Several aftermarket companies specialize in making tracks for late-model trucks and SUVs, but as far as we know there’s no off-the-shelf kit that fits an air-cooled Volkswagen Beetle. That doesn’t mean you can’t put one on tracks—all it takes is a welder and some elbow grease. One enthusiast went through the trouble of turning a 1968 Beetle into a tank, and the car, which is called the Battle Bug, is now for sale.
It looks like every part of this project was homemade, as there’s no template to follow or long-lost prototype to draw inspiration from. The list of modifications is extensive. The front end is pretty much standard Beetle fare with a few exceptions, including a beefier bumper with a winch, turn signals moved from the top to the side of each fender, and headlight bezels. Things start to get interesting beyond the hood.
First, we’ve got a cover with horizontal slats positioned over the windshield. Next, there’s an assortment of guns and missiles, which the seller clarifies are replicas. Finally, we’ve got the tracks. Installing them required extending the Beetle’s body into a notchback-like shape.
The seller didn’t provide build-related details or underbody pictures, so it’s a little difficult to tell precisely how the tracks are set up, but it looks like there’s a gear bolted to each rear drum. Interestingly, they’re the older five-lug drums rather than the newer four-lug drums that should be on a 1968 Beetle. The drum-mounted gear drives a second gear via a massive chain, and we’re pretty sure that one of the rollers is actually a steel wheel sourced from a second-generation Passat. We wonder what kind of strain the setup puts on the Beetle’s clutch.
Camouflaged paint and a variety of graphics add a finishing touch to the vintage, war-ready look. The ad states that the Battle Bug runs and drives, though as a serial air-cooled Volkswagen owner I’d be curious to find out how the tracks affect drivability and performance.
Located in Nashville, the Battle Bug is priced at $25,000. The ad has been up for 15 weeks as of writing, so the price may be a little high and there might be some wiggle room. For context, $25,000 can buy you an exceptionally nice 1968 Beetle that hasn’t been turned into a tank—but where’s the fun in that?
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