The Firehouse

The Firehouse is one of the main locations in The Love Bug and Herbie Rides Again. It is owned by Mrs. Steinmetz, and the main plotpoint in Herbie Rides again, because Alonzo Hawk wants to demolish it, To make way for one of his Building Enterprises.

Background
The Firehouse used to be part of the San Francisco fire department and was home to one of the greatest firefighters known as Captain Steinmetz and was also the place where he married Mrs. Steinmetz. Whatever happened to the firefighters who ran the place remains unknown and the abandoned firehouse became a home to the Steinmetz family.

The Love Bug
The Firehouse is first seen as the home of Jim Douglas and Tennessee Steinmetz located somewhere in a small town in on a hill. It appears run-down and the bell tower is planked up. Inside it looks more like a workshop than a home since its piled with tools and car parts with a kitchen at the very back of the house. The side garden is decorated with some of Tennessee's cutup sculptures including his cut up Edsel.

Herbie Rides Again
The Firehouse plays a bigger role in the sequel as its been marked for demolition by Alonzo Hawk to make room for his new plaza building.

Around the time when Mrs. Steinmetz moved in, the firehouse had been restored and the interior had been redecorated to look more like a proper home to live in with some of the fire fighting equipment on display and a huge painting of Captain Steinmetz. Outside aside from the surrounding rubble that remains of all the old homes is the flower garden where Tennessee displayed his sculptures.