dune buggies and hotVWs April 2018

One of the most important vehicles in VW’s history will be displayed at the Petersen Museum this year! It doesn’t matter if you are an Original, Vintage, Cal Look, Custom or Patina enthusiast; whatever you like, you’ve got to see this fantastic automobile! In the latest Hot VWs issue (March), we mentioned that a recreated “Berlin-Rome-Wagen” tribute would be soon participating in the ECTA Arkansas meet. What a coincidence! Yet, we are now talking about the real deal. Starting February 2018, one of the most important cars not only for Volkswagen but also for Porsche’s history, the VW60K10 (Porsche Type 64, also known as the “Berlin-Rome-Wagen”), will be displayed at the famous Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California as part of their exhibit: “The Porsche Effect”. The “Berlin-Rome-Wagen” was…

Break-in Once you have an engine completely rebuilt (stock, mild or hi-performance), what is the best break-in procedure, as new carbs can be completely out of tune, straight out of the box?　Is there a carb setting that ensures a successful break-in procedure, with less chances of damaging components? What are other considerations, when firing up a new engine? Dennis Diaz, Lompoc, CA The main thing you need to worry about when starting a fresh build is the cam break-in. Crank over your engine enough to get oil pressure on a manual pressure gauge installed into the oil pressure switch location. Once you have oil pressure, check your oil level, and then add enough oil until you’ve reached the upper mark on your dipstick. This way you get the maximum splash…

Last month, I listed cams that I would use for building a Daily Driver motor. Which cam should you use? STOCK range : 295 2300 lift at to the 4300 cam. 215 duration at .050. ENGLE .050 90 range : 297 2500 lift at to the 4500 cam. 224 duration at ENGLE .050 100 range : 383 3000 lift at to the 5000 cam. 236 duration at ENGLE cam 110 . 284 : 392 duration lift at the at .050 range 3500 to 5500 You need to consider the rest of the combination. I personally don’t run stock cams anymore. The 90 is made much better and lasts much longer. I would use a 90 cam with the following: Stock or two 1-barrel carbs, header or stock muffler, stock heads.…

We just got back from the 2018 North American International Auto Show here in Detroit, and Volkswagen made an impressive showing at this, one of the greatest auto shows in the world. Once again, NAIAS is focusing attention on vehicles and technologies for the future, calling it AutoMobili-D. The displays at NAIAS and discussions with manufacturers and high-tech suppliers are redefining how we will experience mobility in the future. We’re talking zero emission electric autonomous driving. Volkswagen is already planning to be a major player in this field. The I.D. Crozz, which debuted last fall, was prominently on display at their booth at NAIAS. The all-electric compact SUV is very high-tech, from its voice-activated doors and trunk to its autonomous driving capability. It combines an 83kWh lithium-ion battery pack with…

As I write this month’s column, I have several things on my mind. First, I am just a few days home after the annual trip to Scottsdale Arizona for the famed “Auction Week”. As our VWs have been getting recognition from the general collector car world in recent years and values have been on the climb, we are seeing more and more of our four-wheeled family members cross the auction block. Some folks complain that the prices achieved at auction do nothing but inflate the values of the cars in the private market, but I do see it as an indicator as to the appeal of our cars to the rest of the world. To me, it is a positive thing to see a VW bring strong money at a…

Ever thought about going abroad? As a Volkswagen addict, Germany is high on the holiday wish list with Wolfsburg as top destination. Followed by the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen and… well, what else? This month, I would like to give you insight into the German show season and some recommendations, starting with: which events are worth visiting? The biggest, annual show is the “Mai-Käfer-Treffen” (Address: Weltausstellungsallee, 30521 Hanover, Germany - www.maikaefertreffen.de), taking place in the city of Hanover on the 1st of May, a national holiday in Germany. It is the longest running annual VW event in the Fatherland, being established in 1983. In the beginning it had the characteristics of a local swap meet, but unfolded over the years into a full show with thousands (!) of air-cooled cars…