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Three Generations of Love in a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle - Owner: Lynda Bonnette
Some cars are simply transportation. Others quietly become part of a family's story, absorbing decades of memories and meaning along the way. For Lynda Bonnette, her 1968 Volkswagen Beetle, affectionately named "Nellybell", is far more than a classic car. She is a rolling tribute to three generations of women who loved her, relied on her, and treated her not as an object, but as a trusted companion. In August of 1968, Jessie, my husband's grandmother, walked into a Volkswagen dealership at the age of 58 and purchased a brand new Beetle equipped with the then innovative Automatic Stick Shift transmission. Advertised as the "Lady Bug," this model was designed to make driving easier and more approachable, particularly for those who preferred not to operate a traditional clutch. Jessie embraced the idea wholeheartedly. She named the car Nellybelle, after Roy Rogers' beloved Jeep, and quickly made the Beetle her own.
Nellybelle became part of Jessie's everyday life, faithfully taking her wherever she needed to go. My husband still fondly remembers riding along as a child on special trips to Krispy Kreme, where the journey was just as important as the doughnut waiting at the end. Jessie continued driving well into her 80s, a testament both to her independence and to the Beetle's reliability. Only when age made it unavoidable did she finally stop driving, leaving behind a car filled with decades of gentle use and care. In the mid 1990s, Nellybelle passed to Jessie's daughter, Geraldine, my mother in law, beginning the Beetle's second chapter. Geraldine was deeply committed to preserving the car's originality, believing that its charm lay in remaining as close as possible to the way her mother had enjoyed it. One of the most significant moments in Nellybelle's life came when Geraldine drove her from Virginia to Florida, with Jessie riding along, as Jessie relocated to live with her daughter.
Florida proved to be an ideal setting for the Beetle's continued service. Nellybelle became a familiar sight around town, commuting to work, running errands, and heading to the beach. She was never tucked away or treated as fragile. In 2003, Geraldine treated her to a fresh coat of paint, carefully refreshing her appearance while preserving her original character. The Beetle remained a dependable and joyful part of daily life.By 2018, at the age of 88, Geraldine made the difficult decision to stop driving due to failing eyesight. Not long after, both Geraldine and Nellybelle relocated to Washington, DC, to live with my husband and me. With that move, the responsibility of caretaking passed to us, along with the honor of continuing the car's story.
Mechanical attention was given where needed, including work to the undercarriage, servicing of the AutoStick transmission, and replacement of rusted bumpers. Inside, Nellybelle remains remarkably original. The seats, headliner, and door panels are still the same pieces enjoyed by Jessie and Geraldine decades earlier. The carpet was replaced only after floor pan repairs, and the dash and sun visors were updated due to sun damage from years spent in Florida. Every change has been made thoughtfully, and only when necessary. The AutoStick transmission itself has been rebuilt a couple of times over the years, a reminder of both its unique design and its long service life. The mechanism, housed inside the left rear wheel well, continues to spark curiosity among fellow enthusiasts who stop to admire the car at shows.
Today, Nellybelle is far from a static display. She is regularly driven and enjoyed, just as she always has been. She attends cruises, events, and shows hosted by the Rare Air Emerald Coast Volkswagen Club and Pensacola VW Happenings, experiences that have greatly enriched our Volkswagen journey. The support and shared knowledge of club members have been invaluable, and it is never unusual to spot another vintage vehicle while out on the road. Perhaps most meaningful of all is that Nellybelle still carries her original owner's manual, toolkit, jack, and even a book of Volkswagen cartoons that came from the dealership so many years ago.
She wears a few small dings and scrapes, honest reminders of a life well lived. Those marks make me smile, knowing that the women before me loved this car enough to drive her everywhere. Nellybelle was never just owned. She was trusted, enjoyed, and cherished. Our hope is simple, to honor Jessie and Geraldine by continuing to do exactly what they did best, keeping Nellybelle on the road and letting her story continue to unfold, one wonderful mile at a time.
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