dune buggies and hotVWs October 2023

I believe most of you know by now that hotVWs magazine is now operated under new ownership, TK Motorsports – we made the official announcement two months ago. The new owner Tom Kinney (and his family) is working hard to set up the company without interruption of our publishing service. Again, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for the unwavering support of our loyal subscribers, readers, and fantastic advertisers. It has been a joy to see Dune Buggies and hotVWs being part of the incredible Volkswagen community for the past 56 years. Without your support, we would never be here today – producing Dune Buggies and hotVWs magazine. We are very pleased to continue this tradition. The past two months have been a rollercoaster ride for me, marking…

Judson Supercharger Hi Jon! Back in 1955 we lived in Orange, Texas. My dad was stationed there in the Navy, and we had a VW. There was a big bridge, and my dad installed a Judson Supercharger to help climb it. What sort of horsepower change did that engine make back then? BTW, back then this was the only VW in all of South-east Texas! Bill Haneline Borrego Springs, CA Bill, I checked a number of sources, and they all state that, if everything is working on the Judson, you should make around 50HP or so – similar to a Pepco supercharger of the time. The Judson had some problems though, the worst of which was belt slippage. The stock crankshafts were also prone to break-age, as they are non-counterweighted. If…

I'm the race director of a VW racing series as some of you know, and have raced in VW events for many years. I have also raced in NHRA events and, because of my experience, I have a unique view and understanding from both sides of the track. Some of the racers understand the respectful side of racing, but if you are unsure of what I mean, please let me expand on this. First, whether you are racing a bracket or heads-up class, know the rules and make sure your VW conforms both in performance and safety. In some classes, you might need a competition license. Second, arrive ready to run. Don't come to an event needing to work on your ride. It never ceases to amaze me the racers…

This month's column might be a little confusing, as I would like to tell you how we here in Germany name the (so far) six VW Bus generations. For you guys, it's pretty simple. All rear-engined Buses are Type 2s. As you never had the fourth and later generation officially imported to the USA, you don't need names for them. I guess you just call them Vanagons, just like the third gen. Well, let's start with the nick-names you use: Barndoor Buses are up to February '55, Split Screen Buses are all vans up to '67, followed by the early ('68-'72) and late ('72-'79) Bay Window Buses. Last of the line is the Vanagon or T25 or Wedge ('80-'92). Three names for the last one, well, that's a lot, but…

This is an exciting year in the VW racing world – it's the 60th anniversary of the Volkswagen-powered Formula Vee, and there's going to be a huge celebration at the world-class Road America track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Formula Vee traces its history back to 1963, the first SCCA racing season, when it was started at the request of Volkswagen dealers. These mid-engine cars are limited to a 1200cc or 1300cc engine, 4-speed transmission and suspension from early 1960s Beetles. The body is made of fiberglass over a tube frame. The chassis are known for their low cost, easy repair, and structural integrity. Some of the more renowned producers of these historic racers are Zink, Autodynamics, Lynx, and the granddaddy of them all, the original Formcar. Then, in 1970, Volkswagen…

Recently I got a call from a buddy of mine that had moved out of state a while back. He told me that one of his local California friends tipped him off to a split screen VW Bus that was available. It wasn't something he was interested in, but being a bro, he was happy to send it my direction. At first, I was thankful for the connection of course, but my schedule was tight, and my wallet was thin, so I put off pursuing it for a few weeks. The seller was motivated to get it out of his hair and was pretty consistent about wanting to make a deal. So, eventually, I just pitched a low offer thinking he would decline and move on to the next guy.…