Justin Johnson at Lucky Gunner Garage in Conway, New Hampshire, wanted to challenge himself and chop an old-school car. So, He decided to choose an old-school Volkswagen Beetle for the above-mentioned project.
As Justin Johnson has mentioned on the Lucky Gunner Garage website: “The old-school VW Beetle is one of the hardest vehicles to chop. The chopping project was supported to be a quick budget built but quickly turned into a wild Rat Rod”. This wild 1976 Volkswagen Beetle is powered by a front-mounted 5.7L Hemi V8 engine from a 2012 Dodge Charger. Its Hemi V8 engine has combined with a NAGI 5-speed automatic transmission. A Hemi Bug from hell…?

The 5.7L Hemi V8 engine transmits 370 hp to the rear wheels via Getrag Independent Differential. And the weight of the car is 2450 lbs (wet). As mentioned on the Lucky Gunner Garage website, almost everything including the entire frame of this wild Rat Rod is handmade and gets a fully independent suspension.
The Lucky Gunner Garage further states that the interior of this 1976 Volkswagen Beetle is mostly 20-gauge steel, with aluminum door panels finished with custom beadwork. And another thing to mention is that it gets Racepak IQ3S CAN Bus digital street dash and a quick-detach steering wheel. This Hemi Bug Rat Rod is the final result of 6 months of hard work and dedication from Justin Johnson and the team.
Exclusive images of the Hemi V8 powered 1976 Volkswagen Beetle













