Findlay VW Henderson parts manager loves his job

Findlay Volkswagen Henderson parts manager Frank Mattos is well-suited for his position. He has worked at the dealership for the past several years and is a Volkswagen enthusiast who has restored many classic VWs.

Frank’s latest work is a classic black 1962 VW Beetle that stands out at car shows, as evidenced by a recent VW gathering in Boulder City. Complete with a custom red interior, the vehicle looks as good as it sounds.

The passion for classic Volkswagens started before Mattos was old enough to drive. His father was in the Army, and while they were in Hawaii during his middle school years, Mattos saw a black chop top bug that “blew his mind,” and his love for Volkswagens started.

Needless to say, Mattos was struck by the fever that only car enthusiasts understand. It was at the age of 16 that Mattos purchased his first VW, a 1969 light blue squareback, and he has owned one model or another of an air-cooled VW ever since.

When asked if he ever regretted selling one of his VWs, he immediately answered with “every single one of them.”

At an event called Bugorama in Sacramento, California, in 2004, Mattos fell in love with a 1962 metallic root beer Volkswagen Beetle that was being hauled on a trailer.

“I had to have it,” Mattos said. “The car needed an engine and some cosmetic TLC; it was the wheels that caught my attention. I followed the trailer to its parking spot. It had no rust and it had a great transmission, so I ended up hauling the Bug back to Washington state that week.”

Never one to sit on his laurels, Mattos decided to try and sell the ’62 so that he could focus another project — a ’57 VW Bug.

“The car needed a paint job, so I got that done,” he said. “When I went to check on the progress of the paint job, I saw a completely different car than what I had envisioned but the guy told me the body was just too nice to give the car anything but the best paint job.”

Findlay Volkswagen Henderson General Manager Melisa Eichbauer praised Mattos for his dedication to Findlay Volkswagen.

“Frank is such a genuine person,” she said. “Not only does he care deeply about our brand but his commitment to growing his team to ensure that our customers receive the very best service is evident in his work.”