“This thing probably weighs about 3,000 pounds” says overland VW Bug builder Jamie Wiseman. That’s over 1,000 pounds porkier than a standard 1967 Beetle, and it looks like every ounce has gone to making this one extra excellent.

Wiseman tells Blue Ridge Overland Gear that he owns TVR Automotive in Alabama, which apparently has no affiliation with the British small-batch supercar brand, but still has the fabrication faculties to make something amazing and unique.

This Bug manages to look capable without being obnoxious. I think just the fact that it’s old and small helps a lot there. But as an overland adventure vehicle, this thing actually looks really well executed.

The rails and bumpers are mated to a heavy duty roll cage inside the car, making the whole thing much more robust than if all these accessories were just bolted to a 50-year-old Volkswagen’s little body.

The engine, cooling system, and internal climate control has all been augmented so that this vintage car could actually be comfortable on a long trip. That’s always one of the greatest challenges when you want to take a big adventure with ancient hardware–it tends to be at least a little janky.

I mean, part of the fun of off-roading a vintage vehicle is testing the limits of archaic technology. But I bet it’s pretty cool to take this Beetle into the bush and actually be able to get home again without stressing out too much.