dune buggies and hotVWs June 2018

In last month’s Semaphore column, we talked about the So-Cal VW event week, which has been widely known as “The Classic Week” for a long time. The first weekend of June, enthusiasts will enjoy the “Rare Vintage Air VW d’Elegance” on Saturday and “Bug-In 43” on Sunday. The second week of June, “VTO’s Blackstar Campout” will be held from Wednesday until Sunday, “OCTO Meet” on Saturday and “El Prado VW Show & Shine” on Sunday. Overall, we will likely see a mix of over 2000 air-cooled VWs; Southern California will turn into a VW wonderland. I am pretty sure this is going to be huge… But wait! When and where is the “VW Classic”? Okay, this month, we have very exciting news about “The Greatest VW Show on Earth”, the…

Best Distributor for 2110cc What is the best distributor to use on a 2110cc Type 1 motor? Dave Hamby, Washougal, WA That’s just about the biggest question that you could ask, with about as many answers as you could throw a stick at. Do you mean best as in quality, best as in advance curve, or best as in flexibility? I would say that the sweetest distributor that I’ve seen is a unit by 123 Ignition out of the Netherlands. It sort of looks like a 009 distributor, but the quality levels are superb, it’s electronic, and it’s programmable! It comes with a few built-in advance curves, plus you can plug it into a computer and design your own advance curve! It’s going to set you back a little over…

Part 6 Continue from May Issue Ports: Bigger in this case is not better. Let me explain. Vacuum is the exact opposite of pressure. With that said, if you start with a 2-inch pipe and neck it down to 1/2 don’t we have more pressure coming out of the 1/2 opening? Yes, we do. So, now go the other way. Suck through the 1/2 opening and see what kind of vacuum we have at the 2-inch opening. I will tell you it will be less than if it was 1/2 the whole way. What we want in general terms, is a port that is not huge so that we have a vacuum signal for the carb(s) at low end. So, on stock heads, I leave the port alone. If you…

After a really long winter (or so it seemed this year!), it’s finally time to uncover the cars, tune ‘em up, and get ‘em out there for the start of another fun car show season! Here’s the Midwest roundup through mid-June! First up, is the 2nd Annual Blessing of the Buses in Grand Blanc, Michigan on May 4th. This fun event is the traditional kick-off of the VW Bus camping season in Michigan. Former Bus owner, Father Angelo Maggos, will do the honors at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church. Camping and live music is also part of the weekend. (For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1915436598766976) Next up, is the 31st Annual Michigan Vintage Volkswagen Festival in Ypsilanti, Michigan, on May 19th and 20th. This show is one of the premiere events here…

As a prolific car hunter, I have found myself in many a barn and garage staring at dust covered machines; in fact, I consider it one of my favorite places to be. It’s always an exciting moment seeing hidden treasure and the excitement sometimes continues when that treasure follows you home and you can be a part of bringing it back to life and out in the world again. There always seems to be talk of how the supply of old cars is drying up. I do see some truth in that, in the sense that finding a killer bargain is harder today, as the internet is at everyone’s fingertips and value research can be done in seconds; but as far as the supply of old cars that have been…

Patina – a widely used word nowadays. At least in the classic car community. Cars with a mild patina, untouched for years and hidden in some backyard places fetch high prices. Enthusiasts around the globe love these vehicles, because they tell a story, show their age. But it is a fine line between a patina’d car and one, which needs restoring. I know a guy who does nothing to his cars, except maybe change brake lines and fluids; but that’s it. The interior materials are ripped and torn, the headliners hang down in shreds and some of the windshields are cracked. One of his cars – he has around 20 – is a very rare Mopar and all original. And when I say all, I mean it: all original down…