Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2019 i dune buggies and hotVWs

I imagine many of you have heard or seen the news about the devastation in the town of Paradise, California due to the Camp Fire. The latter became the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state’s history. It caused at least 88 fatalities and 52,000 people were evacuated. About 19,000 homes and buildings were destroyed, including five schools, a shopping center and small businesses, along with many residential houses. There is not much left in the town anymore – almost all of it has burned. The smoke from the Camp Fire affected air pollution throughout the San Francisco and Central Valley areas, causing the closure of schools in the Bay and Sacramento areas as well. The Bay area’s air quality index has reached 200, which is the second highest…

Do you remember when we were young? Or are you still young? Anyway, it will be an interesting read for all of you, no matter what age you are. I remember the first classic car show very well where I brought my 1969 Razor Edge (Type 34) Ghia. It was a small event in the Odenwald area, where I grew up. Close to 60 vintage vehicles showed up, most of them pre-war cars like BMWs, Mercedes and Opels. I think there was also a Split Window Beetle, but that was it VW-wise. Back in the early ’90s, the common belief was that Beetles would never be desirable classic cars, because Volkswagen built too many of them. Well, I had no Beetle but a very uncommon coupe, which was a rare…

Before talking about the Blackstar and El Prado Show & Shine, I need to mention how crazy the 2018 So-Cal VW Week happened to be. This year, we had 10 consecutive days of overwhelming VW activities, held locally between the first and second weekends of June. This included five major events, along with several open houses, cruises and BBQ parties hosted by local Volkswagen shops and clubs – a one of kind experience in anybody’s VW life. During the first Saturday of June, Rare Vintage Air (RVA) VW club kicked off this fantastic week, hosting a premier VW happening: the Rare Vintage Air Volkswagen d’Elegance at Old World in Huntington Beach. The next day, Bug-In took place at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the inaugural…

The Orange County Transporter Organization, a.k.a. OCTO, caters to the owners of 1967 and earlier Split Window Buses (T1). Hosted in June, the OCTO Meet is always the biggest of their three events, traditionally held in February, June, and October. OCTO’s June 2018 event was scheduled between two major VW events, Bug-In #43 and the Blackstar Campout/El Prado Show & Shine. This Bus meet always plays a large part in the So-Cal VW Week and, as you might expect, it was the perfect get-together for Type 2 lovers. Without a doubt, the OCTO Meet attracted a huge crowd, not only locals, but also many out of state and international visitors. It also welcomed 300 Buses, the second largest turnout since the inception of the gathering. In 2018, OCTO members also…

In the early 1950s, Volkswagens entered the American market when Max Hoffman imported the Type 1 into his New York car dealership. It wasn’t until the late ’50s when economical car buyers in Hawaii fell in love with the oddly shaped and noisy Beetle. New owners were required to pre-order their cars, which were shipped one at a time. It proved so popular in Hawaii that owners didn’t receive their choice of color. In 1958, Volkswagen of America opened its first dealership in Waikiki Beach. Incidentally, several independent Volkswagen service shops appeared locally over the years, including the well-known European Car Services, founded by Rudy Metzger, a Volkswagen factory trained mechanic. HAWAIIANS CALL THEM “BABY WINDOWS”. As decades passed since the Bug’s introduction, Hawaiians, baby boomers, surfers and hippies became…

This tool is used for pre-loading the rear torsion bars. It is hooked into the rear side panel support bracket over the head of the body fixing bolt. The bottom retractable end of the tool is positioned below the spring plate. By tightening the wing nut, the radius arm is lifted and the torsion bar preloaded. The radius arm is then pressed into position by means of tool No. VW 656. Construction Detail for VW 655 1. Cut the material to the dimensions given in list of parts. 2. Round off one end of bar (2) and cut a M16 thread for a length of 100 mm (3-15/16 in.). 3. Bend plate (1) as shown on drawing. 4. Weld plate (1) to bar (2) as shown on drawing. 5. Make…

When I grew up in rural Alabama, most everyone drove a Ford pickup truck or a very large Buick four-door sedan. The nearest town was 20 miles away for the main entertainment being the local Dairy Queen. When folks dreamed of a car, it was usually a Mustang, Corvette or Cadillac. But when I saw that little orange Karmann Ghia driving through a four-way stop, my eyes grew large with longing. What lines! The styling! My goal became finding out the name of that car and then having it delivered to myself at my sweet 16 party. However, since I was about 12 years old at the time, that car dream would have to wait. Fast forward 40 years and now living in Georgia with my husband who has a…

Digital HP Mobile Ignition Revolutionizing the Ignition box industry, the new Digital HP Mobile CDI box delivers versatility, functionality and security! Controlled by the Digital HP Mobile application (app) from your Android or Apple device, the app communicates with your Digital HP Mobile ignition box via Bluetooth wireless technology, allowing you to program the many features of the ignition system. For more information, go to www.pertronix.com. Type 1 VW Auxiliary Oil Cooler Kit Developed by Aaron Broughton with Foothill Fabrication. You can clamps this oil cooler to the torsion housing and the other side of the cooler does not need any other support. High-quality Setrab cooler and Spal fan are combined to create form and function. For more information, contact F2 Performance Supply, www.f2performancesupply.com 40K 40mm Dual Kit for Type…

WOLFSBURG WEST OPEN HOUSE ISP WEST OPEN HOUSE & BBQ…

Finally, Sunday: showtime! The gates of the El Prado meet opened at 5:00 AM and all kinds of VWs kept coming in – I felt the parade never ended. The venue was already packed by 7:00 AM! The show added over 1,400 VWs that day, meaning 2,200-plus Vee Dubs gathered in the park by Sunday. Whilst car attendance was up compared to 2017, so was the turnout of professional and swap meet vendors. They were nicely laid out under the trees, with many visitors stopping by in the morning in hopes of a good deal. But if you spent too much time in the vendor/swap area, you might have run out of time to check out the huge, can’t-miss car show. Paul Davis of the Type 3 Army organized the…

The tool is bolted on in place of the cover for the spring plate hub. The thrust pad which goes with the tool is positioned on the spring plate hub and, in conjunction with the thrust screw, ensure that the boss is pulled up concentrically to the rear cross-tube. When using the tool on vehicles belonging to earlier series (prior to October 1952), the two pillars must be screwed into the head of the tool until the distance between the contact face of each pillar and the underside of the head is approximately 50mm (2 in.) Construction Detail for VW 656 1. Cut strip and bar to dimensions given in list of parts. 2. Drill 11 mm (7/16 in.) holes in plates (1) and shape the plates as shown in…

I got the car for my 15th birthday. My parents bought it for me from a tow yard for $100. I was told that if I wanted to drive to school on my 16th birthday, I needed to make it run. I remember it being dropped-off in our front yard by a tow truck. I always wanted a Bug for my first car, but I guess I didn’t specify that I preferred a running one or one that wasn’t wrecked. The first thing I noticed about it, other than the god-awful “Clementine” orange paint, was that it had been rear-ended. My dad stood there next to me and said: “Don’t worry son, I’ll show you how to fix it!” He then pulled out an old body hammer from the toolbox…

January 17, 2019 Buses by the Bridge XXIII Organization: Buses by the Bridge Location: Lake Havasu State Park, Windsor 4, 171 London Bridge Rd., Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 Description: What started as a Split Window campout has turned into a Volkswagen extravaganza with VW Buses coming from all over the country for a giant campout at Lake Havasu State Park. Check out VW Buses of all vintages and types! Discover outdoor fun under the sun as you take a trip down memory lane at the 23nd Annual Buses By the Bridge. Gather the kids on Saturday so they can burn off some energy in the bouncy house. For the adults, there are hot air balloon rides and a chili cook-off. The grand finale at this ode to the classics…

This probably won’t make much sense to those of you who already live in the warmer climates of our country. However, for those of us here in the Midwest, a less-than-desirable summer, a non-existent fall, and the never-ending months of cold, snowy, dreary winter days have left us feeling chilled to our VW bones. What would be really nice right now is to get away to someplace warm and sunny, even if only for one long, savory weekend. What with the great deals in airfares and hotels right now, and some equally impressive vintage Volkswagen shows, maybe it’s time to plan a Spring Break Escape to Florida! But when and where to go? If you leave right after the holidays and head to the Gulf Coast, you can join the…

Volkswagen recently announced that they are going to stop production of the Beetle. This of course is something we have heard and seen before, but each time in history that such an announcement has been made, it does carry with it a bit of sadness. As hardcore VW nuts, I think all readers of hotVWs will agree that the Beetle will never die, but still it does make you think for a bit when someone says the “end is near”. In the ’70s when VW announced that they were going to stop production of the Beetle in Germany, it sent some shockwaves across the automotive world and there were folks that scrambled to grab one of the final edition cars. The ’78 model Beetle sedans went away very quickly and…

Volkswagen points the way to the future while honoring the brand’s rich history with three debuts at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. Two concept vehicles from Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge (Commercial Vehicles) give a glimpse into different forms of electric mobility—the I.D. BUZZ CARGO, a panel van version of the I.D. BUZZ, and the brand’s first electric bike, the Cargo e-Bike. The first-generation Volkswagen Transporter (T1) model is the most recognizable light commercial vehicle (LCV) of all time. With the Los Angeles Auto Show premiere of the I.D. BUZZ CARGO concept, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is showing how an electrically powered and completely redeveloped Transporter might change the world of LCVs. Based on the Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB), and a sibling to the I.D. BUZZ concept first shown in Detroit last…

Picture yourself in a park almost the size of Disneyland, although instead of looking at Mickey, Minnie or the Electrical Parade, you enjoy the sight of thousands of classic Volkswagens. I simply couldn’t find any other way to describe these festivities, held in the Blackstar campsite and El Prado show & shine venue. It was just unreal and, well, “beyond huge” with many fun VW activities organized during the extended weekend. The meet does not solely revolve around cars; it is also about people traveling from all over the world. It’s a bit overwhelming to cover this giant show, which is growing by leaps and bounds every year… You rarely experience such giant Volkswagen extravaganzas anywhere else in the world – this is VW entertainment at its best. Since the…

In only its second year, Things West has become the largest Thing specific gathering in the country! Seventy five Type 181s from nine states descended on Prado Regional Park, making quite a statement for perhaps the quirkiest VW on the scene. Organized by the VW Thing (Type 181) Registry, Things West is truly four days of events, happening in conjunction with VTO’s Blackstar Campout and El Prado Show & Shine. Owners who wanted to camp began arriving Wednesday and Thursday. A designated area of the campground served as the central meeting spot for folks to gather; this was a hub for information, a community dinner spot, and a great place to meet fellow Thing owners from across the country. The Western states were naturally well represented, but Gary Mondshine drove…

“I owned the car the first time in high school, and never did anything with it.” That was 1988. The Square had already been chopped 4-1/2 inches and paneled, but that was about it. Spencer knew it had potential, but it just wasn’t meant to be at the time. He sold the car and moved on. Fast forward 22 years later to 2010. “I had been away from VWs for a long time and my friend Tom Duttrey was building a Volksrod of his own. I told him I would be interested in building one as well, but it would have to be a Type 3.” They had always been Spencer’s favorites, but there was a catch, “I specifically wanted my old wagon back.” Tom actually owned this exact car…

Super Beetle lower control arms come in two varieties. Early (’71 to ’73 models), and late style, which are found on the ’74 to ’79 models. While the early style are easy to refurbish, the late ones are a different matter. The ball joints are a pressed in affair, and it’s not readily apparent how to remove them. Here’s the story: The inner bushings, near the camber adjusting bolt, are fairly straightforward to press out. Just make sure you press out the steel collar that holds the bonded rubber bushing. The same is true of the middle bushing that holds the sway bar. Put it up in the press and push on the steel sleeve. If you’re lucky, the rubber parts will pop out with the metal sleeve. Now, looking…