SPOKANE, Wash. — After 36 years it is finally home.

Michelle Squires’ 1964 VW Bus was trailered back to Spokane this week from California where it was found last year.

The van was stolen from an upholstery shop in the Browne’s Addition area of the city in 1974. Squires thought it would never be seen again, then a customs agent discovered the stolen van at the Port of Los Angeles.

The van had been restored and was on its way to Germany. It never made it. Squires was notified the van had been found, and she went to work to get it back. An attorney in Oklahoma saw the story in the Wall Street Journal and offered her services pro bono.

Michelle’s insurance company, which paid her for the van in the 1980s, decided to auction it in December 2009. Michelle Squires bid on the VW, but was outbid. It was sold for somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000. But a paperwork issue kept the van in Southern California, allowing Michelle to buy it back.

She and her boyfriend traveled to California last week to pick up the van and trailer it back to Spokane.

When it arrived Tuesday afternoon, a party was held at the Cathay Inn Restaurant to celebrate the return. Michelle plans to take the first family trip in the van in three decades to California with her grandchildren this May.

Check out the movie on MSNBC:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40687821/?gt1=43001

While the final (and good!) production run is on its way and should arrive at BBT HQ early January we shipped a batch of the powder coated pre production sprintstar wheels to our BBT agent in the USA.

They arrived safe and well and are a big hit!

The first set was straight mounted on a bus with a very happy owner s a result!

These “pre production” sprints can only be bought as a set at this given time, and You can still buy before the holidays, stocks @ BBT HQ as in our Californian branch are limited so better don’t delay and contact us today! Bob@bbt4vw.com

Elizabeth & Joao Carlos sent us these pictures from Blumenau – Santa Catarina in Brazil

It seems that they take good care of their lovely beetle and kitty, thanks for the pics, this is why we do it!