| Parts and Technical expertise makes Max a | | | | Bob, a VW enthusiast to the bone gives us the |
| commercial star in record time. | | | | inside scoop: |
| | | | |
| Seems VW's is now aware of what air-cooled VW | | | | Bob begins, "My part in the Max project |
| enthusiasts have known for years….That | | | | started in the middle of December 2007, when |
| the vintage air-cooled VW Beetle is an icon. | | | | I received a call from Brian Schultz of CP&B. |
| | | | We had worked together on a previous project, |
| In Volkswagen's newest series of TV | | | | and he knew that I was his man for an |
| commercials, Max, a black 1964 VW Beetle (AKA | | | | upcoming project to restore a number of |
| Bug), is given a German accent and hosts a | | | | Beetles for the new "08" ad campaign. |
| little talk show complete with celebrity | | | | |
| interviews, a band, and once in a while, a | | | | Brian put me in touch with Dave Sherman from |
| new VW model. | | | | AMCI Inc. Dave in turn hired me to locate and |
| | | | purchase the Beetles as well as all the parts |
| In a June 2008 Hot VWs article by Lynn | | | | that would be needed." Bob adds, " I was also |
| Anderson; Scott Linnen, Vice President of | | | | in charge of authenticity, and the mechanical |
| VW's Ad company CP+B Stated, "Something we | | | | restoration portion of this HUGE project |
| thought a lot about as we worked on this was | | | | |
| how to expand the brand to lead toward volume | | | | Next, we had to find a shop to do the paint |
| success…. To once and for all balance | | | | and body portion. Many shops were screened |
| our past with our future and create a new | | | | for quality work, but also had to be Vintage |
| true VW brand in America,… a brand that | | | | VW fluent, not to mention the tight timeline. |
| has a great history and heritage". | | | | A local VW enthusiast, and shop owner, John |
| | | | Bickell of State of Mind Customs stepped |
| From an enthusiast's point of view, that's | | | | forward, and turned out to be the perfect man |
| like discovery the sky is blue and puppy's | | | | for the job. John, his apprentice Drew, and |
| are cute. | | | | I, all took absences from our day jobs for 3 |
| | | | months and took on a restoration project that |
| So VW's ad company is going for what | | | | we'll never forget. |
| enthusiasts see as the obvious, but CP+B | | | | |
| followed up in a smart way. From the Detroit | | | | We all moved in for the duration, including |
| News story by Maureen McDonald on April 18th, | | | | my 3000 LB toolbox. The first 2 cars were |
| 2008, Brian Shultz, another member of the ad | | | | done in 14 days, the third in 7 more days, |
| company team explained, "There were a large | | | | and the other 2 were at a more relaxed pace. |
| field of vendors to select from, but we | | | | 80% of the parts were from Airhead Parts". |
| wanted a team with passion for the brand to | | | | |
| bring Max to life". | | | | The restoration was videotaped using |
| | | | time-lapse photography and can be seen on |
| First to be contacted was soon to be Project | | | | YouTube. The commercials are also there and |
| Manager Bob Ellis of Airhead Parts. Bob | | | | feature celebrities Heidi Klum, David |
| writes tech articles and helps Airhead Parts | | | | Hasselhoff, Leonard Nimoy, NCAA Coach Bob |
| customers with parts and restoration tips. | | | | Knight, Napster's Sean Fanning, and NASA |
| Airhead Parts was the company that supplied | | | | Shuttle commander Rick Seafross, and Max of |
| the majority of the beetle restoration parts, | | | | course. |
| including the "hard to find" Steering Wheels. | | | | |