Madness - the VW T1 Surf Seeker as a cartoon vehicle!

You have to get it right first! Will VW T1 Surf Seeker as a cartoon vehicle, it should be a bit irritated. What builders Ron Berry got from a VW T1 Bulli (called "Surf Seeker") is a real Cartoon car. The vehicle has been around for a few years (2014) and we want it Surf Seeker now also available on tuningblog with Samba bus paintwork in orange and white. The idea and the conversion come from the Californian Ron Berry (from the US state of Utah) of the - felt a third as big - Put T1 on four huge chrome rims. The goal of the conversion was to make the T1 look like it came out of a comic. And the template was basically also from a comic. Because Berry has drawn cartoons and comics over the years and has already done the "shore break"In the style of a 1939 Woody (Gallery at the end of the post) brought to reality with electrically flipped up fenders and equally large wheels.

Surf Seeker & Shorebreak

Successful details such as the visible wooden paneling, the minimal windows and the cute front with enlarged headlights allow this vehicle to reflect the typical cartoon character. But the Bulli-Bus is even crazier and more detailed. The first drawing is based on a 1965 copy. The design with the side strips between the round headlights, which by the way are made of "two shiny chrome bowls"Exist, come together to form a large" V ", as well as the surrounding roof edge, have been optically preserved. The front windows are inspired by rare Samba special model and completely new is the frame made of square tubes on which Berry has mounted the axles of a VW T1 with independent suspension and front struts. The rear suspension, on the other hand, was borrowed from a VW Type 2 from 1965 and rounds off the chassis.

the wheelbase of the Surf Seeker is extremely short

There was a shortened wheelbase with only 1830 instead of 2400 mm (a modern VW Golf has 2640 mm) who is essentially responsible for the optics. Braking is carried out with disc brakes from a Chevrolet Camaro and the chrome rims (Panther Menzari) in 24 inch diameter have huge 305 low-profile tires fitted. And then there is the completely crazy body with the tiny, sweeping windows that adapt perfectly to the dynamically curved side line. Only at second glance does it become clear that the T1 has no doors at all in the front. The entry is the same as for the BMW Isetta by folding the entire front to the side. The passengers for the second row, on the other hand, enter by means of a square door on the right. And the rear is also unique. It looks like one of the old VW Bulli barndoor models and, apart from the lighting, is almost a copy of the front.

there is even a wheelie bar

Only that here at the "electrical opening“The flap does not get into the cabin, but the engine sees. A completely chrome-plated VW boxer four-cylinder with Holley carburetor and B&M compressor is installed (plus new air intake from Dick Landy, new crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, other camshaft etc.) which produces a remarkable 2,2 hp from a displacement of 210 liters and develops a quite remarkable soundscape using Empi's right / left exhaust system. By the way, Berry links it to a manual 4-speed gearbox. And similar to a real dragster, the VW T1 Surf Seeker even has an electrically extendable one Wheelie bar Installed in a skateboard look at the rear. Due to the performance, the small wheelbase, and the extremely good traction of the 305 slippers (305 / 35-24), this is also necessary to prevent "take off". And a look into the cabin reveals that Berry doesn't just leave it with the successful outer skin.

classy wooden paneling for the safari windows

Inside there is a noble wooden paneling for the safari windows, plus a leather bench at the front, gray carpet, a cool control unit for the most important electrical functions and even a full second row of seats is installed. And if that's not enough, you can also open a cool sliding roof. Not quite as big as the Samba bus, but all in all a lot cooler. It goes without saying that the VW bus, which fans only call “Microbus”, is a highlight at every car show. PS. Car number 3 is already being planned, the basis is a 57 Ford Thunderbird. So you can be excited. If we receive timely information on further details, there is of course an update for this report. You will be informed if you simply use ours Feed subscribe to. Have fun watching the pictures and stay true to us!

(Photo / s: Ron Berry and others)

Of course that had not been the case. Our tuning magazine has tens of thousands more tuning reports in stock. Do you want to see them all? Just click HERE and look around. Or are you particularly interested in the somewhat crazier conversions? Then the following excerpt is definitely the right thing.

VW T1 Surf Seeker as a cartoon vehicle!

1939 Hot Rod Woody Shorebreak (Woodie)

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