A truly unique and inimitable 1968 Volkswagen Beetle crashed the party at a classic car owners’ gathering in Atlanta not long ago, leaving us wondering why there aren’t more cars like it around.
Per the owner, the elderly Beetle stood in the middle of an open field, abandoned and not even nearly drivable. Rust had eaten through its body and only select drivetrain parts were in order. Anyone would send it to the junkyard at once, or at least tried to scavenge it for parts, but Mr. McNeil decided to have it completely restored at home.
Thus was the Project Hammerhead born. The body was largely restored, but the fenders decayed away and had to be replaced with an extensive custom body kit surrounding exposed wheels. While he was at it, McNeil and his son made sure the suspension, the brakes and the wheels were replaced with properly functioning modern counterparts.
In addition to a completely unique exterior, the Beetle received a mild cabin makeover with bucket seats, a roll cage and a Volvo dashboard. The engine – a turbocharged five-pot – was also sourced from Volvo. We don’t have the numbers, but you may watch the 10-second-long video here and see for yourself just what a little beast it is.