Hot Wheels has selected a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle as a finalist in the 2022 Legends Tour. While the company’s catalog has included dozens of Beetle replicas, the Volvo-powered one that impressed the judges at the Atlanta event is unlike anything we’ve seen before.
Austin McNeil and his father built this Beetle — nicknamed “Hammerhead” — in their garage in Cummings, Georgia. They started the project with a rusty, dented car they’d towed from a field that most enthusiasts would have written off as a parts donor at best. They pulled it out, set aside the pieces to be saved, and discussed what to do next. It sounds like the list of salvageable parts was relatively short, as almost every part of this Beetle has been extensively modified. Notably, the fenders have been removed and replaced with a custom body kit, the rear has been chopped and we’re told a rear wing is almost ready to be installed.
The duo documented the project on an Instagram account called CrewChiefCustoms, and the amount of work that has gone into this build is staggering. Look inside and you’ll see a pair of sports seats, a roll cage and several components that Volvo fans will immediately recognize (including the instrument panel). That’s because this Beetle lost its air-cooled flat-four engine during construction. Instead, it is powered by a rear-mounted five-cylinder Volvo engine equipped with a massive turbocharger. Export figures weren’t provided, but it’s safe to bet the turbo five easily eclipses the 53 horsepower rating of a stock 1968 Beetle. The suspension system has also been completely redesigned.
Like all previous winners (shown above), this 1968 Beetle advances to the Legends Tour semifinals that will take place this fall, November 1. He will compete for the chance to be immortalized as a 1/64 scale die-cast model and added to the Hot Wheels catalog.
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