Owner loves his turbocharged Bug
Last weekend, AMS Performance marked 15 years in business. To celebrate, the West Chicago shop threw a massive open house. Hundreds of show cars turned up, many boasting the high-power turbocharger kits AMS designs and installs, which have become known nationwide.
Street machines pushing four-digit horsepower could readily be found. I, however, couldn't help but be drawn to an adorable 1969 VW Beetle.
I discovered this Volkswagen was inspired by Disney's lovable Herbie in the “Love Bug” movies. This mischievous movie car is why AMS employee Frank Barbanente became fascinated with Bugs.
“I grew up watching the films and always wanted to own one,” the Elgin resident said. “They're a blank canvas and perfect for doing whatever you want.”
Frank set to searching in 2014 and located a suitable low-mileage candidate in Tennessee. The seller had started a restoration but lacked the time to complete it. Frank shipped the Beetle home and set off, inspired to create a “club racer” look.
The first order of business was getting the bodywork dialed in. Kevin Shilling & Ben Carstensen at DuPage AutoWerks tackled the heavy lifting. Off came the fenders and the paint was stripped. A few patches of rust were remedied before a beautiful new coat of Bahama Blue, a '67 VW paint color, was applied.
From there, the Vee-Dub was lowered and the engine rebuilt. On the silver screen, Herbie effortlessly races around Monte Carlo. However, Barbanente was less than thrilled with his refurbished powerplant. Even with a few modifications, it just wasn't quick.
“I drove it around for a year in that mostly stock condition,” Frank said, “but I couldn't handle how slow it was.”
More power is right in the enthusiast's wheelhouse; he works at AMS, so a turbo kit was the obvious choice.
“I built it out of scrap parts, sourcing most of them from a Volvo S80 - it was the perfect size,” said Frank.
His pal Shane Smith lent a hand getting all the parts to fit just right. Before long, the Bug was riding again and better than ever. The final product isn't quite bananas but horsepower is bumped from 60 to 100.
“It goes fast in a straight line and around corners like a little race car!”
Frank's not the only one who's been bitten by the “love bug.” His son, Cristiano, is growing up just like dad. “He loves any kind of car, but definitely Bugs.”
Share your car's story with Matt at auto@dailyherald.com.