TVs adorn the inside, DVD players will be hidden to the eye
but pop out at a moment’s notice and a foldout in the rear will hold a grill
for all your tailgating needs. Yes, it’s six weeks into the Volkswagen project, and
the solar panel—a key aspect of the car’s environmental-friendly nature—is
being hand-formed for a custom fit.

“It’s the most challenging thing so far,” said Robert, who
has worked solely on the van for the past month.

The 1968 Volkswagen Type 2 Transporter—also known as a
microbus—is a plan by Leif Hansen to turn the vehicle into a state-of-the-art
alternative fuel drive train, encompassing the latest in electric motors,
lithium-ion batteries, solar panels on the expansive roof and a natural
gas-fired generator to increase the van’s range.

But, it’s the solar panel—“completely hand-formed,” says
Robert—that’s the next step in a process that’s expected to be completed in
July, 2012.

Robert’s been working with metals since he was 13 years old,
but it’s the creativity and awe of this expansive project that has him excited.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” he said.