Giant VW Built On Dodge Ram Chassis
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Richard Tupper built a Volkswagen Bug that’s 40 percent larger than the real thing. “I have a sheet metal shop and one day I just decided to make a bigger VW,” says Tupper, who lives in Gardena, Calif. “It wasn’t that difficult to do because we have really good equipment at our shop.”
Tupper started with the chassis of a 2010 Dodge Ram pickup. He used 3,514 different parts to assemble the Super Bug, which is powered by a Dodge Hemi engine. To exactly size the parts for his giant bug, he used digital images from what he describes as a ‘very cherry’ ’59 Volkswagen Beetle that he dismantled. When he made the parts all 40 percent bigger, they all bolted together really nicely, Tupper says. There’s not one original VW part on the vehicle. They’re all new and handmade.
Tupper figures building his special Bug required about 3 years from start to finish. He has a good friend who did the upholstery and his son helped with the body works and the welding, so it was a team effort.
Even though there’s a Ram engine under the front hood to power the car, Tupper built a “phony” 1200 cc motor for the trunk so it looks proper. The fake motor actually serves as a muffler for the Hemi engine.
Like the outside, the interior of the car looks amazingly like that of an original Beetle. The one major difference is that where the original had only a speedometer and a fuel gauge, Tupper’s has a drop-down digital console that includes a tachometer, speedometer, gas, electric and coolant gauges.
Tupper says driving it is just like piloting a 2010 Dodge Ram truck, except “everyone’s taking pictures of me or filming me.” The vehicle has AC, power steering, disc brakes, cruise control, and Ipod hookup. It’s just a Texas-sized Volkswagen.” The vehicle weighs about 6,200 lbs. and the hood alone weighs 200 lbs.
Reflecting the over-sized chassis and engine, Tupper changed the Wolfsburg badge on the car to a Ramsburg logo. “I tell people it was made in Ramsburg and it’s the Super Beetle,” Tupper says.
Tupper’s Hemi-powered Bug now joins a large stable of vintage cars that he owns and stores in 2 climate-controlled warehouses. Says Tupper, when I was a kid I used to walk to school and see all those old cars and told myself if I ever have any money, I’m going to have some of them. He became successful and now owns 109 cars built in 1959 or before. His favorite car color is red and he has about 25 in that color ranging from Porsches to Corvettes to Cadillacs. He says all of the vehicles in his collection are in top running condition and he has favorites for going out to eat, driving to Las Vegas, going to the beach or going racing. Tupper says he’ll never sell them because they’re like his children.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Richard Tupper, American Aircraft Products, 15411 South Broadway, Gardena, Calif. 90248 (ph 310 532-7434).
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Giant VW Built On Dodge Ram Chassis FARM HOME Cars Richard Tupper built a Volkswagen Bug that’s 40 percent larger than the real thing “I have a sheet metal shop and one day I just decided to make a bigger VW ” says Tupper who lives in Gardena Calif “It wasn’t that difficult to do because we have really good equipment at our shop ” Tupper started with the chassis of a 2010 Dodge Ram pickup He used 3 514 different parts to assemble the Super Bug which is powered by a Dodge Hemi engine To exactly size the parts for his giant bug he used digital images from what he describes as a ‘very cherry’ ’59 Volkswagen Beetle that he dismantled When he made the parts all 40 percent bigger they all bolted together really nicely Tupper says There’s not one original VW part on the vehicle They’re all new and handmade Tupper figures building his special Bug required about 3 years from start to finish He has a good friend who did the upholstery and his son helped with the body works and the welding so it was a team effort Even though there’s a Ram engine under the front hood to power the car Tupper built a “phony” 1200 cc motor for the trunk so it looks proper The fake motor actually serves as a muffler for the Hemi engine Like the outside the interior of the car looks amazingly like that of an original Beetle The one major difference is that where the original had only a speedometer and a fuel gauge Tupper’s has a drop-down digital console that includes a tachometer speedometer gas electric and coolant gauges Tupper says driving it is just like piloting a 2010 Dodge Ram truck except “everyone’s taking pictures of me or filming me ” The vehicle has AC power steering disc brakes cruise control and Ipod hookup It’s just a Texas-sized Volkswagen ” The vehicle weighs about 6 200 lbs and the hood alone weighs 200 lbs Reflecting the over-sized chassis and engine Tupper changed the Wolfsburg badge on the car to a Ramsburg logo “I tell people it was made in Ramsburg and it’s the Super Beetle ” Tupper says Tupper’s Hemi-powered Bug now joins a large stable of vintage cars that he owns and stores in 2 climate-controlled warehouses Says Tupper when I was a kid I used to walk to school and see all those old cars and told myself if I ever have any money I’m going to have some of them He became successful and now owns 109 cars built in 1959 or before His favorite car color is red and he has about 25 in that color ranging from Porsches to Corvettes to Cadillacs He says all of the vehicles in his collection are in top running condition and he has favorites for going out to eat driving to Las Vegas going to the beach or going racing Tupper says he’ll never sell them because they’re like his children Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Richard Tupper American Aircraft Products 15411 South Broadway Gardena Calif 90248 ph 310 532-7434
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