Cherry-Flavoured Beetle
We were tempted to start this blog post with the now-legendary words “Jouki jou”, but in the interest of originality and avoiding plagiarism, we’ll refrain. So instead — welcome, dear car and moto enthusiast! You’ve landed on the official blog of autokultuur.ee, known as Saturday Drivers.
This blog will be home to a variety of stories and write-ups bringing you in-depth looks at standout projects, events, and everything else that stirs the passions of the local car hobby scene.
Now that the ice is broken and introductions are made, let’s get to the main subject of our first post — Siim Hovintalo and his originally 1972-built, now cherry-red Volkswagen Beetle 1300, affectionately nicknamed “Cherry.” The car runs on an air-cooled 1.3-liter engine with a solid 32 kW of power. What follows is a cozy sit-down interview with Siim himself.
What made you choose the Beetle?
Honestly, that’s one of the most common questions I get — because, let’s face it, you don’t often see these old, round classics in today’s younger car scene. My interest in old Volkswagens started back in school. A classmate named Sten came from a family with several Beetles and buses, and his father was a well-known Beetle guy and restorer in southern Estonia. Soviet cars and other vintage iron never really caught my attention, but these German icons — Beetles and buses — always sparked excitement. Even back then, I wasn’t interested in chasing originality. I used to read blogs about custom Beetles and how people were making them cool. What also drew me in was the fact that parts for these cars are still being produced today — everything from panels to small hardware — and easily ordered online. And finally, the fact that you can take one completely apart like a LEGO set made it the perfect project car for me.
Was this your first car, and did you plan a full restoration from the start?
It wasn’t my first car overall, but it was my first hobby and project car. When I brought it home from a garage in Tartu during my early university years, I didn’t have big plans — just wanted to get it running and roadworthy. But, as fate would have it, things took a turn. After driving about 100 km to the season opener of the Estonian Beetle Club, the driver’s seat literally fell through the floor. That’s when the full-scale restoration began. I decided immediately to go all in — to rebuild it properly, give it an air-ride setup, and a unique custom color.
Did you strip the body completely? How long did that process take?
Since the Beetle is fully bolt-on, I took it apart down to the last screw. The body lifts off the chassis, and everything — fenders, doors, lids, glass — comes apart easily. First, I welded a completely new floor using original replacement panels. Then, both the front and rear ends of the body got new sections where rust had eaten through. Once the welding was done, everything went through sandblasting and got a layer of acid primer. After that, it sat for about a year and a half, waiting for motivation and finances to align. Eventually, I moved to Tallinn and rented a heated garage in Nõmme, where I brought the Beetle. I wanted to do all the body prep myself — filler, sanding, priming — and over that winter I got it done. I always dreamed of a Cherry/Candy Red tone, something that shifts under sunlight. The tricky part was finding someone to paint it — most pros don’t want to paint over someone else’s prep work. After talking to several people, I finally found an experienced painter with 15 years in the trade who took it on — and wow, I wasn’t disappointed! From the first weld to the painted body, it took around four years in total.
How long did it take to reassemble everything, and what was the hardest part to find?
I sourced parts from all over — different countries, one piece at a time. I ordered most of the big stuff in one go to make assembly smoother, but there were still plenty of follow-up orders. Every Beetle owner knows — parts can look identical but still be slightly different. The process was constant learning, which made it exciting. Technically, it’s still not 100% finished — there’s always something to refine or upgrade. But if you mean how long it took to get it back together and driving, I’d say about three months of evenings and weekends. The hardest part to find? Honestly — motivation, at times. Everything is available, from big panels to the smallest washers. The real challenge was tracking down the custom parts I wanted. Some came from the U.S., some from Turkey, and some from the Netherlands.
What’s on the custom list?
Just to clarify, I’ll mention the things that are not original but custom-made or modified:
- Custom paint that changes tone in sunlight
- Air suspension setup — air bags in the rear, air struts up front — it can sit flat on the ground
- Retro-style chrome radio and custom sound system
- Steering wheel swapped for a slightly older model’s version
- Foldable front seats with headrests (ordered from the Netherlands)
- Eyelids on the headlights and smoked rear lenses
- Rear window louver
- Custom shifter and window cranks
- Porsche-style 17” Cookie Cutter alloy wheels
- 3D-printed rotating hubcaps
Where did most of your inspiration come from?
A mix of everything you mentioned — foreign projects, friends, and personal vision. The Beetle culture in the U.S., Germany, and Belgium is incredibly rich. I’ve spent hours reading blogs, scrolling through Facebook groups, and watching YouTube videos. My good friend Kaspar Orasmäe, former organizer of StancEST, definitely influenced my love for the bagged and stance scene.
How often do you drive it, and what’s the feeling like behind the wheel?
When it was finished, I drove it quite a bit last year — mostly around Tallinn. My longest trip so far has been Tallinn–Tartu–Tallinn. This year I’ve mainly taken it to local shows and a few Thursday night cruises. To be honest, I don’t want to drive it every week — it feels like a treasured gem, something special that doesn’t need to be seen all the time. But whenever it’s out on the street, it always turns heads. That alone is an amazing feeling — you can’t help but smile ear to ear. Comfort-wise though… let’s just say it’s not the car’s strongest feature.
What’s next? Any plans for international shows?
This winter I plan to finish up loose ends — clean up the engine bay and wiring, make it look neat under the hood. I also want to find a pair of old Porsche seats because the current ones are terribly uncomfortable. So if you’re reading this and have a set lying around — hit me up! I’ve been thinking about maybe showing it at Ultrace next year, and there’s also the European Beetle Festival in Chimay, Belgium — that’s been on my bucket list for a while. Locally, you’ll definitely see Cherry at Estonian car events, and maybe even in Latvia.
Any future projects or dream cars?
Definitely more projects ahead — my fingers are already itching. Right now I’m scouting for the right body and engine to start the next build. As for a dream car… I’ve never had just one. As a kid, the Dodge Viper stuck in my memory from Turbo chewing gum cards, but it’s not really “the dream” anymore. Honestly, I sometimes envy people who’ve always had one specific poster car. For me, it’s always been about custom builds and turbocharged power.
Which car would you like to read about?
There is a Porsche 911 with crazy color combo from Lowtown Workshop crew. This would be an interesting read.
Lastly, why should young people today get into car hobbies?
Because they absolutely should! In today’s world, where we’re constantly absorbed by screens and the virtual space, it’s so important to have something tangible — something real. Car culture is about much more than engines and wheels — it’s a community, creativity, and a chance to build something with your own hands.
And that wraps up our very first post! If you, dear reader, have ideas for future stories or projects you’d like to read about, let us know. We’re also open to constructive feedback about the blog itself. Until next time — happy cruising!
EDIT — @saturday_drivers
PHOTOGRAPHER — Ramon Jakobs @outraw.automotive
CAR OWNER — Siim Hovintalo @porgandipille
