dune buggies and hotVWs June 2023

If you belong to the 35-40-year or older age group, you have very likely used a non-digital, single-lens reflex camera (SLR). On the other hand, if you are younger than 35, digital is likely all you know. Fortunately, I'm old enough to be part of one of the former group. I used to carry several dozen rolls of Kodak Ektachrome or Fuji Velvia/Provia films whenever I traveled somewhere to cover VW events, and spent much money on developing these films for magazines. I started using a digital singlelens reflex (DSLR) camera for magazine publications around 2000. It was a Canon D30 that featured only a 3-megapixel (i.e., smaller than 35mm full-size APS-sized sensor), which was OK to use on magazine spreads but not quite ideal yet. So, I kept using…

Let It Breathe Hi! I'm thinking about installing a crank case breather catch tank and filter. Where should I route the breather hose? And where is the best spot to mount the breather box? I appreciate your advice. Vince Simpson Portland, OR Vince, you can put the breather/catch tank pretty much anywhere, as long as it is above the highest point of drain-back. In other works, if for example you have the box located on the firewall, make sure that all hoses go downward toward the crankcase. If there is a hose to the oil filler area, make sure the box sits higher than that location. Also avoid hoses that dip downward and then go up to any area, as oil could settle in the hose, only to be blown…

Back in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, the Panzers [Der Kleiner Panzers club members – Ed.] were known as the racing VW club. We did all kinds of drag racing, some legal and some not! We would go to Lion's Drag Strip in Long Beach almost every weekend if there wasn't a VW rally or car show happening. As a matter of fact, we helped the guys at Lion's develop classes strictly for VWs. These covered modified as well as stock. And of course, we dominated them. The Panzers are well known as the VW club who first put on a club run VW drag race at Carlsbad Raceway in Carlsbad, California! As we had members who raced NHRA, we as a club were fortunate to have the likes…

This time I am not going to talk about things in Germany, Volkswagen's fatherland. This time I will tell you about a lovely experience I had in England at the VolksWorld Show in Esher, near London. As you may know, Dean Kirsten, former hotVWs editor, traveled to the event together with Ron Fleming (FAT Performance) and Dave Andrews (Raceshop) to display the former Darrell Vittone A/MC 1967 race car. All three of them also held a seminar on Saturday and Sunday, talking about the early days of EMPI, the Raceshop and other anecdotes from their youth in Southern California. After the first seminar on Saturday, my long-time VW buddy Pete Englezos said: “You know what, George, I have the February ‘75 issue of hotVWs, still in the envelope, addressed to…

While at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in Florida this past March (see feature story elsewhere in this issue), we had the opportunity of seeing a rare 1949 Split Window Beetle, along with her delightful owners, David Sanborn and Jennifer Huber, who shared their remarkable story. The Beetle used to belong to the German musician Florian Schneider-Esleben of the electronic band Kraftwerk. David and Jennifer are huge fans of Kraftwerk, and in fact, bought the Beetle because of the connection to Florian. They've traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe in the footsteps of their favorite band, and even dress like them. Their wedding in 2017 was Kraftwerk-themed, with everyone from the bridal party to the guests, all dressed in Kraftwerk's trademark red shirts and black ties. For those who are…

In my last column, I shared my most recent find in my quest for a VW that was built on my birthday. This is something I have been chasing now for many years, and while it really makes little sense to go for such a thing, it has certainly been a lot harder than I ever would have expected. With a birthday in the end of November of 1966, I have been looking for a 1967 model year car, and over the past couple decades, I have bought cars thinking they were close, only to realize that they were months, weeks or even days away from the target date. The closest I have gotten so far was a car that was just five days before my birthday. Regarding the Beetle…