Herbie the Love Bug is a beloved character from the Disney franchise of the same name. The car, a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle Model 117 Deluxe Sunroof Sedan, wearing those iconic red, white, and blue racing stripes, and donning the number 53 racing number, is known for its mischievous and lovable personality.
The original Herbie film, “The Love Bug,” was based on the book “Car, Boy, Girl” by Gordon Buford, and was released in 1968 starring Dean Jones as race car driver Jim Douglas and Herbie as his trusty car. The film was a huge success and spawned several sequels, including “Herbie Rides Again” (1974), “Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo” (1977), “Herbie Goes Bananas” (1980), and “Herbie: Fully Loaded” (2005). The original film was the final live-action film authorized for production by Walt Disney himself, but since he died in 1966, he never saw the final cut.
One of the things that made Herbie so special was his ability to think and act on his own, often getting into mischief and hijinks. In the films, Herbie was often shown displaying human-like emotions and even had a “mind of his own,” often choosing to disobey his owner’s commands.
Herbie was also known for his love of racing. In the films, he was often seen participating in various car races and competitions, using his intelligence and quick thinking to outsmart his opponents. His signature racing moves included the “Herbie Shake,” in which he would shake his body to throw off pursuing cars, and the “Herbie Hop,” in which he would use his front wheels to jump over obstacles.
The car that played Herbie in the films was a modified 1963 Volkswagen Beetle. It was painted in Volkswagen L87 pearl white and had a white interior, but for the film they painted the Beetle gray so that it would not reflect studio lights. The car was equipped with a variety of special features, including a hidden control panel, a smoke generator, and a loudspeaker system. The car was also modified to be able to drive itself, allowing it to perform its own stunts in the films. An interesting note about the car is the word “Volkswagen” is never mentioned in the original film because VW did not give Disney the rights to use it. In fact, the car was stripped of all VW markings and was referred to as “the Douglas Special,” “the little car,” and “the compact car.”
The producer of The Love Bug, Bill Walsh, came up with the blue and red racing stripes, and gave the car No. 53 in honor of one of his favorite ballplayers, Don Drysdale of the LA Dodgers.
The original Herbie car was built by George Barris, a custom car builder who is best known for creating the Batmobile for the 1960s Batman TV series. Barris, more popularly know for his outlandish car builds, kept the modifications to this Beetle more subtle, including carrying the racing stripe over the canvas roof. Barris built three Herbie cars for the original film, and several more for the sequels. Both 1963 and 1966 model Beetles were used in the sequel, which you can spot by the varying size of the rear window.
The Herbie cars have become iconic symbols of the franchise and have been featured in various forms of merchandise, including toys, books, and clothing. The cars have also been featured in various theme parks, including Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland.
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in Herbie and the Volkswagen Beetle. The car remains a popular choice among car enthusiasts and continues to be a beloved and nostalgic symbol of the 1960s and 1970s.
If you own a classic Volkswagen Beetle that’s in need of some love, you’ll want to check out our selection of Volkswagen Beetle restoration parts here.
