic Volkswagens of their dreams.
 
Based on a 1967 Beetle bodyshell, this hand-built Beetle V-Rod custom is a far cry today from its humble roots with the body stripped, modified and upgraded throughout. Among is many outstanding features, the Beetles traditional fenders were removed and replaced with solid front side panels, custom rockers and smoothed rear fender wells with small built-in rear flares all enhancing the Beetles iconic shape. A totally re-shaped front apron, custom front bumper, and repositioned headlights between the front wheels and radically restyled body make a bold statement, while at the rear, bright air vents feed cool air to the engine compartment. The sliding canvas sunroof was added during the V-Rods build, as were one-piece side windows. Rear quarter-windows pop open for additional ventilation.
 
Underpinnings are built to a custom, one-off design utilizing double tubular wishbones and coil-over shocks up front with traditional swing axles at the rear. Powering this V-Rod is a 1,600-based high-performance engine built by Steve Tims of Performance Workshop, Riverside, California. Now displacing 2,100cc, it is stuffed with top-quality parts and components including forged CB Performance rods and crankshaft and Mahle pistons, cylinders and rings. Feeding this hot flat-four is a set of VW dual-port Stage 2 heads, ported and polished by Steve Tims, plus a match-ported aluminum intake manifold and dual 44mm IDF Weber carburetors, while a Sidewinder ceramic-coated exhaust system with stainless-steel muffler and custom central exhaust tip removes the spent combustion gases. A modified GM HEI ignition distributor delivers the spark. An engine-turned bulkhead panel, carburetor velocity stacks, polished billet goodies and hydraulic engine-cover struts provide further outstanding details. Delivering 110 dyno-tested horsepower, this hot VW flat-four engine is mated to a lightened flywheel, KEP Stage 1 clutch and custom  4-speed manual transmission/1968 swing axle drivetrain combination by Eyeball Engineering.
 
The full-custom interior is a work of art to match the rest of the vehicle, with supportive modern-type bucket seats handsomely trimmed in Tan leather upholstery. Polished custom billet aluminum items are found throughout, along with custom aluminum door panels, custom beveled glass, power window lifts, German square-weave carpeting and a billet aluminum dash panel containing a full complement of VDO instruments. Steering is accomplished via a modern tilt column mounting a four-spoke sprint-car style wheel, combined with a cleverly engineered U-joint setup. Gear changes are made with a beautifully designed custom shifter handle and mechanism fashioned out of polished billet aluminum. While the rear seat has been deleted, the space is fully finished and trimmed in leather and carpeting to match the rest of this V-Rods outstanding interior compartment. Even the door-sill plates are custom-fabricated and engine-turned. Inside the luggage compartment are found custom fuel-tank mounting hardware, beautifully laid out electrical wiring and a level of fit and finish that is consistent with some of the finest show rods seen anywhere today. No possible detail was overlooked during the V-Rods build, with the cars undercarriage and suspension impeccable and consistent with the rest of the car.
 
Rolling on sprint car-style wheels with knock-off ears mounting big and little BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires, this stunning V-Rod makes a great statement with its un-chopped roofline and raked stance. Finishing touches include custom front and rear bumpers, vintage taillamp lenses and many other custom tweaks. If youre looking for a fun VW-based hot rod that stays true to its roots and features amazing build quality, this amazing 1967 Volkswagen Beetle V-Rod Coupe simply has no equal. Contact us today to experience it for yourself!