1966 VW Beetle - Jay Leno's Garage

[@RomVlad]

These lower budget, home-built car videos are the best!

[@jospi2]

Just like the guy that put a 1000cc motorcyle engine into that small convertible.

[@audiotechlabs4650]

You are sooo right. My brother restores Bugs, in his garage. Great hobby. He goes to meets and has a blast! Thankz

[@Jason_Phillips3679]

I agree

[@ChapuleTaylor]

Could your brother restore my computer? It's fulla bugs.

[@bobsmoth7837]

Been out for less than a day and already 85,000 views. Love Jay's garage!! Terrible aerodynamics, I heard that they lift off at 130. You'll never make 150.

[@mindmedic9435]

Thanks, Jay, for presenting a shade tree mechanic with respect. This guy was down-to-earth and modest about having built a giant slayer. You tried pretty hard to get him to brag but he didn't bite. You can tell he respects his competition. Cool guy. Cool car.

[@deerespetes8849]

A family Guy building a fun car on a budget. Enjoyed this video

[@සංචිකගුරුතුමා]

I immediately began loving him. I'm not a gay but if I were I'd try make him mine of course. He's super cool and and a guy who makes simplest things gorgeous. Love you buddy.

[@chrisscrivens2449]

Cool comment. I agree, this guy was very down to earth. More like this please.

[@guyfecta83]

This is a prime example as to why I love Jay Leno. It can be extremely difficult to present something like this when the person you're interviewing isn't delivering (for whatever reason). Jay is a MASTER at keeping away awkward silence and forcing the conversation to continue flowing.

[@buddypines]

There could also be 2 hours of B reel with just awkward smiles, half sentences, and chuckles

[@guyfecta83]

+Ballibusteros lmao true

[@steelyspielbergo]

it's as if he was the host the #1 late night show in the US for about 20 years

[@jbuckley2546]

I didn't think the bug owner was too awkward or nervous. Much less than i would prob be. But you're right, Leno's a pro. I sometimes think he gets a bit exasperated with these big, slick corporate geezers he has on. But he started out messing with his own cars and i think he really liked this family man (dude, in my book) as do i.

[@sclogse1]

I thought Jay wasn't too excited over the Airstream Trailer. Pretty sterile inside that thing.

[@blakeerdmann]

I love how Jay has millions and millions of dollars and can still appreciate a normal diy home built car! 👍👍👍👍👍

[@peanutposse11]

Agreed.

[@7884golfguru]

Love Jay

[@fishhuntadventure]

You say that like home built is a lesser thing. Which ain’t necessarily so.

[@blakeerdmann]

@@fishhuntadventure I'm referring to it as if he never took his car to a million-dollar shop to have any fabrication or work done. I know some people have extensive workshops and their home garage.

[@Lorneland62]

It’s because he’s a real car guy. Anybody whose criteria for a build being “worthy” is money spent is missing what the love of these machines is all about. Imho, if anything the diy build is more impressive then the money is no object one.

[@iamrichrocker]

this Bug owner was a cool, collected, confident guy..not intimidated at all..and no false modesty...just the type of guy i would like to meet at a car rally..good luck to this hard working family man! great episode..

[@hackneo64]

I love how naturally destressed the car looks. not showroom finish but not beater looking either. just perfect.

[@harris8390]

I like his color choice for sure.

[@TheGuerillapatriot]

Try paint from Home Depot, it was rolled on Rustoleaum if I remember right. I see Mario and his brother Marco in the San Fernando Valley all the time.

[@TurboWarioTV]

+TheGuerillapatriot spray cans lots of prep work

[@TheGuerillapatriot]

Turbo Wario Right!

[@ipissed]

I doubt he would want a 2 year paint job after all that work. More likely a modern urethane with a little flattener.

[@Warren_L.]

This might be my favorite Jay's Garage of all -- what an impressive accomplishment for an (advanced) amateur in his garage at night. And he let's his wife drive it! I have a lot of respect for Mario.

[@elyodniwri9915]

Jay I love your show, but when you take the time to showcase guys like Mario it makes me like you even more!!! Thanks for staying accessible to all the regular guys!

[@fishhuntadventure]

Accessible is great, yes. Real is even better. This was a great episode

[@johnstewart6920]

He’s an x-ray tech-Jay’s joke “You must know this car inside and out” didn’t get a blink😉

[@dustintravis8791]

hahaha I know right? I thought that was funny in and of itself, that he didn't even laugh at that joke. Interesting fella!

[@pmrize]

Mario is to cool for words... Great bug, and such a humble laid back guy....

[@LEBMCM]

I really like the slightly lower budget stuff you've been doing recently Jay

[@cartmanrlsusall]

yup he is doing more real-life stuff,not those hand-built super muscle, or super picky restoration cars

[@linglingjr]

+cartmanrlsusall These kind of things are always more fun than "professionally built" restorations with crate motors that cost more than this entire car.

[@matgee8892]

I will second that. Home built stuff as this guy puts it "after the kids have gone to bed" always have so much character. I really enjoy seeing peoples garage builds.

[@therealboofighter]

This is good, I like a mix of the high end and the low buck stuff.

[@ncmartinez_his]

I have to agree, but the comment Jay made about young guys not being into cars is a sign of being out of touch with the modding community. He should check Mighty Car Mods.

[@toobalicious]

The past couple episodes of JLG have been absolutely fantastic. Love the "Maker" cars - guys who have literally done it themselves. Thanks Jay!

[@kenj7153]

giving credit to the little guy!...Great car! and an owner thinking outside the box! Love the fact that the owner is still willing to enjoy his hobby while still raising and providing for a family. God bless his wife for allowing it as well. I have met so many guys that after marrage their life is tottaly centered on the family and secondly his wife will not allow the extra activity that may have attracted her to him in the first place!

[@geothon]

The owner is really cool. Shows the difference between someone who really knows his car because he built it and someone who just paid to have it done. Respect!

[@monsteryes]

Sweet ride and a humble guy who got it done! Seems like a pretty down to earth guy who just likes to have fun, we need more of that in the world

[@wadechubb6365]

Jay is the coolest car guy ever he appreciates all types of builds not just cars only rich people can afford.

[@davidevans1128]

BRAVO! In a city overflowing with attitude & inflated egos...this AWESOME lil 66' scores for "the working guy"! Just great nothing better than a sleeper that people "judge you" for driving. I once had a Mazda pickup w a 383 stroker conversion & Jay actually pulled up alongside me smiled ! and said. Oh thats no Japanese motor is it? I asked him if he was driving a Dusenburg..he looked pleasantly surprized that a 30 year old knew what car he was driving..just good ol fashioned mutal respect , way to go guys! Cars can save America!

[@HunterNugent1]

Absolutely love this matchup of a garage build dude that doesn't route his wiring pristine vs. Jay...Love this.

[@travelwithsmiley]

So glad you are back on television. Yours was the last late night ☺️ show that we watched. You and Johnny Carson were the best.

[@jstevenj1]

Another winner Jay, Mario has enraptured the hearts of thousands of beetle mechanics from the 60's and 70's, that thing is too cute when it scoots...

[@murwaz]

This thing makes me think of a story I was told as a kid in the late 90's about a guy here in Sweden that had a VW bug that looked harmless and blew the doors and pegs off both cars and bikes, I've tried to digg up info on that thing but not found anything, seem the guy and the car came and went and most likely never showed up in magazines or anything... I think this was around Stockholm. Love these bugs, these and any 911 really speaks to me and always has! :) Awesome build!

[@davidgoldberg]

Great job Mario and thanks Jay for bringing in regular guys to show their cars!

[@davidmcclelland8090]

Jay was more foot happy here than I've ever seen. He was having a lot of fun.

[@kemperspace]

My favorite JLG video yet! Mario is so humble and likeable! Love the Jay-in-the-real-world feel of this episode.

[@alchemistoxford]

Very impressive engineering - reminds me of the motorcycle-engined Honda S600. These guys do know a thing or two, and they build terrific, fast fun-cars. Respect.

[@ifnotnowwhen6914]

Agreed. Superfastmatt (the guy with the S600 Honda has a KZbin channel that I looked up after seeing him with Jay. Glad I did. He's a refreshing combination of budget, money in the right places, and thinking outside the box to build something HE enjoys, not just unlimited budget built for the most views.

[@Kevin19700]

Fantastic ! As an owner of a totally stock 66 bug, this really is enjoyable to watch!

[@MAKEitMIKUS]

"I should top out at 150 mph if I don't take flight..." hahah that had me rolling

[@DJzSith]

*15:31** Jay's display of maturity and self restraint is exemplary.*

[@ClusterHeadSurvivor]

Budget builds are the best. No such word as can't. Passion far outweighs any obstacle

[@ralphburns6659]

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@mksampa07]

V.W.beetle japanese! (Cinematographic) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIa8foqre7qthKM

[@beefsoda1]

I love when jay pays homage to the beetle 🪲 😌 😍

[@SP-ut5wc]

Mr Leno, I really enjoy these average Joe's projet videos lately. They have a very unique heart-warming touch (especially the one with the Ford T). Thank You. And congratulations to the owner mr Markakis.

[@tonyboughman8050]

The Model T hot rod is my favorite episode of all.

[@TimothyHigdonHiggs]

A huge smile!!! This was so fun! Leno builds one!!!! I'll come out work with you!

[@joeburgstahler6809]

Jay, these are my favorite episodes, regular guys, budget builds! I'm an old air cooled junkie but this thing is really cool!!!!!

[@safepethaven]

Love your channel, Jay! This brings back fond memories of my very first car, ever, rec'd in 1968. It was a 1961 VW Beetle with 35 hp, air-cooled engine. It had been totaled somewhere in Iowa, but my uncle - who owned an auto body shop in Mason City - fixed it up and my parents bought it for a song from him as my around-town/to-from school/work car in rural Illinois. Spring/summer/fall seasons were fine, but winters were brutal because there was no heater; there was supposed to be heat pulled in from the motor into the floorboard area, but that never worked, so I got frostbite the winter of 1969 while living on campus. The 35 hp was fine for the flat terrain and fairly cool temps of the midwest; however, traveling through the hills of Missouri to get to Texas was treacherous trying to get UP those rolling hills! After transferring to a S.Texas university, the hot humid temps did not work for the air-cooled-only engine, poor little thing. So, we replaced it in 1970 with a 1968 VW Beetle with a bit more hp, and a radiator/water-cooled engine. I've never driven anything but a manual transmission since getting my first driver's licence in 1967! ;-))

[@gollypo448]

That's cool, all about the mechanical, less about the cosmetic. The antithesis of a trailer queen! Perfect stance for a beetle too, not too low, but lower.

[@gordoncampbell100]

Jay is so simply in tune with this charming guy , burning the midnight oil in his garage to produce a great little car .

[@VerboseSlayer]

This is like what hotwheels would design back in the 70's and 80's.

[@Beer_Dad1975]

The vast majority (something like 80%) of Jews in Germany when Hitler came to power were born in Germany, the rest were mostly Polish - a combined total of around half a million - by the start of the war there were less than 200,000, the rest having emigrated to avoid persecution - most of the remaining population, German and Polish alike were then killed in ghettos & concentration camps. Some "special" Jews (generally those with contacts or special skills) were allowed a higher standard of living, but in the end most of them were murdered too. If you were married to a non-jew, or could show you had mixed ancestry, you may have been spared. It is estimated that only 20,000-40,000 Jewish Nationals who remained in Germany after 1943 survived. Hitler most definitely did not discriminate between German National Jews and immigrant Jews, he hated them both equally. I guess your neighbor either got lucky or had more to his story.

[@hayksamvelyan]

+Walter K Bauer what the f***?! How do you come up with something like that for a video of a VW Beetle?

[@Djuztin]

I will at some point be a VW Beetle owner. Currently 16 and I want to own one before I turn 20! I absolutely love these cars, I will enjoy it once I get it! 🙃

[@bluepvp900]

Jay: 'X-Ray technician huh, you must know this car inside and out!' Big thumbs up for that, and all the other reasons that others listed below.

[@DanTheManIOM]

Mario did a great job here. I love how it all fits so well, the wheels fill the wheel wells and the car is lowered and does not look broken (no extreme tilting in of the rear wheels). Nice.

[@seinsmeld13]

Excellent job Mario. All the best to you and your family with #3. Keep up the great work!

[@reliantncc1864]

This exemplifies what I really appreciate about Jay. He's gotten behind the wheel of literally one-of-a-kind, multi-million dollar cars, yet can still sit in a little home-built bug, made by a random dude who likes cars, and will really feel the fun and excitement of what he's doing. If there's ever been a celebrity who didn't let fame and fortune go to his head, it's Jay Leno. Much respect.

[@lowellmccormick6991]

I like how the paint and finish is rough enough to be a good disguise. This is a great sleeper car.

[@billmcgraw5922]

Had an old 6v bug that was converted to 12v, it had a 1600cc engine... was great fun. I was always killing the battery though.... to young and inexperienced to figure it out. Oh to have it back today.... Thanks for inviting him Jay, looks like a nice guy who has fun with his hobby and hard work.

[@valhala56]

Jay liked this guy, apparently dealing with rich famous people all the time can get old and interacting with a regular guy can be refreshing for somebody like Jay.

[@valhala56]

A regular guy with a lot of money and a shitload of cars. But most people like Jay cause at heart he is a regular guy.

[@JK360noscope]

Everyone's a person. Jay's no different, he just has more resources!

[@adamkatt]

Jay is one righteous dude!

[@g.b.gareful5569]

That is just awesome, thank you for inviting Mario Markakis to show us this cool VW.

[@CP-yw7oy]

I didn't see Jay this excitet for a long time.

[@jkfreeman597]

As a 64 VW Bug owner, I'm very happy to see this car on Jay Leno"s Garage. Keep up the great car Mario.

[@jehugarcia]

Awesome conversion

[@markardron5513]

Hey Jay, I can't believe you haven't had a classic mini on your show!!! Your show is the best car show hands down. A real car show, for real car people, by a real car person. Thank you from the UK!!!

[@brickman409]

I like how Jay side-tracked for a bit and started talking about In-n-out lol

[@DavidLane79]

My grandfather had one of these and he crashed it...love this car.... he was a WW2 veteran...makes you wonder why he loved it so much...

[@joshbriggsDayZBeast]

YEEEESSSSSSSSSSS IVE BEEEN WAITING FOR A BEETLE EPISODE!!!!!!!

[@JeraCravoMyself]

Yeah! More beetles!

[@tristanmeadows]

Yea iam doing a subaru engine into a 66 beetle atm love this episode :D

[@rodrigoschmitz1]

This is not one beetle! this is trans! The real beetle have one aircooled! :D

[@studid55]

Again we meet! How is the beetle?

[@pablocespedes9585]

Please no more Beetles, they are ugly and slow, was it was a smart design during the 1940s, yes it was, but thats it! For the first time in Jay Leno video, I can truly say that I dont even bother to watch more than one third of the video. The hot roded model T video a few weeks ago, that was a good one!

[@edalder2000]

My father had a '68 bog standard Bug 30 years ago when I was a kid. This makes me smile.

[@servicarrider]

I love jay Leno's garage. Thanks Jay!

[@williamnordeste9653]

Jay I have 2 big boxes of NOS antique radio control knobs . Would you be interested? Uncle Will

[@erickbechphotography6288]

I’ve met Mario before and he’s just a nice modest down to earth guy. The car is well put together and I like that racing stripe too. Great build and great guy.

[@buckaroobonsi555]

Love it!! I especially like that he did not just drop an LS engine in it. I was guessing it had a Porsche 911 Turbo engine it it. What a surprise.

[@UhuruFrontier]

Those cars will always attract attention. The Ghia is another VW dream.

[@cldan9152]

Damn good ingenuity!!! 282 tq in a 1700 lbs chassis....equals awesome acceleration!

[@rizzlerazzleuno4733]

Fun! Thanks Jay and Mario. Always fun to see a Beetle with some horsepower and torque. Nice to see three-point seat belts.

[@cerealkilla8930]

It's obvious that Jay loves this car. I totally agree. Very well done. :)

[@ChipLeach]

I love that Jay is still giving us new videos on this channel. Thanks, Jay!

[@liquorsystemsofutah484]

Love the home build low budget cars! Do more of these Jay.

[@PagnDad2]

American ingenuity at its best, combining German and Japanese engineering to produce this very special car. I love these home built, lower budget cars. They show that the old fashioned, backyard car builder is far from gone. Thanks Jay !

[@gasserhashem7703]

I still have my 74' and i love it❤️

[@TheYelwing]

I like these episodes best where Jay is with the common man. The tinkering is fun and Jay seems even more cheery. Makes me want to finish my 1943 halftrack.....never will

[@timmythebeaseman]

The owner seems like a cool guy.

[@halegammill3476]

Jay, you are the best. You treat all your guest as "kindred spirits" as it should be. I love your program.

[@wyattrowe8396]

17:15 Did Jay stall it?

[@eoin730]

Im ethan bradberry

[@sonnygunz9207]

Yup!!

[@ChapuleTaylor]

Deez Nutz

[@ddavid122]

Oh yeah he stalled.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

HEY "PlSSALLOVERMYBLAH BLAH".......l'M NOT EVEN GONNA REPEAT YOUR CHANNEL NAME HERE..............DUDE.......YOU ARE ONE WElRD, SlCK, PERVERTED....AND TWlSTED lNDlVlDUAL. SOUNDS TO MY LlKE NO GERBlL lS SAFE WlTH YOU AROUND. MY GOD MAN.......SEEK SOME HELP.......SERlOUSLY.

[@DJMotoVlogs]

Man, this thing is cool. Im always impressed with these guys who build a car at home.

[@user-nt9sk4xj6p]

one of the best sleepers I've ever seen...

[@TheJohnnyLucasFilmHouse]

That guy was real dry! Geez like he had somwhere else to be.

[@willywillywillywillywilly]

Oh come on, he was fine. Probably camera shy and star struck like 90% would be.

[@msg9434]

he was probably trying to play it cool

[@cheesewagon85]

didn't even take his sunglasses off.

[@stevekovach2347]

he was cool

[@TheGuerillapatriot]

That's Marios normal demeanor. Even his brother is dry, cool guys. I know both.

[@GenralMayhem]

Dude!Sooo impressed!Homebuilt and very presentable.Not a show car but a clean daily driver.Nothing hanging out and intact rear seating? "Good job Mario !"

[@bb38313]

I learned to drive in a 1961 VW bug. Dad had 3 wish I had one now

[@p00pie]

buy one they are cheap

[@Spawn-td8bf]

Mine was a '62. 6 volt system made for interesting night driving. God Bless.

[@TODDFINK1]

Sounds great! Great job Mario and great job Jay for noticing the extra cool ones.

[@areuaware6842]

Believe me, it wasn't a man that made up that "Happy wife, happy life" marketing campaign. Nice job on the car!

[@BEEBEE159]

The man's version goes: No wife, happy life.

[@flat6fever680]

I think the X-Ray joke went right over his head Jay. Good one though. Sweet ride and great guy!

[@macberry4048]

sleeper with crazy engine swap this needs to be on smoking tire

[@mattwasilewicz9677]

I thought the same thing!

[@seanc5481]

Its a fast car no doubt, but a canyon carver it is not.

[@Cservoss25]

This most certainly should be a One Take.

[@Addison0526]

+sean c why not?

[@Cservoss25]

How can we get Matt to see this?

[@MGSBigBoss77]

Love Jay Leno's love of cars, but especially his love of the VW Beetle. He's quoted as saying; "Its better to make a slow car go even faster than make a faster car go even fast yet still!" Smart man.

[@jaywest4102]

Drinking game: Take a shot every time Jays wheels cross the lane marker lines.

[@jeffparris8387]

Drinking game, take a shot every time Jay pops the waste gate.

[@ZepG]

Ha my liver would give out.

[@Guaspicharo]

Don't get me wrong I love when Jay has the expensive stuff come into the shop but I love ones like these a thousand times over. You can tell Jay really enjoyed this car.

[@poolboyinla]

The color is nice.

[@mojojoedwards]

I like this guy. Low profile on the outside, but car packs a punch. That's exactly how i want my future cars to be.

[@KettleRiseRanch]

Jay, you should have a prize for the home gammers. This guy needs a transmission! What an amazing job he did. Maybe something fans can help with?

[@trevormorgan8996]

Brian Hiatt I

[@trevormorgan8996]

,

[@studiolezard]

Jay, you should hire this guy. Unmistakable passion.

[@AHAUGHT]

LOL, Jay: What do you do? Mario: I'm an xray technician. Jay: So you must know this car inside and out!

[@annavariumful]

I don't think I've seen Jay chuckle so much, in any other video! A great project, and I love how Jay just loves cars or all shapes, sizes.

[@reelreeler8778]

Cool car! I had a '66 VW during my high school years. One thing I could never figure out was why the cars interior always smelled like reefer. ;)

[@LarsonFamilyFarm-LLC]

mine too...it's the natural strawing fibers from india or china that make up the seat cushions. that was my first car in HS too 1981...a 66 vw 1300.

[@Vwrescue]

My dad had a 66' in high school and sold it :(. But now we have 3 beetles

[@billyp.7889]

It is the combination of the "horse hair" seat cushions, headliner insulation and battery acid smell, coming from under the back seat. :)

[@MillionthUsername]

Don't forget the smell of the vinyl too, especially after it bakes in the sun for a while.

[@billyp.7889]

+MillionthUsername I think the acrid smell of battery acid and Unburnt fuel in the exhaust and the burning oil fumes, added to make up the air cooled be era car smells.

[@adansanchez3790]

Not any bug would make it to Jay's show. What an amazing build!

[@TheLastHonk]

I like how he couldn't be bothered to take a damp rag and wipe off the engine bay before coming on the show.

[@HackoDis]

Who cares, i like to see a dirty engine, that way you know it's a daily driver :P

[@markcastleton9956]

You are totally right awesome ,my dad had one of these dual Carburetors

[@mikewysko2268]

A lot of car for the money. Good looks, attention to detail, perfect balance of performance and practicality. Well done Sir!

[@symonf1966]

I'd like to see Jay do a beetle. Can you imagine how fast Jays wallet and workshop could make one go?

[@markm0000]

He would put a bugatti w12 in a beetle lol.

[@markcastleton9956]

I think jay will buy him a better gearbox

[@GlobalTV123]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@clintonflynn815]

I don't want to see Jay "doing" anything... just stick to the cars.

[@TylerLinner]

First, he'd have to ask Bugatti to build a W12, I think. Perhaps a W16 would be a better starting point. ;)

[@douglasmannor6510]

I love beetles and I love RX7s. This is the perfect marriage of the two I didn't even know I wanted. Congrats Mario on the sweet beetle you built. Thanks Jay for bringing us quality programming on KZbin. I would really love to do a build like Mario's but have it look exactly like Herbie the Love Bug.

[@DDM7406]

This one is way awesome

[@LRS905]

The classic Beetle silhouette is simply beautiful.

[@MozzarellaBasket]

6.5 redline? It's a rotary, stomp it to 8 or 9 :p

[@ElectrifiedJourneys]

My first car was a 64 Volkswagen Beetle and it will always be my favourite. Great job on your car Mario, it's beautiful! :)

[@knightmedia1]

Thought he was paying Homage to Herbie with those stripes LOL

[@HackoDis]

I love this beetle, such a great little sleeper. I recently Purchased a 1989 Thunderbird supercoupe. It's rough, but i'm gonna keep it that way. It's gonna be my sleeper.

[@hondatrix]

Jay, waste gates don't go pssssstttt...that's the blow off valve..

[@voithRetarded]

hondatrix wastegate goes like psssssssss after turbo has reached the desired boost on acceleration