HERBIE (H2)

BUILT FOR WALT DISNEY’S “ THE LOVE BUG (1969) BY EMPI RACING OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

HE STARRED ALONGSIDE:

DEAN JONES as JIM DOUGLAS

BUDDY HACKETT as TENNESEE

MICHELE LEE as CAROLE

DAVID TOMLINSON as THORNDYKE

BENSON FONG as MR WU

THIS PARTICULAR HERBIE IS DESIGNATED H2 ( MARKED INSIDE THE GLOVEBOX LID) AND HES THE ONLY PORSCHE ENGINED VERSION BUILT FOR THE FILMING.

H1  PRINCIPLE CAR

H2  PORSCHE ENGINED RACE CAR

H3  BREAKAWAY CAR FOR INTERIOR SHOTS

H4  LIGHTWEIGHT BODYSHELL

H5  SPLIT FRONT & REAR (2 CARS)

H6  DRUNK EFFECT CAR

H7  REAR DRIVER CAR

AS H2 WAS BUILT FOR THE RACE SCENES HE WAS EQUIPPED WITH SOME PERFORMANCE UPGRADES SUCH AS PORSCHE FINNED BRAKES ALL ROUND, KONI SHOCK ABSORBERS ALL ROUND, SUPERIOR REAR CONTROL ARMS ( DIAGONAL ARMS) , AN UPRATED FRONT ANTI ROLL BAR AND HES EASILY IDENTIFIABLE BY HIS ROUNDED ROLL BAR GUSSET ON THE DRIVERS SIDE.

DISNEY PURCHASED SOME CARS FROM FAMED VW TUNING SHOP EMPI AT RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA. THESE CARS WERE EITHER CRASHED WRECKS OR CARS OFF THEIR USED CAR LOT.

H2 IS A 1963 RAGTOP CAR FROM THE WINDSCREEN BACKWARDS AND THE FRONT END IS A 1960 !   A SYMPATHETIC RESTORATION BY A PREVIOUS KEEPER WAS CARRIED OUT IN A WAY TO ALLOW THESE “ CUT & SHUT JOINS” TO BE VISIBLE.

WHEN DEAN JONES AND BUDDY HACKETT SPIN YARNS ABOUT DRIVING AROUND IN THE PORSCHE POWERED HERBIE, IT IS THIS CAR THEY ARE REFERRING TO.

ONE THING IS FOR SURE – HE IS TRULY A “LOVED BUG”