Prior to its restoration, Robert Latham’s ’67 Beetle was
a complete wreck, originally finished in Java Green.
The restoration work was completed by Robert and
his father, Ken, and included new floorpans, heater
channels, rear quarters and repairs to the rear
valance, as new old stock ’67 ones are like hen’s teeth. The bonnet had been jumped on, so that too needed repairing, and a set of Day Mouldings glass fibre wings were introduced into the mix as well. Rather than stick with the original Java Green, Robert chose to have the car painted in Gulf Blue as he preferred it, and fitted US-specification towel rail bumpers and polished repro BRMs to add a bit of ‘bling’.
valance, as new old stock ’67 ones are like hen’s teeth. The bonnet had been jumped on, so that too needed repairing, and a set of Day Mouldings glass fibre wings were introduced into the mix as well. Rather than stick with the original Java Green, Robert chose to have the car painted in Gulf Blue as he preferred it, and fitted US-specification towel rail bumpers and polished repro BRMs to add a bit of ‘bling’.
The interior has also
undergone a major
makeover and has been
fitted with highback
seat backs from a 1973 American-spec Beetle, which have been welded to the bottom half of the original 1967 lowback seats. These have been treated to TMI cream and blue seat covers, which
seat backs from a 1973 American-spec Beetle, which have been welded to the bottom half of the original 1967 lowback seats. These have been treated to TMI cream and blue seat covers, which
perfectly complement the exterior paintwork. There’s also new
matching door cards and a TMI carpet set. For ICE, there’s an
Alpine head unit, which has been neatly concealed out of sight
in the glove box.
Though the car started life as a 1300, the engine is now an H-series 1500, fitted with twin EMPI 34EPC carbs, and is coupled to a stock 1500 gearbox.
What you can’t see from the pictures here is that the wheels on one side currently have painted inserts in the spokes, while the other side have been left in their as-bought finish, Robert is still contemplating which finish he prefers.
Though the car started life as a 1300, the engine is now an H-series 1500, fitted with twin EMPI 34EPC carbs, and is coupled to a stock 1500 gearbox.
What you can’t see from the pictures here is that the wheels on one side currently have painted inserts in the spokes, while the other side have been left in their as-bought finish, Robert is still contemplating which finish he prefers.
The transformation from wreck to highly
personalised Beetle took around three years,
and the result is a real head turner that
attracts attention wherever Robert goes in it.
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