Bloemfontein - If you find yourself in the Free State capital and you have time to spare, stop by at Gerhard’s Volksie museum. Whether you’re a Volkswagen fan or just somebody who can appreciate the starry-eyed passion of one really dedicated car collector, it’s worth a visit.
The facility is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of air-cooled Beetles, Karmann Ghias and Kombis. Cars are restored in an on-site workshop, and if you're looking for any spares for your old-school Volksie, you’re also likely to find them here among the huge assortment of pre-loved parts and accessories.
On display in the large warehouse is a collection of air-cooled Veedubs (with the exception of a pristine Citi Golf which was one of the last ones to come off the line in 2009 before the car was replaced by the Polo Vivo. It’s on sale for R250 000).
The collection includes Kombis in various guises including a bakkie version, an ambulance, and a hippified version with a flower-power paint job and a Dayzee number plate. There are Karmann Ghias, Variants and Beetles of every description including a Herbie version with the iconic blue-red-white racing stripes, and even a rare Brazilian-built SP2 coupé.
The museum doesn’t have fixed operating hours but you can book a visit by calling Gerhard on 051 451 1005, or for more information check out the
.