Stretched “Rollswagen” Beetle heads to Monterey

Troutman-Barnes, a company known for its prototype racers and bold automotive experiments – like a sedan conversion of the Porsche 911 sedan – built a stretch limo out of a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle. It is now heading to RM Sotheby’s estimated between U.S. $150,000 and 200,000.

The auction will take place at the Monterey Car Week in the middle of August. The listing claims the owner paid $34,500 for the conversion, which was a small fortune to pay for a car half a century ago. This very Beetle transported actor John Wayne to the Academy Awards of 1970. It also crashed the LA Auto Show of the same year and starred in multiple ads.

The tuners stretched the car by a whole meter (40 inches), installed custom rear doors and created a five-seat lounge in the back. It features a bench seat for three and two paratrooper seats facing each other, as well as a folding table and a minibar in the middle. The whole space was retrimmed with black leather for a decidedly more upmarket look than this Beetle had from the factory.

A 1.6-liter engine powered by Weber downdraft carburetors was swapped in as well. The listing is light on details, but it does point out that the limo had gained around 180 kilos (400 pounds) thanks to the conversion, so the stock 54 PS (53 hp / 40 kW) coming from a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated mill were no longer adequate.

It’s unclear how much mileage this so-called “Rollswagen” has on it and what its condition is like, but it looks great for age. It is being sold at no reserve, meaning whoever makes the best offer buys it.