Celebrity car collections are a dime a dozen. But rarely do you find a collection as broad and deep in the archives of one brand as Gabriel Iglesias'. The Long Beach native grew up admiring Volkswagen until his comedic career made it possible to purchase his dream car and eventually grow his very unique collection.
The Fluffy Museum is named after Gabriel's nickname "Fluffy," with its design inspired by the VW factory in Wolfsburg, Germany. Even the car manufacturer itself has written about this impressive $3 million VW museum. With over 30 beetles and buses making up this collection, it's grown above and beyond the comedian's small side hobby and gained national attention.
Each car in this collection preserves a bit of VW history and has its own personal story for Gabriel Iglesias. Let's dive into 15 incredible photos of Gabriel Iglesias' collection of VW beetles and buses...
15 First Car
At a young age of 17, Gabriel Iglesias' car career would kick off after purchasing a special 1968 Volkswagen Transporter. The restoration project launched the comedian fully into the world of car culture and classic cars. This VW model was among the first trailblazers leading to today's modern passenger vans.
14 Volkswagen Passion
Featured on Jay Leno’s Garage, the celebrity described his passion for Volkswagen as having arisen from its everyday appeal, simplicity, and reputation as a "people's car." In particular, the comedian is drawn to VW buses, with now an estimated 18 fully restored, many totaling beyond $100,000 in resale value.
13 Vintage Classics
The comedian's collection features dozens of classic cars from the '50s to '70s, valued anywhere between $100,000 to $200,000 each. The collector has said he has no plans of selling his precious items. Iglesias surrounds himself with a team of car experts to care for and restore what he calls his "metal babies."
12 1968 Volkswagen Bus
Gabriel Iglesias purchased his very first car for $700. The 1968 Volkswagen Bus is now surrounded by a series of buses and beetles in the comedian's Signal Hill, California garage museum. The celebrity's passion only grew from the start, now amassing over 30 VW vehicles in his collection.
11 Rare Finds
Gabriel Iglesias not only fixes and finds one-of-a-kind VW buses but also owns several rare Volkswagen Beetles and Buses. A rare find doesn't stop the comedian from adding to his collection. Each piece is considered a unique investment and part of the celebrity's successful legacy.
10 1956 Volkswagen Wolfsburg
The 1956 23 window Wolfsburg bus is one of the many eye-catching VW pieces in Gabriel Iglesias' personal collection. The rare vintage find is said to be among his favorites. Found online, the Wolfsburg was the second bus purchased by the comedian after he was inspired to dive into car-collecting by Jay Leno.
9 VW Camper
Gabriel Iglesias' collection of VW buses and beetles includes finds from around the world. His 1967 Westfalia Camper was found in Germany. The collector is not shy about finding the perfect additions to his growing garage in California. The camper was completely restored once it became a part of the comedian's collection.
8 1950 Volkswagen Beetle
The comedian has carefully documented the history of his 1950 VW Hoffman edition because of its rarity. The classic car model was among the first beetles distributed in the U.S. when production first began in the decade. VW Beetle art also lines the walls of his garage museum.
7 1967 VW Bus Aquarium
Two custom VW bus aquariums help decorate Gabriel Iglesias' garage museum. The comedian made an appearance on an episode of Tanked for the reveal. The Brazilian VW bus front half features colorful fish from the Gulf of Mexico with Hawaiian Island natives in the back half. Living coral and working headlights round out the tanks.
6 Unique Restorations
Gabriel Iglesias describes a team of experts that helps him choose additions for his collection and work on restorations. Each vehicle gets a restoration facelift with updated paint and repairs. They also get performance additions like new engines adding incredible value to his rare finds. Vehicle colors are inspired by his love of comic books.
5 VW Art
The comedian's garage takes on the life of VW with classic car art and murals...and Fluffy memorabilia. Lining the walls of his personal museum, Gabriel Iglesias features 1950s VW Beetle artwork. In an underwater ode to the VW, Iglesias repurposed a Volkswagen Bus into two functioning aquariums also featured in his collection.
4 Jay Leno
The funnyman jokingly blames Jay Leno for his growing VW collection. Gabriel Iglesias has said he only owned one VW bus when he first visited Leno's garage, eventually catching the passion for collecting from Leno himself. In the span of a year, Iglesias built up his own garage, now including an estimated 30 Volkswagen buses and bugs.
3 Windows, Windows, Windows
The VW Bus is known for it's character and unique window views. Gabriel Iglesias' collection features the rarest window finds like his 15-window 1963 Bus and a 1952 Barndoor Bus. The 1956 Wolfsburg bus in his collection features an impressive 23 windows. Two 1952 Transporters also live in his garage, both 15-window, and 23-window models.
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2 Dream Car
After buying his 1968 Volkswagen Transporter at age 17, the comedian never forgot his first car and dreamed about owning it once again. Once he acquired success in his career, Gabriel Iglesias purchased it once again and launched into a classic car collection including dozens of buses and bugs. Beyond VW? The comedian is also into muscle cars.
1 $3 Million Collection
Featured on Business Insider, the Fluffy Museum is valued at over $3 million. The comedian and star of the Netflix series Mr. Iglesias has become known for the vintage Volkswagen car collection. According to the interview, the celebrity says his impressive collection is not for sale and will be gifted to the city of Long Beach when he's gone.
NEXT: 15 Stunning Images Of The VW Bus That Made Us Fall In Love All Over Again