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Christian

By Christian Ziebarth

I received a message last week informing me that Disney was holding a Herbie Car Wash on Tuesday, October 25 (the release date of Herbie: Fully Loaded on DVD) on the world famous Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. I wouldn't have been able to go except that I was in the area to attend my dad's retirement luncheon (after 44 years on the job). Disney took over the Sunset Car Wash for three hours and paid for everybody who showed up in that time frame to get their car cleaned. All the normal car wash workers had Herbie shirts on (white with the red and blue stripes and the number 53) and there were some Disney people decked out in full Herbie racing team pit crew uniforms as well.

When I pulled up, one of them handed me a bunch of Herbie: Fully Loaded air fresheners. I think she was trying to get rid of them because I got there near the end but I've already had friends and family asking for my extra ones. Herbie himself was there and I think his mere presence out on the busy street corner attracted a lot of customers. Having been fascinated by Herbie when I first saw The Love Bug as a small child, it was fun to see him in person. And I even got a professional car wash done along with it. Thanks Disney for the free car wash!

It's not likely that the car was the original Herbie but, nonetheless, it was an authentic old school VW Bug that looked the part. The classic vehicle is to be auctioned off on eBay to benefit Variety - The Children's Charity of Southern California, whose mission is to provide assistance to addicted, physically-challenged, neglected, abused, and/or underprivileged children throughout the area.

The wash better be free with gas prices like that.

Everybody except Dean Jones.

One of the workers didn't get into the Herbie spirit.

This is a 100% 'HAND' car wash. No feet are used in the washing of your vehicle.

Herbie takes his trip to the great race track in the sky.

More on Herbie: Fully Loaded
• UltimateDisney.com's DVD Review
• UltimateDisney.com's Interview with Director Angela Robinson

Kenai · Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:21 pm Post subject:

Wow, leave it up to Disney to show the kindness other movie studios wouldn't bother with.

MickeyMousePal · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:18 am Post subject:

WOW nice story Christian if I knew about this I would have taken my car to get a free car wash...poor Krystal she has a bike. LOL Laughing

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Robin Hood · Limited Edition Joined: 01 May 2005 Location: Canada

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orestes. · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 5:52 am Post subject:

If I only had the money I would bid in that auction. I like Herbie but I'm not a big fan in owning a VW bug unless it was Herbie (although not the official Herbie but I'm sure it's close enough, I mean even the real Herbie isn't one car).
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Herbie3Rivers · Member Joined: 02 May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA

That Herbie that was there is a real Herbie from HFL. From the looks of it, it appears to be Herbie #9 which is the junkyard Herbie that was on the Herbie and Friends cruise across America back in Apirl. I've personally come in contact with 4 of the Herbies used in HFL and probably a half dozen or more originals from the old movies, including the one that I own which was used in both The Love Bug and Herbie Rides Again. Here's my Herbie(far left) with Herbie #9 from HFL(far right) and another original used in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo and Herbie Goes Bananas(center) during the Herbie and Friends cruis.

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Christian · Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 9:13 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the more complete information. I know a bunch of vehicles have been used in the movies. Isn't the one with the OFP 857 plate considered to be the truly authentic one? And, if you own that one, are you the guy on the Love Bug DVD who talked about how he bought that car from somebody?

Herbie3Rivers · Member Joined: 02 May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA

No, I'm not the guy on the dvd, though I do know both owners of those cars really well, but they're replicas. Nobody knows the whereabout of the true OFP 857 car.
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Christian · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:29 pm Post subject:

Does anybody want my last Herbie air freshener? I know it's not that big of a deal but I thought I'd see if there was any Herbie enthusiast who wanted it.

Herbie3Rivers · Member Joined: 02 May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Which air freshener is it? I have a couple different design one. I have a bunch left over from the Herbie cruise with the radio shack zip zap ad on the back.
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Original Herbie the Love Bug owner

Christian · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:59 am Post subject:

It is an HFL one with the sort of cartoony stars bursting out from him.

Herbie3Rivers · Member Joined: 02 May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Sounds like the one I already have.
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Herbie3Rivers · Member Joined: 02 May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Don't know if anybody got to follow the Herbie auction on eBay. Herbie brought in $26,600. Surprised

And that's almost double what I paid for my original Herbie the Love Bug about 10 years ago.
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Albert & Herbie (0\(5!3)/0)
Original Herbie the Love Bug owner