To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' The Taj Ma
Garaj Collection event, 28 September 2019.
Estimate:
$25,000 - $35,000
- Tribute to the hometown Cincinnati Bengals
- Extensive interior and exterior customization
- Signed by former Bengals kicker Shayne Graham
- Features a massive custom sound system
- Ready to roar on any given Sunday
In more than five decades playing football in Cincinnati, the
Bengals have developed a rabid following despite having never won
the Super Bowl. Conceived as a tribute to the team purportedly
named after the local zoo's famous and rare white Bengal tiger,
this custom Beetle has been extensively modified with a theme
recognizable to any fan of the team that calls Paul Brown Stadium
home.
At its base is a standard 1971 Super Beetle with a sunroof.
Exterior trim was shaved, and the trunk lid was smoothed out to
give the "Jungle Bug" an even cleaner look. Yellow-tinted headlight
lenses give the car an animalistic look, reinforced by its custom
orange body with black stripes, painted by Carl's Auto FX in
Dayton, Ohio. Modifications are extensive. The running boards were
extended to flow with the tweaked fenders, and the bulky factory
taillights were discarded in favor of a pair of strips built into
the rear fenders. Purple-hued Colorado Custom Ft. Lupton wheels are
wrapped in Kumho performance tires.
The theme goes even further inside. A reworked dashboard based on
the Beetle's design is painted light grey with dramatic orange
pinstriping. Grey carpeting is matched with grey seat bolsters and
orange vinyl center sections. Above the radio, eyes of a tiger
appear to bust through the dashboard on a mural painted by Don
Boeke, known locally as the proprietor of Egyptian Custom Body.
White-faced VDO gauges rest in the dashboard in place of the
original units. A Gene Berg shifter transfers power to a
performance VW motor built by the Garaj in Kettering, Ohio, with a
performance air cleaner and carburetor.
To make an aural impact as big as the car's design, the Pioneer
audio system features speakers in custom enclosures in the trunk
area, six Planet Audio subwoofers where the rear seat would be
located, and additional speakers housed in the door panels. Former
Cincinnati Bengals kicker Shayne Graham signed the speaker housing
built into the driver's door in 2006.
This Bengal-themed custom Beetle makes a strong impression and
would be the center of attention in any sports or car enthusiast's
collection. Even if the Bengals don't win a Super Bowl, this tiger
will always be the life of the party.To view this car and others
currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/tg19.