The spectrum is quite broad. There are classic cars that are completely original and there are new classics created from practically nothing. The VW 30, to which Thorsten Elbrigmann has dedicated a book, belongs to the second extreme. It was practically created from a frame tube that ended up in a scrapyard many, many years ago. The vehicle used was a VW Beetle, a car that was built around 21 million times between 1938 and 2003. It doesn't sound that exciting, actually.
However, this very frame tube came from VW 30 number 26, one of the few pre-war Beetle prototypes. They were all considered lost, but this frame tube fired the imagination to recreate the prototype.
Now it takes a lot of money and a real passion to get such a project off the ground. Traugott and Christian Grundmann were the right men for such a project. To describe them as Volkswagen enthusiasts would probably be an understatement.
Challenging
It was not an easy project, because building a car from scratch without an existing model is a complex task. The Grundmanns gathered all the material available on the prototypes, built up a network of specialists, bought parts together and, above all, proved themselves to be patient.
In the end, however, there was a resurrected Beetle prototype. Dedicating a book to it and documenting this adventurous journey naturally made sense. 176 pages document the rebirth of number 26, Thorsten Elbrigmann wrote the text, Thorsten Doerk contributed the photos of the project and of the car as it gradually became more and more finished.
Then and now
A good half of the book summarizes the early history of the VW Beetle and that of the pre-war prototypes. It documents what the Grundmanns learned during their research work.
Rare photos of the early Beetle development are shown, describing how the concept had to be adapted again and again until the Beetle as we have known it ever since took shape.
The second half of the book then summarizes the project steps. Here you can read how time-consuming it is to build a one-off when all you have are a few photos and descriptions.
Not only for Beetle fans
The VW Beetle is certainly one of the most important cars of the last century. Knowing more about its origins is also interesting for non-Beetle enthusiasts. The same applies to the new development of prototype number 26. Well-written texts and great photo material make the book almost as exciting as a thriller, you won't want to put it down.
EUR 39.90 is certainly not too much for this book, which stands out from the countless beetle fiction books due to its depth and proven meticulousness.
Bibliographical details
- Title: The first Beetle - Rebirth of the VW 30
- Author: Thorsten Elbrigmann
- Language: German
- Publisher: Delius Klasing
- Edition: 1st edition 2025
- Format: Hardcover, 21.9 x 28.8 cm
- Size: 176 pages, 174 photos/illustrations
- ISBN: 978-3-667-12880-5
- Price: EUR 39.90
- To order: Online at the publisher, online at amazon.de or in relevant bookstores
