Volkswagen to restore viral blue VW Bus that survived the Palisades Fire

OXNARD, Calif. (KABC) -- After the flames of the Palisades Fire roared through the hillsides, a photographer with the Associated Press snapped something rather amazing: a brightly colored, classic Volkswagen Transporter left mostly unscathed amid the gray and black rubble in the southern portion of Malibu.

The photo was seen by millions around the world -- including the people at Volkswagen.

"We wanted to reach out to the owner first and foremost and find out if they were OK. And then we determined we could really help and restore this vehicle and get it roadworthy and back on the road for the owner," said Nicole Redding, a communications specialist at Volkswagen of America.

With the owner's blessing, the company is offering to put what they call "The Magic Bus" back into like-new condition at their engineering center in nearby Oxnard.

"We've got a great team here that's got a lot of experience and a lot of high expectations that they set on themselves," added Redding.

It's the same crew that maintains the company's own collection of historic vehicles going back to the early days of the Beetle. The blue-and-white VW Bus, which the owner had named "Azul," will get the same first-class treatment.

The Magic Bus may have survived the fire, but it was surrounded by homes going up in flames, which put out some intense heat. So, the side of the Bus not shown in the viral picture did suffer some damage.

Volkswagen company technician Gunnar Wynarski gave Eyewitness News a rundown of what he and his team will do to fix the damage.

"The picture that went viral was from the driver's side where it looked almost untouched and undamaged. But on the other side you see melted parts. You see the paint is peeling off," said Wynarski. "We will drop the engine and transmission, make sure everything is working functional. We will also replace everything that could have been damaged by the excessive heat like rubber boots, parts, hoses. Inside, it still smells like it has been in the fire."

It will be as good as new -- maybe even better than new -- by the end of the year if all goes to plan. Volkswagen hopes it will serve as a symbol of renewal after such a devastating event.

"If it wasn't a Bus, I don't know if that photo really would have resonated with so many people, because the Bus just makes people smile, and we love being able to contribute to that story," said Redding.

Soon, the VW Bus that lived to see another day will be back in its adopted habitat, once again cruising the coastline.