Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2019 i VWT Lifestyle

WATER-COOLED FOR Hi Camper&Bus, well that was a refreshing turn up for the books and no mistake. I picked up my June issue from the newsagents and was a bit ticked off to see a T5 on the cover. I mean, don’t you do a mag for that lot anyway? Why waste the space in a classic VW magazine? It’s not what we want. But then, having read the feature, and loved Jimbo’s pictures, I thought it was an interesting Bus to feature. It’s not like all the ones that hog the space at Busfest these days. Sure, it’s lowered and been given a face-lift etc, but it was built on a budget over a period of time using a crap old Van to start with. Inspiring stuff. I’d be…

Having been around the block, so to speak, with all manner of old VWs, from early Beetles, through to Golfs and with various T3s and T4s in between, Richard Sennett knows what he likes and how to see a project through to completion. Which is just as well because it would appear he’s a man who can’t resist turning his hand to new projects when they come his way. It’s not uncommon when speaking to a dyed-in-the-wool VW owner on the phone to end up talking about more vehicles than simply the one we’re featuring, but we could tell with Richard that he was a serious enthusiast when we were into chatting about his third recent project in just as many minutes. Back in the saddle Having taken a bit…

In case you didn’t know, this is a 100% air-cooled event, hence don’t expect to turn up in a T4 or T5 and be able to join the fun in town on Sunday. On the other hand, if you rolled up in a semaphore-equipped Bug or Bus (or coachbuilt, schwimm- or kübelwagen, even!), there was premium parking available on the main strip, while all other air-cooled rides could park on the streets in and around the town centre. However, there’s a lot more to this meeting than just the Sunday event the centre of Ninove, it’s as much about the adventure on the road and the casual Saturday gathering at a brewery, too! As the Sunday event is based in a town, not at a show site or venue, many…

14 – 16 June Bristol Volksfest Birches Farm, Bristol www.bristolvolksfest.co.uk 14 – 16 June Mighty Dub Fest Alnwick Castle, Northumberland www.mightydubfest.co.uk 14 – 16 June The Bus Stopover Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire www.busstopover.co.uk 21 – 23 June Vdub at the Pub Wimborne, Dorset www.vdubatthepub.com 28 – 30 June European Bug-In Chimay, Belgium www.europeanbugin.com 23 – 30 June Quex Park VW Show Birchington, Kent www.kentevents.org.uk/vw-show-2019 / 5 – 7 July Camper Marmalade Polegate, East Sussex www.campermarmalade.uk July 11 August 2019 issue of C&B on sale Why not subscribe and get it early? www.shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/VWC 12 – 14 July Dorset Volksfest Wareham, Dorset www.dorsetvolksfest.co.uk 12- 14 July Volks Weald Penshurst Place, Kent www.volksweald.co.uk…

1985 Type 25, Nigel Broatch Nigel Broatch bought his Bus at the latter end of 2007 and it’s his daily driver. He’s completed many fascinating modifications over the years, the most obvious being the rustic paintwork, which has a very rough texture, thanks to a clever mix of grease, sand and masonry paint, costing only £20! He certainly never needs to buy any wax for polishing. Prior to this major transformation the paintwork was red. Then there’s a profusion of solar panels dotted everywhere, which Nigel reckons all told, can return up to around 400 watts. “Luckily the body had been well undersealed when I bought the Type 25, but after a couple of years use, I realised it needed a new engine, which is a 1.9 litre water-boxer,” explains…

All the ladies love a fireman, right? And all VW peeps love a retired Volkswagen fire truck. Fact. Over the years, VW Transporters were used for all manner of weird and wonderful jobs, so it stands to reason they would also be used by Germany’s police, ambulance and fire services. Admittedly, ambulances are a bit macabre, as you don’t know what’s gone on, or how many people have died inside one, but fire Buses? They’re an entirely different kettle of sauerkraut… Pretty much every town, village and even many large factories had their own part-time fire brigade, crewed by volunteers who, truth be told, didn’t see a great deal of action. Neither did their vehicles. Which is why VW people love them today. When people started buying them, they tended…

Elsecar at the Races is now held at Doncaster Racecourse. This is due to the incredible turnouts year on year, that lead to the event simply outgrowing its original venue that held some 200 vehicles. It has now more than tripled in capacity to well over 700 vehicles. The event originally started life as the Elsecar Mega Meet and has always been a family-friendly event. It originated some 19 years ago and back in the day, it was held at Elsecar Heritage Centre with the aim of providing a fun packed day of Volkswagen and German vehicle inspired automotive eye candy. With the British weather being its unpredictable self it made for an incredibly chilly day out, but with any British Volkswagen event, everyone declined the chance to have their…

Remember the tag line for American Express? They used to say: “Don’t leave home without it,” but anyone who’s ever had an American Express card will know it’s about as popular with vendors as you will be with your family when your Bus breaks down en route to the family holiday. So, with that in mind, there are certain things you really shouldn’t leave how without that might just get you back on the road and on your merry way. We’re not talking spare engines and the kitchen sink, but a few common parts and the necessary tools to fit them. Would you believe one of the last times we called one of the emergency breakdown services out, the friendly chap didn’t have anything as simple as a set of…

ENGLISH WHEELING COURSES With 40 years experience restoring the likes of Aston Martins, Bentleys, Ferraris and Jaguars, Somerset based Adrian Breeze knows how rewarding panel beating can be. He also knows it’s a dying art so wants to pass his skills on to the next generation of restorers. His English wheeling courses have been designed to do just that. There are two courses aimed at anyone who is interested in using an English wheel or in broadening their skills. One day courses run on the first Monday of every month and the three day courses run on the last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of each month. Groups are limited to just two or three people at a time so all students are guaranteed plenty of time using the machines. www.…

If you’ve been into Buses for as long as Luke Villiers then you’ll identify with what we’re about to say. Many of us got into Buses because we wanted something to get away in and were attracted to the looks of a particular VW. We didn’t really pay much attention to things like model years, type of conversion or things like stance. In fact, back when I got into Buses, there wasn’t as much choice as there is now and you relied on finding vehicles for sale in the local classified ads, or knocking on doors and leaving notes. If you remember those days and are an active member of the VW scene, at some point you’ve probably ended up with a Bus that is lowered and fitted with a…

All started well and we pootled along through quaint German villages pointing out objects of interest to each other (really we were all keeping our eyes peeled for any garages, sheds or out houses with abandoned VWs inside!). As we approached Lüder, which is approximately 55km north of Wolfsburg, we all heard a bang from the rear end. Gareth swiftly pulled over and we all jumped out and rounded the Bus to assess what was up and to give our 10 pence worth of diagnosis. There was nothing visibly obvious as to what could be the culprit; it all looked fine which was slightly worrying. As a matter of precaution, everything attached to the engine was checked to ensure nothing had come loose and was clattering about, any clips were…

And so we come to ‘X’. This was never going to be an easy one, especially after a comprehensive trawl through my DVD collection of X-Men movies revealed that neither Halle Berry nor Hugh Jackman had that much to do with classic Volkswagens after they graduated from Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Fortunately, VW’s various experiments over the years was a lifeline. And, yes, before you all write in, even with my occasionally perilous grip on the English language, this German knows that ‘Experimental’ doesn’t actually begin with an ‘X’. However, prototype and experimental models are often referred to as ‘X-cars’ - and so this is a look at some of VW’s more intriguing air-cooled X-cars. Some led onto bigger and better things, others didn’t really work out at…