The Story of Lyndsay Lamb's Red Volkswagen Beetle

She’s as cool as she looks — and no, we’re not talking about Lyndsay Lamb or Leslie Davis, the energetic hosts of HGTV’s Pacific-Northwest-based real estate show Unsellable Houses. We’re talking about Fran, Lyndsay’s 1979 vintage Super Beetle.

The Volkswagen Club

More than two dozen Volkswagens have passed through the hands of Lyndsay and her husband, Justin, over the years. Justin — who has a knack for fixing up vintage VWs — almost always eventually sells them after flipping them, but the core members of the Lambs' collection remain constant.

There’s Ginger, the 1978 two-toned Bay Window Bus. She’s an automatic — a rare find, according to Leslie, who also admits Ginger is the only VW she likes to drive. “She’s nowhere near as moody as the others,” says Leslie. “She’s part of the family."

Then there’s Penelope, a white 1969 Beetle. She’s the one Lyndsay drives the most. She’s also popular with Lyndsay's and Leslie's sons. “Once the kids wrapped Penelope in Christmas lights and put her in the local parade,” says Lyndsay.

Of course, each car has unique meaning to Lyndsay, Leslie and their families, but Fran holds an extra-special place in the twins’ heart for a big reason.

The Story of Fran

At 16, Lyndsay saved up all her money and bought her very first car. Of course, it was Fran. “Leslie and I thought we were so cool,” Lyndsay says. “We had a box of scarves we kept in the back seat, and every morning on the way to school we’d wrap scarves around our heads and take the top down.”

Lyndsay kept Fran through high school and beyond. In fact, “When we were 19, Justin asked me to marry him while we were sitting in Fran,” Lyndsay remembers. It wasn’t until Lynday and Justin’s son, Miles, was born that Lyndsay decided it was time to give Fran up for “a typical mom car.” And so, Fran became a fond but distant memory for Leslie and the Lambs.

Until … “She came back to us,” says Leslie.

Years later, Lynday and Leslie spotted a Fran look-alike while walking around downtown Snohomish. They approached the owner only to discover it wasn’t a look-alike — it was Fran herself. They ran the VIN number on the car, then approached the owner with a deal he couldn’t refuse.

“Now she’s back in the family,” says Lyndsay. “On a nice day in the PNW, there’s nothing more enjoyable than riding around in your old, classic Volkswagen on our curvy, hilly roads. It just fits.”

To see Fran and the rest of the VW club in action, watch Season 4 of Unsellable Houses Sunday nights at 8|7c — or stream past episodes on Max. Follow Lyndsay and Leslie on Instagram at @thelyndsaylamb and @thelesliedavis.