Under the Hood: 'Everyone Has a Story About a (Volkswagen) Bug'

Maureen and Brad Nelson have always been Volkswagen people.

The two Orland Park residents, who have been married for 48 years, were camped out on Oak Park Avenue in Tinley on Tuesday night, showing off their sunflower yellow Beetle convertible. Maureen dressed to match it — as she said she often does — by sporting a bright yellow top and carrying a black and yellow checkered purse.

The lovable pair reminisced about the "young days" of their marriage, taking cross-country road trips in a 1969 Volkswagen bus.

"We took that bus to New Orleans with seven people," Maureen, 68, said. "It cost us $17 in gas, round-trip."

They've had Volkswagens ever since and are members of clubs to support the make. Brad, 66, rehabs the rigs and said he took Maureen's Beetle completely apart.

"It took me two years total," he said, standing beside the car's open trunk, where the engine is. "I stripped the whole thing, repainted it, rebuilt the engine ... everything."

He paged through a binder they were showcasing under the car's hood, chronicling its improvements since it became theirs. Alongside the book was a spinning display with several tiny models of their pride and joy. The car was a pale yellow when they bought it and was in overall good shape—just a bit "rough around the edges," Brad said.

"They're just fun cars," Maureen said. "Everyone has a story about a bug."

Their stories center on their marriage and three sons, who all learned to drive stick shift on them. The cars will forever hold a special place in their hearts.

"We're not letting go of this one," Maureen said.

Make and Model: Volkswagen Cabriolet (Beetle) convertible

Year: 1974

Odometer: 35,800

Engine: 1,600 cc, 48-horsepower stock engine

Interior: Black cloth

Year Purchased: 2006

Bought from: An owner in Palos Heights, who got the car from New Orleans, where Maureen is originally from. "It came off a boat from Germany to New Orleans," she said. "There's a seaport there. It was kind of meant to be."

Owner occupation: Both Maureen and Brad are retired. She was a bookkeeper for the Service Employees International Union and he was a plumber.

Tags: 130 249

General fun facts: The car has dual exhaust and is decorated with ladybug floor mats. Yellow sunflowers sit in a vase on its dash. The black, cloth convertible top is not automatic, Brad said, and neither is the transmission.

What makes it all worth it?: "We've won trophies for this car over the years," Maureen said. "But it's not about the trophies. It's about the friends and the camaraderie."