WARNING.— The person in whose name this vehicle is displayed may or may not be the current owner of the vehicle. Readers are warned, therefore, that this entry is not proof of ownership.
Details
- Registration Mark
- ZL 5212
- (a) Type:
- Type 1
- (b) Year:
- 1951
- (c) Colour:
- Black & White
- (d) Paint code:
- L41 & unknown
- (e) Engine CCs:
- ?
History
- (a) Country of origin:
- Ireland
- (b) County first reg'd:
- Dublin
- (c) Current or last known location:
- Dublin
Model information
Split Window Beetle
Info
Darren O’Rourke added this very special 1951 Split Window Beetle to the Beetle.ie Census. It was owned and driven by Noel Gleeson; he of MDL sales fame and owner of two Dublin Volkswagen dealerships at one time.
This home built special was built using a Split Beetle that was damaged in an accident. The roof was damaged beyond repair so Noel ‘added lightness’ (and saved himself hours of body repairs) by chopping the entire roof off! I think health & safety would have something to say about allowing someone race a car like that today with no roof, no roll bar and no roll cage but times were a lot different then.
Thanks to Derek Sheane, we know that this Beetle was later converted into a special by Robert Sheane and raced on into the 1960s.
Darren is currently compiling a piece about motorsport in the 1950s and 1960s for the book on Volkswagen in Ireland so expect more details and information about Noel and his amazing Beetle.
Submitted by: Darren O'Rourke
Additional Photos