THE DARK SIDE OF THE OVAL

Black paint, amber headlights, custom Fuchs-style split rims and a safari windscreen. TT’s 1957 Beetle has been evolving since his first Limebug air ride installation in 2018, proving that some of the best builds are never quite finished.

Words by Limebug | Hall of Fame — Featured Builds

Norway. 1957. And a rather different shade of Volkswagen.

There’s something particularly appealing about a black Oval Window Beetle.

The small rear window, the beautifully rounded bodywork and the early Volkswagen details already give it a character that later cars struggle to replicate.

Finish everything in black, bring the body closer to the ground and add a set of carefully chosen wheels, and the result can be extraordinary.

But TT, the Norwegian enthusiast behind BlackBugz, wasn’t content to stop there.

His 1957 Oval combines a custom Fuchs-style wheel arrangement with amber headlights, a front safari windscreen and a Jim Dandy rack.

It’s an unusual mixture.

A little traditional Volkswagen.

A little custom.

And just enough eccentricity to make you look twice.

Underneath, the car has been part of the Limebug story for years.

TT first bought his air suspension kit from us in 2018, and rather than leave the original installation untouched, he’s continued improving the specification as newer components have become available.

Because apparently, owning a beautifully finished Oval isn’t quite enough.

There always has to be something else worth changing.

An Oval with attitude

Why the 1957 matters

The Oval Window Beetle occupies a particularly interesting place in Volkswagen history.

Introduced after the original Split Window models, the Oval retained much of the early Beetle’s distinctive appearance while incorporating a series of refinements.

The small, oval-shaped rear window remains its most recognisable feature.

And on a 1957 example, that early body style creates an excellent foundation for a traditional custom build.

TT has made the most of it.

The black bodywork gives the car an almost uninterrupted silhouette.

Chrome and bright metal details stand out against the darker finish, while the low ride height emphasises the shape of the wings and running boards.

It’s a car that doesn’t need outrageous body modifications to attract attention.

The original Volkswagen design is doing most of the work.

Those amber headlights

Then you notice the headlights.

Rather than conventional clear lenses, TT has fitted amber-tinted front lights.

It’s a bold choice.

And one that could easily look out of place on the wrong car.

Here, however, it works beautifully.

The amber colour provides a warm contrast against the black paintwork, giving the front end an appearance that is immediately recognisable.

It’s also a nice reminder that the most effective modifications aren’t always the most complicated.

Sometimes a relatively small detail becomes one of the defining features of a build.

The Jawbreaker foundation

Four inches narrower

TT’s Limebug suspension installation began in 2018.

At the front, the Beetle uses our 4-inch narrowed Link Pin Jawbreaker air ride beam.

It’s a natural choice for an early Beetle where the objective is to achieve a particularly low stance while bringing the wheels further beneath the original wings.

The narrowed front arrangement suits the Oval’s rounded bodywork, allowing the wheel fitment and suspension height to work together without visually overwhelming the car.

The installation forms part of a complete adjustable air suspension system.

And given the extremely low appearance TT has achieved, that adjustability is particularly useful.

But the front beam wasn’t the only Limebug component fitted.

Generation I at the rear

The rear of the Beetle uses our original Generation I air ride system.

It’s worth distinguishing this from the later Revolution cantilever arrangements developed subsequently.

TT’s car represents an earlier generation of Limebug air suspension engineering, which has continued to evolve alongside the rest of our product range.

Rather than replace everything whenever a new component appears, TT has taken a more considered approach.

Upgrading individual parts as his requirements and the available technology have changed.

And one of those upgrades made a particularly noticeable difference.

From Monroe to MOA430

An upgrade worth making

When TT originally fitted his air suspension, the front used Monroe air shocks.

They were a familiar component on many earlier air-cooled Volkswagen air ride installations.

But as the Limebug range developed, we introduced our own MOA430 Goldtop air shocks, designed around the requirements of lowered and air-suspended vehicles.

TT eventually decided it was time to update his Oval.

Out came the earlier Monroe units.

In went the MOA430s.

The change provided the Beetle with greater available lift and a softer ride, according to the original build update.

On a car running a very low stance, both improvements are valuable.

Additional lift can make awkward road surfaces easier to negotiate, while improved ride characteristics make longer journeys more enjoyable.

It’s a good example of how an established build can benefit from developments made years after the original installation.

Fuchs, but not quite as you know them

Bespoke split rims

The wheels are another major part of BlackBugz’s appearance.

TT chose a custom set of Fuchs-style split rims, combining a familiar Porsche-inspired design with multi-piece wheel construction.

Against the black bodywork, the result is particularly striking.

The design provides a strong visual connection to traditional air-cooled Volkswagen and Porsche custom culture.

But the split-rim construction gives the wheels an identity of their own.

They’re paired with low-profile tyres, allowing the car to achieve the close-to-the-ground stance that has become such a recognisable part of the BlackBugz build.

Getting the proportions right

Wheel choice is especially important on an Oval Window Beetle.

The compact body shape and pronounced wings mean that changes to wheel diameter, width and tyre profile can have a dramatic effect on the finished appearance.

Too much wheel can overpower the car.

Too little can disappear beneath the bodywork.

TT’s arrangement strikes a convincing balance.

The Fuchs-inspired design feels appropriate to the Volkswagen’s age and character, while the low-profile tyres and narrowed front suspension produce a much more contemporary stance.

It’s a mixture of old and new without either element completely taking over.

Open-air motoring, Norwegian style

The safari windscreen

One of the more unusual additions is the front safari windscreen.

Instead of remaining fixed in place, the safari conversion allows the windscreen to open outward.

It’s a feature more commonly associated with early Transporters, but it can look fantastic on a Beetle when properly integrated.

On BlackBugz, it adds another distinctive period-inspired detail.

It also changes the experience of driving the car.

Opening the windscreen introduces a very different sort of ventilation compared with the original factory arrangement.

Although we’d imagine the Norwegian weather occasionally provides a fairly convincing argument for keeping it closed.

The Jim Dandy rack

TT has also fitted a Jim Dandy rack.

It’s a classic accessory that suits the Beetle’s traditional styling and adds a little extra personality.

Combined with the safari windscreen, it creates a look that’s quite different from the usual heavily lowered Oval.

There’s a hint of vintage touring car mixed into the custom styling.

The result is a Beetle that manages to feel both exceptionally low and thoroughly old-school.

Which isn’t always an easy combination to achieve.

Built in Norway. Developed over time.

The advantage of not rushing

One of the things we like most about TT’s Beetle is that it hasn’t been treated as a project that needed to reach a definitive finish line.

The original suspension kit was purchased in 2018.

Since then, the specification has developed as TT has found new ways to improve the car.

The MOA430 upgrade is an obvious example.

Rather than abandon the existing installation, he incorporated newer components that offered practical benefits.

And the exterior has developed its own distinct identity through carefully chosen accessories and wheel fitment.

It’s the sort of build that reflects long-term ownership.

Not a collection of modifications installed in one weekend, but a vehicle refined over time.

A long-distance Limebug connection

It’s also particularly satisfying for us to see a Norwegian customer continuing to develop a Beetle using Limebug components.

The air-cooled Volkswagen community stretches well beyond the UK, and cars like BlackBugz demonstrate how our suspension systems are used in very different locations and driving conditions.

We may not see every overseas customer vehicle in person.

But watching those builds progress through photographs and updates is part of what makes the job interesting.

And TT has certainly given us plenty to look at.

The complete build specification

Vehicle and owner

• 1957 Volkswagen Type 1 Oval Window Beetle
• Owner: TT
• Based in Norway
• Known as BlackBugz
• Instagram: @vw_blackbugz

Front suspension

• Limebug 4-inch narrowed Link Pin Jawbreaker air ride beam
• Original Monroe air shocks, subsequently upgraded
• Limebug MOA430 Goldtop front air shocks
• Adjustable front ride height

Rear suspension

• Limebug Generation I rear air ride system

Wheels and tyres

• Bespoke Fuchs-style split rims
• Low-profile tyres
• Wheel and tyre arrangement selected for a very low stance

Exterior and accessories

• Black bodywork
• Amber-tinted headlights
• Front safari windscreen
• Jim Dandy rack
• Original Oval Window body character retained

Build development

• Original Limebug air suspension purchased in 2018
• Subsequent MOA430 front shock upgrade
• Continued evolution of suspension and styling specification

Still evolving.

It’s easy to think of a custom Volkswagen as something that eventually reaches a finished state.

The paintwork is completed.

The wheels are fitted.

The suspension is adjusted.

And the car is declared done.

But anybody who’s owned a modified Beetle for long enough knows that rarely lasts.

There’s always another component worth trying.

Another detail to improve.

Or a slightly different idea that might work even better than the last one.

BlackBugz is a perfect example.

The original 2018 Limebug installation established the foundation.

The MOA430 upgrade improved the suspension.

And the combination of custom Fuchs-style wheels, amber headlights, safari windscreen and Jim Dandy rack gave the car a character that’s unmistakably TT’s own.

It’s a beautifully individual Oval.

And knowing how these things usually go, we suspect there’ll be another modification along sooner or later.

Black paint. Goldtops. Amber eyes.

BlackBugz. Norway’s dark little Oval, still getting better.