Remodelling bug bites - Uriel Dunkley stretches Volkswagen to his tastes

Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer

Uriel Dunkley started his transformation of Volkswagens with a 1972 model which seemed a bit too small. Once he started, he got hooked.

Dunkley said that it takes a pretty penny to make the desired changes to transform the bug into a limousine. "It is a costly exercise to make this transformation. It takes dedication to details to effectively stretch and lift it to desired size, " he said.

Dunkley told Automotives that he spent heavily on material and labour. "By the time you buy fibreglass, wood, metal and colour, expense takes you over $1,000,000," he said.

He said the vehicles are stretched by 30 inches in length and 18 inches in height. Dunkley's objective is to have a unique-looking vehicle to carry the Dr Lushus Music Machine.

"The vehicle is built with a housing which pushes 10,000 watts. It is still a marvellous vehicle which is well loved, " Dunkley told Automotives. He said, in addition to having great music, it is an added inspiration to know that the "labour of love" has now come of age.

"When I started in 1982 it was sometimes a daunting task. But it is now a pleasing achievement, so we continue to buy and stretch. We have the power bug being worked on, " Dunkley said.