What Did #53 Mean?
If there’s one thing people remember about Herbie, it’s the #53 on the side of the car. But why exactly did the directors go with #53? Well, the number had some significance to it. The producer Bill Walsh had a fixation with baseball and his favorite pitcher wore that number. The number belonged to the legendary Don Drysdale. The colors were chosen because of the patriotic theme, which gave the car an inviting look and went with the factory white paint job (via Auto Evolution).
That just makes Herbie even more special of a franchise because every bit of the car was unique. From the one-of-a-kind paint to the thought that went into every detail of it. Herbie was a special piece of movie history and something that a selection of fans are still holding onto.