Date:         Sat, 17 Nov 2007 12:20:00 +0000
Reply-To:     Vdub Guy <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Vdub Guy <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Earl Scheib paint job

All this talk about Earl Scheib has brought back memories of my grandmother's '66 Beetle, the first of many VW's purchased by my family. Bought for her by my grandfather new in 1966, it was beige. After a couple of years, I guess he decided it was too boring, and took it to Earl and had it painted black, without telling my grandmother-she was furious. Couple of months later, she took it back to Earl and had it painted orange. Then he took it back months later and had it painted blue. Over a period of 4-5 years, I don't know how many times that poor little car got painted! Also, they lived in Baltimore city, and my grandmother parked by sound. The bumpers and all 4 fenders were always dented-to check the oil the rear bumper always had to be pulled out. Guys would always approach her on the street and ask if they could fix the dents, usually for $25-30.00. Of course all they did was pound them out a little and then load them with gobs of Bondo. By 1976 that poor little Beetle had onl
y 19K miles on it, had never been out of Baltimore city,  and had probably never been over 35-40 mph. It was lucky if it had had more than 2 oil changes. My grandmother wanted to get rid of it by then, and I wanted it, but she gave it to my older brother, who immediately set off for Florida down I-95, driving it 65 mph. He made it about halfway when the engine threw a rod <sigh>.         Jeff