'Beacon of hope' after fire, a VW bus is given a retool

Recovery from the Palisades and Altadena fires in January is ongoing, but one small bright spot has emerged from the ruin and darkness.

- LINDZI SCHARF

MEGAN WEINRAUB sits in her Volkswagen T2 bus, which she calls "Azul, the magic bus," last month in L.A.

A blue-and-white 1977 Volkswagen T2 bus — a viral sensation after miraculously surviving the mass destruction of homes, schools and businesses — has been available for public viewing after a major restoration.

The revamped “Azul, the magic bus,” as 30-year-old owner Megan Weinraub calls it, was featured at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, which ended Sunday at the Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown L.A. From there, the VW will be on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Boulevard from Thursday to Jan. 1 before being returned to Weinraub.

For those unfamiliar with Weinraub’s bus, there's a back story. As people worldwide watched wildfires ravage neighborhoods around Los Angeles County in January, some found comfort in the story of Weinraub’s little engine that could.

Her 1977 Volkswagen was left standing after the Palisades fire devastated the Malibu neighborhood where Weinraub had parked it after a day of surfing. She found out the vehicle had survived when she spotted it in a powerful image taken by the Associated Press’ Mark J. Terrill. In the photo, amid the destruction and burned rubble, Weinraub’s bright blue-and-white VW stood seemingly intact.

During an event at the Petersen last month, Weinraub said she couldn't believe her eyes.

“It was crazy to see, but I knew it was mine because I'd parked it there,” she said. “At first, I felt guilty because everyone did lose a lot, and then my things made it. So I was like, ‘Everyone is suffering.’ But everyone was like, “This bus is coming out in a positive way, as a beacon of hope.’ I would love for it to be a symbol of that. I am grateful that I will be the light in the times of darkness, and my bus is for that. I love that. I want to be of service.”