ESSEX CHARITY CRUISE
Rollin’ into ’22 like...
My New Year’s resolution is to hit as many VW shows as possible in 2022, starting with a Southendbound Charity Cruise on January 1 Words and photos Oscar Knight
ollowing a somewhat disappointing ’21 summer show season (let’s not even mention 2020), I was really looking forward to the annual New Year’s Day cruise as, having tagged along with my dad (Paul Knight, the Ed) and his best mate, Jolly Jim, for the past few years, this time round we were planning to take my blue and white Bug to ‘our’ first VW show. Or so I thought… Regular readers may recall that my / our project Bug was stolen in October last year and, despite a huge effort by the VW community, as well as the police and the insurance team, it has never been found. Much to my dismay. However, in the post-Christmas period, the pops mentioned he was thinking about attending the local Cruise, “To start ’22 on a positive note.” Okay, we wouldn’t be in my car, but I agreed it would be cool to attend, assuming we’d be taking the Notch. But then he mentioned he hadn’t had time to check the car over this year and, as Jolly Jim is taking his new Lupo, we could follow up in the Boxster – with heaters, wipers and all the mod cons. What?! Now wait a minute. Not only had I lost my first air-cooled car, but now the two old boys that have banged on about their air-cooled history and ‘Still Doin’ It!’ since I was born were planning on attending a local VW cruise in a 1.0-litre water pumper and a hairdresser’s daily? Nah,
F
Paul Geary's wide 'arch 1302S is fitted with a turbocharged Wasserboxer motor
Darren Claggett brought the family from Kent in his daily driven, turbocharged Oval
Another family outing, this time all up in a mildly lowered Early Bay Camper
There's no missing Mike Downham's Baja, even when he tries hiding behind a Type 25
Pic by Paul Barnett
Team Knighty know no fear, going topless and 'screenless in the family 181
Wooly hats in this neat looking panned Bug tell us two things: either it was a cold day (it was) or it's got j pipes on the exhaust
The cruise regrouped on the seafront at Chalkwell before setting off for Uncle Tom's cabin in Shoeburyness
No such worries in this equally panned T6 Transporter. Hell, they've probably got heated seats and a brew on the go in there! W W W. V O L K S W O R L D. C O M
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