VTO original Chrome Steel Badge

The VTOs (Volkswagen Touring Optimum) were amongst the first, if not the first, ever Dealer Special Edition Beetles produced by rebel Volkswagen Dealerships. Built and sold by the Brundage family out of their Autohaus Pompano Beach Florida Dealership the VTOs were considered at the time to be exceptionally cool by all that saw them. As far as is known only 103 were ever built between 1963 to 1967.

VTO specifications.
Engines for the VTO’s were available in four stages of tune with Zenith 32NDIX carburettor, EMPI manifold and extractor exhaust, Bosch centrifugal advance distributor, uprated clutch and 1600 gear shift linkage. These engine modifications were coupled with Monroe adjustable shock absorbers, front anti-roll bar, overall lowering by 2 inches and Pirelli Cinturato tyres. Complementary interior detailing included Formula/Speedwell/EMPI sourced wood rimmed steering wheel and Bendix TB-1 tachometer.  The ultimate – Stage 4 – version had a Porsche engine with single carburettor, disc brakes, magnesium wheels, camber compensator, special graphics and interior accessories. Distinguishing finishing touches ran to blue and gold side stripes and a chrome VTO badge on the decklid.

History of the Brundage family.
Hubert Brundage owned both Porsche and VW Dealerships and became famous for the Brumos (BruMos – Brundage Motors) Porsche GT racing cars that were racing up until 2017. In 1958 he proposed to build a low cost car to enter the then Formula Junior races using Volkswagen Beetle components. He arranged for a brand-new Beetle from Wolfsburg be driven to Nardi’s factory in Turin, Italy for them to build his concept from it. Very soon though Formula Junior became unaffordable for amateurs and Brundage entered into a partnership with local constructors, SCCA official George Smith and Bill Duckworth, known as Formcar. Within four years 500 race cars were built based on the Nardi prototype and by 1963 the Formula Vee racing association was started.

The Nardi concept car disappeared. But a very good friend of the Brundage family then happened to notice a well beaten and partially complete Formula Vee being offered in the Classified section of ‘Autoweek’. This turned out to be the original Nardi prototype. That Brundage family friend subsequently rescued the prototype and restored it in his workshop. This VTO badge was gifted to him by Jan Brundage.

A surviving VTO badge.
Made of chrome steel this badge has, as far as is known, never been fitted to a car. Moreover it is a one of a kind and comes with a robust provenance by virtue of it having been owned by Jan Brundage – the son of the Herbert Brundage and owner of Pompano Beach Volkswagen Dealership  – having been kept as part of his archive since the early 60s.

This particular one of a kind VTO badge, part of VW history, with benefit of its backstory provenance, has now been gifted onwards as a generous donation to SEBeetles with the intent that it raises a contribution towards to ongoing costs of keeping the site online.

The badge itself weighs 0.04kg and measures 15cm x 2cm.

THIS ITEM IS LOCATED IN THE UK | Posts Worldwide and should be sent by the Tracked and Signed service | 30 day return | Buyer pays return postage.

Beetleness and SEBeetle’s reserve the right to cancel bids and will close the auction before its end time if the bidding is below what we consider to be a fair market price for the item.