6 minute read
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
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
ollowing a somewhat disappointing ’21
Fsummer 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’ rst 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 e ort 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 rst 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,
Team Knighty know no fear, going topless and 'screenless in the family 181
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
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
Those pressings in the cab steps and radiator inlets in the front panel of this late Bay tell us it's a Brazilian water-cooled version
This sweet '65 Karmann Ghia coupé belongs to Southend local, Russ Andrews
Jolly Jim purchased this 17k-mile Lupo for his daughters. Lime green ensures they're seen
This is what we love about the Volkswagen scene. Two '65 Beetles, but count the differences. And did you clock one was left-hand drive?
These guys were keeping the Christmas vibe going. And notice the LED headlights, too
With the Baja revival, we're now going to have to start playing the is it a new build or a survivor game.This one belongs to Ian Chambers
Matt Barnes has jacked his ’53 for a Type 82E vibe
A very rare photo of spanner-shy Jolly Jim with dirty hands, having assisted in the above pic
We don't know about the collars and cuffs matching, but the lei and curtains certainly do
Honestly, you park up for five minutes in Southend and this is what you come back to!
that’s not at all how I was expecting to roll into the New Year, so I voiced my disappointment at their lack of aircooled dedication.
Having shamed the old man enough already, he redeemed himself on the day by pulling his Trekker out of winter hibernation just hours before the cruise was due to hit our manor. at's more like it.
Better still, the weather was unseasonably fair (18degC, with a hint of blue sky, too) so we ditched the side screens, dropped the top, laid the windscreen at and set o to meet the 7th annual Charity VW Cruise. Okay, we might have been a bit ambitious there as our eyes were soon watering and our ngers were frosty but it brought my aircooled mojo back in full e ect. anks pops.
As ever, the cruise started at e Grange in Boreham, near Chelmsford, at 1pm and cruised 16 miles along the A130 to the halfway meeting point at Seevic College in Ben eet. at’s where we were waiting with some friends to join the parade. e second stage departed at 1.45pm, covering a further 9½ miles, including the full length of the Essex Riviera / Golden Mile, on route to Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Summer loving
It soon became clear we weren’t the only ones making the most of the unseasonal weather as the seafront tra c was like a typical summer weekend.
Led by the Essex Voluntary Blood Service motorcycles, the cruise regrouped at Chalkwell on the seafront, before setting o en masse for the reserved car park at the end of the promenade.
I guess one bonus of the heavy tra c was the public had plenty of opportunity to snap some photographs of the brightly coloured parade of air and water-cooled VWs as they crept past at not much more than walking pace.
Previously, the show team has collected cash donations in a bucket upon arrival but, due to Covid restrictions, this year participants made a £10 suggested donation via PayPal (+£1 for an event sticker).
Big shout out to Paul Bridger at SX Dub Club, Lara T’urner at Spooky VW Club and everyone that helped to organise the ’22 New Year’s Day Charity VW Cruise, which raised £1,320.23 for the Essex Voluntary Blood Service.
If you’d still like to support this worthy cause, PayPal donations are welcomed via nydcc@mail.com
If you want to take part in the next event, look up New Year’s Day VW Charity Cruise on Facebook. ■
It was nice to see some early cars at the cruise including this sweet Barndoor Kombi 'Jimmy' picked up the award for Spirit of the Cruise and a £50 cash prize, which was kindly donated back to the Essex Blood Bikers
