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The Lens and the Legend - Owner: Eric Arnold
The journey of Eric Arnold’s 1977 Westfalia began in late 2002 with a modest savings account and a lot of curiosity. At the time, Eric’s Volkswagen knowledge was nearly non-existent, limited only to occasionally borrowing a friend’s Bus. When a listing for a green camper in Kingman, Arizona, popped up on TheSamba, he decided to take a chance. Coincidentally, the trip fell on the same weekend as Buses By the Bridge VII in 2003. After a quick stop at the event to see what was for sale, the family continued to Kingman for a meeting that would change their lives for the next two decades.
Arriving after dark meant the initial tour of the Bus was conducted entirely by flashlight. It is rarely a good idea to buy a vehicle in the dark, but the Bus appeared complete and it actually ran. The original Sage Green paint was heavily oxidized by the Arizona sun, and the interior cabinets were in rough shape, but the bones were there. After a quick tour of the Type IV motor, a deal was struck. Eric filled the tank and began the drive back to Las Vegas with his young daughters in the back seat and his wife following in her Jetta. They made it home without incident, marking the start of a twenty year evolution.
One of the most striking features of this Westy today is the unique interior cabinetry. While the units are original, they possess a much lighter tone than the standard dark laminate most enthusiasts expect. Eric spent an entire year of weekends stripping, sanding, staining, and sealing the wood to achieve this custom look. He even added a hand painted chess board to the dining table, a detail that has become a favorite at car shows. While the rear plaid upholstery is original and remarkably preserved, the front seats were refreshed with matching plaid covers from Sewfine Products to complete the factory aesthetic.
Under the rear decklid, the Bus has seen significant upgrades for the long haul. The fuel injected Type IV engine was built by the team at Doug’s Bugs and Bunnys in Mesa, Arizona, with the displacement increased slightly to 2056cc for better reliability. It is paired with a rebuilt 091 transmission to ensure smooth highway cruising. The exterior also received careful attention, including a restoration of the original propane tank and the addition of dealer option white stripes. The paint itself was brought back to life through hours of meticulous polishing and waxing, proving that original finish often has plenty of stories left to tell.
While the Bus served as a daily driver for thirteen years, it now enjoys a life of special events and prestigious shows. It has earned nearly sixty awards to date, including back to back Best of Show honors at the El Prado Show and Shine in 2023 and 2024. However, for Eric, the trophies are secondary to the experience of camping. He has attended every Buses By the Bridge since that first visit in 2003 and is a regular at the annual Blackstar Campout. For him, nothing beats a night spent in the great outdoors surrounded by his fellow Bus owners.
Ultimately, this 1977 Westfalia represents what Eric calls the perfect blend. It is a vehicle that has never been truly restored, but rather maintained and loved with subtle personal tweaks. Through this Bus, Eric has built a massive VW family that he values above any award. It is a reminder that these machines are intended to be used and shared with the community. As Eric says, his Bus might not be pristine, but it is his, and it continues to fulfill its purpose on the open road and at campouts across the country.
Three Generations of Love in a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle - Owner: Lynda Bonnette
Some cars are simply transportation. Others quietly become part of a family's story, absorbing decades of memories and meaning along the way. For Lynda Bonnette, her 1968 Volkswagen Beetle, affectionately named "Nellybell", is far more than a classic car. She is a rolling tribute to three generations of women who loved her, relied on her, and treated her not as an object, but as a trusted companion. In August of 1968, Jessie, my husband's grandmother, walked into a Volkswagen dealership at the age of 58 and purchased a brand new Beetle equipped with the then innovative Automatic Stick Shift transmission. Advertised as the "Lady Bug," this model was designed to make driving easier and more approachable, particularly for those who preferred not to operate a traditional clutch. Jessie embraced the idea wholeheartedly. She named the car Nellybelle, after Roy Rogers' beloved Jeep, and quickly made the Beetle her own.
Nellybelle became part of Jessie's everyday life, faithfully taking her wherever she needed to go. My husband still fondly remembers riding along as a child on special trips to Krispy Kreme, where the journey was just as important as the doughnut waiting at the end. Jessie continued driving well into her 80s, a testament both to her independence and to the Beetle's reliability. Only when age made it unavoidable did she finally stop driving, leaving behind a car filled with decades of gentle use and care. In the mid 1990s, Nellybelle passed to Jessie's daughter, Geraldine, my mother in law, beginning the Beetle's second chapter. Geraldine was deeply committed to preserving the car's originality, believing that its charm lay in remaining as close as possible to the way her mother had enjoyed it. One of the most significant moments in Nellybelle's life came when Geraldine drove her from Virginia to Florida, with Jessie riding along, as Jessie relocated to live with her daughter.
Florida proved to be an ideal setting for the Beetle's continued service. Nellybelle became a familiar sight around town, commuting to work, running errands, and heading to the beach. She was never tucked away or treated as fragile. In 2003, Geraldine treated her to a fresh coat of paint, carefully refreshing her appearance while preserving her original character. The Beetle remained a dependable and joyful part of daily life.By 2018, at the age of 88, Geraldine made the difficult decision to stop driving due to failing eyesight. Not long after, both Geraldine and Nellybelle relocated to Washington, DC, to live with my husband and me. With that move, the responsibility of caretaking passed to us, along with the honor of continuing the car's story.
Mechanical attention was given where needed, including work to the undercarriage, servicing of the AutoStick transmission, and replacement of rusted bumpers. Inside, Nellybelle remains remarkably original. The seats, headliner, and door panels are still the same pieces enjoyed by Jessie and Geraldine decades earlier. The carpet was replaced only after floor pan repairs, and the dash and sun visors were updated due to sun damage from years spent in Florida. Every change has been made thoughtfully, and only when necessary. The AutoStick transmission itself has been rebuilt a couple of times over the years, a reminder of both its unique design and its long service life. The mechanism, housed inside the left rear wheel well, continues to spark curiosity among fellow enthusiasts who stop to admire the car at shows.
Today, Nellybelle is far from a static display. She is regularly driven and enjoyed, just as she always has been. She attends cruises, events, and shows hosted by the Rare Air Emerald Coast Volkswagen Club and Pensacola VW Happenings, experiences that have greatly enriched our Volkswagen journey. The support and shared knowledge of club members have been invaluable, and it is never unusual to spot another vintage vehicle while out on the road. Perhaps most meaningful of all is that Nellybelle still carries her original owner's manual, toolkit, jack, and even a book of Volkswagen cartoons that came from the dealership so many years ago.
She wears a few small dings and scrapes, honest reminders of a life well lived. Those marks make me smile, knowing that the women before me loved this car enough to drive her everywhere. Nellybelle was never just owned. She was trusted, enjoyed, and cherished. Our hope is simple, to honor Jessie and Geraldine by continuing to do exactly what they did best, keeping Nellybelle on the road and letting her story continue to unfold, one wonderful mile at a time.
