Hayburner Digital Issue 49

ISSUE 49

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So let’s introduce this 1978 Devon. Let me hit you with a few facts about what makes a Devon conversion.

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He wanted to keep the original colour (Pastel Green L11), but for the rest of the project it was anything goes, with a Nostalgia Cars signature.

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’49 time in Issue ’49. I did consider playing on that with a cover, but soon came to the conclusion that the editor sticking his own car on the front cover could be seen as a little narcissistic.

TROUBLSOME TEEN

Well, I’d only had the car for a day and I’d put a photo of it online and somebody who will remain nameless said, “You know it’s a Volkswagen and not a Porsche”.

TOTALLY HOOKED

And a big shout out to those few who said it would never get on the road again.

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It’s difficult to know exactly how much influence the Tempo Matador had on the VW Type2.

Operations Manager

SOMTETHING ELSE

My Aussie Speed build was starting to take shape and I could feel the old fire starting to burn again.

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HEIRLOOM

On the day of the Beetle’s retirement it had ticked over to 159,000 miles. That’s after going around the clock!

DEVON

PROJECT ‘49

PASTEL

TEMPO

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Seven years in the making, Jamie Franklin’s Split has come a long way from the rusty 13-window Deluxe he started with. It has been and still is a wild ride.

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Now I know that 924s are a bit marmite and art cars are even more marmite, so this car might really rub some people up the wrong way, but I think it’s wicked.

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An investigateve latout exersize that we set for our new apprentice, we loved what she put together so much we decided to publish it. Not bad for a first week.

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Jake’s plan is a simple one: “I’m just going to go to Morocco.” In true Bolton Wanderer fashion he doesn’t really have too much of a plan.

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With a mutual love of Coral Red VW colour and Oval Beetles, I was eager to delve into the story of this truly breath-taking car. To kick things off, Irv and I had a good old-fashioned chat about it.

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When it comes to Volkswagens I have a favourite child. I’m not ashamed to admit it, either. It’s the Type 2 Single Cab

TOTALLY HOOKED

PHOTOS BY PJ GIBBONS

Q: Let’s start at the beginning. What’s your name, how old are you and where are you from?

A: My name is Tim. I’m 44 and from North Dorset.

Q: What’s your day job and do you have any other hobbies?

A: I am an electrician by trade. I do a bit of photography but apart from the cars that’s about it.

Q: What’s your ultimate VW/Porsche?

A: It would have to be a 964 Turbo in white.

Q: Do you have a favourite VW/Porsche event?

A: Would have to be European Bug-In closely followed by Le Bug Show (Spa).

Q: What got you into Volkswagens and how many have you owned before this one? Can you list them?

A: I remember seeing a slammed patina Ghia pull up outside a kebab shop that I was in back around 1998-ish. That sowed the seed, but having a young family at the time meant I couldn’t afford one. Fast forward to 2016 and I finally got my first Split bus, a 1960 walk through Panel. I have been totally hooked since that point. After that bus came a 1959 Kombi,

1956 Kombi “Radio bus”, 1966 Squareback, ’57,’59 and ’52 Beetles and a 1972 Bay Adventurewagen.

Q: Who, or what, would you say your biggest influence is in the worldwide VW community?

A: Doing the 912 I guess, or just anyone who saves as much original paint or patina as possible, and my friend Ben (Strong) is always a good sounding board for ideas.

Q: Best moment during classic VW/Porsche ownership?

A: I’d have to say finally being able to drive this piece of shit.

Q: How about the worst moment during classic VW/Porsche ownership?

A: Having Drew Pritchard’s camera crew record me at Caffeine & Machine after asking me if my ’57 Oval was reliable. …“Course it is”, I said. It then decided for the first time ever to not start.

Q: So, what is it that we’re looking at here (year, spec and model)?

A: It’s a poverty spec 3 gauge 1966 Porsche 912.

Q: What’s the story? How did you get hold of it?

A: Stef Rossi was building me a motor for my 1959 Kombi and he mentioned he had the remains of a Porsche 912 that came in with the Irish Green one he had (Hayburner Issue 13 cover car), so I drove up to take a look. Sure

enough, there it was, sat on a pallet with no wheels or much else for that matter, but the character it had blew me away. It really was love at first sight.

Q: Did the car come with any history?

A: Only a photo of where it was found, still sporting a tow-bar!

Q: Tell us about the condition of the car when you first got it home.

A: It was best described as “floppy”. Getting it on a recovery truck without snapping it in half was a challenge. It had been sat on sodden land for a long time, so pretty much everything south of the smuggler’s box was toast. The only bits that survived and remain are the torsion tube and the centre spine. Everything else was sadly beyond saving.

Q: Run us through the restoration/recommission, and who did the work?

A: Once it was home I stripped it completely and then went and sat in a dark room for a bit as it was way worse than it even looked initially. After the trauma of stripping it, the remains were slid onto our trailer and delivered on a soggy Saturday to Matt Smith in Cornwall. We unceremoniously slid it back off onto the concrete and bid him farewell with a cheery wave, leaving him regretting his decision to let it on the premises but looking forward to the challenge.

Matt spent the next three months cutting, and cutting some more, until it must’ve weighed about the same as a bag of sugar, and then sent me a relentless list

of repair panels to order from Design911 including a complete new floor pan from torsion bar to nose. Then, slowly but surely it started being pieced back together – inner and outer sills, heater tubes (fabricated from scratch by Bob), rear seat buckets, parcel shelf, lower inner wings, kidney bowls, lower A and B pillar sections, engine firewall, lower footwell and inner wing sections all replaced, and the next time I’d see her she’d have perfect door gaps for the first time in decades.

I even convinced Matt to C-notch the rear chassis rails for driveshaft clearance, which for those of you who know Matt, took some sweet talking. Whilst this was happening I had all of the running gear shot blasted and painted in 2 pack black and rebuilt the rear trailing arms, etc. It came back to me on a trolley with the interior having a nice coat of shiny raptor in Polo Red and the underside, engine bay and frunk all in matte black raptor.

Q: What is the paint colour (and code if you know it)?

A: Polo Red 6802.

Q: Suspension set-up?

A: Front: Elephant racing coil-overs with 3” dropped spindles, front control arm torsion bars removed and front strut brace fitted.

Rear: Elephant racing adjustable spring plates and custom-built short Bilstein dampers.

Also running 930 Turbo anti bumpsteer track rod ends. Front brakes are 930 Turbo discs with custom-

mounted 4 pot Wilwood calipers; rears are stock 912 discs with custom-mounted 4 pot Wilwoods also. All fed by a Wilwood bias adjustable pedal box.

Q: Wheels?

A: Staggered SSR Formula mesh 3 piece: 8 on rear, 6 on the front.

Q: Engine and gearbox?

A: 3.2 motor from a 1987 Carrera that was in Steffan Rossi’s Mouse Grey bus. Motronic system binned and replaced with Jenvey ITBs running Canems ECU and custom harness. The gearbox is currently a close ratio 901 with hydraulic clutch conversion.

Q: Have you replaced the electrical system?

A: Yes, it has a completely new

Kroon wiring loom.

Q: Were there any parts that you found it hard to get hold of?

A: The hardest part is finding some weather strips for both doors – they’re the trim piece that has the rubber strip along the door top. Finding a pair of these with weathered chrome is proving difficult and they’re still missing now.

Q: Run us through the original interior.

A: The original interior was either burnt (vandalised) or missing. The original seats fell to bits when I removed them from the shell, still attached to the remains of the floors.

Q: Accessories?

A: Custom interior with trimmed Kirkys. That’s about it.

Q: Have you got a stereo fitted and, if so, what are you currently listening to (either in the car or during those late nights in the workshop/garage)?

A: No stereo yet. I just listen to the motor, as cliché as that sounds. Although ask me how I feel about that after driving to EBI this summer.

Q: What’s your favourite thing about it, e.g. wheels, paint, detail, trip it’s been on, memory with it, etc.?

A: I never get bored of looking at it. I love how the paint or what’s left of it evolves.

Q: If you had to change one thing,

what would it be and why?

A: Wider front wheels and fit a rear anti-roll bar as it’s a bit “lairy”.

Q: What’s next for you and the car?

A: Get the frunk trimmed and just enjoy using it.

Q: How often do you use the car?

A: In the summer months as much as possible.

Q: What’s your next project going to be?

A: Well, I’m afraid to say I am also into old Jap stuff and have had Mazda RX7s for years. One of my first early ones has been painted and is ready for reassembly, so I need to crack on with that.

Q: Who would you like to thank

connected to the project?

A: I’d like to thank Matt and Bob for the incredible job they did on the metalwork; Irv’s Restorations for doing the paint blending on the sills; Larry and Royston Piper at Piper Trimmers who created the interior; Simon Corke and Brad’s Classics for rebuilding the bottom end and top end, respectively; Revival 912 for all the random bits I needed; and, last but not least, thanks to Ben Strong and Alex Hookins for their help and support throughout the build.

And a big shout out to those few who said it would never get on the road again

TEMPO

WORDS BY NED FAUX

This is an article I’ve been compiling for some time. I had a bash at writing something similar in the early days of Hayburner (I think in Issue 7), and if I’m completely honest, reading it back made me cringe a little. Since Issue 7 (11 years ago), so much more information has come to light regarding these peculiar vehicles, and I now believe more than ever that they had far more to do with shaping or at least creating the market for the Type2 we all know and love. I think it’s time to revisit what is often referred to as the ugliest Volkswagen-powered vehicle ever produced – the Tempo Matador.

Although I want to concentrate mainly on the VW-powered Tempo, I first want to give you a brief rundown on the company. A company called Vidal and Son was founded in Hamburg in 1883 to provide harbour-side firefighting services for the coal-importing industry. In 1927, with the demise of the German economy, the German coal-importing industry fell into recession, leaving Vidal and Son facing an uncertain future. Looking for a new opportunity, Max Vidal and his son,

Oskar, decided to move into the auto industry.

Around this time, tax regulations stated that if you had fewer than four wheels and a cubic capacity under 200ccm the vehicle would be licence and tax-free. This spurred the development of delivery three-wheelers. Carl Borgward in Bremen developed his so-called “Blitzkarten”, which later became the Goliath tricycle. By 1927 they had opened the company Tempo-Werke and between them developed a front loader T1 (the T stood for Tempo). This was a tricycle delivery cart powered by a single cylinder 198cc two-stroke motor. Their motto in the brochure for the first Tempo vehicle was “Tempo! Tempo! screams the world, Tempo! Tempo! Time is money! Don’t you have a speed car? The competition will beat you!”

Unfortunately these vehicles proved to be poorly built and seen as copies of other delivery tricycles on the market. They performed so badly that Tempo was forced to provide customers with a full-time mobile service mechanic doing the rounds and

keeping the few cars on the road. Such a terrible start should have been fatal to the company, but Tempo grabbed onto a lifeline when their competitor, Rollfix, went bankrupt. Tempo snapped up Rollfix’s chief designer Otto Daus, and set him to work addressing their vehicle’s problems. This spurred a completely redesigned vehicle called the T6, powered by a reliable JLO 198cc two-stroke engine. The T6 sold over 3500 units, which allowed Tempo to relocate to larger premises in Hamburg and by 1930 work had begun on their new project, the T10.

Meanwhile the Tempo plant built up a well-functioning dealer network at home and abroad.

Tempo cars ran in Holland, Belgium, France, Scandinavia and the Balkans. They went on to build new models such as the D200 with the Jlo 200cc engine and the D400 with the 400cc engine. The Tempo factory provided a wide variety of customised body styles, from simple flatbed, to high-sided delivery van, to refrigerated van, and even passenger sedan threewheeled versions.

During the 1940s Tempo, like so many other German manufacturers, started to produce small military vehicles. They were used by the Luftwaffe as airfield transport but were too slow for use on the front. Most served in auxiliary functions, such as with the German Red Cross as ambulances. During this time the Tempo factory suffered extensive damage from Allied bombing. However, it was this massive destruction that provided Tempo with a lifeline after the war.

Although the Allies’ post-war plans for Germany included the total dismantling of all German industry, transport was essential to clear the rubble and restore order. The British Occupation Government granted a permit to Vidal and Son to reopen their factory in order

to provide service and repairs for those Tempo vehicles that survived the war. Over the next two years TempoWerke spent their time repairing damaged vehicles and returning them to the road.

Tempo also carried on building its trusty three-wheeled trucks, but taxation classes had changed and it was clear that a new model was needed to break into the export market. Tempo’s chief designer Otto Daus retired in 1947 and was succeeded by Dietrich Bergst, who had worked for Tempo since 1930. Bergst immediately set about modernising Tempo’s range. It took until 1947 to draw up a new plan. Tempo sourced the engine for the all-new fourwheeled Matador truck from the Volkswagen works at Wolfsburg. The truck was a light commercial

to carry payloads up to one ton. The Tempo was also front wheel drive with the normal differential gears and with a universal shaft drive to the front wheels. The engine, differential and gearbox were compactly situated under the front seat, leaving an unusually large payload area for the truck. The engine was the stock 1131cc engine used by the Standard model Type1 Beetle sedan of the time with an unsynchronised VW crash gearbox. Volkswagen were happy to supply the engines at this time as they had substantial engine manufacturing capacity but finite supplies of sheet metal for bodywork. Additionally, Volkswagen had not commenced work on new models.

The first hundred Matadors were pre-production test vehicles, which Tempo contracted out

to a transport company to put through their paces. All the preproduction vehicles were driven to death. All were destroyed in the process and none have survived, and a wide range of improvements were incorporated into the production model. The Tempo scored particularly well with the German press with economy being one of its main attractions (40 miles to the gallon claimed). Another economy factor was the engine, which is only small and yet manages a ton payload without any stress. Access to the engine was easy. The seat could be removed in a few seconds, exposing all working parts and components, including the transmission. Plus the Tempo cruised easily at between 40 and 50 mph. The chassis frame was strongly built to resist all distortion on bad surfaces. It consisted of two steel tubes, braced with welded cross-members.

The Tempo Matador hit the market in 1949 and was an instant

success, struggling to keep up with demand in the first months. They were making Matadors in various configurations to suit all uses, from fire engines to camping vehicles. They were the hot ticket for coach builders as well as factory conversions. Of course it was soon followed by a raft of similar van designs from companies such as DKW, Lloyd, Goliath, Gutbrod and, inevitably, Volkswagen itself. Once the Volkswagen Type2 Transporter was planned to be released in 1950, Volkswagen completely withdrew the supply of engines to Tempo, virtually destroying their business overnight.

After VW removed the supply of engines up until 1951 nearly all the remaining VW-powered Matadors from the factory went out to Australia. They were imported to a number of dealers, such as Continental Motors, Sydney and Australian National Motors, Melbourne, both of whom had been agents

for DKW and other smaller German manufacturers. After the end of the VW engines, Tempo would struggle along for a few more years trying to find a suitable replacement engine for the Matador until finally the production run was changed over to a British Austin watercooled 4-cylinder motor. This was considered to be such a bad choice that they were all swapped (or repaired) with Heinkel engines and a number of design changes like a one-piece windscreen which did nothing for the vehicle’s aesthetics. The quality was thought to have become very poor and the Matador soon got a bad reputation for unreliability so sales rapidly declined. With the Type2’s modern ornate design casting a shadow over the little Tempo, it was a matter of saving a bit of money but driving an ugly van, or should I say driving an unreliable ugly van.

There are still many conflicting opinions as to how many VW-

powered Tempo Matadors were sold. The number that comes up most often is around the 1300 mark. I’m not buying it, though, the reason being that I personally have managed to collect around 300 vintage photographs of individual Matadors of around 20 known survivors. I find it hard to believe that out of 1300 vehicles made that many got photographed and the photos survived. When you search for other cars with such small production numbers it’s almost impossible to find anything at all. I also find it hard to believe that 1300 Matadors sold made VW shake in their boots. However, if you think you do know accurate production numbers, please drop me an email (nedfaux@hayburner.co.uk). Whatever the number, they are an extremely rare vehicle indeed, especially when you consider that the Type2 (Splitscreen) sold a whopping 1,477,330 vehicles! They do also still have a cult following. It’s interesting that when I wrote that little piece in the magazine 11 years ago I’d just turned down an air-cooled Matador camper conversion for sale in Sweden for £4000 because I thought it to be overpriced. I think I might have shit out there, as more recently I saw a fully restored model fetch close to £80,000 at auction.

It’s difficult to know exactly how much influence the Tempo Matador had on the VW Type2. There are of course similarities, but then again there are similarities with so many other vehicles of the time. The more I research VW/Porsche, the more I see obvious automotive trends rather than imitations or stolen ideas. I’ve driven a Tempo Matador and it was no joy to drive whatsoever – awkward, slow, noisy, bouncy, cramped and handled like a pig on roller-skates. Compared to the Type2 it was a very basic and dated design. I do, however, believe that without VW’s cutting them off it would probably have improved over the years, but I guess we’ll never know.

In my humble opinion, Tempo were ahead of their time with the Matador and VW knew it. They sat back and let Tempo create the market for an aircooled bus and cashed in by selling them the motors to do so. When the time came, they crushed them and took over exactly where Tempo left off with a better model. It’s one of many shrewd moves in Volkswagen history but, as I’m constantly reminded to this day in this industry, “business is business”.

PASTEL

PHOTOS BY KENNETH ANNO WORDS BY CHARLES HARDING

Fabian Nicolas was only 15 years old when he discovered his fascination for classic Volkswagens. He had always been interested in anything with four wheels and an engine, but what really sparked his enthusiasm was a trip to the newsagents and seeing the front cover of Super VW. Fabian was well and truly hooked and began buying every magazine available, dreaming of one day owning an air-cooled Volkswagen.

Whilst dreaming of cars, Fabian started a career

as a butcher. This brought him into his late teens and although his main focus was his new trade, he decided it was time to take the plunge and get on the Type1 ladder. His first car was a 1961 1300 Beetle in beige. He got stuck into a Calstyle restoration following Hot VW’s February ’75 Cal-look illustration. The car got treated to simple upgrades such as a progressive 32-36 carb and T-Bird exhaust.

Once happy with how the 1300 looked, he visited various VW events over a three-year period before his friend, Philippe Berthot, offered to sell him a 1958 Beetle. The car was an unfinished project, still in bits and in need of full restoration but … it was offered for the bargain price of 500 Euros. Sadly, like so many, he bit off a little more than he could chew with that restoration and ended up losing enthusiasm and having to sell the vehicle before it was finished. Some time later, Fabian also sold his 1300 after receiving a good offer and suddenly found himself without a car.

In 2017, Fabian dived back into the VW world and bought himself a fully restored 1960 Beetle that was up for sale at Le Bug Show (Spa). While looking around the Beetle, his friends indicated that a couple of details were not quite as they should have be for the car’s model year. It was then that Fabian met Diego Delespeaux, the boss of the Nostalgia Cars workshop. This place is “kind of a big deal”. They have put out some of the most impressive custom VW restorations in Europe over the past decade. Diego suggested the idea of redoing the car all original and that was just the beginning.

With Fabian’s enthusiasm well and truly restored, the meeting turned his stock project into that of pure die-hard Cal-look. Soon after completing that one, he found a 1961 Mango. The bus was purchased and sent to Nostalgia Cars to make his vision a reality. Whilst already doing the Mango, Fabian caught wind of a 1950 Split Beetle in need of restoration.

Thinking about the full restoration ’58 he’d had to give up on years before, he was reluctant to take it on. But this time he was well supported by Diego and was convinced that together they could make it happen.

Although many would say that a Beetle of this vintage should be put back together in the way Volkswagen intended, Fabian wanted to follow his heart, and he made the decision that a California Look was the way he again wanted to go.

He wanted to keep the original colour (Pastel Green L11), but for the rest of the project it was anything goes, with a Nostalgia Cars signature. Like any big car project, dismantling is the first step. The team got to work by carefully listing all the parts one by one. The plan was ambitious. The project was to

have many subtle touches, mixing aspects of a stock restoration with the influence of classic Porsche. He wanted the car to fit in with the Cal scene but at the same time stand out from the rest.

The day came to split the body from the pan. This was an easy task as most of the rust prone areas had rotted away long ago. The channels, spare wheel well

and behind all the wings were particularly bad. That went for the door bottoms too. The passenger side door could be saved, but Diego had to find another yearcorrect driver’s door in better condition to swap. The sheet metal work continued with both sides, rear bumper mounts and engine compartment corners. Seeing as the car was going to be custom, an original ragtop clip was found

and installed. Fabrice worked on the car and refined each detail. The pop-outs were made from scratch, which required a great deal of work.

Once the body was completed and prepped, it entered the spray booth for paint in the original factory colour. The paint was a success and reassembly could begin. It would start with

a new VW Looms wiring harness modified to allow for some retro accessories such as the oil temp gauges in the glove box doors. The Beetle being built with Stuttgart inspiration, the stock seats gave way to Porsche 356 style bucket units made in fibreglass. Following that, it was inconceivable for Fabian to hold anything other than a Porsche 356 steering wheel in his hands. For

the upholstery, Diego called on the expert in vintage VW upholstery Ingrid Oppermann (Himmelservice Oppermann, in Hamburg). To cover the tubs, fabric by the metre was sourced from Max from El Casimir Sellerie, in Saint-Aybert. This allowed Fabian to cover the seats with leather edges.

It is difficult to choose when it comes to different options for the engine on this type of project:

stock, vintage speed, efficiency or all-out power? For this car he called on Jean-René Feller (Feller Services), whose idea was a welltorqued engine without falling into disproportionate displacements.

The finished product was a 2160cc configuration thanks to a long stroke 78mm Scat crankshaft coupled with a 94 mm JE short-skirted forged

piston cylinder kit, based on a new VAG magnesium block. The necessary machining was carried out and full flow assembly. The 200mm 8-pin flywheel is held by a 38mm gland Scat nut while the Scat 5.5” “H” connecting rods are secured via Silvertine bushings. The Scat C145 camshaft offers an ideal range of use (from 2500 to 6500 rpm) and

360° bearings. For better cam lubrication Lub/Lobe pushers allow an oil supply through a small hole (0.4 mm) at the top of the pusher. New Empi GTV2 cylinder heads have been reworked with hand-polished ducts. The 42mm x 37mm valves work in conjunction with special high lift springs supplied by James Calvert of Stateside Tuning here in the UK. For carbs they chose

a pair of Weber 44 IDFs mounted on CB Performance “Big Beef” pipes with “Gasket Matched” conduits. The spark is produced through a CSP electronic igniter which sends current to the NGK DP8EA-9 spark plugs. The Sebring 42mm central CSP exhaust completes the nod to the Stuttgart firm apart from the fan. The fan is a Feller Service

creation inspired by the Furnham fan fitted to certain Porsche 550 Speedster racing cars from the 1950s.

And what do you sit all this goodness on? A set of Thrusts in 5x130, of course.

After a long, careful reassembly, the goal was to participate in the wonderful

Hessisch-Oldendorf show. But on the Thursday evening, the day before leaving for Germany, the 8.33 gearbox was stuck in second gear. Fabian was ready to give up, but Diego insisted they make it happen. He dismantled everything during the night and remedied the problem by fixing an issue inside the gear box nose cone. With the help of Greg from the DNH club who arrived on the Friday morning,

the whole team were able to get to the show, the perfect way to round off the monumental project.

Fabian thanks Nostalgia Cars, Fabrice, Philippe Berthot, Bertrand, David Croquelois, Marco, “Pit”, Greg and the DNH club, and especially Chris for having sold him this project.

99 PROBLEMS BUT MY BUS AIN’T ONE

WORDS BY CHEZ WILLIAMS

It’s Friday afternoon and I have just given up on my icebox of a workshop and retreated into the warmth of my humble abode. It’s bitter in there today and everything I touch is utterly frozen to the point that my fingers have stopped working and my toes feel like they have been in the freezer. It feels like there are not enough warm clothes in the world to cope with the cold. In the workshop next door they have a waste oil burner of which I am very jealous, and I do tend to stand around drinking tea and wishing it was summer again. I did manage to get a little bit of sunshine this winter as I had a cheeky 10 days away in Mexico. I had never been anywhere like that before, and when three of my friends asked if I wanted to go with them I jumped at the chance. The flight was long and very turbulent but the thought of warm sunshine on a glorious beach with a cocktail made it all worthwhile. The temperature when we landed was about 32 degrees with clear blue sky and a slight breeze –perfect and just what I had hoped for. This is the start of my two stories about random on-the-road repairs that I have come across since I wrote last, one being in Mexico and the other on the A1 by Black Cat Roundabout.

So we had a slightly messy night out on the main strip in Cancun. We couldn’t resist going to the crazy bars and clubs, as the nightlife was very lively and the beer in the hotel was shockingly bad. The next day, with a sore head, I needed painkillers, so I decided to head down to the pharmacy for paracetamol and Berocca (fizzy make feel good tablets) to get rid of my hangover. As I was walking down the road I crossed to the other side just as a VW Beetle made a massive backfire and rolled up onto the pavement. It was a very battered taxi of some sort and the guy driving it got out and opened the deck lid. I was not in the right frame of mind to be of much use, so I carried on walking. After successfully purchasing painkillers and taking two straight away, I started walking back

to the hotel. On the pavement was the broken-down Bug and the driver.

As I got closer to the car I could see the air filter on the floor and the driver pouring fuel into the top of the carb from a Sprite bottle. As I walked up to get past the car, the driver instructed the passenger to turn it over. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw a small spark or flash of light, and the top of the carb burst into flames. I thought to myself, “this is not a good situation”, as the driver ran inside the

car and grabbed one of those really colourful Mexican blankets from the back seat. It was already charred and singed. He managed to put out the fire quickly. He seemed pretty chilled about the situation, giving the impression that this was not the first time it had happened. His English was very good so we had a quick chat about his Bug and how many years he had been driving it and how much he loved it. I told him what I did for a living and had a little look inside the engine bay. The wire from the coil

to the choke element was fried and was joined in the middle by a melted chocolate block, some gaffer tape and zip ties. Later the Bug fired up and one happy Mexican drove away with a big smile and a wave. Perfect, now to get rid of my hangover.

My second random repair was more of an eviction than a fix. I was driving back home up the A1 and saw a Late Bay Window half on the grass verge. Traffic was very slow due to where the Bus was. The owner and his wife were stood by the bus looking unhappy so I thought I would stop and see if I could help. The driver said that the Bus had just stopped and he didn’t know why. I offered to take a quick look and saw the couple look at each other in a way that made me think there was more to this than meets the eye. The driver said to me, “I can’t get into the engine bay”, to which I replied, “is it locked and you don’t have the key?” The driver said, “no, there is something in there”, to which I replied, “what sort of thing?” He said, “I think it’s a squirrel”. We exchanged some odd looks between us before I suggested that maybe it would be a good idea to let the squirrel out of the engine bay as it was of no use in there.

The lady informed me that there was also a nest and she was worried that if we let the squirrel out it would abandon its nest and its young. A bit of head-scratching went on and I decided to take a look. Sure enough, on top of number 3 spark plug was a large nest that was moving quite a lot. I asked if they were sure it was a squirrel and they confirmed they had seen its tail. We had a look inside the Bus for anything that might be handy for capturing the nest in and found a blanket and a cool box, so we all gathered around the back of the Bus and opened the deck lid. I threw the large blanket over the entire nest and scooped it up into a big bundle. The cool box was on the floor so I put the whole lot in it and attached the lid. The squirrel had broken the coil wire, so a quick repair and the Bus was on its way with a box of squirrels which were to be released back at their home. Job done.

We try to be as self-sufficient as we can in our workshop but every now and then we need an engineer to do fine precise machining work. I have been using a guy called Greg who runs SRB Engineering not far from where we are based. He has done my machining work for years and has invented some interesting ways

to get around certain problems. On my engine stand at the moment is a 1949 Beetle engine which is 25HP for rebuild. It’s the original engine from a customer’s car that he wants to put back in. We ordered new bearings and all the bits required for the rebuild, and it came to barrels and pistons time. We can get 30HP barrels and pistons but they need some work to make them fit, so I rang Greg.

After explaining what I wanted to achieve, I took the parts over to him. I was interested in how he was going to set this up, so I stayed for a lesson. Now I have a lathe in the workshop but I’m self-taught through YouTube videos and had no interest in wrecking a new set of 30HP barrels. Greg made

a mandrel to fit inside the barrel and clamp in the chuck. Then he made a similar piece for the other end with a big chamfered edge on it. Once tightened up with the stock at the back of the lathe it ran beautifully true and Greg got to work machining. So now we have the parts required to turn these barrels down. I’m so glad I did not try this myself as I clearly still have a lot to learn about turning on the lathe.

So all I can conclude from my ramblings is that it’s definitely a good idea to carry a blanket at all times for fires and squirrel evictions, and always go to a professional if you want things done right.

MY CUP OF TEA

PHOTOS & WORDS BY PJ GIBBONS

When it comes to Volkswagens I have a favourite child. I’m not ashamed to admit it, either. It’s the Type 2 Single Cab. There we go, I said it.

It’s one of the only vehicles that no matter the weather I will cross a muddy field to go and see. I’ll wade past all sorts of incredible vehicles such as Sambas, Bugs, Ghias and Bays just to go and look at a tatty old truck. I like them so much that I’m not even selective – I love them restored,

original, modified or stock – it’s just my cup of tea. If you are reading this, then perhaps it is yours too.

In fact, the very “cup of tea” you are looking at right now is my own 1956 Single Cab. It’s a little murky, the cup has a crack out of the rim, it’s got some loose tea leaves floating around in it and I think the spoon was dirty, but it is a strong brew nonetheless and it really hits the spot –well, for me, anyway.

My love for the humble Splitscreen Single Cab started when I was much younger, around the age of 12. I ended up (by chance) at Peppercorn Volkswagen Festival. My dad was working nearby and someone working with him knew I liked VWs so they mentioned it to my folks. It was just up the road and I managed to convince my Mum it would be a great idea, so she took me along. We got covered in mud.

It was the first Volkswagen event that I ever attended and I remember very vividly having my mind blown by all the different vehicles. Up to that point all I had known was what you saw either on the road or on one of those “Surfer Van” calendars you get at Christmas time from Clinton’s Cards.

There were Firetrucks, Ambulances, Campers, Kombis and more. Yet there was one that didn’t quite take the same form as the aforementioned examples. The Splitscreen Pick Up – this absolutely blew my mind. So many questions: Where was the rest of it? Who made this? Is it real? Did someone convert it? (All of which are questions I get asked every time I fill this up at the petrol station.) Thinking about it now, I don’t think I have ever seen a Single Cab in the wild that wasn’t associated with an event on? So no wonder people outside our community have no idea they exist.

It was July 2023. I had unexpectedly sold my Velvet Green Kombi after receiving an offer out of the blue. Now I was casually on the hunt for a replacement. I had looked at small projects, big projects, shipping something over from the States, but nothing had been quite right. Either too much money or too much work. I had stopped for a lunch break and out of habit I opened up my phone, went on Instagram, and there was a post from Matt Smith posting on behalf of a client: “1956 Early Hannover Truck for sale” – a beautiful L31 Dove Blue Single Cab, super straight, patina, ribbed bumpers, bullets, my cup of tea.

I had been waiting in the shadows for the right one to come along and this was it. Having missed out on a beautiful Single Cab Matt was selling once before, I didn’t want to make the same mistake twice. Deal made and job done. I

think the advert only lasted two hours?

Yes, I had made the deal and bought it “blind”. There is usually an element of risk involved in this sort of transaction, but I had a great level of trust in Matt Smith. His honest opinions and his comments on the truck were enough for me to commit to the deal without hesitation.

I can honestly say that when I finally got to see the Cab I couldn’t have been happier. It was solid, super straight and very original. It doesn’t have heaps of history – in fact I only have one piece of paper and the business card of a plant manager from Lockheed, but with some “internetting” I was able to find out a little more about the name on the piece of paper.

The Single Cab had lived a relatively easy life by the looks of things. It was built in the Hannover factory in mid-1956 and shipped over to California, to the San Jose area near San Francisco. Owned by a Mr Terry King, who had been stationed in Germany through the late ’50s. He was a sharpshooter in the army and picked up multiple awards and medals in competition.

When he moved back home to the West Coast he worked as a teacher, and after 20 years working in a juvenile detention centre he eventually retired in 1993. By this point he had amassed a collection of 30 or so classic vehicles. The majority were Volkswagens – including this Single Cab pick-up. Mr King’s collection was varied and featured a number of Ford Model As and Salt Flat Racer vehicles. He was active in the car community up until his passing a couple of years ago.

At some point in the vehicle’s life it was repainted blue and red (if you look you can see red in the bed, and light blue around the crevices of the truck.) The previous owner here in the UK had removed the tired respray to reveal the original Dove Blue.

It’s not perfect, with the odd mark from an enthusiastic sander and some rather neat paint blending, but for me it is easily good enough. In the balance of original paint to solid vehicle I am very satisfied with the ratio.

The underside is exceptionally solid. There are some older – cruder – repairs to the truck bed but nothing out of the ordinary for an ex-workhorse. There’s a repair to the cab floor and some rust around the front screen, which is now treated. Both are likely a consequence of the California sun causing the windscreen rubbers to harden and crack, allowing water to leak in. The drop gates are straight, very straight, the hinges are good and the gutters are excellent. They still make a noise like a “rain maker” when you lower them – but don’t they all?

Inside, the treasure chest is very solid and very original. You can still see the factory number written in wax on the side. Matt said,

“… in my 30 years of VWs I have rarely seen original sills as nice as this”. Which is a heck of a compliment.

The real game changers for any Single Cab when it comes to practicality are tilt and bows, taking it from a simple truck to whatever you need it to be – pick up, panel van, even camper. For example, I previously used my old truck to haul giant cable reels for Classics at the Clubhouse. We used it to make a home cinema for the kids during Covid. I’ve stood on it to hang Christmas lights on our gutters. I’ve helped people move house and camped in it.

So as soon as I was able, I made my journey down to VW Canvas Co. to get tilt and bows made up and fitted. I headed off with a huge smile on my face, driving into a gorgeous sunrise, on a brisk early morning, through ancient monuments (no joke), beautiful villages and stunning rural countryside, blissfully unaware of what was coming next.

I arrived at Stu’s (which resembles a real-life castle) and hopped out of the truck. He was quite excited to see the Single Cab and hastily gave it a once over. He looked underneath, presumably to see how solid it was or maybe not. “Uh … PJ, does your motor leak?” “No”, I replied confidently, “… never. Why?” I peered tentatively underneath and to my horror the truck had well and truly soiled itself all over his million-year-old cobbled drive. I was so embarrassed. Not just a little bit of oil either. It was drooling and pooling, thick and fast. Stu kindly reassured me not to worry about the driveway but I felt terrible.

Stu does an exceptional job on these kits (and I’m not just saying this to make up for his driveway). The quality is exceptional. They are very close to original but with smart, subtle upgrades. Upgraded fastenings, zips for camping, water-resistant materials, additional awning for a stall, and bespoke options such as colour and height.

I went for as close to a stock look as I could but with an additional awning for events and extra zips for camping. Stu

finishes these items there and then with the vehicle onsite. This is due to the fact that sometimes these old truck have taken a beating and nothing quite fits straight anymore. Again, this is testament to Stu’s level of quality. An hour or so later the truck was ready.

Now I had to work out what to do about getting home. I had recently waited over six hours for a recovery vehicle, so my trust in the “yellow two-letter recovery company” wasn’t high. It was cold, it was raining, and I was an hour or so from home. So I did what most jaded idiots would do. I bought more oil and pressed

on, periodically stopping to top it back up at every service station I passed. Messy, cold, wet and oily, I made it home – questioning all of my life choices up to that point and praying my leaks hadn’t caused any harm to those following in my wake.

Although the pick up now looked great, this thing needed to drive great too. I didn’t want a repeat of what had just happened. It had to earn its keep at both Classics at the Clubhouse and West Berks Cars and Coffee, hauling stuff around and being used as a mobile shop. Reliability and drivability would be key going forward.

It was at this point that I turned to my good friend Jack Dudman (Flat 6 Jack) to see what could be done. Jack got the truck on the ramp and pulled the motor. The clutch was drenched in oil and it was clear that it would take some work to fix the issue. The engine was a 1300cc Beetle motor, with a decent amount of end float – so not something I really wanted to pour cash into fixing at that moment.

FYI, just to be perfectly clear, I had been made aware that this vehicle was “a project” mechanically. The motor, etc., was untested and it was just there to get it moving before it was sold. I wasn’t fazed by this situation at all. It was on the cards and everyone had been very honest from the start.

The practical decision was then made to find something else with a little more power to hopefully bolt straight in. I found a suitable motor from Tom Coles on Facebook, a turnkey 1600cc with twin carbs ready to go. The price was right and it would be a nice little upgrade for the hills around where I live. The motor was in nice and quick. After all, “it’s only four bolts”, as they say.

The vehicle was serviced and given a full nut and bolt check. Jack replaced the steering damper, shocks, track rods and track rod ends, brake pads, brake lines and more. A new set of Vredestein Sprint Classics 185 80 R15 were fitted all round and it had a proper wheel alignment. A pair of patinated Auto-Wares convex mirrors, slow moving vehicle magnet and cab latches were added for safety and security. I found my old ’70s Firestone seatbelts

from the 356 and have mounted them as a temporary solution. They have grown on me, though.

After all of that, the truck is now back on the road and drives like a dream. I couldn’t be happier. I don’t drive it fast; I don’t need to. I just enjoy it for what it is – an incredibly practical, fun and usable classic. I look at it and I smile.

My plans for the vehicle are to use and enjoy it. It was purchased as a workhorse and that is its primary job for the foreseeable future. Hauling bits from event to event, helping around the home and being an all-round practical bit of kit. I will keep chipping away at small jobs, replacing lenses, hubcaps, and finding the correct wheels, etc. It’s more of a behind the scenes vehicle than a show vehicle and I guess that’s what the Type2 Single Cab was always built to be.

Some 68 years later, this truck is still doing exactly what it was designed to do. It really is, my cup of tea.

Thank you to my family for their support. To Matt Smith for helping with the sale, Ryan at RLC Motor Services for transport, and Jack Dudman for getting this thing on the road and driving right. Thank you J. Mould (Reading) for the location.

And a special thank you to my mum – for everything.

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BOXING CLEVER

WORDS BY JAMES PEENE PHOTOS BY DAN DU CROS

Seven years in the making, Jamie Franklin’s Split has come a long way from the rusty 13-window Deluxe he started with. It has been and still is a wild ride.

Volkswagen’s humble box on wheels means all things to all men and women … and whatever else you may identify as these days (we do live in a modern world after all), as it came in a boatload of different varieties – literally. Back in the ’60s, container ships were filled to the gunwales with Type2s destined to start a new life in the US of A and, depending on which box the first owner ticked on the order form –and the year they were buying it – came with 5, 11, 13, 15, 21 or 23 windows.

Fast forward six decades and it’s now more a case of taking whatever has found its way to these shores and working with it than being able to pick and choose. But what if you own a 13-Window with killer patina, have always hankered after a Samba, and a roof section pops up for sale? Well, if you’re a man with Jamie Franklin’s talent and vision you stitch it in and blend in the paint. Sounds simple when you only have to read that line, but as you’re about to find out, a shed load of time, effort and Franklins of the

“It was being sold by Toby at One Man Band Classics. He hadn’t been going for very long at this point and we worked out a deal where he also carried out all of the repair work it needed and replaced the floors. It ended up needing a new rear corner, short quarter panel, cab steps and sills, and he also welded in a Type3 engine hatch in the parcel floor.

“When the Bus was back to mine a Samba roof section came up for sale and I thought, ‘Oh that’s

mine’ and bought it. It’s a sunroof conversion kit from Grumpy’s Metal Inc. in Dallas and it’s been modified to take an original Golde handle now. If you can’t afford an original, factory Samba this really is the next best thing.”

It certainly is, and if you own a tin-top Split but dream of having some extra light blazing in, why wouldn’t you? With the skylights and massive hole grafted in, a huge amount of patina blending was

next on the list. Again, not an easy task if you want new paint to look right against faded original stuff. But Jamie says: “I wanted to leave as much original metal and paint as possible. There’s no rust paint, just lots of colour matching and time. I also mix my own concoction to fade the paint. Just don’t get any of it on your skin!”

“I actually couldn’t say how many hours have gone into this build.” To be honest, that’s one of those

things it’s probably best not to know, but the juice was certainly worth the squeeze when the finished result looks like this.

The copper trim is the cherry on the cake. It’s a cool custom touch that works perfectly against the Velvet Green bodywork and Jamie says: “The thing about copper is it will tarnish. You know, when it turns green (Verdigris), it will look even better against the patina.

“The trim is all new stuff from Creative Engineering as new metal is clean and easier to plate than old stuff. I took it to a local place in Birmingham but their tank was only two metres long so I had to bend the longer pieces to fit and then straighten them back out again.”

The wheels are the perfect custom accompaniment to the trim.

They’re a bit Marmite if you’re the sort who only takes the path welltrodden, but for the custom freak they’re bang on. They’re 17-inch Porsche Dyna Twists with custommade centre caps and they were

powder-coated copper by Banbury Powder Coating. Measuring in at eight and nine inches wide, they’re the second set Jamie has in stock and are shod with 195/40/17 and 215/50/17 Nankangs.

If you can gaze beyond them, you’ll spot the red calipers front and back. A Porsche 944 donated its brakes to the cause, and it’s also got 944 rear trailing arms and coilovers on each corner. But again, that’s simplifying things. If you get the chance to look at the underside of this Bus you’ll see how much thought and effort has gone into this build.

The front end, engine (and tinware) and gearbox have been raised three inches to get it running low but riding nice. The front chassis rails have been narrowed to accommodate the Double A-arm front end set-up. Jamie says: “It’s like a Red9Design kit but is from the Brazilian company imohr.com.br. The only way I could get it to fit with the wheels was to cut the wheel arches and extend out into the door shuts. The chassis has all been strengthened – C-sectioned and braced, too. I’ve done air-ride and slammed before, but for this one I wanted something low but

useable and easy to live with so I could enjoy driving it. Hence the coilover route. With those and the steering rack conversion it’s not as low as I would have liked but it drives lovely.”

Out back, you’ll find motivation comes from a 2110cc engine Jamie bought from his mate Pete. You’ll notice the Porsche upright fan conversion, twin 44 carbs, and there’s a 123 dizzy and Vintage Speed exhaust that’s been cut into the rear valance and bumper to fit. The cogs are stirred by a Porsche dog-leg gearbox that was found on eBay too, and Jamie also has a

spare in case this one ever goes pear-shaped.

Making everything fit and work together was no easy task, though. As Jamie agrees: “The engine and gearbox mounts are all custom. I went a bit silly with it and it was often two steps forward and ten steps back, but I don’t like being defeated by stuff so just keep plugging away until I’m happy. I was in no rush and built four or five other cars in the same time I’ve owned this one.”

When you’re running an engine like this in a Bus as low as this

there’s obviously no room for the stock heating set-up. That’s been replaced by a Chinese diesel heater and custom tubing to duct the heat where Jamie wants it. He says: “They’re really good and cheap enough that if it packs up in a few years I’ll just fit another one.”

Inside is just as trick as the out. “It’s got a simple rock ’n’ roll bed in the back and Porsche 914 front seats. Steve at 13 Stitches did the carpets and headlining and Dave trimmed the seats and cushions. I custom-made and trimmed the door cards myself. I love doing

stuff like this and it’s always much more fun doing it yourself. It’s also got seatbelts so the rest of the family can enjoy it and a great stereo set-up.”

We should also mention the roof skylights and number plate. Jamie says: “I have a mate with a red and white Samba that had green roof glass so we swapped it for the

clear glass I had for this. It works much better that way for both of us as he got the clear stuff and his green glass looks perfect in mine. The number plate is real too. It wasn’t as expensive as you’d imagine either. I just asked the DVLA if it was available and they made it so. I bought it and also have a similar one for my 15-Window.

“When I was talking to Ned about this Bus, he said: ‘You’ve got to stop somewhere with it’, and that would be a great title for this feature. I love building cars but this one doesn’t need much else doing now. I don’t plan to sell it but you can’t keep them all and I’ve got another four cars to do. For now, I just want to get out there and use it. I also have to

balance out working on my own stuff against working on customers’ cars for my own business JF Bodyworks.

“There are also a few people I’d like to thank for all their help with this build. Namely, Toby for selling it to me and for helping with the welding, Ian Burns for the full-custom wiring loom and bespoke fuel tank, Lem at Oxford Car Audios for the cool sound set-up, Steve and Dave for the interior, Daz at Banbury Powder Coating, and all my mates who helped or encouraged me along the way.”

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PENFOLD

PHOTOS BY TOM FAWDRY WORDS BY DAN MORRISSEY

Well this one is right up my street – Paul Medhurst’s 1985 Porsche 924S. Now I know that 924s are a bit marmite and art cars are even more marmite, so this car might really rub some people up the wrong way, but I think it’s wicked.

This particular 924 had been sat on a driveway in Nottingham out in the elements for few years, but prior to that it had had the same owner for many years. While the older lady had tried to maintain it, it had been a bit neglected prior to it being laid up. It had also been the recipient of a “resto” by a bush mechanic So after the years of neglect it came into the possession of Paul Medhurst of Type 2 Detectives fame. Paul and the guys

at Type 2 Detectives, for those that don’t know, have built some awesome cars over the years and mainly work with air-cooled VWs and classic Porsches. Many of these cars have been Hayburner feature cars too, including Paul’s last 924, an early model in brown on winter cult wheels that was featured in Hayburner Issue 34. We also teamed up with Type 2 Detectives at their place for part of our build for Ewan McGregor’s bus, which you can check out on our YouTube channel Hayburner TV (Project 58, Episode 7).

So after the driveway rescue it was back to T2D for this 924S and the work could begin. Paul had bought the car

for a reasonable price and knew that it wasn’t going to be a minter going into it. They knew that it had been laid up unmoving for a few years and was a non-runner. The first port of call was to get it running. Bad engines change things on 924s, but luckily there was nothing serious and they were able to get it running. They got the brakes unstuck and a general mechanical overhaul and it was a pretty ok car. But then they had to address the welding. The welding that it needed was one thing, but the welding repairs that it had already had would lead to the biggest problem. The patches were bad, and the welding holding said patches on was worse; it was very apparent that it had to come out. With

all the rust repaired and old welding redone, it had a significant amount of bodywork that was going to be needed. The welding repairs together with the panels that had to replaced meant that it was really going to need a paint job. Now Paul really didn’t want to go down the route of a full respray and started thinking about alternatives. That’s when a previous link up popped into his head: Penfold.

Penfold is a street artist originally from Cambridge, which is in Type 2 Detectives’ neck of the woods. Paul was always a fan of his artwork. That led to him approaching the artist to see if he’d be interested in doing a paint job on a Baja that he’d recently built,

and it came out really well and Paul still has it. He was going to have Penfold paint his body-dropped Bay but that was sold before painting could happen and the itch was still always there for another art car. Once that thought popped into Paul’s head, he couldn’t get it out. He even went as far as making the Penfold Porsche logo for the sides. Seeing the logos pretty much cemented

it for him; it needed to be done. He got in touch with Penfold and asked if he’d be up for another car commission and a date was set.

With the artist booked, it was time to get back on with the car. As I mentioned earlier, Type 2 Detectives are no strangers to 924s and they have a tried and tested formula for lowering

them that was then applied to this car, complete with the Bilstein suspension for the back and Mk1 Golf coilovers for the front. Add some refurbed original Teledial wheels that had been painted white to the mix and the car was sitting just how Paul wanted it. It was time to get it in the booth. They masked the car up, took all the glass out, door handles off, the whole nine yards just like a

normal paint job. Apparently the prep for the paint job was the longest part. Penfold, being a former graffiti artist, learnt his craft on the street where speed is of the essence, something that Paul said is still the case now. He said he’d got him set up and went to make a cup of coffee and a phone call and by the time he came back 20 minutes later that car was in the block colours.

Penfold’s paint job is done with legit graffiti aerosols too, something that looks great and is really vibrant but not something that actually does all that well on cars if you leave it. So the Penfold Porsche needed to be clear coated to protect the paint. This again is not an easy feat, because if you do too good a job with the lacquer it loses its authentic look and then looks more like a vinyl

– something that Paul didn’t want to happen. A satin lacquer was chosen for the job. It’s enough to protect but not detract from the hand-painted finish.

So what’s next for the Porsche and where can you see it? Right now it can be seen at the Type 2 Detectives HQ and Paul has said that he’ll probably take it to some shows this summer, but

that he’d really like to see it as an installation. We got talking about a shop that I used to go to in Northampton that was a skate/surf shop called Freespirit. There was a metal flake blue Beach Buggy in the lobby of this quirky skate shop and Paul said, “Yeah, I could see the Porsche doing something like that. I think that would be a good home for it.” So, yeah, if you have a high-end clothes store or something like that and fancy a

new centrepiece, let me know.

Why a 924, though? I like them and Paul likes them, so I get it But they aren’t all that popular across the board, something that I’ve never really understood, so I asked Paul why he likes them. Why 924s? And he said that when he first got into VWs they were cheap. You could get a Bug for next to nothing and

mod it up and have fun with it and they didn’t cost you the earth. While that can still be the case now, it isn’t really. Plus everything has been done and originality isn’t as easy. But with 924s it’s still pretty easy to get a cheap one and there are loads of them about. You can still mod them pretty cheaply and there don’t seem to be the same high prices that in-demand parts command. Not many people seem to really mod them

either, so new ideas and creativity is easier to achieve. Overall, he says that 924s seem to feel like Bugs did to him 20 years ago. As an air-cooled guy who also like 924s I get that. If 924s are your thing and you like what Paul does with them, then Type 2 Detectives are actually building another one on their YouTube channel starting now, so check it out. You might just like marmite after all.

Check out our improved website for new parts and accessories

Hayburner Bay Window Fuel Sender Access Hatches

*NEW AND IMPROVED* Bay Window fuel sender access hatch for Late Bays.

A simple solution for busses that have had (or are going to have) a hole cut in the rear parcel shelf to access the fuel sender and laser cut to the correct profile.

Easy to fit, but if you’re not experienced or confident in the procedure please seek professional advice before cutting above your fuel tank.

Watch this space for a split screen version

Bespoke, handmade and high quality windscreen covers and custom cab mats - all comes in a range of colours, edge trims.

Quick and very easy to fit these covers will be keeping that early morning sunshine well away from those camping lie in eyes! All our covers also come with a small Hayburner label and fully complete with storage bag.

All Hayburner cab mats are made to order and made with the best quality sisal and rubber material.

Available for all types of VWs!

Custom orders are welcome, please email

VW Front and Rear Screen Covers & Custom Cab Mats.

Custom-made Gear Knobs

Bug-Tech made gear knobs, but not just for Bug-Techs.

We now have a whole section on the website dedicated to gear knobs. The new gear knobs are available for all models of VWs.

They are drilled and tapped to fit the standard gear shifter from your car. We can make them for aircooled models and for Type 25’s even T4’s.

Have a look at our range or send us an email to see if we can make one for your car. Keep an eye out because we are constantly expanding the range too.

Dan@hayburner.co.uk

Carburettor Kits and Accessories

We’ve sourced one of the best suppliers in the UK for classic Volkswagen carburettor kits with some added punch!

Different sets of Weber and Dellorto’s whether for twin-port or single port, standalone or twins, Type 1, 3 or 4 engines - get your replacement carburettors for your Aircooled Volkswagen engine here on the Hayburner store.

We also have a range of linkages and air-filters for all your carby needs.

EVA Skid Plates & Fuel Filter Kits

023-07-04 at 14.05.09

*NEW* and improved EVA Restos Skid plate - Armour for your front beam that helps skip over bumps in the road. The latest design for our super popular T1 Skid Plate kit, designed to offer unrivalled protection for your framehead bottom plate/edge on your lowered beetles and Ghias.

Fuel Filter Kits - An elegant and safe solution to fit your inline filter. Fits to the side of a stock T1 gearbox using the original fixings and sits inline to join the stock chassis solid line to the engine bay solid line. Mounts the previously vulnerable filter out of harms way, and it’s positioning makes for the most efficient

Accessories range from AAC

We’ve got an amazing selection of pieces from the guys over at Aircooled Accessories for the Hayburner Store.

Check out some of the amazing parts from Aircooled Accessories for you classic Aircooled Volkswagen.

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F*ING WOW

PHOTOS BY JAMES RUDLAND WORDS BY VICTORIA FAUX

Over the years I have often been asked why I work in the industry I do. One of the main reasons for me, other than the cars itself, is the interesting and unconventional characters I meet along the way. I love speaking to them and these people being generally part of my everyday working life. And Paul Irving (AKA “Irv”, “The Guy with a Beautiful Red Beard” or “Ginger Viking”), someone I have known for years, is exactly one of them. With a mutual love of Coral Red VW colour and

Oval Beetles, I was eager to delve into the story of this truly breath-taking car. To kick things off, Irv and I had a good old-fashioned chat about it.

Many of you may know of Paul and co., attending shows across the continent in a variety of highly coveted vehicles, all skilfully and meticulously restored at Irv’s Resto Shop, based in the Lake District, UK. He works alongside his skilful staff and three sons, something that would make many of

us shudder in fear, but it will become quite obvious how happy he is and the pride he has in Arron, Lee and Harvey throughout the next few pages.

Being such a well-known restorer in the VW industry, it is actually quite ironic that

the car you see here was not touched by him or any of his strawberry blonde crew. It was in fact bought by fellow business owner and friend, Luke at Terry’s Beetle Services. Paul finds this aspect quite funny (maybe slightly embarrassing, I am unsure), but I totally get his choice in purchasing this car; just look at it (perfection

in my eyes). It’s a Decemberbuilt ’56, model year ’57, Coral Red Oval Deluxe. In Irv’s words – “F’king Wow”, when he first saw it at the Volksworld show just last year where a small “for sale” sign was attached on the Sunday afternoon. He saw this ad afterwards and just knew he had to purchase

it for his own collection. And I absolutely get why – it is completely standard and extremely original yet it has also done a few miles so it has been driven but looked after – all this adds to its rarity. There are plenty of museum-like Beetles and Buses out there that have been preserved and not used that, in their own right, are beautiful cars like the day they came out of the factory. But the fact that this has been well used but exceptionally well cared for makes it a little more special. The Oval was found by wellknown Beetle enthusiast, Kirk Elliott, later passing into Luke’s ownership. Unfortunately, this is all the background story we know, but I think the car’s aesthetics speak volumes on their own.

Using an old-school set-up and skillset, Irv is impressed by the look Luke had achieved with the paintwork we see among these pages. Maintaining its complete originality with the exception of this superb outer repaint, slight inner arch touch ups and fresh headliner/seat complete repro covers, this is what sets this Coral Red apart from others we’ve seen. Other reasons include genuine Volkswagen rubber mats, working (!!) OG radio, wheels in original two-tone correct colour, matching numbers engine (which has never

been out of the car in its long history as far as these three owners are aware), all original engine tinware that still has paint, all chrome and glass have never been replaced; everything is just as it should be as though it has just left the factory. From the original dashboard and A-pillar paintwork to the small service stickers, every aspect of this car has been meticulously looked after over the last six decades.

Irv has made some slight accessory additions to the Beetle,

including the white mud flaps, firewall tyres, factory suitcases and, I think my favourite, the original fender skirts. He managed to pick this amazingly uncommon set up from a Euro show –collecting the rarest and nicest parts is one of Paul’s favourite pastimes, and I am so glad it is. I have never seen a set look so perfect on any car. It’s all just so “right”.

Looking at Irv’s career over the years and how far he has come is no small feat. From humble

beginnings asking his good friend Matt Smith for advice, it might never have kicked off if not for his sage advice and the offering of his first batch of customers. Now fast forward to today, being head to head for Show & Shine trophies at shows across Europe with his biggest influence in the paint game: Spike the Paint.

I asked Irv a few questions about his current fleet and it took a while for a response, but we got there:

356 pre-A Speedster

Quebec Barndoor Deluxe

Quality Sound Barndoor Deluxe

13-Window Split OG paint

11-Window Split OG paint

’57 Coral Red Oval

’57 Canadian Standard Oval

Rhd OG paint Devon matting Walter Poptop

Split Single Cab Turkis Green OG paint

’69 Porsche 911 Targa

Another f’king wow right there I say … what a collection! Not surprisingly, he owns his ultimate car – his pre-A Speedster. For an exact pipedream, he would also love to own the same condition,

fully patina’d up version Pre-A Coupe Porsche. His favourite Bus of all time he also owns is the previously Hayburner-featured Quality Sound Barndoor Deluxe.

I asked Irv about his top VW moment. He did not hesitate one bit. It was recently at the Airmighty Show in the Netherlands when his son Lee won Best in Show. This emotional win not only united dad and son but also showcased their shared love for the cars they had been working on – putting in their blood, sweat and tears along the way. But with also cinching a major victory in the tough European

Volkswagen scene, I am not surprised he might have shared a tear or two. It is clear to see that their passion will be continued for the foreseeable future and we can’t wait to see what his boys come up with next.

Juxtaposing, I asked, “What was the worst moment of your career?” (it is something that our mutual pisstaking friend, Rusty Lee Pickering, had been talking about for years!). “Haha, the worst moment – or one that’s etched in my memory forever. Picture this: I’m grinning ear to ear after snagging Best in Show at CamperJam a few years back now, for my ’55 Samba,

thanks to Rikki James. It’s all high-fives in the winner’s circle until David Eccles throws a curveball. Turns out, I hadn’t scored a top five in my category, making the win null and void. He takes the trophy back, mutters a ‘sorry, mate’, and I’m shown the exit. Cue my fullblown embarrassed exit, spotlight on me, in front of a massive crowd. I don’t think I will ever forget that one, but still a funny story.”

And Irv’s favourite thing about the car? Looking at the rear end shot. And yes, I totally agree. There is no other VW that looks as pretty as this – in his words, “it looks absolutely bloody brilliant”.

With that, he explains he still has seven cars to complete for Volksworld and a six-part TV series to film! I really admire his work ethic, zest for life and, of course, taste in cars. I am looking forward to catching up with the Ginger Viking soon.

Irv would like to thank all his family and staff, especially his kids who get the brunt of it when the going gets tough. He will be seeing you at a show or two throughout 2024.

SOMETHING ELSE

PHOTOS BY SI MEDLICOTT

Q: Let’s start at the beginning. What’s your name, how old are you, and where are you from?

A: I’m Colin Pace. I’m 52 years old and from Redditch.

Q: What’s your day job and do you have any other hobbies?

A: I’m a mechanic at Fellows

Q: What’s your ultimate VW/ Porsche?

A: As long as a car is completely unmolested, all original paint and totally stock that’s me interested.

Q: Favourite VW/Porsche event?

A: I’d say it’s got to be EBI. It’s great to travel overseas and find like-minded people as crazy about the cars as we are.

Q: What got you into Volkswagens and how many have you owned before this one? Can you list them?

Speed Shop. My other hobbies are old-school BMX and Tamiya radiocontrolled cars.

A: A friend guided me away from MK1 Escorts in the early ’90s. He took me to Bug Jam ’92 and I was hooked instantly. I’d say I’ve had at least 60 classic cars of different types. Escort Mexicos, Vauxhall Firenza, Ford 100e and Lancia Delta are a few highlights. As well as the many Beetles, Buses and Type3s.

Q: Who, or what, would you say your biggest influence is in the worldwide VW community?

A: Originally I’d say that I was influenced by the whole VW scene, as it was so vibrant and colourful back in the late ’80s/early ’90s. It felt like there were no rules. You could do anything to your VW and not be looked down on, unlike the Ford scene of the time. Currently I’d say that it’s the friendships I’ve made along the way, especially within our little group of friends (RSVP) that keep me interested.

Q: Best moment during classic VW/Porsche

ownership?

A: Driving in convoy with our group of cars and getting lost somewhere in a cobbled back street of France and seeing the looks on the locals’ faces is a good memory.

Q: Worst moment during classic VW/Porsche ownership?

A: Probably realising that we had to leave Spa a day early, after getting there two days early because we had no clue how the show worked.

Q: So, what is it we’re looking at here (year, spec and model)?

A: 1958 Renault Dauphine mated to a shortened and narrowed 1968 Type1 Beetle spine.

Q: What’s the story? How did you get hold of it?

A: After seeing a Dauphine at the SkegVegas show I decided I wanted one. Unbelievably, this car was found about a mile away from my house, having not been on the road since 1983.

Q: Did the car come with any history?

A: Unfortunately, no history at all.

Q: Tell us about the condition of the car when you first got it home.

A: The car needed the whole bottom 3 inches replacing after sitting for nearly 40 years in a damp garage.

Q: Run us through the restoration/recommission. Who

did the work?

A: The body shell was completely stripped and the full floor was removed. Then, after a lot of measuring, the VW floorpan was shortened and narrowed to fit underneath.

Once the body, suspension, gearbox and axles, etc. were all fitted, it went to Toby French to carry out

some body mods, including sills, floorpans and tubs front and rear. Then it came back to Fellows Speed Shop where I finished off the metalwork to fit a Subaru engine and radiator. Once all this was done, it went off to Fisher Restorations where it was painted inside and out.

Q: Paint colour (and code if you know it)?

A: Unfortunately the paint hasn’t got a name. It was an old DAF commercial colour that just has a number.

Q: Suspension set-up?

A: Front suspension is a narrowed 6” ball joint beam with drop spindles and a quick steer kit and disc brakes. Rear is a 1500 Beetle gearbox with 3” shorter axles, 6” narrowed torsion housing. Type3 drum brakes all round.

Q: Wheel and tyre type and sizes?

A: Genuine Centerline wheels with 135/70/15 front, 215/65/15 rear tyres.

Q: Engine and gearbox?

A: 2.0 fuel-injected Subaru Flat 4 engine mated to a 1500 gearbox.

Q: Have you replaced the electrical system?

A: Full new custom wiring loom to suit the genuine Renault parts and also the Subaru engine loom and ECU.

Q: Were there any parts that you found it hard to get hold of?

A: All the Volkswagen parts were readily available, but Renault Dauphine parts are a whole different ball game. Sourcing rust-free body panels was proving difficult, but I stumbled upon a 23k genuine car that had been written off and had the panels and every piece of chrome trim and parts, etc., that I needed.

Q: Run us through the original interior?

A: The interior is an original Dauphine back seat with some semi-bucket seats up front, wool headliner, carpet set to fit the VW floor and trimmed by Bromsgrove Auto Trimmers.

Q: Accessories?

A: Rare Dauphine bonnet centre trim and a Speedwell steering wheel.

Q: Have you got a stereo fitted and, if so, what are you currently listening to (either in the car or during those late nights in the workshop/garage)?

A: No stereo fitted currently but there’s a plan to try to shoehorn one in somewhere. I’ll be listening to

Q: What’s your favourite thing about it, e.g. wheels, paint, detail, trip it’s been on, memory with it, etc.?

A: I don’t usually keep cars very long, but this one I like so it’s staying. I like the colour. I think it works well with the ’50s body shape. I love the wheels but they might be changing in the future.

The best things to happen in it are getting featured in Custom Car Magazine, which was a boyhood dream, and also winning Best Car in Show at Retro Rides with hundreds of great cars in attendance. It gets lots of comments when I’m out, with “What is that?” being a common question, and lots of women seem to love the curves.

Q: If you had to change one thing, what would it be

and why?

A: Possibly a taller 4th gear. The Subaru engine has the legs over an air-cooled so I need to bring the cruising rpm down a little.

Q: What’s next for you and the car?

A: As many shows and events as I can cram into every year. Using them is the thing to remember although it’s hard to keep painted cars clean.

Q: How often do you use the car?

A: As much as I can. As well as the usual VW events, I try to go to as many local classic car events as

possible around the Midlands.

Q: What’s your next project going to be?

A: I’m currently re-vamping my 1973 Westfalia Continental. Totally stock so we can just get out in it.

Q: Who would you like to thank connected to the project?

A: I’d like to thank my brother Paul Pace for all his help during the build, and Duncan Topliss for the Renault Dauphine parts.

‘49 TIME

WORDS BY NED FAUX

the office every day and tells me I need to do things like YouTube videos, competitions and various other projects slightly outside my comfort zone. All joking aside, over the past couple of years Dan has become something of a right-hand man at work, and when it comes to project

’49 time in Issue ’49. I did consider playing on that with a cover, but soon came to the conclusion that the editor sticking his own car on the front cover could be seen as a little narcissistic. There’s also the fact I don’t really deserve it. I can’t think of a winter where I’ve been so useless when it comes to

we’d completed enough to have something to publish. I went into the office and picked up the last issue (47) just to give myself a starting point, and realised we’d done bloody loads! And I have no idea why I was rushing at all.

I’m just writing this article as I go. When I took on this project I used it as an excuse to do away with the editor’s letter I used to

building cars. I’m not quite sure what my problem is. I remember rolling around on a driveway attempting to fit a narrowed beam in the February freezing rain in my twenties. … Now in my forties, even with a clean dry workshop I find it difficult to get motivated enough to get on with what really is my dream project.

care less what I have to say and would rather just read about the mechanical side of things, this article probably isn’t for you. Luckily there are plenty of articles to choose from in this issue to suit all tastes.

It’s been a tough year for us at the mag. Although business has been excellent, we sure have had to work at it. Still, life has

I realise it might seem a little strange for the editor of an enthusiasts’ magazine to be writing about his lack of enthusiasm, but I don’t want to bullshit you. There’s enough bullshit flying around the VW community already, so you don’t need me adding to it. Although I feel this magazine should be

inspirational, I’ve always tried to be as honest as possible when it comes to building cars. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows; it’s real life and occasionally real life gets in the way. I’ve given a lot of thought to why I’ve accomplished so little and I put it down to a bit of winter depression which makes me particularly reclusive, the fact that I loathe the cold more and more every year, my everincreasing work load, the week of workshop time I’d given myself when my entire household got floored by the flu, and the saddest point which is the fact that everyone around me seems to have grown up and accumulated their own responsibilities. Gone are the days of a gang of us all getting stuck in at the workshop two or three nights a week. Family time is precious and that’s not even taking into account the rising costs of doing this shit.

However, I did realise this was a problem and I needed to do something about it. Winter hibernation isn’t really an option and I needed to get my shit together. So I got in the workshop a week or so ago and decided to get on with it. Within 10 minutes of working I warmed up and wondered why I’d been fending off working on the car when it seems to be one of the few activities that brings me happiness.

After breaking in gently fitting some hub cap clips I thought I’d begin with a job I’ve been keen to do: the rear deck lid. Now this might sound odd, but it’s my favourite part of the car. It’s important to me because of that odd number plate pressing. Being a pre-July ’49 car, it shares various parts with Kübelwagens and KDF cars, the reason being that at that time

Wolfsburg were still using up parts left over from WWII. This makes pre- and post-July ’49 cars two completely different vehicles when it comes to details and one of those details is the ornate pressing on the KDF-style engine lid. I realise this is a ridiculous detail to get excited about, but I remember the first time I noticed it. I think it was ex-Volksworld editor Ivan McCutcheon who pointed it out to me at Bad Camberg many years ago now. He was always good like that. Even though I was a bit green compared to him and starting a another VW magazine, he was still happy to share his knowledge with me … that and take the piss out of me. I then started looking out for this detail on the Beetles driving on and off the show field, thinking to myself that they’re the really “vintage” cars and how one day I’d love to own a piece of history like that.

I’d sent my engine lid over to Lloyd at Deluxe Metal Work for repair as part of a convoluted deal we’d done with a vintage fridge. I was chuffed to have Lloyd be a part of this project and knew he was the

man for the job because what was left of the original lid was completely shagged. I think it was at SkegVegas last summer when Lloyd dropped the lid back to me. It was bare metal, covered in oils for protection and shrink wrapped. When I returned from the show I placed it on the shell of the car and there it’s stayed ever since. Now the reason to unwrap it was to move it up on the body. With the extent of the welding and panel beating the lid has received there was nothing to say that it would be the perfect shape to fit the body which in a lot of ways has had similar treatment. I unwrapped the lid and had a proper look for the first time; it was truly a work of art. Lloyd really is a master in his field. I de-greased it and treated it to a rattle can primer job just to keep the rust at bay. We then offered it up to the car. It really wasn’t a bad fit at all – a

little tweak here and there and it was pretty much good to go.

The next job was to attempt to get the floor pan somewhere closer to rolling. The pan is currently on trestles and once show season begins I know it’s going to be in the way. I purposely placed the body on tall axle stands so the pan can be rolled out from underneath to make space for an extra vehicle. The last thing to stop it being a roller was the gearbox. The box I have arrived with the project but isn’t original to the vehicle. I checked the code and it came back as February ’50. I can live with that; it’s still the same type box, just a few months later. Until now I’ve had pretty good luck with gearboxes. I have had projects dragged out of the woods or left for years and just changed the oil and thrown it in. I once even dragged an old floor pan out of a hedge at a garage we were clearing out. I removed the 1300AB code box and threw it in Canada Dry untested. This box took me around Europe numerous times and I believe is still in the bus to this day. With this project I wanted to leave nothing to chance. The thought of having everything detailed and built back up just for the gearbox to shit itself didn’t bear thinking about, so I decided to split it and see what was going on.

As I said, having never bothered getting inside a gearbox before, I’m a total novice. We studied a few diagrams, got our heads around it and decided that was enough to have a bash. The box seemed pretty dry, so splitting it wasn’t a horrible job. The external stuff looked pretty good and I got the clutch arm working with a little lube. The box split easily

once all the bolts had been carefully removed with a bit of very gentle prizing open. Inside all looked pretty good – no sessile wear on the teeth and all bearings turned like new. I was chuffed and thought the sun was shining on me for once. This was until I looked closer and saw the main pinion shaft; the main gear was completely smashed. I imagine this

was the reason for the car being abandoned in the Swedish woods in the first place.

This was certainly a problem as I didn’t have spare pinion shaft, and if I did find one I would also need to replace the diff ring gears to pair with the new shaft. Whilst looking around the rest of the box I also managed to pull one of

the gears back so hard that the locating bearing and spring fired across the workshop, and when I tried to replace it I accidentally dropped the ball bearing back into the hole before the spring and now it was lodged in there!

Knowing my woes, Jake Hilling stepped up and offered me another unknown box of the same type for a fair price and delivered it to the Midlands Air-Cooled Swap Meet for me (I also had delivered a correct ‘49 engine case but that is a whole other story). We came to an arrangement that if it’s buggered when we open it up I can put it back together

and deliver it back to him, which I thought a very admirable way to deal. I’ve not yet had the chance to open it up, but fingers crossed between the two boxes I can make a Frankenstein from the pair.

Now this brings us pretty much up to date. Yes, I realise that opening up a box and mocking up a deck lid is a pretty poor show for the three months since my last instalment, but it is what it is. I promise better progress for next time. In fact it will have to be, as Steveo phoned me and set a date for the end of the month for paint! He’s even dropped off colour swatches so I have no

choice but to pull my finger out. I have Drummer Matt visiting this Tuesday to complete some small bits and bobs of welding and then on the trailer it goes!

As always, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has ever subscribed, advertised, supported, contributed, put a sticker on their car or represented us with a T-shirt. We are lucky to have you. As long as you enjoy reading, we will keep writing it.

Thank you all for being a part of it.

Ned