Paul Newman’s VW Beetle
This red 1963 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible is priced to sell at $250,000. Yeah, You read that right, $250,000. This VW Bug has celebrity ownership, as it once belonged to famous actor, Paul Newman. Still not doing it for you at that price? Perhaps a peak under the hood will change your mind.
The legendary actor hired renowned Indycar builder Jerry Eisert to transform it into a racing machine. Eisert installed a mid-mounted 351-cubic-inch Ford Windsor V8 engine, pumping out 300 horsepower, that takes up the entire backseat. It is coupled with a five-speed ZF transmission, which likely derived from a Ford GT 40, with additional suspension parts to keep it stable at high speeds, as well as radiators under the front and rear hoods.
Newman had the special Beetle built after falling in love with racing while filming Winning. He loved the car so much that he appeared in VW advertisements with this convertible. After several years enjoying the car, Newman donated it to the Automotive Technology Department at Chaffey College for use in their racing program.There they restored the bug even further, adding school colors to the paint job and four Keystone chrome rims. The car was prepped for racing at the shop, though it was used mostly as a visual aid.
When Contino retired from the college he was given the car as a gift, and his garage is where it stayed until 2009. Contino and his son restored the car one last time in April of that year. They planned to show Newman the refinished bug, but the actor passed away before they completed the car.
The seller wants $250,000 but is open to serious offers. The Paul Newman’s 1963 VW V8 Beetle Convertible is being sold by Contino through Oldbug.com.
