SP Rides: For the Love of a Beetle
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Name: Roger Moore
Age: 45
Occupation: DOD employee
Hobbies: Restoring cars, hiking, biking
Year/Make/Model: 1970 VW Beetle Type 1
Color: White
Engine/Transmission: 1679cc (88mm x 69mm), Custom Dual Port cylinder heads, SVDA Distributor with Electronic points (Flame Thrower 2), Bosch Alternator 55Amp, Bocar 34mm carburetor modified by Aircooled, custom hide away muffler net (Super Stock), Aluminum Serpentine pulley & Belt system from CB Performance, K&N Air Filter, Empi Aluminum Valve Covers, Exhaust header with custom hide away muffler, Custom Fan Shroud with deleted heater ducts, Semi-Automatic 3-Speed Transmission
Exterior: 1.5 inches Widen rear fiberglass fenders, Roof modified with sunroof opening, Rear pop out windows, Roof Rack, Mexican style front bumper with integrated front turn signal indicators
Interior: 96 Honda Civic front bucket seats, Full Wet Okole interior (front and back), Carbon Fiber wrapped dash, Empi GT wood steering wheel, Moon Eyes aluminum Accelerator pedal, Wooden “Duck Boards” (floor boards), 6-point roll cage with checkered pads, 5 panel “wink” Rear view mirror
Suspension: 1.3-inch body lift by Empi, Type 181 (Thing) front suspension, 5.3 inches raised suspension by rotating torsion bars, Pro Comp extended length shocks all around, ¾-inch front sway bar with urethane bushings
Wheels/Tires/Brakes: Vintage Centerline “Auto Drag” aluminum 15-inch rims, 3.5-inch front and 10-inch rear, Yokohama 7.00 x 15 front tires, Federal 31×10.5×15 rear tires, Front disc brakes with SS braided brake lines, Front disc and rear drums drilled and studded for 5 lug Chevy pattern
Electronics: Full Set of VDO gauges (Tachometer, Oil temperature, Oil PSI, Cylinder Head temperature, Transmission Oil temperature, Voltmeter), Front LED 7-inch Headlights by Trucklite, Front 6-inch round auxiliary lights by Hella, Front LED daytime running lights by InPro, Rear LED tail lights from Summit Racing, Alpine Bluetooth/ CD/ AM/ FM receiver with amp and 4 speakers, LED Cyclone Interior lighting by KC Lights, Switched Dual horns (Stock and Dual Trumpet Air), LED front turn signals in bumper, LED front and rear running/marker lights
Roger Moore isn’t certain what it was that made him fall so hard for Volkswagens, but he is sure that the fall started while taking his first ride as an infant.
“Maybe it was the sound of the motor when I was young, but my first ride was a 1968 bug and (since then) I’ve never owned anything other than a VW,” said Moore, who grew up outside of Hawaii and whose life has been dedicated to restoring Bugs, Karmann Ghias and late-model VWs.
After moving to the Islands as an adult, he immediately began jonesing to own another air-cooled VW, and so he went looking for a deal. He eventually found it in 2011 — agreeing to pay $300 for what can safely be described as a rattle trap: a 1970 VW Beetle Type 1. Then he spent the next two years in his garage completing a full body-off restoration.
Every nut and bolt in this vehicle has been refreshed and restored by Moore, and it shows. The result is absolutely flawless while being unique in its own right. Immediately identifiable, the VW was melded into the legendary Disney character Herbie — that iconic VW Beetle featured in multiple movies and TV shows over the past 40 years — with a fully lifted setup off-road feel. Thanks to Moore, the ride screams of personality and fun.
This VW is heavily customized and features a ton of modifications. Starting with the exterior, you’ll notice the pure white paint job detailed with custom Herbie vinyl. The body has 1.5-inch widened rear fiberglass fenders, a custom “sawzall” sunroof, rear pop-out windows and a Mexican-style front bumper with some very modern LED turn signals.
The chassis has been lifted 3 inches and includes a Type 181 Thing front suspension and rotated torsion bars and shocks procured through Maui Off Road. Front disc brakes have been added to help keep the rebuilt semi-automatic 3-speed transmission in check. The transmission has been mated to a 1679cc engine with custom dual port heads, an SVDA distributor, and a Bocar 34mm carburetor.
This Beetle sits high on vintage Centerline Auto Drag 15-inch wheels fitted with Yokohama and Federal tires. The fronts are a special make, and are 700R15 skinny tires with meaty 31×10.50R15s on the rear.
The interior screams personality with a carbon fiber wrapped dash, a gorgeous EMPI GT wood steering wheel, and custom made wooden “duck boards.” A 6-point roll cage with checkered foam padding adds even more flair while the sponsored Wet Okole interior sits snugly over the Honda bucket seats and original rear seats.
What Moore has done with this ride can best be described as amazing. “With some inspiration and dedication, you can take a classic car that was destined for the junkyard and turn it into a work of art,” he said.
