VW Trends Magazine Vol 3, No 2, Fall 2023

VW TRENDS EXCLUSIVE:

$7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

NEW FUEL INJECTION VOL. 3, NO. 2

FALL 2023

JBUGS GHIA INTERIOR REDO

staff Editor-In-Chief: Dan “DG” Leadbetter Layout, Design, Editing, Kitchen Sink: Jason Smith Social Media Guru and Street Team Leader: Larry Bohannon Advertising Sales: dan@vwtrendsmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS Clark Callis, Colin Frost, Eric Geisert, Arthur Junior, Niki Mendez, Paul Morton, Bill Oesterich, Bruce Simurda, Jason Smith, George Trosley, David Zemla

STA PUBLISHING Publishers: Dan Leadbetter and Rich Crafton Chief Financial Officer: Beckyjo Ohlendorf Subscription info: vwtrendsmagazine.com VW Trends Magazine ISSN APPL100001111, USPS MID 903010850 is published whenever we get around to it (but for now, quarterly) by STA Publishing, LLC, 4533 MacArthur Blvd. Suite 5208, Newport Beach, CA 92660.

Reprinting in whole or in part is expressly forbidden except with written permission from the publisher. ©2023, STA Publishing, LLC. Periodical postage paid in Newport Beach, California and at additional mailing offices. So when I was in college (back when the Earth was still cooling), I was the lead singer in a punk comedy band called Capt. Lead and the Letdowns. We played all over Central California, usually opening up for the midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Long story short, we got asked to open for the punk group The Vandals at Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco. But we all freaked out and didn’t go. You can hear the only recorded concert we did: soundcloud. com/user-529832854. You can thank me later.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: A minimum of six weeks’ notice is required, and you must provide STA Publishing with old and new addresses. Send to: STA Publishing, Attn: VWT CHANGE OF ADDRESS, 4533 MacArthur Blvd. Suite 5208, Newport Beach, CA, 92660. Or change your address via email to info@vwtrendsmagazine.com.

POSTMASTER SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: STA Publishing, Attn: VWT CHANGE OF ADDRESS, 4533 MacArthur Blvd. Suite 5208, Newport Beach, CA, 92660.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. and U.S. Possessions $29.99 for one year (4 issues).

ADVERTISING: Direct all ad inquiries to dan@ vwtrendsmagazine.com or STA Publishing, 4533 MacArthur Blvd. Suite 5208, Newport Beach, CA, 92660. You know you want to advertise with VW Trends magazine. We’re not too proud to beg, people.

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS are welcome but not guaranteed unless by express written approval of VW Trends magazine staff. Photos and articles must include signed photo and property releases from the writer, photographer, vehicle owner, property owner, and any recognizable people. STA Publishing is not responsible for the return of any manuscripts or photos.

DISTRIBUTION: Want to distribute VW Trends Magazine at your place of business? Send your inquiries to info@ vwtrendsmagazine.com to see how you can sell VW Trends, and actually make some money!

VW is a registered trademark of Volkswagenwerk AG. VW Trends magazine is in no way affiliated with Volkswagen.

2

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

FALL 2023 • VOL. 3 NO. 2

DEPARTMENTS 4 TOP DEAD CENTER: Why we do what we do.

6 WHAT’S NEW: Books, diffs, wheels, buggies, and more.

8 WHAT YEAR IS IT? 1977: Lots of colors, notta lotta sales.

12 FIRST LOOK: Passat Variant.

40 SHOP TOUR: Metalmorphosis Customs.

56 GARAGE BUILT: Two girls and a geezer.

20

58 TOYS IN THE ATTIC: Ko Yoshiya no. 5027.

60 COMING EVENTS: A coast-to-coast list.

64 TROSLEY: VW Friends.

FEATURES 18 PÖW€RBÜGG: A New Beetle that’s a cut above the rest.

20 225-HORSE ’57: Going slow wasn’t an option for Tay Woykowski.

34 A WIN-NGUYEN SITUATION: Paul Nguyen’s ’59 convertible.

44 A SCIROCCO AND A HALF: When one just isn’t enough.

46 PERFECT PATINA: A ’66 cruiser for Austin McCave’s kid.

34

54 RAREST OF THE RARE? Mid America Motorworks’ 1949 cutaway chassis.

EVENTS 26 FARMINGTON #38: A central North Carolina blast.

38 GREAT CANADIAN SHOW: North of the border for an all-VW weekend.

TECHNICAL 14 FUEL INJECTION FOR THE MASSES: It’s affordable and efficient.

24 THE AUTOSTICK: VW’s red-headed stepchild.

30 HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: A historic racing motor.

46

50 GHIA INTERIOR REDEUX, PT. 1: It’s easy with JBugs.

14

54

26 BILL OESTEREICH/THE ROAMING DRONE

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

3

TOP DEAD CENTER WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

I

t’s a funny thing, being retired but still having a full-time job. (Thank God I’m the boss, otherwise I would have fired myself months ago. But at least I can still send myself home for the day when I get out of hand.) Let me clarify: Even though VW Trends is a full-time gig, I really don’t consider it a job … a job is something you go to because you HAVE to. Working on VW Trends is something I GET to do. See the difference? A wise person told me many years ago that “If you love what you’re doing, it’s not really work.” That is very, very true.

I think about all of you, working tirelessly at your 9 to 5, bringing home the bacon to support your family, STILL making time to go out and work on your Volkswagens until the wee hours of the morning, then getting back up to do it all over again. That dedication is admirable!

And should not go unrewarded. Just like the Volkswagen is the People’s Car, in the same way, VW Trends is the People’s Magazine. That’s why we spend a LOT of personal time and resources to go all over the U.S. and beyond to find what the people are doing … and they are doing A LOT! On my recent trip to the East Coast, I had the honor to meet and talk with plenty of people who were just getting, working on, and almost finishing a multitude of VW projects of every shape and color. From Baja Bugs, to restorations, to Cal-Lookers, Water-cooled, Resto-Customs, Sand rails, Subaru swaps, and even trikes, people are devoting hours and hours to bring their vision to life. That is exactly what our community is about! I heard countless stories about how people got into VWs, why they love them so much, and what their big plans are for the future. One guy even came up to me and shook my hand, telling me that I was the reason he got into VWs, showing me a photo of him reading VW Trends when he was 9 years old! This is

4

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

the kind of stuff that is not only humbling but makes me even more excited for the future! So VW Trends wants to see what you are up to! Send us your builds, tell us your story, give us the inside scoop, and don’t hold back. As always, you can send them directly to me, dan@ vwtrendsmagazine.com.

Since we’re talking about the magazine, allow me to refresh and remind all of you about a few things, if I may. First and foremost, social media is the WORST way to get a hold of us. While we have a Social Media/Street Team Director, his responsibility is to add content to our Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok accounts.

He does answer some questions through those channels, but if you are trying to get information on an order or your subscription, that’s the wrong place to go.

Speaking of online orders and subscriptions, your best bet is to go through info@vwtrendsmagazine.com.

Online orders can take up to 6 weeks to process, and it’s clearly stated on our website. We’ve had people send very rude emails to our office manager (who also works from 9 to 5), complaining that they ordered something yesterday and it hasn’t shown up yet. Like seriously, we’ve had that happen. When you get a subscription, depending on when you subscribed, you’ll most likely get the next issue that will be printed. So if you subscribed last June, your first issue would have been Summer 2023, which came out in July. So please, I’m begging you. Be nice when you email. No one likes dealing with jerks.

I know we live in the age of nextday shipping, but we’re not there yet.

Remember, we’re a small group of people (total of 5, actually) that run the magazine, the web site, and our social media platforms. While that sounds like a good-sized staff, you should note that all of

ILLUSTRATION: RON PETRO

us (except for me) have full-time day jobs.

So please extend a little grace if it takes a bit for your email to be replied to, or your stickers, shirts, and what-have-you to be delivered. We’ll get to the point where things can go out the next day, we’re just not there yet. Thanks for understanding, I really do appreciate it.

Some super-exciting news to tell you: VW Trends is now digital! You spoke and we listened! You can now get single issues on your favorite mobile device! How cool is that? (We’re working on full digital subscriptions, too.) Now instead of just telling your friends that your car was pictured in the magazine, you can whip out your phone or tablet, and actually SHOW them with a couple of clicks! Head on over to vwtrendsmagazine.com.

In closing, I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to read my editorial.

When you’ve done this for as many years as I have, sometimes you wonder if anyone takes the time to read any more. While I was on the road, many of you came up and mentioned things that I’d written about, asked about my health, or told me how much they enjoyed some article I wrote. I know our society is more about pictures than words, but it’s comforting to know that these countless hours at the keyboard are not for naught. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Now grab a cold beverage and dive into what the Fall 2023 issue has for you! As always, I’d love to hear what you think, so please drop me a line at dan@ vwtrendsmagazine.com.

— Dan Leadbetter Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

WHAT’S NEW DUB DOGS, A PORTRAIT STUDY OF A VOLKSWAGEN OWNER’S BEST FRIEND: Photos of more than 125 dogs, plus poetry, quotes, original artwork, and vintage advertising in a 120-page, 8.5x11-inch hardcover coffee table photobook.

Dub Dogs is a portrait study of dogs together with the Volkwagens they call their own. Over several years, I have been taking portraits of dogs in their classic Buses, Bugs, and all other types of VWs; the cars they have claimed as their very own. Along with my photos, fans from around the world have submitted their pictures and information for inclusion. I have also compiled relevant poetry, quotes, and original artwork to accompany the photos. This culminates in a collection of imagery for both the dog lover and the VW enthusiast alike. You will enjoy this book if: You love dogs. You’re a fan of Volkswagens. You understand the bond our pets make with our families is not only with the people, but with their favorite spot beside you in your car as well. Dogs and VWs go together so naturally, and I had an amazing journey capturing these canine copilots. I hope this compilation enjoys a spot in your home, as instinctively as your furry friend has found a spot in your heart. — Eric Arnold $45. Available at ericarnoldphotography.com and dubdogsbook.com.

MOBELWAGEN 730M SCHNELL: • Legendary 8-spoke heritage design • Designed for all 4x130 VWs and Porsche 914s • Lightweight A356 cast aluminum • Available in satin black, satin black machined, or fully polished • Engineered to be one of the strongest wheels available • Available in 15x5.5 with a +35 offset • Must use ball-seat, OE-style hardware • For more information contact Mobelwagen at (800) 5294335 or visit mobelwagen. com

6

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

RANCHO “ V-GATE” NOSE CONE: Rancho’s Fast Fab Verigate is a nose cone V-Gate shifting mechanism which converts the traditional “H” shift pattern to a straight-up-and-back layout.

Not the hot ticket for streetCHOICE cars, as down shifting CBreally PERFORMANCE BUILDER’S ENGINE KITS: Designed requires a couplepower of extra movements, butfuel, the straight-up for maximum output on regular Builder’s Choice gear transition is fast, positive andnovice great for cutting ET times Engine Kits are set up with the builder in mind.

Easyatto theassemble track. Machined from solid billet and pre-fit with connectingHP seals, with predetermined compression ratios, therod FAST FAB nose cone comes anodized in clear black with length, camshaft, and cylinder heads.

The or Builder’s Choice applications for both VW Typeout 1 and Mendeola 2Down transaxles. kit takes all the guesswork of building your engine.

Each kitkit ships complete all installation hardware and retails Each is listed with with the correct carburetor size, intake formanifold, $295. Note: Disassembly is required in order tothe drilladvertised and tap and exhaust type needed to achieve thehorsepower shift rails. Requires of a vertical gate shift linkage. Call output. use Never before have engine-building secrets Rancho at 714-680-6737 ranchotransaxles.com. like these been let outor togo thetopublic!

Take advantage of years of engine building experience with the Builders Choice kit. Contact CB Performance at (800) 274-8337 or visit cbperformance.com.

JAYCEE DRAG RACE ALTERNATOR KIT, 12V: The ultimate in performance — keeps your battery completely charged. Comes complete with a 12-volt alternator (16-volt available at additional charge), heim, belt, JayCee custom billet alternator stand, JayCee oil cap and O-ring, all mounting hardware, pulley belt drive, and longer pulley bolt. Everything you need to bolt and volt! Bracket available in red, black, or blue. Part Number: JC-2175-0. For more information contact EMPI at (800) 666-3674 or visit empius.com

JBUGS CAR COVER: This new and improved cover fits all Volkswagen Beetles and Super Beetles, hardtop, ragtop, sunroof and convertible models from 1954 through 1979. The three thick layers of material offer maximum protection from water and the elements while maintaining a high degree of breathability. This tough car cover will protect your car from exposure through all seasons. Protects your VW from the weather; prevents the sun from damaging your paint job, cracking rubber seals, and damaging or fading your interior; keeps your Beetle clean of bird droppings, sap, pollen, and other environmental hazards; prevents damage to the exterior of your VW caused by pets or kids; protects from excessive moisture without trapping water between your VW's exterior and the cover. Note: Car covers should not be used on freshly painted cars! Most paint should be cured for at least a year before a car cover is used.

Check with the paint manufacturer for more information regarding recommended curing time. Product fits: 1954–77 Beetle sedan, ragtop, and sunroof; 1954–70 Beetle convertible; 1971–76 Super Beetle sedan and sunroof; 1971–79 Super Beetle convertible. jbugs.com

RANCHO’S NEW GT TBD FOR 091 Lighter in weight while offering the same benefits as similar torque-biasing differentials, the new GT diff provides maximum strength, performance and reliability for drag, road race, sprint, street or other machines. Manufactured

by Guard Transaxle, the high-tech diff is fitted with a 091 output shaft. Available from Rancho Performance Transaxles, the complete unit sells for $1,695 and can be ordered through Rancho’s online store at ranchotransaxles.com or by calling (714) 680-6737

THE BIG 9-INCH VW TRENDS STICKER Go BIG or go home! Wanna represent in style? Then pick up a pair of these HUGE 9-inch VW Trends stickers! Perfect for your VW, race car, toolbox, surfboard, great dane, or anywhere else you want to fly the VW Trends flag!

Sold in pairs, these beautiful, full-color stickers are printed on UV-protected vinyl and come in a matte finish. So what are you waiting for? Get over to vwtrendsmagazine.com and get yours today!

ZTF-R01 FORGED WHEEL, 18X8.5 ET45, 57.1MM BORE 034Motorsport ZTF Wheels are fully forged with 10,000 tons of pressure to produce a wheel that is incredibly strong, providing all of the performance attributes needed in a track-focused wheel while also being practical for the street. Close inspection reveals scalloping of the spokes, giving the wheel rigidity while also keeping weight to a minimum. This design was chosen for its motorsports heritage and track-worthy strength. Each wheel features traction-improving bead-seat knurling, a thicker inner rim flange for durability and strength, and machined accents for good looks. All ZTF wheels are durability tested according to DOT/SAE and JWL/VIA standards to ensure safety and are sold with a lifetime structural warranty against defects.

(877) 591-9571 or 034motorsport.com RESORTER NEV: LOCAL ADVENTURES WITH SEATING FOR FOUR. The classic long wheelbase Meyers Manx Resorter, reimagined for urban adventure. Combining a torquey, twin-motor electric drivetrain with an expanded four-seat layout, the Resorter delivers more smiles to the mile for double the passengers. Meets current Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) standards thanks to an electronically limited top speed of 25 mph. Graced with evocative bodywork hiding an aluminum monocoque chassis, four-wheel independent wishbone suspension, and pouch-cell lithium-ion batteries, the new electrified Resorter offers a highly engineered, impeccably executed alternative to mainstream NEVs. Equipped with standard A/C and heating, power steering, and regenerative braking, the Resorter is a convivial conveyance for families and friends alike, but its brisk acceleration, hill-climbing capability, and available trailer hitch also make it ideally suited for hotel shuttle duty and fleet usage in sunny climates. meyersmanx.com

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

7

1977 WHAT YEAR IS IT?

quick glance at the Beetle production chart on the opposite page will tell you that Volkswagen didn’t move a lot of units in 1977. As far as Europe and the United States went, the cars just weren’t selling anymore: 6,524 sedans and 4,000 cabriolets were sold in West Germany. 12,090 sedans and 7,155 cabriolets were sold in the United States, with the remaining 220-some thousand cars being sold in Asia, South America, Africa, and the rest of the world.

By 1977, Volkswagen had already built more than a million copies of the Beetle’s ostensible replacement, the Golf. The company was also building Polos, Passats, Derbys, and other models. The Beetle simply wasn’t the part of the Volkswagen’s future plans, and you could say that by 1977 it was on life support.

Accordingly, there weren’t a ton of significant changes for the ’77 models.

Chrome-plated metal headlight rings were replaced by plastic. The front seats got new backrests with removable, adjustable headrests. The door panels and pedal pads were redesigned, and plush velour upholstery replaced the houndstooth check. Cabriolets got an electrically heated rear window. American-spec Beetles had a Bosch fuel-injected 1584cc engine that put

COURTESY OF THE SAMBA

A

Lots of colors, not a lot of sales

by Jason Smith

’77 Beetles came in 22 colors. Chassis numbers for sedans were 117 2000 001 to 117 2101.

Cabriolets were 157 2000 001 to 157 2101 292.

out 48 horsepower (SAE net) at 4,200 rpm.

To celebrate the one millionth Rabbit built, VW introduced a Champagne Editions of the Dasher, the Bus, the Passat, the Scirocco, the Golf (Rabbit) and the Beetle cabriolet. The Champagne Edition Beetle had a white exterior, sand-colored top, and two gold horizontal stripes along the lower body.

A sporty-looking special Beetle edition called the SP1600 — with blacked-out trim, VDO gauges, and plaid fabric seat inserts — was sold in the South African market.

1977 Beetles were built in Germany (Osnabrück and Emden), Brazil, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, The Philippines, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia.

1977 was the final year for the standard Beetle sedan. The following year, the final Beetle to be built in Europe would roll off the assembly line at Emden.

AUCTION REPORT

’77 Beetles on bringatrailer.com

$50K $45K $40K $35K $30K $25K $20K $15K $10K $5K $0

1/2018 1/2019 1/2020 1/2021 1/2022 1/2023

• Sold • Reserve not met *The car that sold for $47,750 showed 26 miles on the odometer. The car that sold for $51,000 showed 137 miles. Both were sedans.

MODIFICATIONS FOR 1977*

COURTESY OF THE SAMBA

 Adjustable headrest replaces integrated headrest.  Plush velour upholstery replaces houndstooth check.  Cabriolet gets electrically heated rear window. *PARTIAL LIST. PRIMARILY APPLIES TO U.S.-MARKET CARS.

8

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

BEETLE PRODUCTION, 1949–79

1977 PAINT COLORS L41 BLACK

L63Y MANILA GREEN

USED ONLY FOR 1977

L62A BALI GREEN

USED ONLY FOR 1977

1.25M

258,634 TOTAL

: 77

FINAL YEAR USED 1976–77

BUILT IN LES 19 ET

6+1084

L96N VIPER GREEN

BE

USED ALL YEARS, 1949–79

14,216 CABRIOLETS

1M

26,115 SUPER BEETLES

750K

L51C MIAMI BLUE FINAL YEAR USED 1975, 1977

500K

500K

L97B ANCONA BLUE

CABRIOLET ONLY IN 1977 USED 1975–78

L52K BARRIER BLUE

’77 250K

CABRIOLET ONLY IN 1977 DEBUT YEAR. USED 1977–78

L99H BAHAMA BLUE

USED ONLY FOR 1977

’49

’59

’69

’79

L31B MARS RED

DEBUT YEAR USED 1977–79

PRODUCTION FOR 1977

L30C MALAGA RED

CABRIOLET ONLY IN 1977 FINAL YEAR. USED 1975–77

L32A BROCADE RED USED ONLY FOR 1977

L97F TIMOR BROWN

USED ONLY FOR 1977

L98F METALLIC BLACK CABRIOLET ONLY USED ONLY FOR 1977

L12A PANAMA BROWN

USED ONLY FOR 1977

TOTAL NUMBER BUILT: 258,634  1.2% of total Beetle production CABRIOLETS BUILT: 14,216  5.5% of 1977 Beetle production SUPER BEETLES BUILT: 26,115  10.1% of 1977 Beetle production NUMBER BUILT IN GERMANY: 32,762  225,872 were built outside Germany  Cabriolets were built in Osnabrück

L95D BRONZE

USED ONLY FOR 1977

ALSO IN 1977

L96F BRAZIL BROWN

CABRIOLET ONLY USED ONLY FOR 1977

1977 gave us the movies Star Wars, Slap Shot, Smokey and the Bandit, and Saturday Night Fever. Atari released the 2600, Porsche introduced the 928, and Elvis left the proverbial building.

The Eagles released Hotel California, Steely Dan released Aja, and The Sex Pistols released Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols. The U.S. had Jimmy Carter in the White House and a population of about 220 million.

L90B ALPINE WHITE CABRIOLET ONLY USED ONLY FOR 1977

L90A POLAR WHITE USED ONLY FOR 1977

L13A DAKOTA BEIGE USED ONLY FOR 1977

L11A RIYADH YELLOW

USED ONLY FOR 1977

L11 MARINO YELLOW

CABRIOLET ONLY FOR 1977 USED 1975–78

L97A DIAMOND SILVER USED 1974–77, 1979

1977 BEETLE PRODUCTION TRIVIA:  1977’s total Beetle production was the lowest since 1954.  Writing on the wall: In 1977, Volkswagen built 112,774 Polos; 211,024 Transporters; 274,992 Passats; and 553,989 Golfs. They built plenty of other models, too, such as the Derby.

The vast majority of ’77 Volkswagens were decidedly not Beetles.

Two memos from Volkswagen of America P.R. man Herb Williamson with… with, well, not a whole lot to say about the new ’77 Beetles.

GET YOUR GRUBBY MITTS ON SOME OF OUR

DIGITAL ISSUES O N LY $4 .95 E A C H ! F U L L S U B S C R I P T I O N S C O M I N G S O O N !

LOO K W H O’S BAC K! VOL. 1, NO. 1

S PRI NG 2021

RICK’S PERFECT PANZER

TECH: NO-WELD PAN REPAIR

VOL. 1, NO. 2

$7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

SUMME R 2021

NATIONWIDE EVENT COVERAGE!

VOL. 1, NO. 3

$7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

FALL 2021

GABRIEL “FLUFFY” IGLESIAS’ VW MUSEUM

BRUCE MEYERS

GREAT BIG TECH ISSUE!

VOL. 1, NO. 4

$7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

SUMMER SHOW ISSUE

SPRING 2022

BACK AFTER 35 YEARS: BILLY F. GIBBONS’ PEARL NECKLACE

VWT GOES INSIDE

REMEMBERING

GEAR UP FOR OUR

SOLD OUT IN PRINT JAYCEE’S

SHANNON LIFE AT RAE: 100 PROOF

BILLET CARBS

•••EVENTS:

EL PRADO 2021!

EVENT EXTRAVAGANZA:

FLORIDA • ARIZONA • CALIFORNIA

PLUS VW SUMMER NATIONALS OHIO

TECH: BUS HINGE REMEDY ••• BETTER DUAL-CARB CONTROL

RAGTOP INSTALLATION E-BRAKE HANDLE MODS

TECH: SHORTEN YOUR PAN

ADJUSTABLE DECKLID STANDOFFS

EVENT COVERAGE ••• FEATURE CARS ••• AND MORE

SPRING 2021

SUMMER 2021

FALL 2021

SPRING 2022

SUMMER 2022

Tech: how not to buy a Bug; gas tank resto. Events: Florida, Arizona, California.

Interview: Shannon Rae. Artist Spotlight: Johnny Jalopy. Eight features … and much more!

Tech: no-weld pan repair.

Events: Ohio; El Prado; Bruce Meyers memorial.

Collector’s Corner: BoB Gilmore’s man cave. Eleven feature stories …and much more!

Tech: Bus hinges; dual-carb control. Events: Texas, SoCal, Pennsylvania, Fresno, Sacramento, Vegas. History Lesson: a weird VW trucklet.

Six feature stories …and much more!

Tech: e-brake mods; new milled carbs; two-fold rag; new engine tin. Events: Pomona and Big Bair. Book Review: Volkswagen Complete. Seven feature stories …and much more!

Tech: adjustable decklid standoffs; shortening your your pt. pan, pan, 1.pt.

Events: 1. Events: eight of Farmington ‘em… too many and to Canada. list here.

Shop tour: What’s new: MetalMorphosis. the latest loot.

Six feature Five featurestories stories…and …and much more!

issuu.com/vwtrendsmagazine.com WORLD’S FASTEST

WE GO TO JAPAN!

STREET BUG?

$7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

VOL. 2, NO. 2

48IPA BEER LAUNCH CAR SHOW

VW TRENDS EXCLUSIVE:

NEW FUEL INJECTION

FALL 2022 $7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

VOL. 2, NO. 3

$7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

VOL. 2, NO. 4

SPRING 2023

SOLD OUT IN PRINT

HEBMÜLLER HIJINKS JOLLY GOOD SHOWS A GOOD THING GOING

WINE-COUNTRY

WINNER

$7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

VOL. 3, NO. 1

SUMMER 2023

$7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

VOL. 3, NO. 2

FALL 2023

TRENDS GOES

WINTER 2023

TECH: TUNNEL PLATE INSTALLATION •••THROTTLE CABLE FIX

ROAD TRIPPIN’

TENNESSEE • COLORADO • VIRGINIA

WIN A LIFETIME SUBSCRIPTION!

4,000+ PEOPLE AT BUG-OUT 85!

JBUGS GHIA INTERIOR REDO

FALL 2022

WINTER 2022

SPRING 2023

SUMMER 2023

FALL 2023

Tech: Hopping up a Type 3; shortening your pan, pt.

2; testing your thermostat.

Events: Orange County; Chandler, Arizona; and Sacremento. Ten feature stories …and much more!

Tech: Hoover bit; tunnel plate; throttle cable. Events: Florida, Oregon, and Las Vegas. Toys in the Attic: savers bank. Nine feature stories …and much more!

Tech: Beer making; rebuilding fuel pumps.

Events: Japan and California. What Year Is It? ’58. Garage Built: 1,000 horses in Idaho. Five features …and much more!

Tech: TDI upgrade; beam in a box; cat-back exhaust.

Events: Colorado, California, Virginia, Illinois, and Tennessee. Club Spotlight: Desert Dubs. Six feature stories …and much more!

Tech: fuel injection; autostick; historic motor; Ghia interior redo. Events: Farmington and Canada.

Shop tour: MetalMorphosis.

Six feature stories …and much more!

10 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 11

FIRST LOOK THE NEW PASSAT VARIANT

E

xactly 50 years ago, one of the most successful Volkswagen vehicles was launched: the Passat. With more than 30 million units sold worldwide, it’s one of the top-selling VWs of all time, after the Golf and ahead of the Beetle. The new Passat will be launched as a versatile Variant in the first quarter of 2024. The design is clearly new from every perspective. Three new plug-in and mild hybrid drives and five turbo and turbodiesel engine variants are characterized by efficiency. The car offers a high level of travel comfort and will be optionally available with new adaptive running gear and seats with pneumatic pressure point massage.

The new Passat can also optionally park independently and cover long distances in assisted driving mode.

Future customers will benefit from the significant economies of scale offered by VW’s new modular transverse matrix platform.

A host of new systems are used on the Passat, with their development costs shared across product lines. In this way, Volkswagen is making innovations available to hundreds of thousands of vehicle drivers worldwide.

The Passat Variant is the ideal touring and business vehicle thanks to its interplay of spaciousness, carefully coordinated high-quality materials, pleasant haptics and operability of all elements, high seating comfort, and low level of noise while driving.

With the new generation of its bestseller, Volkswagen once again has another vehicle in its range where the higher class boundary no longer applies.

12 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VWOA

WE’RE ONLINE

•Stacks •Pulleys •Block Offs •Dist Clamps

@VWTRENDSMAGAZINE

ROSSWULF Purveyors of Speed & Style Vintage AirCooled

•Shift Couplers ...And More

www.rosswulf.com

@VWTRENDSMAGAZINE

FACEBOOK.COM/VWTRENDSMAGAZINE

VWTRENDSMAGAZINE.COM VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 13

TECH

A VW TRENDS EXCLUSIVE! Before we saw this engine, we had never heard of a Shorrock VW Blower. This thing pumps out 12.5 pounds of boost. Pretty freaking impressive, especially in 1965!

The Split Second FIS2 fuel injection kit is designed for the single- or dual-port 1600cc Volkswagen Type I engine, but its MicroSquirt ECU (with its preloaded base map) can easily be modified for smaller or larger engines as well.

AFFORDABLE AND EFFICIENT

FUEL INJECTION INECTION

1. The aluminum throttle-body unit is manufactured in the United States, and VW Trends visited the massive foundry where they pour them.

FOR THE MASSES

W

By Eric Geisert

ouldn’t it be great if someone figured throttle body itself is a direct fit to the out how to add fuel injection to stock single- or dual-port intake manifold, a classic VW engine efficiently and cost and what little wiring there is is all clearly effectively, and if they designed it so you labeled. A custom twin-line fitting converts wouldn’t need a doctorate or specialized the standard gas tank to return-line style tools to install it? for fuel injection on the bottom of the stock Folks have been making performance gas tank. A head-temp sensor replaces a aftermarket parts for Type I engines for mounting screw for the head tin. The whole more than 60 years, but a new type of kit is well-thought-out. There are only a few no-nonsense fuel injection system was more steps to the installation process than recently designed, built (in the USA), sucwhat is shown here (mostly routing fuel cessfully tested, and readied lines and connecting wiring), for the home VW builder. but you should get the idea.

Split Second Split Second, a Southern VW Trends was the first Santa Ana, CA California company that to document the installation, (949) 863-1359 designs and develops their witness the dyno testing, see splitsec.com own precision tuning comthe fuel mileage road-test ponents for various OEM and results, and get the complete aftermarket segments, have run-down of how the Split turned their attention to the ’60s-era Type Second FIS2 system works in the real I engine. Used mostly in stock carb replace- world — and we were impressed. As the ment situations, their FIS2 kit comes with dyno chart shows, there were performance all the parts and pieces you need and a brief gains in both torque and horsepower and, but well-detailed instruction sheet. after some simple tuning, the engine runs The fuel pump, regulator, and filter smoothly and is more responsive. come pre-assembled as one unit. The

14 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’23 ’23

2. The Split Second FIS2 was developed and designed to be as effective as it is simple. Here’s the fully assembled FIS2 throttle body (left) compared to the 34PICT-3 carburetor that was taken off the test engine.

3. Assembly of the kit components, including the throttle bodies, is done at Split Second’s Santa Ana offices in California.

6. The FIS2 throttle body has a 34mm intake, the same as the 34-PICT-3 that came off the test vehicle.

9. Since no crank sensor is needed with the kit, we’ll add an RPM-pickup to this aftermarket pointless vacuum-advance distributor. This is the “before” photo of the distributor’s innards. (Remember to pull distributor from its TDC #1 position for easier reinstallation).

10. After the removal of the vacuum unit and arm, the ignition timing advance is locked in place to ensure the points’ signal (this system can use points or an electronic trigger) pulses at a fixed number of degrees from TDC.

4. The throttle body comes with all integrated parts pre-assembled.

7. Other integrated parts of the throttle body include the intake air temp sensor (A), throttle position sensor (B), and the fuel injector (C).

5. Looking down the throat of the throttle body you can see the IAT sensor just above the butterfly. Bottom view: The body’s mounting surface is drilled for both 30-PICT and 34-PICT carbs. Also visible are the air idle sensor (A) and the injector (B).

11. The original coil wires can now be fed back through the distributor’s casing.

8. To make installation easy, the outflow and return fuel lines exit and enter the stock gas tank using the same fitting.

12. The fuel pump, regulator, and fuel filter are all pre-assembled as one unit.

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• FALL ’23 15

18. To mount the adapter for the head temperature sensor, one of the forward screw mount locations for the engine’s head tin is used.

13. This particular kit went into a vintage ’62 crewcab Bus (owned by famed VW drag racer Shawn Moore). The space for the fuel pump assembly under a Bus is a bit more crowded than under a Bug. Note the new gas-tank feed and return lines at the top of the photo (arrow).

19. A vacuum hose runs from the backside of the throttle body’s base to the MAP sensor.

14. The old mechanical fuel pump and mounting studs are removed and the case hole blocked off. You’ll need to remove the old ignition coil from the fan shroud, too.

15. The original carb is removed and the new throttle body put in its place.

16 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’23 ’23

16. The modified distributor is reinstalled and connecting wires attached.

17. The new LS1-type ignition coil mounts using the old coil’s screw holes.

18. A bung for the O2 sensor needs to be welded into the exhaust just before the header, pointing upward about 30 degrees so gravity will help drain any condensation.

22. Split Second’s Danny Foerster volunteered to run the mileage test: He first filled up an empty gas tank with a gallon of fuel, then drove an equal amount of highway and city miles until the Bus sputtered and nearly ran out of gas. (Warning: Running the fuel system completely dry will damage its components.) The result was a solid 27 miles to the gallon.

Bill & Steve’s For Your VW Part Needs 20. The new fuel injection system is hardly noticeable in the engine compartment, but you’ll notice the difference with the added horsepower and fuel economy.

NEW & USED PARTS FOR YOUR VW AIR COOLED SPECIALISTS 36 YEARS IN BUSINESS! 12121 Lakewood Blvd.

Downey, CA 90242 877-VWRESTO www.billandsteves.com Tues-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5, Sun 10-3 PST (209) 725-1677

provolks@yahoo.com

1250 E. Childs Ave., Merced, CA 95340

VW Engine Rebuilding • Volkswagen Repair • New Parts VW Dismantling • Seat Upholstery • Headliners

BACK ISSUES ■ DIGITAL ISSUES STICKERS ■ SOCKS ■ MUGS 21. Set up on a professional wheel dyno test, our test vehicle (Shawn Moore’s ‘62 crewcab) produced 46.82 peak horsepower at about 4,020 rpm and a max of 78.83 ft-lbs of torque before the addition of Split Second’s FIS2 fuel system, which increased the peak horsepower to 54.02 at around 4,130 rpm and produced a max of 89.61 ft-lbs of torque.

MERCH! GET YOURS AT VWTRENDSMAGAZINE.COM

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• FALL ’23 17

Marvin’s heavily modified New Beetle looks like it’s going 250 mph even when it’s parked!

PÖW€RBÜGG! Marvin Wall’s 2014 New Beetle GSR is a cut above the rest. Story and photos by DG Leadbetter

M

arvin Wall’s ’14 GSR Beetle really didn’t start its transformation until he discovered a problem with it.

He had it towed to Everything Euro in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where they fixed a failed timing chain.

While there, Marvin spoke at length to Everything Euro owner Tom Landock about his grand plans for the Beetle.

The two put their heads together and came up with a plan to make Marvin’s stock GSR into a real street killer!

The first thing that needed attention was the stock stance. An Airlift air-ride suspension was just the thing to give the Beetle plenty of ride height options. With the press of a button, Marvin can lift the Beetle up for highway cruising, or drop it all the way

18 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’23 ’23

to the ground for a real show stance.

H&R sway bars help stiffen the VW in the curves. Now with the stance cor-

Marvin collaborated with Ehrlich Wheel Works to create a custom set of Atlas wheels in black with a hint of red.

rect, it was time for some cool wheels.

Marvin collaborated with Ehrlich Wheel Works to create a custom set of VW Atlas wheels, redone in black with a splash of red. Looks amazing!

The body was clean but needed a refresh. Everything Euro added front and rear spoilers, a rear-window spoiler, and an adjustable front splitter.

With all the body mods in place, it was off to Camel City Wraps to cover the VW in a slick black and yellow combo.

The interior was already pretty luxurious, with its black leather appointments, tons of gauges to keep Marvin well informed, and stereo system. There wasn’t much to add, save for some cool pedal covers and custom Black/Red floor mats. The air-ride

 Two spoilers add to the race-ready look of Marvin’s GSR.  The back end is the perfect spot for the air-ride tank.

The engine features a full Stage 2 upgrade with downpipe, Unitronic software, 034 Motorsports engine mounts, and catch can. There’s a CTS front-mounted intercooler, as well as an ECS carbon fiber engine cover.

The interior looks awesome, with air-ride controls mounted on the dash, tons of gauges to keep Marvin informed as to what’s happening, and an upgraded sound system.

tank is tucked neatly in the rear and still leaves room for luggage.

The stock engine in the 2014 GSR is no slouch. But that wasn’t good enough for Marvin — the engine had to match the look. Once again, Everything Euro was tapped to do a few upgrades. Tom and the crew added a full Stage 2 performance upgrade with downpipe, Unitronic software, and an 034 Motorsports catch can. To get some cooler air into the hungry turbo, a CTS front-mounted intercooler was installed. A set of 034 Motorsports mounts makes sure the engine is secure during those pedal-to-the-metal moments.

Topping it all off is a cold air kit and ECS carbon-fiber engine cover.

Marvin loves his PowerBugg, but is far from satisfied — plans are already underway for a refurb on the whole car. Stay tuned!

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 19

225-horse ’57 Going slow wasn’t an option for Tay Woykowski’s ’57 • Story and photos by Dan Leadbetter

T

ay Woykowski isn’t your average VW enthusiast — you might say he was born to love VWs. Tay’s dad was a master mechanic at Volkswagen for 30 years and served as head mechanic on a Formula Vee team in the early ’60s. The whole family drove VWs, including his mother, Cynthia, and his sister, Fran. So, as you can see, any other type of car didn’t stand a chance!

When Tay was six, his dad tasked him with separating nuts and bolts in the family’s VW shop. From that humble

20 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

start, Tay soon found himself removing and disassembling VW motors, cleaning them up, and getting them ready for rebuilding. When it came time for his first mode of transportation, Tay got a ’72 Bug that he customized with a 1641cc powerplant that he and his dad built.

Tay drove it all through high school and during his time in the Army. Then, Tay decided to trade it for a Honda, and was without a VW for years…wait, WHAT? Cut the guy some slack, will you? The story isn’t over yet.

In 1989, Tay and his wife, Debra, dropped by Bug Out 23. That’s all it took for Tay to come to his senses and start the hunt for an Oval window. He looked high and low, but all he could find were rust buckets. The hunt continued until he found a ’57 Type 1 Sedan with no rust, dents, or dings.This baby was close to perfect!

Ronnie Thompson of Warrenton VW was tapped to get the body ready for paint. Once it was up to Tay’s standard, it was taken to Ed Robertson in Nokesville,

Ever wonder what 2332ccs of VW power stuffed into a ’57 Oval engine compartment looks like? This motor runs an 84mm Super Crank with Chevy journals and 94mm Wiseco cylinders and pistons. CB Performance 044 heads were modified by Fred Simpson in Fullerton, California. Jack Sacchette modified the Italian 48 IDA carbs. Also on board are Berg 1.45 rocker arms, a JayCee 30mm oil pump, a Web 86c camshaft, and an EMPI stainless steel Sidewinder exhaust system.

Virginia, who laid down multiple coats of India Red. The exterior of the ’57 is pretty stock and looks amazing. (Remember, this VW was painted in 1996, so you are looking at a 27-year-old paint job! Paint can last if you take care of it.)

Tay went for the resto-custom look, leaving the stock chrome trim around the sides and windows. He added set of new stock bumpers from Wolfsburg West and a set of stock running boards. The rear deck lid has a standoff kit to allow more air into the monster motor. More on that later.

Since this was a pan-off restoration/ customization, Tay took the opportunity to kick things up a notch — or lower things down a notch, as the case may be. He added a set of CB Performance 2.5-inch drop spindles to an Ed Robertson 5-inch narrowed KCW king pin beam. RLR adjustable spring plates and Gas-A-Just shocks make the rear of the Bug just as badass as the front.

Stopping power comes from Neal wide-five 4-way disc brakes at all four corners. You can’t have a resto-custom without some cool wheels, so Tay added chrome Radars

all the way around, with Michelin 145s in the front and Falken 195/65/R15s out back.

Tay knew that if he wanted a go-fast powerplant, there was only one person for the job: himself! The Type 1 magnesium case was opened up to accommodate an 84mm Super Crank with Chevy journals and 94mm Wiseco notched long cylinders and pistons. A set of CB Performance 044 heads were modified by Fred Simpson in Fullerton, California, to bring the chamber ccs to 41 with a valve size of 44x39. Plenty of breathing room for this beast! Two Jack

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 21

The paint looks amazing … especially when you consider it’s 28 years old. A standoff kit adds much needed cool air to the engine compartment. The stock gas tank is fitted with a sending gauge so Tay won’t run out of gas while driving. Chrome 15-inch Radar wheels add a nice touch to the exterior.

Autometer gauges, including tach, oil pressure, oil temperature, and voltmeter, keep Tay informed of the engine’s readings.

22 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

Sacchette-modified Italian 48 IDA carbs mix the air and fuel. Other mods include Berg 1.45 rocker arms, JayCee 30mm oil pump, Web 86c camshaft with a Magnum straight-cut gear, JSC lifters, MSD ignition, and an EMPI stainless steel Sidewinder exhaust system.

The engine tin is just as cool and clean as the rest of the car. Nothing fancy like louvered firewalls or crazy pinstriping — this Bug is all business! Tay modified the 36hp fan shroud to accept a larger Type IV oil cooler, which is much needed, as this baby generates some heat on its way to pumping out a whopping 225hp.

It’s one thing to have a ton of horsepower, but another to get it to the ground. Tay sent his Type 1 transaxle to Sean Dowdle at Dowco Enterprises to make a perfect match for the ’57. Sean added a 3.80 first gear, 2.06 second, 1.48 third, and .89 fourth, along with a 3:88 ring and pinion. Welded gears and gussetts, a Super Diff, RLR, weld-in trans mount, and Weddle side cover add extra strength. A high-torque starter makes sure this puppy turns over every time.

Inside Tay’s ride is a complete custom leather interior. The floor is treated to custom rubber mats. There’s custom-fit tan German weave carpet on the kick panels and on the area left by the removal of the back seat. The seats are tan leather with

CHANGE OF ADDRESS? MISSING AN ISSUE? Email our subscription department:

info@vwtrendsmagazine.com

Please include your name, mailing address, and the email address associated with your account. Triple preesh.

Inside Tay’s ride is a complete custom leather interior: custom rubber mats, customfit tan German weave on the kick panels, and the area left by the removal of the backseat. The seats are tan leather with Tay’s Oval logo stitched on them.

Tay’s Oval logo stitched on them. Nice custom touch! Simpson lap belts make sure the driver and passenger stay in their respective seats. The stock steering wheel was replaced with a custom Budnik street rod wheel. A set of Autometer gauges, including tach, oil pressure, oil temperature, and voltmeter, keeps Tay informed of the

engine’s readings. A retrofitted gas gauge is mounted on the ashtray.

Tay’s Oval is a real looker, and has the power to back up any challenge that may come his way! Tay wants to give a shout out to his wife, Debra, who had to endure many late nights and newly invented swear words coming from the garage!

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 23

TECH

THE AUTOSTICK:

VOLKSWAGEN’S RED-HEADED STEPCHILD

by Clark Callis

I

had heard about the VW Autostick, but really knew nothing about them. I have only seen one. When I was in college, my mom’s friend had a Karmann Ghia with Autostick and AC. Having both of those items seemed really strange to me at the time.

The VW Autostick is maybe the most maligned and misunderstood car to ever come out of Wolfsburg. Many folks will instantly write it off as a miserable failure, but that is just not true.

A little history: The concept and components of Autostick were all developed by a company called Fichtel & Sachs in the 1950s. The first car company to use it was Mercedes Benz, in 1958.

In the 1960s, VW, Porsche, Opal, and NS all got interested in the concept. The Porsche 911 and 912 version, called the “sportomatic,” came out in 1967. The VW Autostick came out in 1968 and continued until either 1975 or 1979, depending on what source you want to believe. There’s also another system called Saxomat that is so similar to Autostick that some parts are interchangeable.

How it works: The first thing to know is that the transmission has three speeds, not four like the manual gearbox. There is a “L” low gear, only used to get you out of mud or snow. The “1” gear is good from a standing start up to about 40 mph. The “2” gear takes you up to highway speeds. So, with gear 1 good to 40 mph, you can basically do all of your around-town driving without having to touch the gearshift. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

There are 5 main components in the Autostick system.

1. Autostick shifter: There are two switches in the Autostick shifter. These run to a control valve solenoid in the engine bay.

24 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’23 ’23

When the shifter is moved into a gear those switches activate a solenoid in the engine compartment.

2. Control valve: The control valve is mounted to the left side of the engine bay. It has vacuum hoses connected to the Autostick intake manifold, and to the carburetor.

3. Clutch servo: The clutch servo is a sealed canister with an internal rubber diaphragm, that has linkage that connects it to the clutch. It is mounted to the front of the transaxle.

4. Torque converter and drive plate: Instead of a flywheel, Autostick engines use a drive plate that the torque converter bolts to, just like a conventional automatic transmission. The torque converter is a fluid coupling between engine and transmission drive shaft that allows the Autostick to remain in gear while stopped.

5. ATF tank and hybrid oil/ ATF pump: An ATF tank is mounted under the right rear fender, with a filler neck into the engine compartment. The tank is connected to a dual engine oil pump / ATF pump. The main pump takes care of the engine oil as a normal oil pump would, while the smaller pump handles the ATF fluid from the ATF tank to the torque converter.

How many were built? Supposedly, ten percent of all Bugs and Ghias sold during this time where Autosticks. Beetle production during the Autostick years (1968 to 1979) is as follows: Total Beetle: 9,678,956 Autostick Beetle: 967,896 As you can see, almost a million Autostick Beetles were built. I don’t have information on sedans vs. convertibles. However, I do have it for the Karmann Ghia from 1968 to 1974: Ghia sedan: 127,108 Ghia convertible: 32,202 Autostick Ghia sedan: 12,711 Autostick Ghia convertible: 3,220 You can see that a convertible Ghia with Autostick is a rare bird.

When it comes to Autosticks, there are only two kinds of people: than one article has been written about how to do this conversion. those that love them and those that hate them.

I always tell folks, “It’s your car, do what you want.” If someone Folks that love them: I interviewed Steve Blagg, a lifelong wants to rip out the Autostick, I’m not going to stop them, but they Autostick fan. His folks bought a new one in 1968, and he still has it. are destroying a piece of history.

He learned to drive on an Autostick. In fact, he considers it normal, Steve Blagg tells me that the torque converter is difficult to and a four-speed seems odd to him. He has found the reliability install, so there is one issue if you insist on finding problems. Most to be high, with very few problems over the decades. He’s been problems with an Autostick are vacuum hose-related. driving this car forty years, so you can’t knock that.

Buying, owning and selling — what to pay attention to: Folks that hate them: People used to complain about it being Of course you have the normal 50-year-old Bug things to inspect. nearly impossible to find Autostick-specific parts. That was all Is the floor rusted out under the battery? Does it have a drip tray pre-internet. Now you can under the engine to collect find anything if you take the the oil? Is the front beam time to look. Parts are not rotted out? But here are the really an issue.

Autostick-specific things to A lot of folks say, “You look for. can’t put in a big engine See how it moves. Leaky — the transmission can’t vac hoses will make shifting take it!” Well, that is just difficult. Plan on replacing misinformation. The actual all vacuum hoses every 15 transmission is almost years, just to be safe. identical to a typical fourThe larger vac hoses, speed VW transaxle. I know 12mm cloth braided and a stock transaxle can handle wire reinforced, are worth a lot of abuse: For 17 years it. You can get half-inch hose I owned a Karmann Ghia to fit, but you will really with a 120hp turbo engine need to crush down on that I built. It had a totally the clamps, and that’s not The VW Autostick is maybe the most maligned and misunderstood car stock transmission. Stop always successful. to ever come out of Wolfsburg. And yes, this ad really was implying that women couldn’t drive a manual transmission. bad-mouthing the stock If the servo canister fails, stuff. Based on what I have find a good used one. Don’t learned, the real limit on waste time with a rebuild kit. horsepower is the clutch. Folks say 90hp is tops. Well, 90hp is If you decide to replace the entire transaxle, you can find them almost twice what a stock engine can make, so that’s not too bad. in decent shape. Again, the internet is your friend. Sometimes Folks say you need a heavy-duty clutch such as a Gene Berg 180 3 they’re free. puck or a Kennedy Stage 3. It seems to me that a person could build In conclusion: An Autostick has a very different feel to drive. I a 1680, 1776, or 1835, be under the 90 hp limit, and still have a nice think it is worth consideration. Getting 40 trouble-free years is not engine. Remember, you just want more “get up and go” around impossible with proper maintenance of the vacuum lines. town and easier passing on the highway.

After doing the research for this article, I have a new respect for I read that a guy in Australia races an Autostick, so he obviously the VW Autostick, and I hope after reading this article, you do too. solved the clutch problem.

I’d like to thank the many people on thesamba.com that The other thing that folks do over and over is buy an Autostick, provided input on this article, with a special shout out to Steve then rip out the transmission and stick in a normal 4 speed. More Blagg for granting me an interview.

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• FALL ’23 25

BILL OESTEREICH/THE ROAMING DRONE

(NOT QUITE AS)

FAST TIMES AT

FARMINGTON #38

by Jason Smith, with additional photos by Bruce Simurda, Bill Oestereich, and Niki Mendez

O

kay, so there was no drag racing this time — some problem with repaving the track that the owners are still working out.

But that didn’t stop the good people of the Southeastern U.S. from coming out in droves to Farmington Dragway in Mocksville, North Carolina, for Fast Times at Farmington #38, hosted by Kathy Jacobs and Southeast Euro Motorsports. And while no Dubs were buzzing down the eighth-mile, no one could be bummed about that for too long: There was just too much to see and do. More than 200 show cars were in attendance — Bugs, Buses, Ghias, Buggies, sandrails, water-pumpers, and even a big-timer or two from that German carmaker based in Stuttgart. Seventy-five vendors, a record for this event, showed up to cram the swap meet full of new parts and used parts and you-just-realized-you-needed-this parts and toys and antiques and such. VW Trends was on hand as part of the “Where in the World is Dan Leadbetter?” tour. Farmington’s turnout and energy had our very own Mr. Leadbetter remarking that the East Coast might just be stealing the West Coast’s VW event thunder. Your move, California.

26 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

 Best of Show Aircooled went to Brad Long and his ’62 righthand-drive Beetle. Hey, nice sticker!  Lots of folks camped out on Saturday evening before Sunday’s show.

Best of Show Watercooled went to Kim Buchanan’s outrageous ’12 Golf.

Kevin and Betty Bezanson and their ’56 Bus took home the Promoter’s Choice award. The couple drove the Bus from Nova Scotia to North Carolina. After the Farmington show, they planned to drive to California.

First place for Beetle Modified ’68 and Up went to Jeff Grimm of Pittsboro, North Carolina.

Mandy Sawyers took home the Inner Beauty award for her ’63 Bus.

Chris McBruney’s swap-meet find was festooned with some old-school goodness.

More than 75 vendors were on hand selling almost everything you could possibly need — even if you didn’t know you needed it.

NIKI MENDEZ

VW Trends and Showrunner were on hand to welcome, entertain, and salute the people. Editor Dan Leadbetter talked to so many showgoers that your humble author’s brain started to hurt just listening to him.

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 27

Casey Valk’s ’68 Beetle is sittin’ pretty on two-toned smoothies.

Here’s Alex DeSouza’s ’74 Brasilia. You don’t see a lot of these in this neck of the woods. Or in most necks of woods.

Farmington was off the rails. No, wait: That didn’t come out right. On the rails? For the rails? Let’s just say there were a lot of sandrails there.

This ’68 “Busaru” is running a fuelinjected EJ22 Subaru engine.

Tony Worthy’s radical green ’62 was worthy of a closer look.

Joe Staton took the first-place Special Interest award with his ’70 Mini Mark.

First Place in Type 3 went to Amanda Miller and her ’72 Squareback.

Brad Smith from Clements, North Carolina, brought out his ultra-low ’66 Beetle.

28 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

When you’re spending half the morning looking for bargains in a swap meet that’s this large, it helps to have someone on hand to pull your wagon for you and carry your stuff.

Wheels were for sale; car was not: Angel Potts brought this ’56 down from Pennsylvania. Dig those South African Sprintstars.

David Massey brought this super-slick ’09 Rail Buggy from Hickory, North Carolina.

Does Farmington like it low? They do. But that’s not required. Beetles, Buses, Ghias, water-pumpers, Buggies… just bring what you got.

Farmington had plenty of old-school cool on display.

John Edwards and Faithe Edwards had a short drive from Winston-Salem in their ’16 Golf R and ’17 GTI.

This ’67, named Shirley Rose, has been in Bill Oestereich’s family since 1981, and Bill has owned her since 1987.

Reservation at Chez Buggy, seating for four? Adam Board has got you covered with his ’68 Manx Resorter.

Michael Brooks’ ’69 Ghia convertible turned more than a few heads.

Mickey and Raneta Jones brought their ’68 Baja from Hudson, North Carolina.

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 29

TECH

HIDING IN

PLAIN

SIGHT

Before we saw this engine, we had never heard of a Shorrock VW Blower. This thing pumps out 12.5 pounds of boost. Pretty freaking impressive, especially in 1965!

A historic Joe Vittone vintage EMPI racing motor

By DG Leadbetter

Y

ou know those times when you’re out doing a thing and you stumble across something that absolutely blows you away? This one was on display for all to see in the front showroom of Techtonics Tuning in Sheridan, Oregon.

You may be thinking, “What’s so cool about some old racing engine from back in the day?”

Well, let me tell you. This engine just happens to have been owned and raced by VW legend Joe Vittone. For those of you who are new to the scene or are a little shy in the history department, Joe Vittone was the guy that started EMPI back in the day. So when Joe wanted to have an engine built for his race car, he tapped his development guy, Dean Lowry, another VW legend.

The engine began as a stock 40hp 1200cc motor. Lowry decided to bump it up using EMPI’s 1600cc kit, with a 74mm x 82mm setup. He used a set of 1500S heads, along with dual valve springs and a slightly lower compression (8.2:1). He tried several camshaft configurations until landing on a Iskenderian 1010 (Porsche grind) cam. A centrifugal Hunt Magneto ignites the gas/ air mixture (fully advanced at 1800 rpm, with total advance of 32-35 degrees).

Now, I’m sure a lot of you are saying, “Um … what’s so cool about a slightly hopped-up 1600?” Sit down, son. Things are gonna get interesting.

30 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’23 ’23

We stumbled upon this vintage Joe Vittone racing engine nestled in the corner of the Techtonics Tuning showroom in Sheridan, Oregon.

What feeds this beast? A 2" SU carb with a 6.2" throat area.

The float was removed, and a standpipe now resides in the chamber, giving it more capacity.

Ever heard of a Shorrock VW Blower? phone-style exhaust system, but it’s safe Neither had we. But remember, this was to say a lot of R&D went into helping the the ’60s. Lowry plopped this beast on top engine expel the spent gases. Plus it looks of the engine and gave it 12.5 psi of boost. just badass!

The blower is pressure-lubricated and has a So what kind of ponies did this vintage spare oil-jet needle (in case someone wants motor (with some serious back-in-the-day to change the oil feed). On top of the blower upgrades) make on the dyno? Well, at 5600 resides a 2-inch SU carburetor with a 6.2rpm, Joe’s motor pumped out 170 hp with inch throat area. The float was removed, torque at 160 ft.-lbs. For a time in 1965, and a standpipe Joe’s VW Bug held now sits in the the NHRA H-Gas Techtonics Tuning chamber, giving record: 97.1 mph 21801 Rock Creek Rd it more chamber at 13.71 seconds in Sheridan, OR 97378 capacity. A 1.5-inch the quarter. Pretty (503) 843-2700 pipe moves the impressive when techtonicstuning.com pressurized air/fuel you consider this mixture from the was 58 years ago — Shorrock blower to long before some of the heads. Interestingly enough, the tubes you were even born! are sealed at the ports using O-rings from a What’s the moral of the story? Keep Weber 32 NDIX carb (used for Porsche enyour eyes open and don’t be afraid to ask gines). Necessity is the mother of invention! questions. You never know what could be Not much is known about the four-megastanding right in front of you.

PLUS +

www.hayburner.co.uk

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 31

COLLECTOR’S E DITION, S PRI NG 2021

VW TRENDS EXCLUSIVE:

$7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

NEW FUEL INJECTION VOL. 3, NO. 2

FALL 2023

JBUGS GHIA INTERIOR REDO

ESTABLISHED IN 1976 V W T R E N D S M A G A Z I N E . C O M

34 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

A WIN-NGUYEN SITUATION Paul Nguyen’s ’59 convertible Bug is a pan-off masterpiece! • By DG Leadbetter • Photos by Paul Morton

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 35

Paul’s ’59 took a full three years of blood, sweat, and about $15,000 to bring to reality. Top up or top down, this thing is a real looker!

C

heck out Paul Nguyen’s super-clean ’59 Type I convertible.

Paul’s Dad, Han Nguyen, came to America after the Vietnam War in 1976.

Han was given a couple of VWs — a ’60 Bug and a ’67 Squareback — to drive around.

When Paul was in high school, he helped his dad buy, fix, and flip Volkswagens.

Eventually, Han ended up working for Mike’s Econo in downtown Riverside, and he gave Paul his ’60. Paul and his dad restored it together and sold it after they found a ’54. Then they restored the ’54, opting for the Cal Look style, and that cemented Paul’s commitment to VWs. Years later, Paul and his dad found this ’59 Convertible. It had been previously fixed up, but had suffered a fire. They picked it up for a mere $2,200, and worked on other VWs while searching for parts for the ’59. After they had all the parts, they decided that the only way to do the car justice was to do a complete pan-off restoration and upgrade. It would be their first ever pan-off project, and

36 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’23 ’23

proved to be a fun experience, albeit with a definite learning curve.

The ’59 Convertible took a full three years of blood, sweat, and about $15,000 to bring to reality. The pans were removed and replaced with 16-gauge flattened sheet metal, then sandblasted clean, powder coated black, and painted Bamboo Green pastel to match the exterior paint. Paul replaced the link-pin front beam with a 5-inch narrowed version with 2.5-inch EMPI dropped spindles and 3-inch narrowed tie rods. Since this baby was getting an air-ride suspension, the shock

towers weren’t needed. They dropped the rear down two notches and used short gas shocks for a street-worthy stance. Paul went with original VW smoothie wheels powder coated cream and green and used 145/15 whitewalls up front with 205/15s in the rear. Since this was a cruiser and not an asphalt burner, Paul went with refurbished stock drum brakes all around with a dual master cylinder.

The exterior was massaged by Sven’s Street Design in Riverside, who made sure the body was clean and without blemish before spraying multiple coats of L241 Bamboo Green Pastel over the sheet metal.

No stone was left unturned in this rebuild: All new rubber was installed and the gas tank was refurbished and powder coated, as were the seat frame and rails, shifter, steering column, and any and all associated parts and brackets. Paul wanted a little bit of bling, so the window frames and Euro-blade bumpers were re-chromed to perfection. New running boards were

If you had Paul’s VW, you’d be smiling too! He plans to enjoy it for many years before passing it down to one of his kids.

The shifter holds a porcelain Rosenthal vase and ashtray.

While a side spotlight wasn’t a factory option, it looks right at home here.

Nothing too crazy in the engine compartment. Pather in Riverside, California, created a rock-solid 1641cc motor with a few upgrades to cruise the street with.

added to top it all off. Carlos Perez was tapped to re-wire the Beetle and redid the entire car with a custom wiring setup.

All the upholstery work was done

by Convertible World in Long Beach, California. Paul wanted to keep the OG style of the ’59, but with a slightly upgraded look. We think he nailed it! The tan/white color combo really works with the Bamboo Green. Interior accessories include a parcel tray, porcelain Rosenthal vase and cigarette ash tray at the base of the shifter,

stock steering wheel, seatbelts, and Porsche door pulls. Tan carpet and rubber mats adorn the floorboards, while a tan mohair headliner graces the convertible top.

Paul’s motor is a 1641cc dual-port with a single EMPI 34 PICT carb, put together

by Pather in Riverside, California, and tuned by The Lab. The case is an AS41 dual relief, with an Engle 110 cam, 1:25 rockers, 31mm Bigfoot lifters, hi-rev springs, 009 distributor, and EMPI dual-tip exhaust with J-tubes — a solid motor for everyday

cruising. A KCR Transaxle Super Street/ Freeway Flier with steel forks, Super Diff, HD side cover, and welded 3rd and 4th gears gets the power to the ground.

As you can see, Paul’s ’59 is definitely a family affair. And it shows you don’t have to go crazy custom to have a super-clean daily ride! Paul hopes to enjoy his VW for years to come, and to eventually pass it down to one of his kids. I wonder if Paul would be interested in adopting a magazine editor…

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• FALL ’23 37

GREAT CANADIAN VW SHOW We headed north of the border for a look at one of Canada’s leading all-VW weekends.

Story and photos by Bruce Simurda

S

ince 1991, the Great Canadian VW Show has been a major attraction for VW enthusiasts from British Columbia and the entire Northwest. It was originally started by Volkswagen Canada with shows in both Toronto and Vancouver, but after a few years members of the local Der Volksrennwagen Kafer Klub (DVKK) kept the Vancouver event going, making it exciting for just about everyone — air- and water-cooled enthusiasts alike. What started as a show grew into a weekend full of VW activities. One of the first additions was drag racing on Friday night at nearby Mission Raceway Park, but over the years there were also pancake breakfasts at various shops, cruises around Vancouver, shop tours, dinner outings, and others. Of course, the show was the main event on Sunday with the ever-popular swap meet, and DVKK members always tried to keep the event interesting with other activities like a New Beetle car-cram, egg-toss, pie eating contest, sparkplug changing contest, 50/50 raffle, and even an engine blow. They didn’t want to blow up VW engines, so they used other brands of junkyard dogs — until the fateful year that the whole enchilada caught fire and the local fire department had to be called! As you can imagine, that was the last engine blow, but what a hot time it was…

Being so much fun, over the years the Great Canadian VW Show became a summer destination for many VW enthusiasts, and to accommodate the growing turnout, the show was held at a variety of venues like the Coquitlam Town Centre, Langley Events Centre, the Concord Pacific Expo site, and, its current location, Tsawwas-

38 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’23 ’23

sen Mills, just south of Vancouver. For 2022, the Great Canadian Weekend started on August 12 with Bunys n’ Bugs’ Friday Night Street Legal Drags at Mission Raceway, which included the stock motor challenge hosted by the Zündfolge Car Club. Saturday evening, Tunezilla and Dubbers hosted the Hot Dub Summer Vol. 2 barbecue, which was an evening full of food, drinks, cars, and music. Sunday was the main event, the CIP1.com-sponsored Great Canadian VW Show and Shine. (In 2021 they decided to eliminate the trophies and change it to a show and shine, which also eliminated most of the entry fees.) The result was a HUGE show of both air- and water-cooled VWs! The 2022 show area was so full of cars that late arrivers were parking in other areas of the huge lot. And while there was an absence of new part vendors, the sizeable swap meet helped many attendees lighten their wallets.

Those who came for the show were treated to several hundred of the coolest VWs from around the Northwest. From big-engine Cal Lookers to tricked-out Buses, squeaky-clean vintage rides, and amazing water-cooled customs, this event really covered the entire VW spectrum. As of this writing, the 2023 edition is already scheduled for August 18-20, starting with Friday Night Street Legal Racing and ending once again at the CIP1.com-sponsored Great Canadian VW Show and Shine at Tsawwassen Mills on Sunday. And yes, the Saturday pancake breakfast is on! For the most current information, visit The Great Canadian VW Show Weekend on Facebook.

We know it’s a lot of work, but we love the way DVKK members arrange the various cars in classes. Although it’s now a nonjudged show, it makes comparing the different types a lot easier.

Buggies of all shapes, sizes and, of course, colors! Chad and Teresa Andresen’s yellow custom was featured in the Spring 2023 issue of VW Trends.

Russ Jenvey’s beautiful red and black ’56 Oval rides on a custom, homebuilt air-ride suspension. The engine is 2180cc; the wild interior was stitched by RJ’s Custom Interiors.

From custom to stock, this show is a fantastic place to check out the scene.

Look for a full feature on Tim Kroetsch’s red ’61 Deluxe in an upcoming issue.

This local artist was creating some amazing caricature drawings for the car owners. Corwin Sikora’s ’92 Passat Synchro wagon never looked so inspired!

Only one row of the many water-cooled VWs that attended the Great Canadian.

Who knew air and water mixed so well?

Neal Ryan’s stunning ’68 Fastback is a straight as they come with subtle body mods like a shaved gas-filler door.

We couldn’t think of a better way to get around the show. Wonder if we could stuff Leadbetter into one of these?

As always, the swap meet was a popular place. This young man obviously spotted something he couldn’t live without.

We loved the surf display with Jerry Clark’s ’67 Bus. Jerry regularly puts 5,000 to 7,000 miles on it every summer.

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• FALL ’23 39

SHOP TOUR

METALMORPHOSIS CUSTOMS Building awesome VWs for a noble purpose!

By Dan Leadbetter

Cate and Rodney Culp are the owners of both MetalMorphosis in Danville, Alabama, and Foundation 18 Orphanage, the charity in Indonesia that their custom builds support. Plus, they are super cool people!

O

kay, okay. I admit it. I’m addicted to TikTok. I swear, you can literally say, “I’m just going to check out a couple videos and that’s it,” and the next thing you know, you’re three years older and wondering where the hell the time went.

You can get lost watching people making food, Karens going wild in the stores, bounty hunters getting bail jumpers, scammers from India getting hacked back, and really fun video of animals and pranks.

What I didn’t expect, however, was to find videos of an amazing couple that create some of the most incredible custom street Volkswagens from the ground up, and then sells opportunities to win them with all the money going to charity! These VWs aren’t just quick junkyard flips with a few off-thecounter chrome parts; these are serious builds, each one with its own personality.

I was super excited to find out more

40 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’23 ’23

as cool as the VWs they create. They invited me to come out to their place in Danville, Alabama to see what was going on!

I drove down a ton of backroads and eventually found the MetalMorphosis headquarters. Wow! The visit did not disappoint! But enough of the buildup, let’s get into just how this amazing couple came to be and why they do what they do.

about these people, and why they do what they do. As luck would have it, I went to Bug-A-Paluza as part of the “Where in the World is Dan Leadbetter?” Tour, and as I was setting up the booth, there was MetalMorphosis right next to me! I couldn’t believe it! I had the pleasure of meeting the owners, Cate and Rodney Culp, who are just

VWT: So, first, give me some background on your charity, Foundation 18 Orphanage.

Cate: I started the organization myself when I showed up in Indonesia in 2010.

I had a plan and left 16 days later with an orphanage, and legal guardianship of my first Balinese child. I continued to run the operation, initially from Australia, and then since 2018 from the USA. VWT: That’s amazing! It’s not every day

Here’s just a couple of the awesome builds that come out of MetalMorphosis. Who wouldn’t want one of these in their driveway?

As any VW enthusiast knows, you can’t just have one VW lying around. Rodney and Cate have enough land to keep an ample supply of all shapes and sizes of Volkswagens to draw inspiration (as well as donor parts) for their charity builds.

that people just go somewhere and start an orphanage. How did you and Rodney meet?

Cate: Rodney and I ‘met’ originally online via Instagram in 2017. I was, at the time, living in converted school bus in Australia, and road tripping in my 1973 Kombi.

I would share photos of my travels and cars on Instagram and followed anyone else with a Volkswagen. Then this handsome stranger popped up and we immediately hit it off.

VWT: So it was a long distance relationship. I can imagine that living on different continents would be challenging. When did you two finally get to meet in person?

Cate: In January 2018, Rodney lost his shop to a fire, which was the catalyst for me jumping on a plane and coming to support

MORE INFO: MetalMorphosis charity builds: charitybeetle.com Foundation 18 orphanage: foundation18.com

him through a really tough time. I went back and forth for a few months and then came out in July 2018 and we decided to marry and I haven’t been home since.

VWT: I get it. When you know, you know. Tell me a little about Rodney’s background.

Cate: Rodney’s been working on Volkswagens since he was 15. When we first met, he was managing another shop,

Rodney is definitely the Metal in MetalMorphosis! These hand-crafted VWs are really amazing works of art.

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• FALL ’23 41

The concept and design of each MetalMorphosis project is not random. Cate goes through tons of time seeking the right inspiration and color combos to bring her VW visions to life!

Although she’s only been working with interior upholstery for three years, Cate’s been sewing since she was eight, and professionally for almost 25 years. All that experience has paid off!

At any given time, Cate and Rodney are working on multiple projects. As you can see, nothing is off-limits. Type I’s, Type II’s, Ghias, and even a stray Porsche 914 are in the mix!

but he parted ways with them in 2020 and we’ve been working together since then. At the beginning of 2023, we decided to make the switch to just building cars to sell and stopped taking on any more client work.

Rodney’s primary field of expertise is metal work; he’s incredibly skilled at resurrecting cars that most people would deem too far gone. He’s also responsible for paint, assembly, and electrical. We’re now putting brand new, zero-mile transmissions and engines into all our upcoming builds.

VWT: One of the coolest things about the VWs you two create is the absolutely stunning interiors. The Instagram and TikTok videos of you doing the upholstery are just riveting! Tell me how you got started.

Cate: I learned to drive in a Beetle

42 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’23 ’23

but didn’t own one until later in life. My relevant background comes mostly from a decade in the bridal industry, making just about everything wedding related, and then many years in textiles. I’ve been sewing since I was 8 years old, professionally for almost 25 years, but I’ve only been doing interior work for about three years.

VWT: Only three years? Seriously?

What other areas are you involved in?

Cate: I’m responsible for the all the design work — everything from the paint and interior colors to what size engine, creating and installing the interior — project management, parts ordering, business management, and marketing.

VWT: I was going to ask what you do in your spare time, but that would be a foolish

question. Tell me about your charity builds.

Cate: We do one charity build each year, in which folks can donate to the orphanage that I founded for a chance to win one of our full custom builds. The orphanage was founded in 2010, in the north of Bali, Indonesia, and is the base for our humanitarian work in the region, which includes an education outreach program that sent 180 kids to school this past year. We provide education, food, clothing, medical assistance, and transport where necessary to make sure all the kids in the region can get an education.

We currently have four students who have been in our program in university and had our first graduate earlier this year. Upcoming builds that are currently in production are a 1973 Karmann Ghia, a 1979 Super Beetle convertible, a 1964 Karmann Ghia, and this year’s giveaway, ‘Audacity’, which is a radical 1967 chop-top Beetle.

VWT: That is so cool! Thank you so much for letting me come in and invade your shop, as well as taking the time to chat with us!

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 43

SCIROCCO&AHALF When one just isn’t enough

by Dan Leadbetter

Y

ou’ve most aircraft hoses, and likely seen (or much more. It looks at least heard some like it has WAY more references from) horsepower than the the 1984 smash stock displacement mockumentary would suggest, but This is Spinal Tap. the only upgrade JP The most quoted added was a 50mm line from that film intake. is when guitarist The stance of Nigel Tufnel (talking the stock Scirocco about his amplifiers) just wouldn’t do, so says, “These go to JP added Eibach 11.” Well, just like lowered springs at Nigel’s amplifiers, all four corners to JP from Vancouver, drop the VW down British Columbia, to a respectable level. felt his ’87 Scirocco With the suspension Under the hood is a stock 1.8-liter water-cooled dual overhead cam motor, just wasn’t quite dropped, the stock but you wouldn’t think that from looking at it. This beauty has more chrome enough. tire/wheel combo just and stainless steel than you can shake a stick at! The only upgrade is the 50mm This was the first didn’t have the impact intake system. vehicle JP owned. he was looking for, so He drove it, then he ditched the stock sold it. For most people that would be in Canada to smooth out any exterior wheels for a set of 17-inch seven-spoke the end of the story, but for JP, it was just blemishes and to lay down multiple coats Evo rims. You can’t go wrong helping your the start of a water-cooled love affair. of factory silver paint. JP handled all of the VW stop faster, so a set of VW Corrado Realizing his error, he bought the VW pinstriping and glass work himself.

G60 brakes upgraded the factory stopping back and set out on a two-year project to The engine is the stock 1.8 DOHC system. build a street-worthy show winner and 16-valve powerplant with a ton of cosmetic The interior of JP’s water-pumper is the dream Scirocco he always wanted. upgrades. Seriously, you have to wear pretty stock, but nonetheless clean! The The first thing was to get the sunglasses when you pop the hood, because black/silver interior looks great with the exterior back to better than factory new this engine compartment is BEYOND fresh silver paint, but the interior mods condition. JP called on Vans Autobody shiny, with tons of chrome, stainless steel don’t stop there. Red accents on the

4444VWVW TRENDS TRENDS• •FALL FALL ’23’23

JP swapped the stock tires and wheels for a set of TSW EVO seven-spoke 17-inch rims mounted on Yokohama radial tires.

JP has owned this Volkswagen Scirocco for 28 years! He bought it, sold it, bought it again, and then turned into the show winner you see before you!

The interior is stock, with a few red accents on the shifter and emergency brake. A Sony CD head unit and Blaupunkt goose-neck EQ keep the party going.

shifter and emergency brake add a splash of color, while a Sony AM/FM CD player and Blaupunkt gooseneck EQ keep the tunes coming.

Well, that’s about it. What? Did we forget something? Oh yeah… the TRAILER! JP cut an ’87 donor Scirocco in half to create a one-of-a-kind pull-behind to take on trips and blow people’s minds

Making the trailer was a trial-and-error experience. Cutting the VW in half was easy; creating the suspension was another thing altogether! But the result was worth all the hard work.

at VW shows. Making it was a trial-anderror learning experience. Cutting the VW in half was easy; creating the suspension was another thing altogether! Many, many hours were spent trying to get things just right. JP had to figure out the new suspension geometry, how to weld the open section, how to add hidden wiring, and make the trailer a functional storage unit.

As you can see, it turned out awesome!

With the VW and matching trailer complete, the only thing left to do was take it out and see if any other people would appreciate the time and effort it took to create this water-cooled wonder.

After taking home more than 30 awards at various VW shows, it’s safe to say that JP’s one-off isn’t only beautiful to him, it’s a beauty to everyone who looks at it!

VWVW TRENDS TRENDS• •FALL FALL ’23’234545

46 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

PERFECT PATINA Like any good dad, Austin McCave built a ’66 cruiser for his kid.

By DG Leadbetter Photography by Paul Morton VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 47

Austin’s ’66 features Oval rear fenders and taillights, pop-out quarter windows, a ’59 deck lid, and Raider wheels on all four corners.

A

ustin McCave’s younger brother bought this ’66 Beetle at the tender age of 11, kept it for five years, then ditched it for a Honda. So Austin stepped in and snatched up the Bug for $1,000. To be honest, it was a little more than worse for wear. It needed four fenders, a hood, a deck lid, both pan halves, an engine, transaxle, all lights, electrical, seats, suspension… Do we need to go on? Oh, it wasn’t even titled.

In March 2019, Austin found out he was having a son. Like any good dad, he decided to build the VW for his kid.

Austin originally budgeted the build at $5,000. That went out the window, quickly escalating to $35,000. But you know, when it’s for your kid, price is no object!

Both pan halves were thrashed, so those were replaced with new EMPI units, as were the heater channels. A Pandragger 4-inch narrowed shockless beam was used, along with EMPI 2.5-inch drop spindles, Pandragger tie rods with EMPI tie rod ends, and a set of EMPI disc brakes.

To bring the back end down to an acceptable stance, Austin used Pandragger 3-inch adjustable spring plates, EMPI lowered rear shocks, and a set of DG German brake drums. This combo really gives Austin a lot of options on how high or low he wants to go. (It’s mostly low.)

48 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

Austin opted for a set of wide-five Raider wheels mounted on Nankang rubber out back and Continental tires up front.

Austin tapped Johnny Osmundson — who you may remember from “World’s Fastest Street Bug?” in our Winter 2023 issue — to make the much-needed engine upgrades. Johnny put together a 1915cc with plenty of ponies to back up any speed checks Austin wanted to cash. The AS41 case was opened to accept 94mm pistons and barrels, which were mated to a German, balanced 69mm crankshaft.

Other mods include a Vintage Speed linkage and MST Serpentine belt kit.

Since this beast was going to require more breathing room, a set of big-valve dualport heads with stainless valves was used, along with a set of Weber 40 carbs. A 110 camshaft, with a straight cut cam gear, Scat lifters, and stock rocker arms help control the opening and closing of the valves. An electronic 009 set up with NGK plugs and Taylors wires ignites the air/fuel mixture.

Since the engine now had quite a bit more power, an upgraded transaxle was in order. Rick Stanchfield from Surprise, Arizona, did the job, rebuiding and upgrading the transaxle with a 4.12 ring and pinion and heavy-duty side cover. A 12lb chromoly flywheel and Kennedy Stage 1

clutch help get the power to the trans. The starter is from a ’68 VW Autostick.

With the drivetrain in tip-top shape, it was time for the body. It needed four fenders (the rears were from an Oval), a front quarter panel, a rear clip, and a right-side door. Once all the proper parts were acquired, Austin and Levi Weir got busy making the exterior as cool as the pan it was going to rest on. Creating the faux patina wasn’t as easy as you would imagine.

Lots of planning and discussions went into the paint job, which used Valspar and Tamco paints in a custom-mixed “Breaky Blu” color. The faux patina serves a dual purpose: If Austin’s son were to scratch it, that would just add more character.

The stock windshield was replaced with a VW LooseNuts Safari-style windshield. Other exterior mods include running boards from Wolfsburg West, H4 headlights, front-quarter side mirrors, pop-out quarter windows, and chrome Euro bumpers.

Austin swapped out the standard ’66 gas tank for a much cooler Oval-window tank, modified to fit with some help from a tankraise configuration.

The only thing left was the interior.

Austin ordered a complete TMI interior in charcoal grey and black. Taren Petty

Chrome Euro bumpers, H4 headlights and a Safari windshield really set this Beetle apart from the rest.

The trunk of this ’66 Beetle is super clean. The stock gas tank was swapped out with an Oval-window unit which was painted pink to match the speedometer.

Johnny Osmundson built a 1915cc engine for Austin. It features a set of Weber 40 carbs and plenty of internal goodies to make this VW a real street sweeper!

installed it, and it turned out amazing. The stock ’66 seats, door panels, carpet, kickpanel speaker pods, and headliner got the full treatment. Speaking of speakers, a ride this righteous couldn’t roll on stock sounds.

Austin added a pumped-up sound system consisting of an Alpine Bluetooth head unit, Mr. Music Man 1200-watt amplifier, and Alpine speakers.

Other interior mods include custom-

turned aluminum floor mats, a pedal assembly from an Oval-window VW, a Type III shifter, FTF Custom aluminum drink holder, Vintage Speed Dehne fuel gauge, and a custom-painted speedo, done in pink to match the Oval gas tank.

The trunk is one of the cleanest we’ve seen, with all the Wire Works wiring mostly hidden by the black ABS wiring cover. The spare tire is there, along with a

Austin built this sweet ride for his son, Jayce.

hub cap tool kit. Nice touch!

Construction of Austin’s Bug started in November 2019, and “Breaky Blu” was completed and on the road for the Volks Jam by the Parker Dam on November 14, 2020 — with no issues for its first ride, which clocked more than 300 miles. Since then, Breaky Blu has given nothing by joy and countless memories to Austin and his son Jayce.

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 49

TECH

E

veryone likes a good comeback story.

Whether it’s Rocky, the Karate Kid, or even Napoleon Dynamite, seeing the underdog come out on top is awesome.

It’s the same way for our VWs. Watching someone take a rusted-out junker and turn it into a show-winning beauty is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Interiors are usually the last thing on a customization list, since the interior components are used more than just about any other part of the vehicle. Thank goodness for places like JBugs! Having served the VW community for JBugs more than 33 years, (800) 231-1784 JBugs has more jbugs.com than 10,000 classic Volkswagen parts, including the most extensive selection of upholstery.

Putting an interior together is pretty complicated, so we’ve broken the installation into two parts. Follow along as we show you how to turn a ho-hum, rather well-worn interior into a real showstopper!

Well, it’s not horrible — it just looks like it belongs in an ’84 Chevy Astro van. Yep, this Ghia is in need of a serious interior upgrade. And thankfully, JBugs is on the case!

1. The door and quarter-window aluminum moldings have to be removed so the headliner can be removed. Once the rubber seals are pulled out of the trim, unscrew and remove the trim.

KARMANN GHIA

INTERIOR REDEUX PART ONE

It’s easy when you do it with JBugs!

By VWT staff • Photos courtesy of JBugs 50 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

2. The quarter window can now be removed by unscrewing it from the top and the bottom. Then the quarterwindow seal and aluminum molding can be removed.

continued on page 32 •

 THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY

By Colin Frost

Editor’s note: VW Trends has always been about the car as well as the story that goes along with it. When we went looking for a donor vehicle for our JBugs interior redo series, we met Colin Frost, who wanted to do something really cool for the man who gave him so much: his pops. When we heard his story, we knew this was the perfect car to bless with a new interior.

I

f you’re like me, you probably flipped through this issue as soon as you pulled it out of the mailbox. When you flew past this spread, you probably pinned this as a tech article. You’d be half right. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some great guidance here for how to get your car’s interior looking gorgeous. You’ll see how Sam, the genius at JBugs, did it with off-the-shelf parts.

The JBugs YouTube channel has a video showing you exactly how to do it.

But there’s a little more to this story that I hope can connect to you in a different way.

You probably started as a car kid, Hot Wheels strewn about the living-room floor and tucked into pockets. Magazine pages dog-eared, ready to fill your brain with 0-60 times and top speeds of all your dream cars. There’s a special moment where we all go from a car kid to a car guy.

It’s a moment of excitement, confusion, intimidation, and elation. For me, it came when I dug a ’67 Squareback out of an old man’s back yard in Orange, California. I got lucky in a lot of ways, but the biggest was that I didn’t have to take that journey alone — I had a dad to help me along the way.

This dad is in a special class of dads — the kind of dad that chooses to be a dad for a kid that isn’t even his. Stepdads can step into an important role for a kid. For me, John Hanson, now “Pops,” did.

John Hanson taught me the basics of turning a wrench and even showed me

how to get our project car into a magazine.

VW Trends editors deemed our newly-unearthed Squareback a worthy story. As the ink hit the pages, the two of us worked through that project (or stumbled through it, in the case of an eager but clumsy teenager) with the help of some professionals.

In the process of turning our Squareback from a forgotten shell into a gorgeous looker on BRM wheels, Pops taught me a lot. That car parted ways with our family some years after restoration. To this day my biggest regret is letting it go.

One of the things I didn’t realize I was being taught was how to be a great dad.

Sometimes that means going the extra mile to foster your kids’ interests, even after a long day’s work and an hour in traffic. I carry a lot of those lessons with me when I’m with my daughter. At the age of 5, Georgia is just building cardboard rocket ships, but soon enough she’ll be messing around with a classic VW. Luckily, the technology isn’t a far cry from cardboard rockets.

Wasn’t this story about a car? Well, yes!

It still is. This gorgeous blue ’70 Karmann Ghia has been living in my dad’s garages since 1979. When he and I first met it was covered in moving blankets and mostly served to keep old boxes at eye level.

Over the years, the restoration came together. I helped with some projects here and there, but there was one thing that stuck out about the Ghia: the interior. It was on the “not-quite-right-but-I’ll-fix-itsomeday” list. It was in okay shape, but the gray cloth looked like it belonged in an ’80s Chevy Astro van. It didn’t fit the beautiful Luigi Segre lines of this little blue coupe.

This struck me as an opportunity to surprise dad with a little “thank you” fitting for a VW lover, son to father. It came together with parts from JBugs that you can buy straight from their website. No custom work needed.

So this one’s for you, Pops. Thanks for everything you’ve taught me so far. I know there’s more to learn, and it’s not just how to make those onion rings. I hope you like the color.

For all the other dads out there: Don’t forget, the little things you do can actually be big things. In this case, a big thing was… well, a big thing. Hold on to your family heirlooms, and bust some knuckles on rusty bolts. It’s a beautiful way to bond.

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 51

3. The door panels are popped after the window cranks and door-release lever trim plates are removed.

7. Remove the headliner, sun visors, and rear-view mirror. Make sure to disconnect the battery or pull the fuse for the dome light. (Note the top dashboard pad has also been removed because the headliner is glued underneath it.)

10. Glue the rear fender-well pieces in place first. We start at the front edge of the carpet and work it back into the rear fender well. (Always start at the most visible edge and work from there.)

4. Remove the quarter panels by popping them off the body.

11. Install the rear luggage carpet piece next, working from the front edge to the rear.

5. Pull all of the interior carpet from the car, along with the seat belts, door sills, and other trim items.

8. We start by laying out all the carpet pieces so we know where they will fit.

Then test fit the carpet pieces in the car before gluing them in place.

6. Remove the front and rear glass and seals by cutting the seal at the inside lip.

9. Follow the instructions on your glue of choice. In our case, we apply glue to both surfaces and let it dry before attaching the pieces to the body. This is the case for most trim adhesives.

52 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’23 ’23

12. Align the rear kick panel carpet piece around the decklid release cable. Use any pre-cut holes to position the carpet.

13. Cutting holes in the carpet and installing trim pieces right after the carpet is installed makes finding the holes much easier.

14. Install the heater channel carpet pieces and the heater vent cover. We leave the front edges unglued as they will overlap the kick panel carpet.

15. Install the front kick-panel carpets into the door-trim channel and cut a slit in the carpet for the front heater-vent levers.

18. Pull back the front edges of the lower kick-panel carpet piece to overlap the front firewall carpet.

19. After test fitting, apply glue to the tunnel carpet piece and the tunnel.

20. After installing a new parking brake boot, set the tunnel carpet over the shifter and the parking brake boot and onto the tunnel.

21. Glue the floor carpets to the driver’s side front and rear floors.

16. Glue the front lower kick-panel carpet pieces in place. They overlap the upper panel.

17. Install the front firewall carpet over the upper kick-panel pieces.

22. Glue the passenger side carpets in to complete the carpet installation. Next time, we’ll install the seats and headliner. Stay tuned!

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• FALL ’23 53

RAREST OF THE RARE?

This display piece, shown at Automechanika and other European car shows, allowed people to see all the amazing innovation that 1949 had to offer.

Mid America Motorworks’ 1949 VW cutaway chassis • By DG Leadbetter • Photos courtesy of Mid America Motorworks

L

ook at this amazing 1949 Volkswagen cutaway chassis.

This rare piece of automotive history was a vital part of Volkswagen’s efforts to rebuild their business after World War II. The old saying, “If you got it, flaunt it” is really evident here: Nothing is hidden, and you can see inside every aspect of the VW chassis.

Displayed at Automechanika and other European car shows, this chassis allowed people to see all the amazing innovation the 1949 People’s Car had to offer, including the engine, transmission, battery, brakes, and wheel bearings, in incredible detail. Every major component is on full display, as Volkswagen was eager to show off their technological prowess. The chassis features hydraulic front brakes and mechanical rear brakes as an early example of Volkswagen’s commitment to excellence and attention to detail.

As you can see from looking at the images, the cutaways were all outlined in red, making it easier for viewers to see all of the internal workings. From stem to stern, this VW leaves nothing to the imagination!

Is this item the rarest Mid America Motorworks of the rare? Well, in all our Effingham, Illinois years as VW enthusiasts and (866) 350-4543 reporters, we’ve never run mamotorworks.com across one until now.

Currently, this 1949 Volkswagen cutaway chassis is proudly on display at Mid America Motorworks’ MyGarage Museum in Effingham, Illinois. This remarkable museum is home to a wide range of air-cooled VWs, Corvettes, and automotive artifacts, including some of the most unique vehicles in the world. If you’re in the area, or if you go to one of Mid America’s great shows (like the Mid America Fun Fest), be sure and stop by to see the collection!

54 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

When was the last time you saw a transaxle like this? Well, unless your twin-turbo nitrous race motor was a bit too much for your gear box during a hard run, I’m guessing never. But Volkswagen wasn’t shy about showing the internal workings.

Those Germans are sticklers for detail. Check out all the exposed areas of this 1949 motor: From cylinder heads to pistons to the case itself, everything is on display. Even the generator, carburetor, and distributor were cut open!

While some folks thought keeping the VW motor cool was a mystery, all was revealed in 1949.

Even the 6-volt battery wasn’t safe from being exposed.

VW showcased the braking system by opening up the inner workings for public viewing.

The muffler and tail pipes were opened so we could see inside.

The shift tunnel was opened to help viewers understand gear selection.

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 55

Equipped with basic tools including her trusty Lincoln 140 MIG, Annie has patiently worked through major reconstruction on her Bug.

ILLUSTRATION: RON PETRO

Cherie, Shelly and Garry are Two Girls and a Geezer, and they have turned building VWs into a true family affair.

TWO GIRLS AND A GEEZER

By David Zemla

Trace the custom VW scene back to its origins and you’ll find men and women toiling in dimly lit shops using basic tools and making air-cooled magic happen. The killer Baja that inspired yours? Likely built in a humble residential garage. Most of the ’80s Cal Look cars?

Garage built, with an unabashed passion and creativity that is alive and well today. Each issue we’ll highlight a deserving builder, their space, and their cars. If you have a VW problem and like many of us are self-medicating, drop us a line. We’d love to feature your cars and your space. Email dzemla@gmail.com, DM @airkooledgarage or tag #garagebuiltvws.

56 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

T

his issue’s Garage Built column comes to us from the great state of Texas and is a true family affair. Cherie, her sister Shelly, and their dad Garry have commandeered a few bays in the back of the family body shop and transformed the space into their own VW garage, replete with basic tools, a Hobart 140 welder, and, naturally, access to the family paint booth.

You guessed it: Two Girls and a Geezer are Cherie, Shelly, and Garry, and if you’re at all following VW content on TikTok, you have no doubt come across their garage antics. Garry, a lifelong body man whose resume includes a local VW dealership’s body shop, seems to have raised a family of gearheads with a deep love of old VWs. Cherie explains: “At some point in the mid ’90s, my older brother built a ’72 Super Beetle. I helped a little and fell in love with the car. Years later, we came across an even rougher example and here we are.”

The initial fruits of the Two Girls and a Geezer Garage were recently revealed in the form of a very purple ’71 Super Beetle, with more cars waiting in the wings.

Having retired from the family body shop, Garry now spends his time building cars and passing on knowledge.

That brother, Brian, now runs the shop they use as their after-hours VW compound. Brian currently drives the ’62 Double Cab pictured here. Working as a family is definitely how things are done with this crew. “Two Girls and a Geezer kicked off about five years ago as a way to spend more time with our dad as he handed off respon-

sibilities at the shop,” says Cherie. “The ’71 Super was our first project, and I’m really happy with the results.”

They picked up the ’71 in typical abandoned VW condition — with the added challenge of hail damage — and have done all the work themselves. That includes electrical, brakes, interior, and naturally body and paint. “It’s been great working with my dad and sister, and my kids have even come in to lend a hand as well,” says Cherie.

The car recently took its maiden voyage and is now sporting an ultraviolet purple paint scheme, a mildly built 1600cc motor, and 914 alloys. In traditional VW enthusiast fashion, the story doesn’t stop there. “I picked up a ’73 Bay Window that is probably next on the build list,” says Cherie. “We also have a ’69 Convertible and a ’74 Super that are on deck.”

The Bay Window Bus is slated to become a marketing tool for Cherie’s gourmet

Not pictured here: a long ignored ’73 Bay, which is next on the team’s to-do list and is slated to be a marketing tool for Cherie’s gourmet popsicle company.

popsicle company. Stay tuned to their social media channels to follow that build!

We encourage you to follow her antics on TikTok @2girlsandageezergarage.

If you have a garage full of VWs you’d like to share, drop your submission to dzemla@gmail.com or DM David @ airkooledgarage.

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 57

ILLUSTRATION: RON PETRO

KO YOSHIYA NO. 5027 VOLKSWAGEN by Arthur Junior

O

ver the years I have seen rising prices for Japanese tinplate cars of the 1950s and ’60s. These toys are not only desirable to VW model collectors, but also to collectors of Japanese tin toy cars in general. The year of manufacture, size, color, quality, condition, and scarcity allow these toys to command high price tags. I would guess the original price back when these toy cars were produced was only a Euro or two.

Anyway, our feature toy for this issue is a battery-operated, remote-control

VW model manufactured in the early 60’s

by Japanese toy company Yoshiya. Also known as Kobe Yoko Ltd., Yoshiya was a major Japanese toymaker in the postWWII period. The company, known by its trademark insignia of a diamond with KO in the center, specialized in mostly mechanical or wind-up toys featuring colorful and fancy designs. KO is also known for its extensive line of robot toys.

The original shipping carton features an insignia of a diamond with the letters “KO” in the center. The carton has a colorful top that includes a green VW on a lightblue background. “VOLKSWAGEN” is written all over the box, so it’s pretty hard to miss what’s inside!

As you can see from the packaging, it’s pretty hard to NOT know there’s a Volkswagen inside that box. These remote-control cars can fetch a pretty penny, and they’re not easy to find.

58 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

The scale is 1/25, at 160mm or about 6.5 inches length. This VW was one of a series KO-produced cars, and the box is stamped “KO Series No 5027.”

The body of this 1960s-era car is made of tinplate and has a nice VW silhouette with very little distortion. (Because of the basic VW shape, tin-stamped VW toy bodies are usually distorted, and stretch marks are common in the front and rear quarter panel areas.)

The bodies of these were lithographed The KO Yoshiya in either red, light Volkswagen blue, or dark blue. toy came in The body stampremote-control, ing also includes friction-motor, indentations for the and Bump-N-Go front hood, engine versions. air louvers, door handles, front turn signals, and rear taillights. There are seam lines on the roof section, fenders, and doors. The tinplate body has cut-out windows that include wind wing openings. The front and rear windows are finished with a shiny metal trim piece. The front section uses common metal button headlights with a fluted lens look. There’s also an emblem with front hood trim piece mounted.

The interior had a colorful tinplate lithograph design that was not typical of a Volkswagen. In fact, I’m not sure what car might have had this type of interior. Perhaps a carnival ride, or some type of tourist transportation vehicle? The seats are yellow with orange tuck and roll and black and

Left and center: KO also produced a friction-motor version, known as the KO Series 2050, with nonsteerable front wheels. The body colors were red and blue, and the same tin lithographed interior was used. There’s also a rare Swiss PTT (postal service) version featuring a yellow body, black fenders, PTT insignias on each door, and a license plate reading “KO – MADE IN JAPAN.” Right: A rare friction-motor Bump-N-Go KO VW. This seldom-found version had a handle on the bottom of the chassis that wound up the friction motor. A pair of drive wheels on a circlular platform underneath the car rotated for Bump-N-Go action.

white stripes. The lithographed dashboard has a multi-ring steering wheel and all kinds of gauges, knobs, and compartment doors similar to that of a space-age vehicle.

“KO” and “MADE IN JAPAN” are printed in the interior.

The tinplate chassis is lithographed flat black and has a battery-operated, high-torque electric motor. The chassis is stamped with a large VW insignia (leaving no doubt that this is a Volkswagen). The very basic remote-control unit holds two C-size batteries and has two red buttons.

The buttons are not marked as such, but after a few minutes of playtime you’ll easily learn which is forward and which is reverse. The power from the batteries travels down a one-meter-long green wire — no chance this car will ever get out of your sight — which goes through a hole in the chassis to connect to the electric motor.

The high-torque energy of the motor is gear transferred to the posi-traction metal rear axle. The axle has a pair of solid-rubber tires for a positive- traction, road-gripping effect. The chassis has shiny tinplate front and rear bumpers with stylish overriders.

These are definitely the 5 kph impact-resistant bumpers as well! The rubber tires were finished with white metal hubcaps and the chassis was secured to the body by several metal tabs.

The KO Volkswagen was also produced in a friction-motor version known as the KO Series 2050. The front wheels did not steer.

The lithographed body colors were red and blue and the same tin lithographed interior was used. The toy was also made in a rare Swiss PTT (postal service) version with a yellow body and black fenders, SWISS PTT

insignias on each door, and a license plate reading “KO – MADE IN JAPAN.” The original box design was changed for the KO Series 2050; it has a blue VW on the front and reads, “VOLKSWAGEN — FRICTION POWERED.” Last but not least, there was also a rare KO friction-motor Bump-N-Go VW. This version had a special handle on the bottom of the chassis that wound up the friction motor. A pair of drive wheels on a circular platform provided the Bump-N-Go action.

Road testing the electric-motor version was essential. I located a couple of C-size batteries and put them into the remote control unit. Gentlemen, start your engines.

The electric motor and gears sound like a garbage disposal grinding walnut shells.

The car does not move too fast, so it is easily controlled. But the one-meter cable runs out very quickly! If you get tired of

chasing after it as it’s going straight, the front axle and wheels can be locked so the car turns in circles. Be careful not to get dizzy watching it, and pay attention so the short power cable does not get tangled up around your legs.

This toy has a really neat feature: While the motor is running, a small bulb behind a red plastic insert in the deck lid lights up and turns in a circle. It looks like a glowing red nuclear reactor. This could give a bad rap to the Volkswagen Bug itself, as unknowing children might get the impression that this is what’s actually going on under the deck lid of a full-sized Beetle — a red light turning in circles. Oh well. Fun is fun, and now you’re asking how do I get one of these 60-year-old tin toys. I think the best bet is to search the online auctions, and you just might find one. Good luck!

The seats are a yellow /orange tuck and roll design with black and white stripes.

The dashboard has a multi-ring steering wheel and all kinds of gauges, knobs, and compartment doors similar to that of a space-age vehicle. As you can see through the rear window, “KO” and “MADE IN JAPAN” are printed in the interior. The remotecontrol unit holds two C-sized batteries and has two unmarked buttons, one for forward and one for reverse. A wire carries power from the batteries to an electric motor.

VW TRENDS • FALL ’23 59

IN THE NEXT ISSUE

OF VW TRENDS ILLUSTRATION: RON PETRO

OCTOBER 15: Connecticut Volkswagen Association’s 25th Annual Foliage Cruise, (TBD), CT ctvwa.org 15: Fast Times at Farmington #39, Mocksville, NC facebook.com/southeasteuromotorsports @ sevwa1 @southeasteuro Contact Kathy: 919-616-2183 21: Volkstoberfest ‘23 Show and Swap, Clovis, CA Call Tony at 559-994-1192 or Paul at 559 286 7588 21–22: VW Harvest Show and Swap, Leander, TX vwharvest. com 29: Hot VWs Drag Day, Irwindale, CA facebook.com/ SoCalBUGIN @bug_in BUGIN.com 714-544-1759

Circle Yer Wagens

NOVEMBER 11: Bug Show n Shine Swapfest, Clearwater, FL at Quaker Steak and Lube. Contact Joe C. at 813-516-7061 or at ovalrated@gmail.com 17–18: Germanaire Drag Day and Social, Neese, SC Call Scott Sain at 843-270-7208 for info.

DECEMBER 03: Connecticut Volkswagen Association’s Last Hurrah, Westbrook, CT For more information contact Bill Arute at 860-395-9964 or bill@ ctvwa.org or Chris Fox chris@ctvwa.org or go to ctvwa. org

Installing dual carbs

BILL OESTEREICH/THE ROAMING DRONE

JANUARY 14: Quaker Steak and Lube Bugfest 2024, Clearwater, FL Info: Joe C. at 813-516-7061 or qslbugfest2024@gmail.com

Paisley Prize

All this and more coming to your mailbox mid-January 2024 60 VW TRENDS • FALL FALL’22 ’23 ’23

shop.airmighty.com #airmighty

SINCE 2010

100% AIRCOOLED VW

Subscribe on: AirMighty.com

or collect your magazines in the USA at: VWISPWest.com

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

COVERING OUR SCENE > Subscribe now and don’t miss a thing!

Available online: www.AirMighty.com

ADVERTISERS INDEX Airmighty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 61 airmighty.com Awesome Powdercoat . . . . . . . . . . pg. 43 awesomepowdercoat.com Bill & Steve’s Foreign Auto . . . . . . . pg. 17 billandsteves.com California Import Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 1 and inside back cover CIP1.com CB Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 5 cbperformance.com

LOO K W H O’S BA C K!

Doug’s Buggs and Bunnys. . . . . . . pg. 13 dougsbnb.com

VOL. 1, NO. 1

S PRI NG 2021

RICK’S PERFECT PANZER

EMPI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back cover empius.com FLAT4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 11 flat4.co.jp Hayburner Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 31 hayburner.co.uk Let’s Talk Dubs Podcast . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 2 letstalkdubs.com Mid America Motorworks . . . . . . . pg. 59 mamotorworks.com ProVolks Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 17 provolksranch.business.site Rancho Performance Transaxles... pg. 43 ranchotransaxles.com Ross Wulf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 13 rosswulf.com Vintage VW Club of America. . . . . pg. 63 vvwca.com

SHANNON LIFE AT RAE: 100 PROOF EVENT EXTRAVAGANZA:

FLORIDA • ARIZONA • CALIFORNIA

YOU WANT ‘EM, WE GOT ‘EM:

SHIRTS STICKERS SUBSCRIPTIONS VWTRENDSMAGAZINE.COM

62 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

64 VW TRENDS • FALL ’23

EXCLUSIVE

You are just four bolts away from front end perfection with the EMPI Exclusive

FROM

FRONT TO BACK

BEAM IN A BOX Assembled in Anaheim, CA with all new components including EMPI Exclusive forged trailing arms and spindles, euro ball joints, torsion leaves, bearings and seals-give your car that like new feel with an EMPI Beam In A Box

EMPI has ALL the parts YOU NEED!

Scan for more details and the EMPI Manx build sheet!

EXCLUSIVE

Hand assembled in Southern California with ALL NEW EMPI matched components by VW racing legend Jack Sacchette.

Available in three standard configurations: 1600cc, 1776cc and 1914cc 12 month/12K Mile warranty.

No cores required, No long lead times.

Authentic EMPI parts are only available through EMPI Authorized distributors.

empius.com

EMPI_Buggy_VW_Trends_August_2023.indd 1

Visit your Authorized EMPI Distributor Today!

8/4/2023 2:49:53 PM