1956 Volkswagen Beetle – Student Restoration
Simcoe Composite School
This 1956 Volkswagen Beetle was left to rot in a field for over 45 years. Most would have walked away. The students at Simcoe Composite School did the opposite.
Pulled from the ground with no floors and a seized engine, the car was brought back to life over two years by the school’s Classic Car Restoration Program. Guided by teachers Richard Ernst and Harvey van der Meer, students rebuilt it to factory-correct condition using original specs, a German birth certificate, and period-correct parts sourced from across North America.
Remarkably, the car remains bone stock. Original trim, hardware, and even its battle scars, including a bullet hole, were preserved. The goal was not perfection. It was authenticity.
Now 70 years old, this Beetle made its debut as a completed car at Motorama after being shown mid-restoration the year prior. It stands as proof of what patience, skill, and belief can produce.
A forgotten car, brought back by the next generation.
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