Reading the magazine Dune Buggies & Hot VWs, I often saw the ads for Johnny Speed & Chrome. The prices of the parts I needed were much lower than in the Netherlands.
After ordering, I received a call from Dutch customs a week later. They asked what I needed a stinger. If you don't know that this is also the name for an exhaust, not a rocket weapon, you might be cautious.

But the whole US adventure turned out a bit differently than I'd expected. I still had to pay VAT, import duties, rent a customs warehouse (???), phone costs, administrative fees, and even transport from Schiphol to my house. After calculating everything, I came up with the same price as the parts in the Netherlands, but it was a fun experience, nonetheless.

The big moment was sawing off the nose. It was a bonus that the original nose had to be removed; it was completely rotted through. Then the fenders, trunk lid, and nose fit.

The fitting of the rear scoop and fenders. The refurbished engine block is also on display.

The front is now finished. However, the fenders didn't fit at all; they will be modified later. If you look closely at the photo, you'll see a 75mm body lift kit.

Unfortunately, I no longer have access to the storage facility. In the photo, the Beetle is coming to my house from the storage facility.
I have to make do with a garage now, but there is an advantage: the garage is next to my house. I started cleaning out the garage and took two tandem trailers full of junk to the dump. The garage has been fitted with a completely new electrical system. While replacing the wiring, I discovered that the previous owner had only connected the grounded outlets with two wires.