Tahun lalu, saat Kebakaran Palisades melanda California Selatan, sebuah Volkswagen T2 berwarna putih-biru miraculously (mostly) survived. It became a beacon of hope, and once the car manufacturer learned about the bus, they vowed to restore it. Finally, VW has restored it and is ready to showcase it to the public.
The car manufacturer mentioned that the T2 needed significant work, including mechanical repairs. The fire burned the exterior, peeled off the paint, and melted the turn signal covers. The restoration process required VW to replace or repair more than 900 parts, and the project took over 2,000 hours to complete.
Photos of the “magical bus” show a lot of damage, but nevertheless, the bus was clearly worth saving. The restoration process was complicated by the fact that the previous owner had modified the bus, and some original parts were missing. Volkswagen struggled to find some components, including factory-option clocks, brand-new side antenna, and replacement fabric for the window curtains.
Volkswagen restored the bus at the Oxnard, California facility, where VW Group of America stores its historic vehicles. The car manufacturer partnered with GE Kudensport, known for restoring historic Porsches, to complete the bodywork restoration.
The van, made famous by the Associated Press capturing a photo of the white-blue T2 standing out amidst the surrounding devastation, made its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show this year. Its owner, Megan Weinraub, named the car Azul, and it will be exhibited at the show until November 30th.
VW collaborated with Candylab to create a limited edition wooden collectible version of the restored van, named “Azul,” which is Spanish for blue. This small van is only available at the VW booth at the LA Auto Show while supplies last. After the LA show ends, the van will head to the Petersen Automotive Museum for an exhibition running from December 4th to January 11th.
Source: Volkswagen
