There’s something just nice and quaint about this little press release, which was press-released sometime in the late 1960s, I think. I’m not entirely certain of the year, partially because I’ve not seen another reference to it online other than The Samba, where I saw these scans, but based on the photo, parts used, and the typewritten press release copy, and the blurry Beetles in the background, I suspect this was probably issued sometime between 1963-1967 or so. And it’s charming as hell.
It’s just a little sculpture of what looks like a little robot, though it could be an alien or a human or something in between; I’m inclined to say robot because it’s made of mechanical parts, though I can only guess at the motives of the artist, Joseph Aquilar.
Here’s Aquilar’s artwork, in its full glory:
…and here’s the accompanying press release VW of America issued with the photograph, and, presumably, sent to various media outlets:
Aguilar was a mechanic at a VW dealer in Columbus, Ohio, and built the sculpture from 16 VW engine parts, including a cylinder jug, crankshaft, con rods, and I also see some cooling tin used for the feet and some rocker arms and other bits there. The press release uses this assemblage to promote parts sales, as all these parts appear to be new.
I wonder if Aguilar just ordered the parts and made this guy for fun, or if he was asked to do it specifically to advertise VW’s DIY parts availability? In my head, I have sort of concocted the story that Aguilar started making similar sculptures using used/broken parts he’d accumulate during his work as a VW mechanic, and these got noticed by his bosses at the dealership, who then maybe asked him to make one with new parts, for promotional reasons?
I mean, I’m speculating wildly, but I’d have to think a VW mechanic would start making things like this from parts that were going to be scrapped anyway instead of buying new parts, right?
Whatever happened, the fact that VW of America issued this photo and press release at all is just really charming, and a reminder of some simpler times in the auto publicity business.
Nice work, Joseph Aguilar, wherever you are!
Are we looking at the final form of Lewin’s Audi TT?
ALL YOUR PARTS ARE BELONG TO US
This was no doubt inspired — at least in part — by the sculptures one could find at muffler shops. A couple of fullsize muffler, some exhaust tubing, and perhaps a Cherry Bomb or two, and voila! cute little semi-humanoid figures.
Joseph’s is more ambitious though. I might have used a Beetle fan shroud as a hat for that jog, but that’s just me.
“Manufacturer’s protocol dictates I cannot be captured. I must be destroyed.”
For a second there I thought this might have been a childhood photo of baby Elon before his simulated dermal layer was attached.
Your take is probably correct Torch. Almost certain that the sculpture was seen by someone from VW and the rest is history.
When I worked for VW in the 1970s-80s we had factory reps visit the dealerships all the time. I seem to remember our dealership had a huge poster of this ad stashed in the storage area.
“My name is Rod… Con Rod.”