Hot Herbie: ’64 Volkswagen Beetle

The Bonneville Salt Flats has been the Mecca for speed record holders since 1914. The Flats offer a few courses to record seekers that range in length from 3 to 7 miles. The salt is slippery so speed is attained gradually. This is not a drag strip by any means. There are hundreds of classes for record holders so it shouldn’t surprise you there are a few for VW powered racers. The “Speedfather”, Dick Beith, still holds two, 36 hp class records after a half century has passed and Tom Bruch’s  126.236 mile per hour run at the 2011 World of Speed remains the fastest a Bug powered by a 36hp based engine has ever traveled. And then there are the more modified variants but still using VW power and that is what we found today on eBay. Up for auction is the current fastest Beetle on the planet for the 2012 LSR Season. The VW ran consecutive passes at the World of Speed with a top speed of 146.8mph on the 2 1/2 mile course. It is no show car but a purpose built streamliner if you could call any Beetle a streamliner. Actually the pan has been shaped to be as slippery as possible. The motor is a fresh 2332cc, 255 hp engine with 48 IDA Webers. It is currently licensed and street legal in the state of Arizona. You can remove the graphics if you want to go for a fast cup of coffee at the Dunkin. Read more by clicking here.