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Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:26 pm

Email sent to me today. If you know the present location of this vehicle, please contact the person below.

I am sending shots I made back in 1960 here in Jacksonville of Mr. Hubert Brundage’s Frua bodied VW beetle. Mr. Brundage, as you may know, was the Volkswagen Distributor for the Southeastern United States, as well as a Volkswagen and Porsche (Brumos Porsche) dealer in Jacksonville. He had Frua do a custom body for the VW to show Volkswagen that a modern design could be created for the beetle chassis.

For 2009, we (The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance) will be featuring custom bodied VW’s, and I’d like to find the Frua car (if it still exists). My question is, does anybody you know have this car or know where it is, as we’d like to include it in the display. Any help you can extend that would result in locating this car would be very much appreciated.

Bill Warner
Founder and Co-Chairman
The Amelia Island concours d'Elegance Foundation
3016 Mercury Road South
Jacksonville, Florida 32207
[email protected]

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=478973

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=478972

Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:43 pm

Is that a Heb wannbe behind in the pic?

Tue Sep 16, 2008 5:33 pm

Found this link from Scott's blog site with more pics. of the car.
:arrow: http://www.pietro-frua.de/italsuisse/1960_vw.htm

Google translated Version:
:arrow: http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F...&tl=en

Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:39 pm

slammed on earlies? big 2L? would be nice

Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:18 pm

Those are some of the nicest pictures I've seen of the Frua VW. I'd be very interested to know if it still exists, would love to get a close look at it, but I kind of doubt it's still around.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:17 am

johnshenry wrote: Is that a Heb wannbe behind in the pic?

I was wondering if it was the Maier roadster, the one that Randy Carlson had for sale a while back, based on a '55 Karmann? :?

Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:19 am

Neil Davies wrote: johnshenry wrote: Is that a Heb wannbe behind in the pic?

I was wondering if it was the Maier roadster, the one that Randy Carlson had for sale a while back, based on a '55 Karmann? :?

The one Randy had wasn't a Maier... It was custom built in the US...

Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:23 am

Hebster52 wrote: Neil Davies wrote: johnshenry wrote: Is that a Heb wannbe behind in the pic?

I was wondering if it was the Maier roadster, the one that Randy Carlson had for sale a while back, based on a '55 Karmann? :?

The one Randy had wasn't a Maier... It was custom built in the US...

What is the latest update on that car...anyone?

Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:27 am

johnshenry wrote: Is that a Heb wannbe behind in the pic?

Were they already 'faking' them in 1960? Weird.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:26 pm

big wavos wrote: slammed on earlies? big 2L? would be nice

Found in the gallery :wink:

:arrow: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=479345

Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:33 am

nice touch! and even the "heb" in the back is slammed on smoothies... :)

Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:33 am

Doesn't the car look sorta like a Corvair of the same period?

Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:00 am

r39o wrote: Doesn't the car look sorta like a Corvair of the same period?
I was thinking the same thing. Looks like a Corvair mated with a Volvo.

Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:33 am

Lidpainter wrote: r39o wrote: Doesn't the car look sorta like a Corvair of the same period?
I was thinking the same thing. Looks like a Corvair mated with a Volvo.

Eawww.

Thu Sep 18, 2008 5:55 pm

I was bored in class when i photoshoped that pic yesterday.
Added color(at first i did red, then changed to black), porsche wheels and rear bumper

Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:15 am

I like the lowered look...

The car in the backround looks to me like a Moto Torino.

The 55 mystery car I had was fitted with a fiberglass top and the profile was different than the one in the photo...plus, I dont think it ever made it down to Florida...it was in PA and NJ area its whole life.

The car is in the hands of a fellow who is apparantly restoring it. I havent heard much from him since he bought it a few years back. I really wanted to restore that car myself...but I guess it wasnt meant to be...had to sell it to raise a little cash for our move at the time. It was fun while I had it though...bringing it to the VW Classic was awesome.

The Frua is very cool...I dare say I would leave it stock though.

And VW Coachbuilts at Amelia Island...dreamy. 8)
Watch the values climb after the fancy crowd down there sees our special VWs... Gullwing Mercedes? Bah... I want one of those!!! :wink:

Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:21 pm

Did the Frua ever turn up? Hemmings did a page on Frua in Sports & Exotics a few months back.

Also - Randy (or anyone) - Have you heard anything about your old coachbuilt? I bet a bunch of us have been waiting for it to hit the scene, but have not heard anything.

Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:37 pm

Ive not seen anything on the Frua or on my old 55 Heb-ish convertible...it has been a long time now...probably 7 or 8 years ago now...you would think it would be done by now!

The Moto Torino that was in the background of the Frua photos though...it has now changed hands. I helped facilitate the sale of it from the previous owner in Florida to a collector in London...it now shares space with some real Hebmullers (yes...plural) and some other great cars.

Sat Dec 28, 2024 12:04 pm

Resurrecting this old thread ....

I recently came upon some old issues of Foreign Car Guide dated Jan 1960 to July 1961. They all have 'Featuring Volkswagen' on the front cover and contain lots of vintage articles and adds pertaining to VWs. There was also some old Hot Rod publications from '55-57, not for this forum. Lost of fascinating articles and adds in both sets of magazines.

I found this article about the Italsuiss VW prototype that was discussed here, Nov 1960 issue.

Sat Dec 28, 2024 12:14 pm

cool, but not super pretty. like a 1961 fiat 1500