CULT CARS: Patrick, Paul and Vincent fell in love with Beetle convertibles 30 years ago. Their enthusiasm turned into a business model.
Three brothers, one passion
The Postma brothers on tour: Patrick, Paul and Vincent in one of their almost 30 Beetle convertibles.
Passion is the driving force behind the great projects of our lives. When we burn for something, it ends up being really good. The story of Patrick, Paul and Vincent Postma is the best example of this.
Patrick Postma, 51, lovingly pushes the red convertible backwards into its final position. Every centimetre is meticulously utilised. After all, all the classics have to fit into the garage somehow. In three decades, the Postma brothers have built up an impressive fleet of Beetles and Bullis on the German-Dutch border. „Of our total of 27 Beetle convertibles, the oldest is 59 years old…. And this T1 from 1960 is the oldest of our 21 Bullis,“ Patrick tells us as he strolls through the rows. Together with his younger brother Vincent, 46, he specialises in renting out the air-cooled dream cars.
Neatly parked: the Beetle convertible fits exactly between the Bullis. Each of the current 48 dream cars has its own special story.
Three brothers, one passion
Vincent, Paul and Patrick Postma (from left to right) When Paul bought his very first Beetle 30 years ago, no one suspected that Volkswagen love would become the trio’s life’s passion.
However, Paul Postma laid the foundation stone for the family business between Bad Bentheim and Enschede. Now 49, he first fell in love with a Beetle Convertible at the age of 19. „I liked the design and of course the breeze around the nose, but also the fact that with a bit of skill you can completely take the car apart and put it back together again,“ he reports. Paul infected his two brothers with his enthusiasm. Within three years, all of them were driving Postmas Beetles „topless“. I wonder if Paul’s first open Beetle is still part of the family? „Yes, it’s even on my business card,“ says Paul. „It all started with him and I’m not giving him away either.“
Paul Postma still owns his first Beetle convertible. For the daily routes, however, he prefers this gem.
Every new delivery has something of Christmas about it
Basically, Paul deals in old convertibles on a grand scale. He restores the cars, brings them up to „showroom quality“, as he calls it, and sells them on. „About 40 of them pass through my hands every year,“ he says. He likes to buy his treasures in the USA – currently there are 27 Beetles and a Karmann Ghia from 1974. „When a car is delivered, it’s like Christmas every time,“ he enthuses. And there is also excitement: Is the condition as good as described by the sellers? Is the restoration worth it and will he eventually find an enthusiast who is ultimately willing to pay between 20,000 and 40,000 euros for the convertible?
Patrick in his element: he has a story ready for every vehicle. However, organising rallies is what he and his brother Vincent enjoy the most.
Patrick, who is the spokesman of the automotive trio, so to speak, particularly likes to tell stories about the often unusual wedding rentals: Massai warriors in traditional robes were just as keen on the T1 as an Indian family or the newlywed couple from Afghanistan, whose female guests all appeared in traditional burqas. „Once we rented out all the Bullis in one go,“ interjects brother Vincent, pulling out his smartphone. Beaming, he presents photos of a seemingly endless column.
Then Patrick Postma points to a 1967 T1 in creamy white and grey and explains: „That’s the star among our wedding cars.“ The split windscreen, the ivory-coloured steering wheel, the naked handlebars and the slightly clattering accelerator pedal – the cult piece is on the road almost every weekend. Not least because of the chic sliding door: „The bride can get in quite comfortably, even with a long train,“ Postma explains. He mentions in passing that these very doors are no longer produced. „They are now absolute rarities. Accordingly, the prices for the original part have exploded.“ Around 5,000 euros were recently estimated for a rusty door – too much of a good thing even for the Postmas.
Rolling into happiness the classic way: Vincent Postma with a souvenir photo of a wedding party that warms the heart of Volkswagen enthusiasts.
Air-cooled dreams for all occasions.
Three brothers, one passion
A look inside the T1 from 1967: the ivory-coloured steering wheel, the simple instruments, the classic 4-speed gearbox underneath. Pure nostalgia.
Between romance, rallies and the final resting place
Weddings, however, are only one aspect of colourful car rental. For events, for example, entire rallies can be booked. „We can fit up to 250 people into a classic rally. With our roadbook and some demanding challenges, everyone is well occupied,“ Patrick explains. Often, the well-maintained classics serve as welcome retro objects at photo shoots or advertising campaigns. A dark green T1, for example, still bears the words „Surfers Café“. For its opening, a restaurant relied on the eye-catcher, which was originally used as a fire engine in Austria. „In some places you can still see the original red paint,“ Patrick points out of the commercial vehicle’s former life.
The green and white T1 once served as a fire truck. In some places you can still spot red paint – under the current paint job.
Patrick’s gaze continues to wander through the rows of vans and gets stuck on strange rollers inside a dark T2. „That’s our hearse,“ Patrick says. At first it was strange for them to offer such a service, but because it was requested so often, one of their drivers has also been taking on funeral rides for about five years. The coffin is carefully pushed into the hearse over the rollers. Vincent Postma whispers: „To be honest, I prefer it when the hearse is not booked. Because then everyone feels healthy!“
Patrick, Paul and Vincent in front of their spectacular limousine. „Everything is great – except for the turning circle,“ jokes Paul, who bought the custom-made car six years ago.
Greetings from Las Vegas: Paul’s Beetle limo is legendary
Change of scene. A few kilometres further on, Paul welcomes us with his Labrador Brutus. Bad luck for the dog: he doesn’t get any attention, because Paul has already rolled the limo out of the garage. The Beetle with its large sliding roof is 1.30 metres longer and a luxurious interior awaits us behind the second door. With colour TV and mini-bar – lined in dark blue velour. Even before Paul tells us how this unique car came into his hands six years ago, he emphasises that the body is screwed together and not welded: „Beetles with welded seams and a good coat of filler don’t come into my house at all.
Cool Beetle: lined with dark blue velour, colour TV and a small couch with minibar. Plus: the best view thanks to the large sunroof.
Three brothers, one passion
This is limousine feeling at its best.
But how did this custom-made car end up at the Postmas? „The car actually comes from Las Vegas! A Dutchman is said to have been driven in it every evening from his hotel to the casino. The good guy won so much money in one week that he took the car with him on his return flight.“ Sounds a bit like the hit film „Hangover“ – only without the tiger!
Perfectionism down to the floor panel
Paul lifts the bonnet. He grins: „75 hp, double carburettor, special ignition.“ The condition of the Beetle saloon is typical Paul Postma – immaculate down to the floor pan. „You know,“ says the mechanic, „I’m a perfectionist. For example, if there’s even a tiny crease in the top of a convertible, the car won’t go out.“ Some people wouldn’t bother with such trifles. For this Beetle maniac, they are a thorn in the side.
Paul Postma buys old Beetle convertibles and restores them down to the last detail. The quality of his work is well-known in the scene.
Three brothers, one passion
A garage full of Volkswagen dreams.
Word of his meticulousness has long since spread: Beetle convertible lovers from Switzerland, Italy and Austria – indeed from all over Europe – look into Paul’s garage. To this day, he himself can hardly believe what his passion has developed into. When he was 18 or 19, he didn’t know exactly what his professional future would look like. At that time, his father earned his money by building sewage treatment plants – Paul toyed with the idea of joining the business. „Somehow, though, the bugs got me more excited than cleaning dirty water,“ he says with a laugh.
Paul puts the spotlight on the Karmann Ghia, which originated in Texas. On his behalf, acquaintances keep a constant eye on the US used car market.
The next generation is already playing in the Bulli
Does Paul Postma’s whole life revolve exclusively around old vehicles? „No,“ he answers, „also about the spare parts.“ Paul is serious and his brothers have to save the unintentionally funny situation. „He has a family too,“ Vincent quickly interjects, and to prove it he shows a photo in his mobile phone. A little boy is sitting in his nursery. Not on a chair, though, but in a red plastic van.
The Postma brothers – when passion becomes the purpose of life. On to new air-cooled challenges!
BRAND/Copyright: Volkswagen AG
virtualdesignmagazine Michael Hiller
