Volkswagen Is Restoring the Classic Microbus That Survived the Palisades Fire
Volkswagen wants California to know that it cares.
The German automaker celebrated the third annual International Volkswagen Bus day by announcing plans to restore a 1977 Type 2 that survived the Palisades Fire earlier this year. The van in question was the subject of a memorable Associated Press photo released in the days after the start of the damaging wildfire.
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When the Palisades Fire broke out on the west side of Los Angeles in early January, one can only assume that the T2's owner, Megan Krystle Weinraub, thought her vehicle was a goner. The fire, which took 24 days to contain, burned 37 square miles, killed 12, and destroyed countless homes and businesses. But, as a photo taken by the AP's Mark J. Terrill on Jan. 9 showed, the van that Weinreb calls "Azul" managed to escape relatively unscathed, even if it was a little charred.
Shortly after the photo began to circulate, leading some to dub the vehicle "magic bus," VW reached out to Weinraub to see if it could help. The company offered to assess her microbus and determine if it was still roadworthy. If it wasn't, it promised to do what it could to return it to its pre-fire form.
"Getting that call was such a relief," said Weinraub in a statement. "I knew Azul was becoming a symbol of hope and that people wanted to see more of her, but I had so much to work through at the time that I wasn't sure how to approach it."
Azul at VW's Oxnard Campus
Once VW received the proper clearances to enter the Malibu neighborhood where Azul was parked, the company had it loaded onto a transport vehicle and transferred to its Oxnard Campus, located 35 miles north of the area. The facility houses and maintains a fleet of classic vehicles, making it an ideal location for restoration.
A careful examination showed that while the van withstood the blaze better than anyone could have imagined, it still needed some serious work before it's ready to hit the road again. The company says that Azul will undergo extensive mechanical fixes and body work in the months to come to ensure it is fully operable.
Azul's restoration isn't the only way that VW is trying to help. The automaker has also pledged an undisclosed donation to the California Fire Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps first responders and their families.
Click here for more photos of Azul, the 1977 Volkswagen Type 2.
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