Scott’s 51 Swamp Bug
'51 Swamp Cooler
Found in the depths of the Swedish forest, having mother nature re-design the bodywork it was time to give this piece of rare piece history another chance to shine.
During this period in Sweden the owner of a vehicle had to pay to scrap a vehicle, and at the time the value of this 51 Split Beetle was deemed not enough to sell on, so instead, they decided to leave it in the boggy, damp swampland to be forgotten…
40 years later and you’re rambling through the Swedish wilderness, out of nowhere you find a
classic Beetle 6 inches deep in muddy water and rotting away. A salvage mission was underway to
save the 50’s time capsule. Fast forward to the present day and the car is now in the thankful
hands of Scott Ashton, friend of the business and self employed mechanical engineer.
He got the car from the chap who removed it from the swamp many years back as the value of these cars
increased over time it was always going to find its way back to the road at some point.
Scott got the car in a reasonable condition but he really wanted to put his own stamp on it. It all started by getting the Limebug treatment, installing one of our Jawbreaker Beams and Deluxe Air Suspension kits so
the car sat as he wanted. The paint wasn’t an issue as Scott wanted to keep the original patina on
the body, as it really adds to the story of the car.
After driving the car around on unforgiving metal seat frames Scott decided it was time to move onto the interior, Scott spoke with a trusted upholster recommended to him by a friend.
Opting for a slightly modernized version of the original trim, with a bit more padding on the seats. Scott tells us this changed the car completely for him, being able to cruise around in comfort for the first time
since his ownership.
The exterior got a couple of other tweaks here and there as well, swan neck mirrors were added to
the front for better rear visibility and also some retro style indicator lights, to replace the original
Semaphores.
The engine has also had a small bit of fettling to make it perform better on the road, mostly
reliability aspects at the moment, but Scott does have a new 30hp engine ready to go in soon.
The wheels were a big challenge with this car, trying to find something that suited but allowed it to sit
properly. Luckily Scott stumbled on this set of Fumagalli’s at a show in Belgium and they look like they were always there, completing the patina look.
Over the years we have helped Scott and his bug a lot, with various decisions, parts and late
evenings spent making this true classic what it is today. It’s great to see Scott loving his Beetle as
much as he does, it really does embody the #LimeLife ethos.
The Specs:
- Limebug Deluxe 4″ Link Pin Air Ride Kit
- Air Ride Spring Plates
- Titan 4″ Through Rods
- Airlift 3P Air Management
- Quick Steer Kit
- 2.5″ Fully Build Link Pin Dropped Spindles
- Lower Shock Relocators
THROUGH THE WINDOWS OF A 51
AGED TO PERFECTION
