I have an affection for the old cars that I’d see in Ireland back in the 1960s and 70s. All of them lift my spirits when I see them. If I had to choose, it would probably be the Volkswagen Beetle. It has an interesting history:
- It originated in Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler wanted an affordable car for German families, and the Beetle was developed under that initiative.
- The original Beetle was built from 1938 to 2003, making it the longest‑produced vehicle in history.
- From the 1960s counterculture to the “Herbie” films, the Beetle became a symbol of fun, freedom, and simplicity
Back in the 60s, as a child, I used to almost think of cars and other vehicles as having faces and personalities. Some were friendly looking, others were scary. The Beetle seems like a pleasant chap 😄.
For fantasy, I’d probably choose Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. We saw the actual car driving by us in Southport, UK, in 2005. I think it was on the way to some kind of event. They beeped and waved at us too.
How do I weave the Bible into this post? They didn’t have cars back then. Perhaps chariots were the closest thing:
2 Kings 2:11
11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
Hibernia Gospel 