As the greater automotive industry tentatively awakens from a coronavirus-induced hibernation period, the world of collectible cars appears to be charging ahead full-steam. Even though events like this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance may have been canceled, most auction companies have switched to online formats to keep their inventory moving.
But one of the world's greatest sites, thanks to the auctions themselves and the stellar community involvement, is Bring a Trailer, where the postings have continued without missing a beat (whether their reserves have been met as frequently could use some analysis, however). Case in point comes in the form of a pristine 1954 Volkswagen Beetle with a period-correct supercharger under the hood.
Slick and Sleek
It takes a good eye for a photographer to highlight how much the Volkswagen Beetle actually has some sleek lines amid its cute shape. And given how closely the original Bug is related to Porsche's iconic 356, it's no surprise that period tuners and modders wanted to beef up their Beetles just as much as today's builders want to transform them into Baja Bugs.
This example benefits from a Judson supercharger from the 1950s or 60s—it's not clear exactly when the addition occurred—that uses a sliding-vane compressor with a rotary layout that would bump factory output from around 36 to 50 horsepower, while torque would probably hover around a relatively impressive 70 lb-ft out of the tiny 1.2-liter air-cooled flat-four.
So Fresh And So Clean
The engine bay looks clean enough to eat off of, while the interior may seem spartan but is in remarkable shape for the car's age—and make and marque, given how many Bugs were beat to dust over the decades. It's also got a soft top, to let the weather in, plus the sweet turn signals that pop out from their hiding places in the B-pillars.
Source: Bringatrailer