From rust bucket to work of art

MOTORING NEWS - One day, when this Beetle goes for a drive, it will be the first steam punk cum filigree Bug ever to grace the road.

But, it will take a while, as doing it up is a labour of love for Wilderness father and daughter, Pierre and Kirsty Lotter.

Kirsty says as a family they always watched car restoration programmes, so she grew up seeing how it is done.

"My father is a huge fan of classic cars and each year we make the trip to the George Old Car Show and marvel at all the beauties. I have always dreamt of having my own car at the show and for my Beetle project, that is the end goal." About a year and a half ago she got the opportunity to buy her own restoration project: a 1975 Beetle Volkswagen.

"From the start, my father and I decided that it would become a father and daughter project - for me, an opportunity of a lifetime as not many people are lucky enough to do a project like this with their father." She says her dad removed his first Beetle engine when he was 12 years old and has taught himself how to work on cars as a hobby. "He has now passed his skills on to me as he taught me everything, from brazing and body work to car painting. I have been involved in every process of this project so far. There is still a lot to do, but I have already learned so much."

When she bought the Beetle, they literally had to pull it out of the mud in the owner's garden, where it had been sitting for a number of years. "At the time, we didn't realise the enormity of the project we were undertaking as we both are dreamers and only saw the end product in our minds."

Reality was that this '75 Beetle was full of rust, the engine wasn't working and it housed a cosy rats' nest too. "While stripping the interior, I even fell through the car floor," she laughs.

The Beetle is still in pieces and they are about half way through the job. "The back half is steam punk-themed and the front half will be green with a filigree design. I have done the painting of the car myself and it is my first airbrush project. It's been a lot of fun," says Kirsty.

Kirsty is more than qualified for this part of the job. She graduated from university with a degree in Fine Art in 2015. "I am currently a tattoo artist but I would love to undertake some car and motorcycle airbrushing projects and expand my business. "So instead of just colouring in people, I can colour in cars too!"

Kirsty and her dad have been working on this baby for more than a year.