“I thought gas stations were ripping us off, so I decided to just go build my own electric car,” Hendrickson said.
He asked a neighbor if he knew of any VWs for sale. That’s how he learned of another neighbor’s rusted 1972 Beetle that hadn’t been used in over five years. Hendrickson bought it and parked it in his garage.
“It wasn’t much to look at,” he said. “It was full of snakes and fire ants. We had to cut small trees that were growing up through it, and drag it out of the woods.”
The car had no fenders or wiring and the body needed a complete overhaul.
Hendrickson had never undertaken such a project before, but the 74-year-old retired electronics engineer, Air Force veteran and former Air National Guard member was no stranger to learning new skills.
After retiring in 1992 from a 29-year career with NASA, he took up engine building as a hobby by reading books and doing research on the Internet.
Using the Internet and more books, Hendrickson worked daily on his project. After a disappointing experience with his first gel batteries, he found Houston battery distributor Randy Risner, who was willing to help.
As a result, the car got all 12 of the new gel cell batteries it needed for free. Each battery costs about $300 plus tax.
The paint job and bodywork were donated by local businesses. Hendrickson said he’s grateful for the generosity.
He completed the car last October.
The car is very economical, getting about 50 miles per charge and two to three days between charges. Hendrickson says it costs about a penny a mile to drive.
“The neighbors have all had rides in it. They think it’s great,” he said.
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