StenGuns Veteran Volks Folk
2,147 posts · joined Mar 2004 ·
I don't know if these have been circulated before but they are nice snapshot of history.. Shows Antarctic One being loaded for Mawson Base in 1963
Antarctic One
68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --
11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·
I hadn't seen those photos before.. There have been 3 beetles in Antartica , Antartica 1 & 2 were VW sponsored.... there was also another early beetle taken to Antartica by its owner , it was being driven over a frozen lake when the ice gave way... the pair of fellows in it were lucky to get out alive as the car sank, with doors open, in a very short time.... No one knows what happened to the two Antartica Beetles that were returned to Australia after their stint in Antartica... The front ends had to be welded up , as the rough ice surface kept cracking the front end ... I believe that was the only problem with the cars. Their doors used to hit the front guards occasionally when opened in winds over 100kmh .
Lee Noonan
Lee Noonan
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
StenGuns Veteran Volks Folk
2,147 posts · joined Mar 2004 ·
Antarctic 1 ended up in the VW Museum in Germany.. It was retsored and shipped by Aussie Enthusiasts.. You can see their story with pics at the following link..
http://members.netro.com.au/~vwcc/BUDELbadcambergandbeyond.htm
The pix I posted are in the national govt archive, which is nice..
Rgds
http://members.netro.com.au/~vwcc/BUDELbadcambergandbeyond.htm
The pix I posted are in the national govt archive, which is nice..
Rgds
68AutoBug wrote:I hadn't seen those photos before.. There have been 3 beetles in Antartica , Antartica 1 & 2 were VW sponsored.... there was also another early beetle taken to Antartica by its owner , it was being driven over a frozen lake when the ice gave way... the pair of fellows in it were lucky to get out alive as the car sank, with doors open, in a very short time.... No one knows what happened to the two Antartica Beetles that were returned to Australia after their stint in Antartica... The front ends had to be welded up , as the rough ice surface kept cracking the front end ... I believe that was the only problem with the cars. Their doors used to hit the front guards occasionally when opened in winds over 100kmh .
Lee Noonan
silver Dangerous when poked
2,169 posts · joined Dec 2002 ·
Antarctica 1 was lost.. the one in the Museum is a replica based on the same year model Beetle.
Keeping it real !
StenGuns Veteran Volks Folk
2,147 posts · joined Mar 2004 ·
You're 100 percent correct.. Apologies to Lee
..
Rgds
..
Rgds
silver wrote:Antarctica 1 was lost.. the one in the Museum is a replica based on the same year model Beetle.
68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --
11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·
Yes,
I spoke to a fellow who had been to the German museum, and He had checked out the front end... there was no extra welding on it , so it wasn't the "real" Antartica 0ne...... so if any Forum member has a late 1962 or 63 Beetle with a lot of extra welding on the front end of the chassis... You could be driving the famous "Antartica One" or "two" ???
Lee Noonan
I spoke to a fellow who had been to the German museum, and He had checked out the front end... there was no extra welding on it , so it wasn't the "real" Antartica 0ne...... so if any Forum member has a late 1962 or 63 Beetle with a lot of extra welding on the front end of the chassis... You could be driving the famous "Antartica One" or "two" ???
Lee Noonan
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---