For Australian Rett Nankervis, the old Volkswagen Beetle was not just a car. After his father sold the vehicle, it disappeared from the family's life, but not from the son's memory. After 27 years of searching, he managed to find the legendary "Bug" and bring it home.
Sometimes an old car means much more than just a means of transportation. For Australian resident Rett Nankervis, that symbol became a Volkswagen Beetle with a rare oval rear window — a car that once belonged to his father.
As a child, Rett grew up among Volkswagen cars. His father, Ian Nankervis, was constantly working on cars of this brand, but the boy was more fascinated by BMX bikes at that time. Everything changed the day his father brought home an unusual Beetle, writes autoevolution.
According to Rett's memories, this car made a huge impression on him. Despite its modest 1.2-liter engine with only 36 horsepower, the car seemed special to him. The rare oval rear window, which was installed on the Volkswagen Beetle from 1953 to 1957, gave the car a unique appearance.
In 1993, the family moved to Bendigo, and the father had to sell most of the cars, including his beloved Beetle. The car disappeared, but the memories of it remained.
Rett only began serious searches in 2009. All he had was an old photograph of the car taken back in the early 1990s. He posted ads online, reached out to Volkswagen enthusiasts, but for many years he received no results.
A turning point came many years later when Rett received an unexpected message from the car's owner, Jason Rigby.
"I have it, Rett!" the man wrote.
After that, Rett went to get the car. However, instead of a neat classic car, he was met with a completely different sight. The Beetle had stood outside for many years and was almost lost under thick overgrowth.
The car had to be literally cut out of the bushes and pulled out on a trailer. Despite the severe corrosion of some parts, the body was in much better condition than could be expected after so many years of neglect.
Later, Rett bought the car and began its restoration together with his son. Thus, the rare Volkswagen became a link between three generations of the family.
Today, the restoration continues, and the Beetle has once again found itself among like-minded enthusiasts — in one of the Volkswagen fan clubs in Australia.
"It's not just cars. I live and breathe this every day," Rett Nankervis admits.
Rett Nankervis's story shows that sometimes the value of a car is measured not by its market price, but by the memories associated with it. After 27 years of searching, he returned not just an old Volkswagen, but an important part of family history.
