The Amazing 1954 Beetle: 70 Years Young and Still Cruising!

[@classicvwbugs]

The 1954 VW Beetle has always had a warm touch in my life. It is 70 years young and still cruising around. I have been very fortunate to have owned a few '54s in my VW Restoration career, and they still seem to amaze me. In this video I break down some of the changes VW made to the '54. This was a time that VW was hitting their stride and the Beetle was starting to really get noticed.

[@speedfreaktv]

Great video Chris! My strato silver 54 is going on the lift this fall! Hope to have her on the road in spring! :)

[@classicvwbugs]

@@speedfreaktv nice

[@treemount9010]

How excited was I to watch your video on 54 beetles only to see my actual car appear at 4.44mins 🎉

[@classicvwbugs]

Hell yeah man

[@jr.classics6190]

Another Great Video. Love your Bug. Nice Color Combo. Hopefully i can get to see it in Person sometime. I did Own a 56 Ragtop. There's always regrets but I wouldn't mind owning a 54 myself. What a Beauty.. 😊

[@classicvwbugs]

@@jr.classics6190 thank you 👍

[@youtoobe169]

I recently bought a '60 ragtop after owning several Beetles while I was in HS/college. It's been an interesting blast from the past!

[@garywaterman8026]

Chris thanks for putting this interesting video together. Lots of information that I didn’t know.

[@classicvwbugs]

U bet!

[@manelk8]

We 70 year old vintage subscribers have enjoyed driving the ‘58, ‘60, “62, ‘68 &’74 beetles plus a ‘75 Westie. Great video

[@grahamrichards481]

American beetles were so luxurious compared to what we got in Australia. Metallic paint, velour interiors, indicators before 1960. Wow.

[@ericeldon3497]

Chris, are you gona go to the bug fest in nov at Dade city?

[@classicvwbugs]

Not sure, may have to be in NY that weekend to work on a project.

[@riverbluevert7814]

First I'll say thanks for not talking about the 1967 Beetle. That year has been talked to death on KZbin IMO. Second, Heinz Nordhoff was a GM/Opel man before the war. A rising star in a big corporation, many at GM expected Nordhoff to eventually run all their operations in Europe. During the 1930's, Opel had a car submitted to be chosen as the German People's Car - competing against the Ferdinand Porsche design. And during this pre-war period, Nordhoff had a strong negative view of the Porsche "Beetle". Going forward now to the post war period, Heinz Nordhoff reluctantly accepted the job to work with the British Army at the People Car Works in Wolfsburg. Nordhoff took the job mostly because he was banned by the US government from returning to Opel - with it's facility located in the US Zone. Nordhoff famously said about the post-war Beetle "It has more bugs than a dog has flees". (In this context, bugs are defects) Nordhoff initiated an exhaustive multi-year review and redesign of the entire car to eliminate design defects. By the years 1953-1954, the first phase of defect removal was complete. These Beetles are significantly improved compared to before. And some car historians refer to them as "The Nordhoff Beetles".

[@clbailey9586]

I still want one.

[@NewBeatleJohn]

Very interesting to learn semaphores came 🇺🇲 54 to end. In 🇩🇪 my 60 Stan was the last one.

[@Chirtopher-x4e]

The people's car. They should never have stopped producing them.

[@AltWerk]

Great story. Just to check that Oval window was introduced in march 53, oil bath air cleaner somewhere around oct/52 in the Zwitter era.

[@jacquelinechellis4036]

The oval is special.my brother had a 57 oval. I didnt know there were splits before ovals i wanted an oval and then swithced to a split. I have a 63 converted split. Afordable!!! splits are pricey and ovals are.not cheap.either. plus i can go wild.without the worries of messing up a classic split or oval. Love the freedom. Do what ya want to do!!!!

[@matiasanm]

Chris can I run a dual master brake pump with standard drums on the front or will the lack of a residual valve for the front brakes make it brake inconsistently? 1960 bug in argentina, I want the safety of the dual master without converting to discs

[@classicvwbugs]

you totally can, no issue

[@matiasanm]

@@classicvwbugs good stuff thanks

[@jaiewhitham6010]

This is my catch 22, I've got a 54 built but complianced early 55 oval. Handed down to me from my dad. I'm about to start the build next year. I'm not sure if I want to restore to original because of the history or build it to my style, air ride, dished wheels ect