VW Trends Magazine Vol. 2, No. 3, Winter 2022

WORLD’S FASTEST

STREET BUG? $7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

VOL. 2, NO. 3

WINTER 2023

TECH: TUNNEL PLATE INSTALLATION •••THROTTLE CABLE FIX

HEBMÜLLER HIJINKS JOLLY GOOD SHOWS A GOOD THING GOING

WINE-COUNTRY

WINNER

staff Editor-In-Chief: Dan “DG” Leadbetter Creative Director and Odd Jobs: Ron Petro Layout, Editing, and Kitchen Sink: Jason Smith Advertising Sales: Bruce Simurda Social Media Guru and Street Team Leader: Larry Bohannon

CONTRIBUTORS Clark Callis, Rich Crafton, Bob Daniels, Eric Geisert, Arthur Junior, Paul Morton, Beckyjo Ohlendorf, Jason Smith, George Trosley, Bill Tsagrinos, 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.

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

Also, if the Postmaster is reading this, I have a question.

What the hell is a Postmaster? What exactly do you do? I mean, does the mail call you daddy? Or some creepy thing like that? When I was growing up on our 13-acre farm in Orland, California (look it up, kids) I helped build fences.

Since I was installing posts, wouldn’t that make me a Postmaster? I mean, I never made the posts wear a leather executioner’s mask or a rubber ball gag, but still.

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VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

WINTER 2023 • VOL. 2 NO. 3

16

DEPARTMENTS 4 TOP DEAD CENTER: The more things change…

6 WHAT’S NEW: Steering box, transaxle, fuel pump, J-tubes, and more.

8 WHAT YEAR IS IT? New colors and new curves for 1973.

32 PETRO’S PAGES: Stonedhenge.

54 TOYS IN THE ATTIC: The Geobra KDF Wagen Savers Bank.

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

64 TROSLEY: VW Friends.

34

FEATURES 14 TRIUMPHING OVER TRAGEDY: Ashlynn Vonderau’s story.

16 BORDEAUX 23: Martin Hein’s wine-country Bus. 29 LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP: Bob Cropsey’s daily-driven Single-Cab. 34 SOMETHING WONDERFUL: Mike Ortega’s ’73 Type 181.

36 SMOKED: Does Johnny Osmunson have the world’s fastest street Bug? 40 WALL OF LEGENDS: Our man Petro at the Schley Brothers Museum.

48 WAIT, I BOUGHT A… WHAT? The $230 Hebmüller.

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56 NEW SHOES: For Showrunner, old school is new cool.

60 LEARN BY DOING: Teach the children well.

EVENTS 10 FLORIDA BUG JAM: Postponing winter in the Sunshine State.

24 SUMMER SLAM 4: Drag-racing fever brought to you by Fast4Cartel.

42 ONE CRAZY WEEKEND: The Dubs descend upon Vegas.

TECHNICAL 22 THE MYSTERIOUS HOOVER BIT: The most overlooked, underrated, misunderstood, and forgotten part on a Type I engine.

44 TUNNEL PLATE INSTALLATION: Easy clutch and throttle cable access,

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60

done the right way.

52 THROTTLE CABLE FIX: Two ways to keep your cable from binding.

On the cover: Main photo: Jason Stilgebouer. Inset: Ian Mockler.

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

3

TOP DEAD CENTER THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY REMAIN THINGS…

A

s I’m writing this, it’s a few days past Halloween, Thanksgiving’s a couple weeks away, Christmas isn’t even on my radar, and I have to write like it’s after the New Year. Sigh. Such is the life of a magazine guy. So let’s get this out of the way; Happy HallowThanksMas Year! Since we’ve covered all the holiday bases, let’s get into what’s going down.

All of us at VW Trends are really excited for 2023 — well, as much as we can be, since it’s still November — as we’ve got some AWESOME stuff happening! First and foremost, our publication is closing in on finishing our second year! I want to personally thank each and every one of you reading this for your support. Seriously, regardless if you bought a subscription, T-shirt, or sticker, or just came up to us at a show to say “welcome back,” the positive feedback we’ve received means the world to us! As I’ve said many times before, we couldn’t have made this magazine happen with you, Constant Reader. So without sounding redundant, THANK YOU, from the top, middle, and

bottom of our hearts!

One thing that you really need to know is we’re coming out with a very special event in 2023. Okay, I won’t make you guess: VW Trends has partnered with Chapman Crafted Beer in Orange, California, to create our own beer for the VW community!

Yes, you heard right! Mark your calendars for June 10 at 10 a.m., as we launch (insert drumroll here) VW Trends 48 IPA: Hopped-Up Beer!

After many evenings tasting various styles of beer, we found one that fits the bill: easy to drink, full flavor, and just an all-around great beverage to have at VW shows or at home while you’re working on your project car. VW Trends 48 IPA is going to be your favorite go-to drink! Go to 48ipa. com to get on the mailing list and get more information about the event.

Elsewhere in this issue, we’ve got some really great stuff to share with you. How about Martin Hein’s Wine Country Bus? About a year ago we got the tip from RK Smith (legendary VW photographer and longtime friend of VW Trends) that Martin

ILLUSTRATIONS: RON PETRO

was in the process of finishing up this awesome, detailed from head-to-toe show Bus, and now it’s come to fruition! Make sure you check this badass Type II out.

On a side note, we’re having SO much fun with our Project Showrunner! It’s looking really sweet with its yellow and carbon-fiber wrap, 17-inch tires from CIP1, and super-slick BRMS with carbon-fiber inserts from EMPI and Sunkist Graphics, respectively. Be on the lookout, as we’re going to hit up as many shows across the nation as we possibly can.

Want us to make a stop in your area?

Let us know what shows are coming up (give us enough lead time to plan it out) and what cruise nights or cars and coffee meets are coinciding with the shows, and we’ll do our best to be there! Reach out to me directly as soon as you can at dan@ vwtrendsmagazine.com, and we’ll see if we can make it happen!

So with the new year, we’re looking to do some new merch for you all. So I gotta ask: What kind of stuff do you want to buy?

We’ve kicked around the idea of license plate frames, more T-shirt designs, more sticker designs, embroidered hats, banners, wall tapestries, and magazine binders.

But I wanna hear from you. What items should VW Trends have in our stable? Keep it somewhat reasonable; I mean, we can’t really afford Dan Leadbetter cardboard standups just yet. Although, that’s an idea…

So in closing, here’s to a brave New Year, full of VW goodness! Now if I can just find a place that’s got egg nog already, I’ll be in business.

— Dan Leadbetter Publisher and Editor-in-Chief dan@vwtrendsmagazine.com

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VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

WHAT’S NEW

OEM PROBUILT STEERING BOX 2480: Fits the following: 1962-77 US Spec Type 1 Beetle, 1962-74 US Spec Karmann Ghia, All Type 3’s, 1973-74 Type 181 Thing, Mexican Beetle, Fridolin, kit cars with ball joint suspensions. Fits the following if you replace the early pitman/drop arm and install a 1966-68 pitman/drop arm: 1949-61 US Spec Type 1 Beetle, 1955-61 US Spec Karmann Ghia, kit cars with link pin suspensions. For more information, use the QR code, go to airkewled.com or call (623) 518-3537.

PROPERLY REBUILT PIERBURG: Available from Air-Cooled Artifacts, this is a properly restored genuine 1300/1600 German Pierburg fuel pump. Each is first completely disassembled and inspected for viability. Next, it’s ultrasonically cleaned, taken down to bare metal, and resurfaced. All hardware is zinc plated, and inlet and outlet tubes are always removed and reseated for safety.

Each pump is fitted with brand new, custom-crafted superior quality diaphragms (Effbe, the OEM supplier to VW) that are formulated with nitrile rubber to withstand modern gasoline blended with ethanol. These German Pierburg fuel pumps also have the reed suction valve replaced and reseated with a genuine Porsche unit that far surpasses the quality of the original. Finally, pumps are reassembled on a jig for correct preload to the main diaphragm. This ensures fuel delivery is correct to factory specs. All gaskets are included for proper installation. These fuel pumps are correct for VWs from 1966 to 1970. They will also work in later years, depending on your engine configuration. For more information, contact AirCooled Artifacts, c/o Lane Russell LLC, 15 Franklin St #351, Avondale Estates, GA 30002; eric@ aircooledartifacts.com; AirCooledArtifacts. com

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VW TRENDS • FALL ’22

RANCHO PRO DRAG SWING AXLE HIGH PERFORMANCE STREET/ STRIP TRANSAXLE: Ready to rock n’ roll when you are! Features aluminum Rhino case with gusset, super diff, upgrade spool, two heavy-duty side plates, German 3.88 Ring & Pinion, Weddle 1 thru 4 gear stack (geared to meet your needs), chromoly pinion retainer, heavy-duty axles, one-piece axle boots, new aluminum carrier, new aluminum nose cone, new bearings, four new syncros.

Upgrades available at additional cost: Pro Shift Aluminum spool, Timken bearing support. Go to ranchotransaxles.com or call (800) 304-8726.

HERITAGE PARTS CENTRE STAINLESS STEEL TYPE 1 J-TUBES: You might find yourself fitting J tubes to your Type 1 engine to allow fitment of a performance exhaust, to bypass the heater system, or to save money over purchasing replacement heat exchangers. Until recently, J tubes were typically manufactured in mild steel, which corrodes and rusts away. Fortunately, SSP have produced J tubes in stainless steel. They’ll remain looking shiny under your engine, and you won’t have to worry about their longevity. You can get in on the action for just £49.95 a pair. Head to HeritagePartsCentre.com and search for part number AC255710 for further details.

VW BUS PLANTERS: VolksBaggin has just added a new item to their product line to satisfy your VW addiction. A must-have for any VW Bus, Camper/ Van owner, or just about anyone. It’s more than just a planter for your small/ medium succulent plants; it’s also great for holding your phone or TV remote.

Place by your kitchen sink to hold your sponge or add a couple of tea-light candles for a cozy night. Each planter is made from high quality industrial-strength cement, hand-poured and handmade. Therefore, each will have unique air bubbles/ tiny holes and slight color variations. They measure approximately 5 inches wide by 2-1/2 inches high and 3 inches deep. To order, visit VolksBaggin at volksbaggin. com.

“AWESOME” SANDWICHED VALVE COVER GASKETS: The numberone maintenance headache on the air-cooled VW is valve cover gasket leaks. Ask anyone! And we all have a specific process for installing them, using special “goop” on the cork gaskets to get them to seal. Whether it’s black windshield adhesive, wheel bearing grease, white lithium grease, various colors of RTV, construction adhesive, super glue … you name it, someone has tried to put it on cork gaskets to get them to not leak. But these problems are in the past with the new patent-pending sandwiched gaskets from Awesome Powdercoat. These unique valve cover gaskets are constructed with rigid 22-gauge steel in the center, sandwiched between two 1.5mm cork outer layers. They are water-jet cut for a perfect fit, and the cork is glued to the steel with Mil-Spec aerospace-approved adhesive. This means the steel fits well, and the top and bottom will not bow up or down. You can now install your gaskets dry — the way VW intended you to do it. Total gasket thickness is 3.94mm, slightly thicker than a stock gasket, and with minimal cork compression it has a high, uniform sealing pressure. These gaskets fit 40hp and 1600 base engines (not 36hp or Type 4 engines), and are available from Awesome Powdercoat for $20.00 a pair plus shipping. (419) 306-7384, AwesomePowdercoat.com.

•Stacks •Pulleys •Block Offs •Dist Clamps

ROSSWULF Purveyors of Speed & Style Vintage AirCooled

•Shift Couplers ...And More

www.rosswulf.com

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

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1973 WHAT YEAR IS IT?

New curves, new colors • by Jason Smith

n 1972 the Beetle surpassed the Model T as the most-produced car of all time.

But as we mentioned in a previous “What Year Is It,” by this time the Beetle was being outperformed and outsold by Japanese competitors, and increasingly stringent safety and pollution regulations weren’t exactly working in Volkswagen’s favor.

1973 was the end of the beginning of the Beetle’s global downturn in sales. (The chart on the next page shows the nosedive Beetle production took in 1974.)

In 1973 the Rolling Stones gave us Angie and Elton John was rocking with crocodiles. The United States had Richard Nixon, American Graffiti, and The Exorcist.

But Volkswagen also caused some heads to turn when they revamped the Beetle for 1973. The most visibly obvious change was the tail lights, which were redesigned with a larger, circular aspect. These have become known affectionately as elephants’ feet. The rear fenders also became more rounded to accommodate the new lights.

The dashboard was completely revamped, with a molded hood for the speedometer; fresh-air vents; and rocker switches for the headlights, hazard lights, and other functions.

The Super Beetle, which was produced in far greater numbers than the Standard Beetle, came with a curved windshield.

In his VW Beetle Specification Guide 1968–1980, Richard Copping gives the following background: “Developed out of the fear that U.S. safety legislation would shortly demand a greater distance between the driver … and the windscreen than the 1302 [Standard Beetle] range afforded, the expense involved in the advance was in vain, as any such plans were aborted by the American authorities.”

The ’73 Super Beetle also came in several limited editions, the most notable of which was the Sports Bug (see next page).

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VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SAMBA

I

▲ Press photo of a U.S.-market ’73 Super Beetle. In 1973, the Super Beetle, or 1303 as it’s known to much of the world, got a prominently curved windshield and a redesigned dashboard. 1973 chassis numbers were 113 2000 001 to 113 3021 954 (Standard Sedan); 133 2000 001 to 133 3021 860 (Super Beetle); and 153 2000 001 to 153 3200 000 (Cabriolet).

PRODUCTION FOR 1973 TOTAL NUMBER BUILT: 1,206,018  5.6% of total Beetle production CABRIOLETS BUILT: 17,685  0.01% of total Beetle production  1.5% of ’73 Beetle production SUPER BEETLES BUILT: 758,858  3.5% of ’73 Beetle production NUMBER BUILT IN GERMANY: 860,726  71.4% of ’73 Beetle production  All Cabriolets were built in Germany  ’73 Beetles built elsewhere: 345,292

$25K

 It seems these days you can get a new car in just about any color you want, as long as it’s black, white, or silver.

But in 1973, Volkswagen offered 23 — count ‘em, 23! — paint colors for the Beetle in the United States.

(See list on next page.) Seven colors were available only on Cabriolets. The Super Beetle below looks like it might be Kasan Red. Or maybe it’s Brilliant Orange. Blood Orange? Search us.

$20K $15K $10K $5K $0

’73 BEETLES WERE BUILT IN:  Wolfsburg, Emden, Hanover, and Osnabrück, Germany  Brussels, Belgium  Costa Rica  Dublin, Ireland  Jakarta, Indonesia  Manila, Philippines  Melbourne, Australia  Montevideo, Uruguay  Peru  Portugal  Puebla, Mexico  São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil  Sarajevo, Yugoslavia  Shah Alam, Malaysia  Singapore  Thailand  Uitenhage, South Africa  Valencia, Venezuela

1/2017 1/2018 1/2019 1/2020 1/2021 1/2022

• Sold • Reserve not met Here are the most recent auction results for ’73 Beetles on bringatrailer.com.

BEETLE PRODUCTION, 1949–79

1973 PAINT COLORS

98+2

L41 BLACK

USED ALL YEARS, 1949–79

1

1973: 1,206,018 BUILT

: ES

L80E LIGHT IVORY

DEBUT YEAR. CABRIOLET ONLY. USED 1970–76

8 ’73 BE ET 6,01 L ,20 SEDANS

L90D PASTEL WHITE

FINAL YEAR. USED 1970–73

L98A MAYA GOLD

USED ONLY IN 1973

CABRIOLETS

L91D KANSAS BEIGE

(1.5% OF 1973 PRODUCTION)

FINAL YEAR. USED 1971–73

’79

L52B BISCAY BLUE USED ONLY IN 1973

’49

L96B ALASKA BLUE

DEBUT YEAR. USED 1973–74

L95B TURQUOISE

FINAL YEAR. USED 1972–73

L96M MARATHON BLUE

DEBUT YEAR. USED 1973–75

L54 D MARINA BLUE USED 1971–74

L51P OLYMPIC BLUE

DEBUT YEAR. CABRIOLET ONLY. USED 1973–74

L61B SUMATRA GREEN

FINAL YEAR. USED 1972–73

L64K ZAMBESI GREEN

USED 1973–74

L65K RAVENNA GREEN

CABRIOLET ONLY. USED 1973–74

L10B TEXAS YELLOW

▲ ’73 Sports Bug Limited Edition. 20,000 were built. They featured blacked-out bumpers and external trim, Recaro-sourced sports seats, and Lemmerz GT wheels.

FINAL YEAR. USED 1972–73

MODIFICATIONS FOR 1973*

L13E SUNSHINE YELLOW

DEBUT YEAR. CABRIOLET ONLY. USED 1973–74

L13M SATURN YELLOW SUPER ONLY. USED 1972–74

L20E AMBER ORANGE

DEBUT YEAR. CABRIOLET ONLY. USED 1973–74

L30B KASAN RED

FINAL YEAR. USED 1972–73

L20B BRILLIANT ORANGE USED 1972–74

L21E BLOOD ORANGE

FINAL YEAR. USED 1972–73

L30E BAHIA RED

DEBUT YEAR. CABRIOLET ONLY. USED 1973–74

L13M PHOENIX RED

DEBUT YEAR. CABRIOLET ONLY. USED 1973–76

▲ 1973 German-market needlepoint ad by the Doyle Dane Bernbach agency: “There’s nothing like dependability.”

 Large circular tail light combining stop light, turn signal, tail light, and backup light  Stronger bumpers  Fully redesigned dashboard  Front seats adjustable to 77 positions  More durable, easier-to-operate clutch  Improved intake-air preheating for faster cold-weather starts  Wiper arms are black  Inertia-reel safety belts  6.00 x 15L tires; 4½-inch-wide wheels  Curved windshield (Super Beetles) *PARTIAL LIST. PRIMARILY APPLIES TO U.S.-MARKET CARS.

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

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Story and photography

by Bob Daniels

FLORIDA 34th ANNUAL BUG JAM

O

f all the things that might cancel a car show, I would say a hurricane might be at the top of the list. But that’s not the case for Floridians. Just days before this year’s Bug Jam, Hurricane Nicole ripped through the state. But if you attended this year’s event, you would have never known.

If you haven’t been to Bug Jam, you’re missing out! Even days after a hurricane, it didn’t disappoint. It takes place in November at the Pasco County Fairgrounds and has really become a three-day event.

For much of the U.S., November is just the calendar’s way of saying, “Winter is coming.” Traveling to Bug Jam gives many people one last excuse to squeeze as much good weather in as they can before the “real” winter kicks in.

The camping crowd moves in quickly and claims their spaces on Friday. Camping begins on Friday night, and at 7 a.m. on Saturday you can claim your show spot on the grounds.

I arrived at the show around noon Saturday, and it already resembled some previous Sunday Bug Jams. Saturday

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is the lead-up day to the main show on Sunday, and is filled with all sorts of fun events. The off-road course is open to anyone who wants to run their Baja, Buggy, or anything else on the track. Truly a unique experience. Some cars on the track were specifically built for off-road use, while others… Let’s just say they may have been dared to do it. But in the end it’s all for fun.

When mid-afternoon rolls around, anyone can line up for a police-escorted cruise to downtown Dade City. It’s just a couple of miles, but in Dade City the parking lots are blocked off for the cruisers. After the cruise, it’s back to Bug Jam where the party at the fairgrounds keeps going. A live band takes the main stage, the bleachers are crowded, and so is the grass dance floor.

I spent most of the evening catching up with my friends in the Local Volks VW Club (who would go on to win Largest Club Participation award on Sunday).

Around 11 p.m. the band was still playing, but it was time for me to head out and get ready for Sunday’s show.

On Sunday morning most start their day at the swap meet, and for good reason. Bug Jam is notorious for having a very good swap meet, one of the largest anywhere.

If you think the swap is big, then wait till you see the show. There were over 700 entries this year. With that many show cars, it was a big task for the judges.

Best of Show went to the fine folks at Long Restoration in Dunlap, Tennessee.

At first glance their car has some obvious mods, but it takes a few seconds to realize the lowered headlights that you can’t un-notice after seeing them.

It would be unfair to single out any other cars, as I could go on for days talking about all the standouts.

Bug Jam also brings out great food vendors and a great band on the main stage. It’s a true family event, with lots to do with the kids. There are indoor vendors as well, so you can get a break from the Florida sun if you so desire. The Bug Jam truly is a can’t-miss event — you should put it on your calendar for next year.

The off-road course was open to anyone who wanted to run their Baja or Buggy. It was busy all day with folks playing in the mud.

Mark Gordon recently added the Iozzio wheels to his patina ’64.

Blast from the past: Joyce Shipley’s ’60 Beetle was a VW Trends feature car back in 2001.

Jack Cook’s Ghia was off-road ready, but unfortunately it never took to the track.

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 11

Andrew Donley’s ’65 Single Cab farm truck. Nothing runs like a Deere!

There was no dragstrip, but Ron Hubbert did fire up his drag Bug a few times to wow the crowd.

Tony Spiegelsberger’s 62 Rag just had the right look!

Originally built by Ian Roussel on the TV show Car Warriors, the “F-Bomb” is now owned by Joe Fanning.

Max Nayakakorala’s bone-stock Savannah Beige ’67 was a refreshing sight in a sea of custom cars.

Single Cab or Double Cab... What’s your pick?

Not sure how much surfing Smitty Smith does in Tennessee, but he’s got two boards ready when needed.

No surprise that John Flynn took home first in the Modified Bug class. Easily one of the nicest cars of the day.

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Best of Show went to this ’62 RHD conversion by Long Restoration. Check out the headlights, which have been lowered by two inches.

HOT DUBS COLD SUDS AND

48IPA HOPPED-UP BEER LAUNCH PARTY

SATURDAY, JUNE 10TH, IN OLD TOWNE ORANGE, CA Come celebrate the launch of VW Trends 48 IPA, brewed by Chapman Crafted Beer.

VIP VW show (limited space availability)  Swag  Food  Plenty of 48 IPA

DON’T WAIT! REGISTER AT:

48IPA.COM

TRIUMPHING

OVER TRAGEDY The VW community supports one of its own

by David Zemla • Photos courtesy of Ashlynn Vonderau

Ashlynn Vonderau and Spencer Thomas

W

e started this piece on the unstoppable Ashlynn Vonderau and her YouTube-famous Dust Buggy several months back.

Ashlynn’s garage-built machine was the unlikely combination of Baja and Super Beetle, and Ashlynn and her significant other Spencer were not afraid to mash the skinny pedal in the dirt.

Countless videos of their trials and tribulations saw countless views from an adoring public. The car evolved as they learned, and the two shared each victory and defeat, even putting together their own off-road event called Mojave Madness, which brought together and celebrated the amazing creations born of the humble VW. Then an almost incomprehensible tragedy struck the air-cooled loving couple. While driving their vintage Suburban tow rig on a sunny day, they were hit head-on by an out-of-control BMW. In a last-second effort to avoid calamity, Spencer attempted to swerve away from the oncoming car, effectively putting himself in more danger and saving Ashlynn’s life. The force of the impact crumpled their 5,000-pound Suburban like it was made of paper. Four souls perished on that fateful day, and as the only survivor, Ashlynn would spend nearly a month in the hospital.

What did not pass that fateful day was Ashlynn’s passion for VWs. Against all odds, and likely against doctor’s orders, she attended Mojave Madness. Dozens of dirt enthusiasts congregated, helped Ashlynn around their basecamp in the Southern California desert, and celebrated more than just Volkswagens: They were

14 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

there to honor Spencer and support Ashlynn and to make it clear that the VW community takes care of its own.

Donations and offers of parts and wrenching time have poured in, the love often overwhelming Ashlynn as she attempts to heal both physically and emotionally. Her cars and her vintage motorhome wait patiently for the day she’s ready to pick up a wrench, tune a carb and again head out to her spiritual happy place in the desert.

Ashlynn and Spencer’s beloved Dust Buggy is now a permanent memorial to her fallen love. She says it will always be with her, and we have no doubt she’ll be back behind the wheel in the near future.

Follow Ashlynn on Instagram dust_buggy or search YouTube for Dustbuggy.

“Mojave Madness this year was not the event it was supposed to be, but the off-road community came together to make it something beautiful and special anyways. … I don’t know what the future of Dust Buggy will look like or how to keep going after this. But I’ll figure it out, somehow. I know [Spencer] would want me to. That’s the only thing I know for certain.” — Ashlynn on Instagram dust_buggy

“Yesterday, at 4:10 pm, exactly two months to the day it happened ... I visited the last place my love Spencer and I were together. It was quiet, peaceful. You would never imagine that such a nice area could hold such a horrific tragedy.”

— Ashlynn on Instagram dust_buggy

“My first ride back in the Dust Buggy after the accident was a bittersweet moment. She ran like shit. I think she misses Spence and wishes he could adjust her carb one more time. Don’t worry buggy, I’m gonna get back on my feet and take care of you. And I’ll never let you go We are stuck together forever. Spencer’s dad drove her to the funeral parlor for Spence’s service and I rode shotgun for the first time in two months. She ran pretty poorly, almost like she was on three cylinders, and I could just hear Spence yelling, ‘NOOOOO! She isn’t running right, don’t run her!’

It was too important to me that she was there for both of us. I needed her there for support, more than I had anticipated.

She was the thing our lives revolved around for the last six years of our relationship, and I will never regret those memories and experiences together. When I think about the very last year Spence had on earth, it reminds me how many good times we had together and that he had the best send-off possible.

— Ashlynn on Instagram dust_buggy

“When you are in the midst of grief, it can be nearly impossible to be thankful for anything when you can’t have the person you love back. But I’m trying to focus on the positives and how lucky I was in such an unlucky, shitty situation. Last week was the first time I stood up on my feet since the accident. I’ve started wearing underwear again, even sweatpants too! Every day I’ve been walking farther and farther, from only a step or two to being able to walk to the bathroom and back. I DON’T NEED A POTTY CHAIR ANYMORE...

I was out of the hospital in time for Mojave Madness I have function in both my hands and feet, I still have both eyes, I had a great team of doctors that took care of me, and I was the only person that made it out of that accident alive. It’s hard to wrap my mind around everything that happened.

It just doesn’t feel real. I don’t know if it ever will. But focusing on positives is the only thing I can do to try to rebuild my life… I could have fared a lot worse, and I thank God and my guardian angel Spencer every day for blessing me with another day on this earth. God is good ” — Ashlynn on Instagram dust_buggy

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 15

BORDEAUX

23

Martin Hein’s Wine-Country Bus Story and photos

by Jason Stilgebouer

16 VW TRENDS • WINTER WINTER’23 SUMMER ’23 ’22

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 17

 The beautiful Bordeaux Red paint covers every square inch of the immaculate restoration job done by the folks at Smitty’s Auto Body.

It’s really rare to find a Split Type II in this condition!

L

oving Volkswagens is akin to being into fine wine. You know what you like, what the right years are, and what your taste buds can afford. In the rolling hills off the Central Coast of California is Fortitude Cellars Wine, owned

by Martin Hein. Martin’s ’63 23-window Bus not only gets better with age, it also pairs well with a fine glass of wine.

The Fortitude Cellars brand is built around striving for perfection, and Martin’s Bus is absolute perfection in motion.

Martin has an extensive VW collection, from an authentic Myers Manx to several Transporters and a Karmann Ghia, but this 23-window is undoubtedly the crown jewel.

The Bus was built by Corey Smith of Smitty’s Auto Body Repair. The build took countless hours over five years, with more than 80 percent of the original metalwork being rebuilt.

Bordeaux is among the world’s best wines. Martin’s Bus is painted L51 Bordeaux Red, a color offered on Beetles in 1949 and 1950. This simple yet elegant color pays homage to the past and complements Martin’s wine business. And a perfectly painted undercarriage sets this Split way over the top.

The Bus is powered by a 2332cc motor built by Old Speed of Paramount, California, with dual 48 IDA carbs, Engle 120 cam, crank-ignition trigger system, and a Bernie Bergmann Porsche-style fan shroud. Spent gasses exit via an A-1 stainless steel exhaust system. The blacked-out engine accessories reflect perfectly off the shaved firewall with vents made to rep-

18 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

 The dash is super clean and simple. All you need is a fuel gauge, speedo and tach.

 The dash clock is permanently set to 5 p.m. — just as a reminder that it’s Happy hour somewhere!

 Every inch of the interior has been gone over and made sure it was up to Martin’s strict standards.

licate those of an early Beetle. The 2332 is mated to a Rancho pro street IRS transaxle conversion with freeway flyer gears.

It also features a 3.88 ring and pinion, super diff, heavy-duty side covers, welded hubs, and steel shift forks. Gear selection is a breeze with the Vintage Speed shifter. The Bus rides on AccuAir suspension by Dub Fab with custom drop spindles and spring plates. All four corners have Wilwood disc brakes and authentic Porsche Fuchs with Continental radial rubber.

It’s almost impossible to find original glass for a 23-window Bus, so Martin had the original Sigla German logos etched in reproduction glass. All the hardware was replaced with black titanium from Pro Bolt.

Inside is all-German leather, a GPS speedo, an early Bus steering wheel, and an insane JL sound system Cartronix Autosound in Yuba City. Martin set the dashboard clock to 5 p.m. as a reminder that it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere.

From the countless hours in bodywork and paint to the exceptional details, this 23-window Bordeaux Bus has been a five-year-long journey. Martin’s Bus is one of the nicest examples of Type II metal we’ve seen in a long time. It’s refreshing to see someone as passionate as Martin put a large amount of his personality into a dream project. Whether it’s in the middle of a vineyard, cruising down PCH, or rolling on a lawn at Pebble Beach, this Bus is a work of art, and everyone who was involved in the build should be extremely proud of their work.

Cheers!

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 19

  To keep the good times rolling in Martin’s Bus, Cartronix Autosound installed a JL Audio sound system. Note the cool remote control mounted on the dash. Looks like factory!  The engine is a monster 2332cc with a 84mm crankshaft and 94mm pistons and jugs.

The blacked-out hardware and Bernie Bergmann Porsche-style fan shroud really look awesome!

20 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

  The interior got the royal treatment from Frankie at Cool Customs in Yuba City, California. Cool Customs outfitted the entire inside of Martin’s ’63 Split in Mocha leather.

the build sPECS

EXTERIOR: Bodywork and paint by Corey Smith / Smitty’s Auto Body. Paint color: Bordeaux Red. CHASSIS: AccuAir suspension by Dub Fab, with drop spindles. Lowered spring plates. Porsche Fuchs wheels, chromed and painted. Continental 165/45/15 tires, Wilwood disc brakes.

ENGINE: Built by Old Speed. 2332cc with 84mm crank, 94mm pistons. Dualport heads, ported and polished. 8.6:1 compression. Weber 48 IDA carbs and manifolds, Bernie Bergmann Porschestyle fan shroud.

TRANSAXLE: Rancho IRS with Freeway Flyer gears, 3.88 ring and pinion, Super Diff, heavy-duty side covers, welded hubs, and steel shift forks.

 Let’s talk details: Original 23-Window glass is hard to come by, so Martin had the German Sigla logo etched into the replacement glass.

INTERIOR: Mocha-colored leather upholstery by Frankie at Cool Customs.

Custom-built seats and door panels.

Speed Hut gauges. Vintage Speed shifter.Cartronix Autosound audio system.German square-weave brown wool carpet.

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 21

TECH

The Hoover bit is the black piece shown here. It attaches to the lower edge of offset (doghouse) oil cooler, and blocks cooling air from escaping between the cooler and the fan housing.

THE MYSTERIOUS

HOOVER BIT

By Clark Callis

V

olkswagen part number 113 117 321, the “oil cooler sealing frame,” a.k.a.

Hoover bit, is the most overlooked, underrated, misunderstood, and forgotten part on a Type I VW doghouse fan shroud engine.

The offset oil cooler that we commonly call the doghouse came out in 1971, and it was radically different from the earlier internal oil cooler used until then. The

22 VW TRENDS • WINTER WINTER’23 ’23

small Hoover bit attaches to the lower edge of that new oil cooler, using the two bolts that hold the cooler to the adapter block, and blocks air from escaping between the cooler and the fan housing. (Why is it called a Hoover bit? It’s named after Bob Hoover, a guy who was constantly telling folks how important this little part is. He nagged them so much, they named the part after him.)

And as we said, on many engines it is forgotten. There’s no telling how many VW engines are missing this part. Why? Well, there are a few reasons: 1) It’s small.

2) It’s located where no one ever sees it.

3) The engine will run without it. That one is big! Think about it: How many parts can you just leave off a Bug engine and have it still run? Not too many. Leave off a valve cover … not good.

4) There’s almost no documentation on this part in owner’s manuals.

The official Bentley service manual, ENGINE, page 16, section 8.1, “Removing and Installing Oil Cooler,” covers both the early and later oil coolers, but it only shows a picture of the early. There’s no mention of the oil cooler sealing frame. In the John Muir book How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive, Chapter XV, Engine Overhaul, page 256, section 16, “Remove Oil Cooler,” there is one sentence: “Lift the cooler off and remove the little tin piece around the lip where the cooler fits on the case.” But there’s no mention of reinstalling the oil cooler sealing frame when the oil cooler is installed. It has simply been forgotten.

Why should you care? The engine can run without it, so why bother? Well, if you leave the Hoover bit off, there’s a huge gap at the bottom of the oil cooler. This lets much needed cooling air escape — air that should be going through the oil cooler. This means less air to cool the oil and higher oil temperatures.

To prove this, take a stock VW shroud, put the oil cooler on the adapter block and slide it down inside. See the huge gap?

Think how much air goes out that opening.

Or take an aftermarket fan shroud, put the oil cooler on the adapter block and slide it down inside. Often this gap is larger than a stock VW shroud!

Awesome Powdercoat makes Hoover bits for VW shrouds, and is the only one making them for SCAT and EMPI shrouds.

They also make a special Hoover bit for folks running the larger Type 3 oil cooler on the Bug engine, and even the wider Type 4 oil cooler. This little part can make a huge difference: Folks complain about high oil temperatures, and then find out their Hoover bit is missing. They install one, problem solved!

Stock fan shroud and oil cooler with no Hoover bit installed.

You can see the gap between the fan housing and oil cooler.

Stock fan shroud and oil cooler with the Hoover bit installed.

The bit fills the gap, forcing all air through the oil cooler.

Aftermarket fan housings are no exception, as you can see the large gap that’s present without a Hoover bit in place.

Hoover bits are available to fit aftermarket fan housings, and for those running larger Type 3 and Type 4 oil coolers.

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VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• WINTER ’23 23

FAST4CARTEL

SUMMER SLAM 4 David Stark’s beautiful Karmann Ghia launches the wheels sky-high on a solid pass at Summer Slam 4 in Medford, Oregon.

T

he Fast4Cartel brought VW drag racing fever to southern Oregon with the Summer Slam 4 event, sponsored by Marvin and Sons Construction, held June 25 and 26, 2022, at Medford drag strip.

Mother Nature had a fever as well, as temperatures during the weekend broke 100 degrees. The sudden summer heat did little to thwart hardcore VW racers.

F4C Family What is the Fast4Cartel experience like?

Beyond the excitement of Volkswagen drag racing, in one word, it’s family.

Leading up to the race weekend, promoters Jeff Newcomb and Jeff Kramarsic involve kids in the fun. This time ‘Hold My Juice Box’ patches were offered up to kids who posted en-route-to-Medford videos to the group’s Facebook page arm-pumping truckers into a quick toot of their air horns. The family atmosphere

24 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

continues at the track, where Tom and Sherri Kinney and the Kinney Cafeteria crew provide incredible food and drinks for all in attendance. Everyone enjoys the opportunity to sit back, relax and bench race over delicious Hawaiian cuisine. An apple pie contest is also a regular fixture, with Andy Marvin clinching the win this year. Perennial Cartel supporters Dee and Doug Berg were present. Ever the good sport, Doug served as the literal target for the dunk tank, which raised about $860 in donations benefitting the Medford Dragstrip. In the pits, the spirit of generosity and racer’s ohana extended throughout multiple camps. From engine swaps to welding work, VW racers are simply the best in helping others as needed.

The Race Program The eighth-mile program features four classes: Heavy, Light, Triple Index,

Story and photography by Ryan Bonham Sportsman, and for the ladies, Powder Puff. Heavy and Light run off a .400 Pro tree and are heads-up, while the latter three classes run a .500 Sportsman tree.

Triple Index offers racers their choice of three index times to run against (7.0, 7.6, 8.2) and Sportsman offers four indexes (8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5). Powder Puff may select their own dial-in. The Cartel holds a poker-chip draw that randomly pairs up racers and assigns track lanes. The draw also includes random gas and money chips. At this race, local racers John and Debbie Morse contributed $500 for five random gas-money drawings for each teched racer that arrived to race Sunday morning. Racers arrived Friday night and some ran in test sessions, which continued Saturday afternoon, Eliminations began bright and early Sunday morning.

The Racing The Rancho-sponsored Heavy final

brought forth two Nevada-based J Bros Racing cars to the line: Battle Born Jason Fuller and Andrew ‘Drewski’ Kremers in The Barnacle. Fuller took the win and $500 cash prize. Kremers took home $200 as runner up.

The Ron Lummus Racing-sponsored Light final came down to the fatherin-law/son-in-law showdown of Tom Kinney and Devin Earhart and their ’61 and ’56 Bugs. Earhart carried his hole shot to the stripe, earning $1,000 for the win, with Kinney taking home $400 for second place.

Triple Index, sponsored by Autocraft, saw Dean Drake in the ‘Code Blue’ Bug take out veteran NorCal racer Steve Poderzay’s familiar red sedan, winning $1,000 in the What is the process. Poderzay Fast4Cartel earned $400 as experience runner-up. like? Beyond Sportsman, the excitement sponsored by Gene of Volkswagen Berg Enterprises, drag racing, in saw Raynard Higa one word, it’s ($400) defeat family. newcomer Beck Kyelberg ($200).

Powder Puff’s final, sponsored by California Auto Image, Cynthia Ray ($100) took out Theresa Good-Hornbeck ($50).

Three of the finalists — Higa, Drake and Earhart — were first-time Cartel race winners. Congrats to all!

Key support came from event sponsor Marvin and Sons Construction, as well as class sponsors Rancho Performance Transaxles, Ron Lummus Racing, Autocraft, Gene Berg Enterprises, and California Auto Image. Associate sponsors included Medford Dragstrip, CB Performance, Cynthia and Mark Ray, Wolfgang International, Hot VWs magazine, FTD USA, Emmett Racing, Moule’s Glass, J Bros Racing, M45, Snail Performance, DK Machine, TurbosDirect, Rodgers Contract Cutting, Shane Constant and Jim Brown, Gaskill Trucking Company, GearWerks Transaxle, MOVE Motorsports, Beetle Power, Shorty’s, Strictly Foreign, Volkstroke, Outlaw VW Racing Team, and the Kinney Cafeteria. For more info on Fast4Cartel, visit their Facebook page or their website at fast4cartel.org.

John Bates warms up the slicks in his badass black ’67 Cal-Look Bug.

Lane assignments and racer pairings are determined through random poker chip draws, demonstrated here by Dean Nilson and Eric “Secret Squirrel” Bernal.

Jason Maddox traveled from Burlington, Washington, to run his ’67 13-window Deluxe Bus, powered by a 2332cc Type 1 utilizing a blow-thru turbo setup.

Hungry racers and fans enjoy the hospitality of Kinney Cafeteria, one of the highlights of a Fast4Cartel race weekend.

Michael Cruz, assisted here by Les Sakauye, split two cylinders during testing and made swift repairs to his Notchback racer thanks to help from Jason Veal and John Bates.

Kyle Hutchins up above and Sam Duncan underneath work furiously to swap engines in Hutchins’ Patina Princess following a valvetrain failure. Spoiler alert: mission accomplished!

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 25

Fast4Cartel Summer Slam 4 Results

HEAVY:  Jason Fuller, 5.7140, 125.98 mph  Andrew Kremers, 6.4029, 110.67 mph LIGHT:  Devin Earhart, 6.5554, 109.86 mph  Tom Kinney, 6.4975, 111.94 mph TRIPLE INDEX:  Dean Drake, 7.8175/7.60, 70.68 mph  Steve Poderzay, 7.8142/7.60, 88.44 mph Jason Fuller, far lane, emerged as the top gun in the Heavy class, with Andrew Kremers as runner-up.

SPORTSMAN:  Raynard Higa, 10.2531/9.50, 71.55 mph  Beck Kyelberg, 11.2522/11.50, 60.68 mph POWDER PUFF:  Cynthia Ray, 10.4144/10.40, 69.61 mph  Theresa Good-Hornbrook, 10.3860/10.40, 64.64 mph

Devin Earhart beat his father-in-law Tom Kinney in the Light final, carrying his hole shot all the way to the end!

Cynthia Ray won the final round of Powder Puff over Theresa GoodHornbeck.

 Fast4Cartel coordinator Jeff ‘Newk’ Newcomb presented Light class winner Devin Earhart with a celebratory giant check.

Dean Drake in Code Blue, near lane, won the Triple Index final over veteran racer Steve Poderzay.

Who says front-wheel-drive VWs can’t do smoky burnouts? Here’s Aaron Coy’s water pumper in the water box.

 Raynard Higa, shown with Doug Berg at left and Jeff Newcomb at right, celebrates his victory in the Sportsman class.

 Dean Drake and Jeff Newcomb celebrate Drake’s Triple Index win.

Wheels-up action is always impressive, especially when done by a traditional Cal Look car like Kaimi Coonrad’s ’66 Bug.

26 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

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VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 27

LONG-TERM

RELATIONSHIP This ’71 Single-Cab has been Bob Cropsey’s daily driver for more than 18 years.

by DG Leadbetter

Y

ou really must admire people who are so dedicated to someone or something.

That kind of diligence and commitment are hard to find in this day and age of instant gratification. Technology, including cars, is pretty much designed with planned obsolescence in mind. At least cars have a longer shelf life than your phone or tablet.

People upgrade their portable electronics every year or so, some people have three or four marriages under their belt by the time they get ready to take a dirt nap, and for the most part, new cars get replaced every 10 years or so.

One clear exception to the rule is Bob Cropsey. Longtime readers of VW Trends have heard his name before. Bob is one of a handful of seriously hardcore, die-hard VW enthusiasts on the East Coast. So much so that he’s written four books about our beloved sport. His latest book, Volkswagen

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 29

Bob did all the bodywork on this Single-Cab before spraying single-stage Centari acrylic enamel in the original L87 Pearl White over the reworked sheet metal.

Complete: History to Hobby, is an awesome hardback chock full of VW history. (Get your own copy at vwhistorytohobby.com. You can read our full review of the book in the Spring 2022 issue.)

But the real issue at hand is Bob’s ’71 Single-Cab. Bob already had a respectable stable of Volkswagens but was looking for something a little different.

He mentioned to his friend Fred Palacios that he was looking for a Bay-Window Single-Cab. Fred said he knew of one owned by a guy who had just retired from running a cabinet shop in New York. Perfect timing! Some cash and a handshake later, Bob drove it home to New Jersey. That’s when the real work started.

Bob’s not one of those guys that drops a project off at a shop and comes back when it’s finished. He does all the work himself — mechanical, bodywork, and painting —

30 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

Bob drives his ’71 every day… rain or shine!

in his two-car garage. He really is a Bob of all trades!

Bob did all the work on this ’71 after hours and on weekends so it would be ready for the Monday commute to work. That meant it went through multiple restoration stages. Bob retired a few years ago and decided to do a full and final resto, and what you see before you is the finished product.

The “treasure chest” doors on most

Single-Cab VWs are in bad shape.

Sadly, this truck was no exception. After some research, Bob discovered brand-new aftermarket doors were available in the U.K. Sold! He bought two for both sides of the truck.

Bob made sure the sheet metal was in tip-top shape before laying down multiple coats of original L87 Pearl White DuPont Centari acrylic enamel. (That’s single-stage paint with no clear.)

Once the paint was dry and cured, Bob wet-sanded and buffed it to make it shine like showroom new. Bob’s longtime friend Ed May came over and added some clean and tasteful pinstriping as a finishing touch.

When Bob bought the Single-Cab, sheets of aluminum diamond plate covered the bed, acting as a protectant. Bob removed it in hopes of finding a pristine, original bed. Well, that didn’t happen. The

Bob installed new foam, seat covers, door panels, and floor mats.

The camel-colored upholstery looks sweet with the white paint.

Bob built a brand new 1600 engine from scratch. Looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

bed looked like it had been used to catch cinder blocks that were dropped from a 12-story building. At the time of Bob’s restoration, beds and braces weren’t being reproduced, so the best option he had was to replace all the diamond plate, which he painted black to offset the brilliant white paint. Since the insides of the VW’s gates were also dented beyond repair, Bob covered them with 1/8-inch polished aluminum diamond plate to complete the look.

Bob also built a brand-new 1600cc engine from scratch. Tim at VolkzBitz rebuilt the stock carb. Spent gasses exit through a new stock exhaust system that was heat coated, making it more efficient. Gear selection is a breeze with a rebuilt transmission. Bob replaced the entire braking system, including the master cylinder and the large servo unit. (1971 is the first year front disc brakes were stock on a Type 2.)

The back looks sharp with the addition of a third brake light and two additional backup lights on the bottom of the rear bumper. This allowed Bob to add yellow lenses to the old back-up lights, making

them directionals. All the lights got chrome visors. He also made the hitch, which is set up with all the electrics necessary for towing.

Bob’s rear-window jailbars get a lot of attention and comments. The factory put them inside the Bus so luggage wouldn’t bump or break the windows. Good idea, right? But why didn’t they add something to protect the glass on the outside of the pickup? Bob got two sets of jailbars and did it himself. The back window in a ’71 Single-Cab is several inches wider than a pre-’67 Type II. The jailbars had to be cut and reattached so the connections would line up inside the uprights.

Bob replaced the headliner and refurbed the rest of the interior, including new foam and seat covers, door panels, and floor mats.

He has an in-dash Kenwood AM/FM CD player in the dash, along with an amplifier powering a set of three-way speakers.

Bob moved the spare tire, which normally lays flat under the seat, to the treasure chest. He covered the top of the sparetire compartment with a heavy board and

cut speaker holes in it, making that the speaker enclosure. He finished the seat bottoms with a stainless-steel sheet so sound is directed outward instead of being muffled by the seat. Pretty ingenious.

Being a drummer, Bob got creative and replaced the shaky stock gas pedal with a bass-drum pedal. Now it’s super smooth and sturdy.

The back window of a Single-Cab is only a few inches from the back of the driver’s head. Bob got tired of the New Jersey winter cold coming off the window, so he installed curtains, and the look stuck.

All the glass shops in Bob’s area had windshields with heavy tinting along the top. Not the look Bob was going for, so a brand-new, nontinted windshield was delivered from California.

We think you’ll agree that Bob’s ’71 Single-Cab is a real looker. The fact that it has been his daily transportation for 18-plus years is a testament to the resiliency of the VW as well as Bob’s technical prowess! If you’re ever in the New Jersey area, keep your eyes and ears peeled for Bob and his Type II!

You’re not hallucinating: The gas pedal was replaced with a bass drum pedal. Bob plays the drums, so this was an obvious choice.

The insides of the gates were dented beyond repair, so Bob covered them with 1/8-inch polished aluminum diamond plate.

VW put jail bars inside Buses to protect the window glass. Bob adapted a set of pre-’67 bars to protect the outside of his glass.

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 31

SOMETHING WONDERFUL! T

ype 181s are a breed apart. There’s a rugged, off-roadish feel to them, and they’re unlike any other vehicle on the road today. And while one could assert that an air-cooled VW in general is unlike any other car on the road, The Type 181 (or Thing, as it’s more popularly known) is a whole other animal!

Mike Ortega from Tustin, California, got into VWs when he got his first Bug, a ’66 Beetle that he fixed up and took to car shows. His collection grew from there — so much so that he started his own restoration shop. From the mid-1980s to 2000, he owned Independent Motoring Volkswagen Restoration Shop, where he built VWs for himself as well as for customers getting cars shipped to Japan. He’s taken Best of Show with his restored ’64 Bug as well as other Best of Show race cars. So there’s some German blood running in Mike’s veins. Mike’s

34 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

Mike Ortega has a good Thing going.

By DG Leadbetter • Photos by Paul Morton son can remember Mike working on VWs way back then, and now that Mike’s son has a son of his own, he asked Mike to get back into VWs again. That’s when Mike got this ’73 Type 181.

It was Mike’s plan to take this patina Thing and turn it into a badass Cal-Look cruiser. But as fate would have it, the Thing got hit in the front in an accident. It turned out to be a happy accident, as the insurance money paid for a complete repaint.

Miracle Design in Santa Ana, California made sure the body was up to snuff before the multiple coats of PPG White paint were applied.

The Thing is dropped two inches by way of an adjustable front beam and Type 1 Bug spindles from Custom 1 in Santa Fe Springs, California. Richard at Lizard Motorsports took care of the rear suspension, giving Mike’s Thing the attitude it needed. Mike’s dream of a Cal-Look Thing was realized when he added a set of 15-inch EMPI BRMstyle wheels: 15x5 in the front, 15x6.5 out back, all wrapped in Nankang tires.

There’s nothing too crazy in the engine compartment, just a brand-new stock 1600cc powerplant from Nyscoe Motors in Santa Ana. The engine features powder-coated tins, a new alternator, a 34 PIC carb, and a 1 7/8" A-1 Performance stainless steel exhaust system. Since the engine wasn’t going to be breaking any gears, a rebuilt stock transaxle from Carter’s Gear Box Shop would do the trick just fine.

Mike’s Thing was looking good, but it

Mike Ortega owns one of the coolest Cal-Look Things in Southern California! Mike is one proud man, and with good cause.

Either coming or going, Mike’s Type 181 makes an impression.

The Thing Shop installed a brand new convertible top.

Nothing too fancy in the engine compartment: a brand new 1600cc powerplant from Nysco Motors with an upgraded A-1 Performance 1 7/8” stainless steel exhaust.

Universal Auto Upholstery in Costa Mesa, California, did doublestitched, brick-red vinyl on the seats, while charcoal gray German wool square-weave carpet was added to the floors.

Mike’s trunk is is so clean you could eat off it… it even has a spare EMPI BRMstyle rim!

needed something to REALLY set it apart.

A trip to Universal Auto Upholstery in Costa Mesa, California, was what it took to take this Type 181 to the next level. All the seats were redone in double-stitched brick-red vinyl, while the floorboards were covered

in charcoal-gray German wool squareweave carpet. Three-inch Crow Racing seat belts keep Mike and his passengers in their respective seats. A 14-inch Nardi wood steering wheel keeps Mike going in the right direction, while a Gene Berg Locker shifter makes gear selection a breeze. The convertible top and glovebox radio kit are from The Thing Shop.

Cruising around is fun and all, but it’s even better when you’re cranking your favorite sounds. Mike enlisted Advance Car Creations in Garden Grove, California, to stuff an Alpine head unit, amplifiers, a matched set of four JBL 6x9 full-range speakers, and a single 10-inch JL Audio W3 subwoofer into the VW. The subwoofer enclosure is located behind the

Advance Car Creations installed an Alpine head unit and amps, JL Audio 10inch subwoofer, and four JBL speakers.

rear seat and is carpeted in black.

All in all, Mike’s Type 181 is a real thing of beauty! Who knows what he’ll build next?

If it’s anything like his ’73 Cal-Look Thing, it’s going to be pretty amazing!

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 35

36 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

SMOKED WORLD’S FASTEST STREET RACING BUG? PROVE ME WRONG!

By Bill Tsagrinos Photos by Ian Mockler

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 37

I

f you are into internal combustion engines on any level, you know the VW drag racing scene is a very small microcosm of a larger drag racing scene.

Bugorama Racing Series, Real Street, or Fast 4 Cartel — people are familiar with those organizations and have seen many a respectable quarter- and eighthmile pass in their day. You may or may not know the name Johnny Osmunson from Tucson, Arizona, but after reading this article, maybe you’ll commit it to memory.

Johnny Osmunson is the proud owner of this seriously street-prepped, battleship-gray ’62 Beetle. At first glance, you might think this was just another street Bug with a mildly hopped-up motor. But step around back to the business end, and you’ll quickly realize this thing will eat your lunch… and pretty much anyone else’s lunch that’s looking for a match!

Full disclosure: Johnny’s no stranger to street racing. Since before he could drive, he was already addicted to the smell of race gas and ultra-fast street cars.

The ’62 Beetle was his first Volkswagen, purchased when Johnny was 14 years old! The previous owner had bumped up the engine to 1641cc, and Johnny thought it was the fastest thing ever! Later, he realized there was a lot more room for improvement in the flat four, so he decided to build a 1915cc. Now he had the power he was craving … for the moment. But life got in the way, and the Bug got put on hold for about 10 years.

During the Bug’s hiatus, Johnny built a ’65 right-hand-drive Beetle that was more of a show car. But the engine couldn’t remain stock, so he beefed it up and added a turbo. With the ’65 complete and under his belt, Johnny got reinspired to finish the car that started it all. For ten years he had never paid her much attention at all, but now it was her time to shine.

At the time, Johnny worked at Chirco VW in Tucson, Arizona. Not a bad place for a VW enthusiast to call home, and it just happened to be where a wrecked Buggy’s transaxle became available.

That’s when things started getting out of control… in the best way possible!

Next on the hit parade was a new

38 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

No metalflake here. This battleship gray paint is all business. The KDF logo on the hood looks great!

powerplant. Johnny built a 2332cc out of used spare parts that were laying around.

We can all agree it would be nice to have access to a bunch of spare parts like that!

In its early form, the ’62 ran 11 seconds in the quarter mile.

Always being down for a competitive fight, and in spite of losing a lot of races, Johnny kept going back out, breaking transmission after transmission with a 300hp turbo engine. Chasing victory meant Johnny was going to have to go back to the drawing board to be competitive. First was to fix the transaxle

problems. Rick Stansfield, a respected transaxle builder in Phoenix, suggested a Medeolla 2D transaxle. The new transaxle features a 3.88 ring and pinion, billet aluminum side cover, and is geared really tall, giving the ’62 some long legs.

The clutch is a twin disc Kennedy on a cable (not hydraulic). This car is as basic as it gets: no frills, just fast!

Next was the powerplant. Johnny knew what he wanted and set out to build the ultimate 2332 street screamer. The base is a three-piece Autocraft aluminum case with an 84mm stroker

Pretty spartan in here. (What were you looking for? Leather seats?) Anything Johnny needs to know about what’s going on with the motor appears on the Holley 7-inch digital dash.

Gear selection is handled by an MSE Vertigate in-line pistol-grip shifter. The tank on the dash is for the CO2 that drives the Boost Leash boost controller. The roll cage was built by Brent and Collin McKee.

crankshaft with huge Gibtech 94mm pistons and Pauter jugs. The big change was for E98 ethanol. Kevin Vanoi set up the carburetor, based on an 850 CFM Holley. The turbo is smaller than the previous setup; Johnny switched to blow-through for reliability. The Aeromotive fuel regulator increases the fuel PSI, then adds one pound of pressure for every ten pounds of boost. This heavy breather swallows about one gallon of fuel per pass. On the engine side of things Johnny went off traditional methods in respect to compression, setting it at 12:1. That’s a lot of compression for a turbo motor. Jerry and Jacob at New Gen customs did the custom VS Racing 70/70 T4 dual-ball-bearing intake manifold and the 1.7/8" custom-built turbo header.

Cylinder heads are heavily ported CB Performance Comp Eliminators with PSI springs and titanium retainers. A Pauter billet camshaft, steel rods, and 1.5:1 rocker arms finish it up.

While the motor and trans swap were being done, Levi Weir from Pandraggers LLC helped with rewelding the front end back on. Since the motor was a monster, the rear apron was removed, and a pair of stock-width fiberglass fenders lightened the load. Tucked under the rear fenders are a set of Hoosier D06 racing slicks mounted

This ’62 asphalt warrior’s motor is a 2332cc turbocharged monster! A three-piece Autocraft aluminum case houses an 84mm stroker crankshaft with huge Gibtech 94mm pistons and Pauter cylinders. The compression is pretty high at 12:1. Cylinder heads are heavily ported CB Performance Comp Eliminators with PSI springs and titanium retainers.

Here’s the trunk, punk. Relocated battery, fuel pump, and a 2-gallon fuel cell is all you need!

on custom-made Bogart 15x12" racing wheels. Holding down the front is a set of Weld Magnum 2.0 wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson 15x4" rubber.

Levi is also responsible for the matte gray paint job. A roll cage by Brent and Collin McKee ties the front and rear together and makes the inside of the Bug safe for those ultra-high-speed passes. In early 2022 they added ladder bars to the back half of the VW after she was back together and on the streets.

The interior is super-sparse since it’s strictly race-ready. You won’t find any

killer stereo system or subwoofers. Nope, this thing is built for speed, not creature comforts. Anything that Johnny needs to know about what’s going on with the motor appears on the Holley 7-inch digital dash. At first glance you might think the tank on the dash is nitrous, but it’s actually a CO2 tank that drives the Boost Leash boost controller. The battery was relocated to the front, and the gas tank was removed and replaced with a 2-gallon fuel cell.

When Johnny was headed to a race in California he went on a Facebook racers’ group and invited other VWs down to play, telling them they would need to be in the 5.50 to 5.40 timeframe or lower.

That’s when the Facebook firestorm happened! He started getting messages like, “No way your VW is running that fast without wheelie bars, multi-stage clutch setup, etc. It’s not a 4-speed; you can’t run that fast on the street.” Suffice to say, they all ended up eating their posts.

This car is the epitome of the VW self-built hobby. Johnny started at the bottom, then fought his way to the top with hard work and dedication. His best time so far is 8.90 seconds at 156 mph with 28 pounds of boost! Damn, dude!

Bottom line is, if you’re looking for a race, I got a buddy that might be interested.

Just make sure you know what you’re getting into.

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 39

N

WALL OF LEGENDS

ot long ago, I found myself at the Schley Museum kicking back with Mark and Paul talking about all the cool items they had in glass cabinets. The Schleys, legends of SoCal VW drag racing, made their mark on ’60s tuner culture in Lightning Bug, the first Beetle to run a 10-second quarter mile. Their museum is a shrine to the urge to turn humble little German people-movers into fire-breathing slayers of Detroit V8s.

I had painted a mural for the Schleys a few years earlier. Mark asked me if I would entertain the thought of doing another mural downstairs in the garage. I ran some quick figures though my head. I estimated it would take me 8 months to a year to complete the 19-by-9-foot wall. I also figured the Schleys and their neighbors would get really tired of me rumbling up the driveway at 6 am in my heavy-breathing Dodge. We decided to put it on the back burner.

I went straight home and started drawing, but I didn’t say a word to the brothers.

After six months of thought and research, I thought I would show them my conceptual illustration. The main part of the image is Orange County International Raceway, the spot where the Schleys became legends.

The scene includes a showdown between

40 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

Our very own Ron Petro creates a mural for the Schley Brothers museum

Paul Schley in Lightning bug (left lane) and Darrell Vittone in the Inch Pincher. Parked along either side of the strip are other legends — everything from the Anderson Brothers’ car to The Iguana to Buzzin’ Bee.

BY RON PETRO

Above the track to either side are the Stutt Bee, which the Schleys campaigned for a time, and Lightning Bug, shown with most of its crew members over the years. Dean Kirsten, camera in hand, is depicted to the right of the track. Up top, looking down on it all, are Dean Lowry, Gene Berg, Joe Vittone, and Ferdinand Porsche.

Because my computer was so old and slow, I ended up working on individual parts of the illustration separately. Then I would marry them to the main piece. I wasn’t 100 percent sure how to scale up my work to this giant wall. Maybe my calculations were wrong. I had never done anything like this!

I approached the Schleys and confessed my problem. Paul works on another level with his mind — he’s probably the smartest man I’ve ever met. Mark sat back in his chair staring into space and then said he understood how to scale the illustration up to wall-size. Paul grabbed a piece of paper and after ten minutes of silence had a formula down that I took home.

I submitted the work to Mark and Paul; they were pleased, and the wall was done.

What I love about this work is how art can tell a story — and this story is a good one.

The car.

The key.

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ONE CRAZY

WEEKEND AND POKER RUN

Sin City rolls out the red carpet for VW fans! By Dan Leadbetter • Photos by BeckyJo Ohlendorf

L

as Vegas, Nevada, is a magical place.

Not just because it’s a gambling oasis in the middle of the desert…

Well, maybe that’s the main reason, but it’s also a hub for all things cultural. You can see amazing shows, indulge in some of the world’s best dining, and do some great people watching. Plus you are close to some major landmarks: the Hoover Dam, Area 51 at Groom Lake, and the Grand Canyon are just some of the sights a few hours away from The Strip.

Vegas also is home to the One Crazy Weekend VW Show and Poker run, now entering its 4th year. Bill Tsagrinos of the Let’s Talk Dubs podcast had a vision for a great weekend-long VW event and turned it into a reality. Held in the parking lot of the Orleans Hotel and Casino, this event brings cars from all over, with a Strip cruise, VW

42 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

show, and a big-money poker run.

It was sunny and clear the morning of the show, with a huge line of VWs in all shapes, sizes and colors waiting to secure their spot for the day. The Orleans Hotel and Casino even allowed several VWs to be on display in their lobby. Very cool!

There was no lack of cool Volkswagens to see at the show. Sean Berry and his ’56 Bug took one of the coveted top 20 spots, as did David Hicks with his super-cool ’69 Volksrod. Other notable cars were Manny Luna’s ’02 Mexican Bug and David Foerester’s ’65 Karmann Ghia. As you can see, there was some awesome German metal on display! It’s always cool when clubs come out to a show and represent. This year, Desert Dub Car Club took top honors for largest club turnout.

There were plenty of vendors on hand.

In addition to the bright yellow VW Trends booth, Ross Wulf was there showing off their awesome VW parts, as were Dam Volks, Eric Arnold Photography, and Eco Tint. The poker run had a ton of people vying for the big money prize of $1,500. Pablo Carona was the big winner. Not a bad haul for collecting a few cards with your friends.

Putting on a show of this caliber takes more than one man, and Bill wants to send out a hearty thanks to The Wagen, The Orleans Hotel and Casino, Rene Werner, and the Las Vegas VW Club for all of their help and support. All in all, the show was a rousing success! Can’t wait to see what’s going to happen for the next one.

Bottom line: One Crazy weekend is an awesome show that you really should plan to attend. Mark your calendars for October 2023: VW Trends will be there!

Cedric Jacobs nabbed one of the top honors with his red ’62 Type I. Check out the motor on Danny Foerster’s ’65 Ghia. That’s some sweet engineering.

Steve Richardson’s ’59 Ghia: a real looker!

Type IIIs were well represented! Steve Peters’ two-tone Squareback nabbed Best of Show.

Check out the interior on Robert Lee’s ’59 Ghia. That would be fun to cruise the strip in on a summer night. Congrats for taking one of the Top 20, Robert!

SHOW RESULTS TOP 20 Mike Farley, ’62 Convertible Paul Davis, ’63 Squareback Brent Cook, ’56 Beetle Danny Foerester, ’65 Ghia David Solorzano, ’69 Beetle David Hicks, ’69 Volksrod Robert Lee, ’59 Lowlight Sean Berry, ’56 Beetle Joe McRae, ’65 Bus Adam Nelson, ’56 Beetle Yonathan Pulido, ’70 Ghia Pete Skiba, ’64 Beetle Dominick Luppino, ’66 Beetle Anthony Robinson, ’63 Convertible Lionel Mendoza, ’66 Squareback Zoe Erkelins, ’65 Beetle Cedric Jacobs, ’62 Beetle Eric Wheaton, ’66 Beetles Mauny Luna, ’02 Mexican Beetle Austin Mcave, ’66 Beetle

BEST OF SHOW: Steve Peters, ’68 Squareback

LARGEST CLUB TURNOUT:

Gabriel Sanchez and his 1965 Type II made a big impression!

Although it didn’t take one of the Top 20 awards, Candice Griggs’ ’64 Pink Pantherthemed Bug is pretty damn slick!

Desert Dub

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 43

TECH

1. To get started, Washburn measures back just inside 6 inches off the pan’s Napoleon hat to place the kit’s hole locating template. Any farther back and you’ll be cutting into some of the tunnel’s internal bracing (a big no-no).

EZ-ACCESS

2. Magnets hold the template while Washburn uses a spring-loaded punch to accurately mark each hole center.

PLATE INSTALL Why everyone needs one!

Story and photography by Eric Geisert

3. After using a sharp scribe to trace the location for the template’s access hole, he drills the centers of the outer holes with an eighth-inch bit.

o you’re out with your buddies for some late-night cruising and when you least expect it, your clutch cable snaps. It usually breaks where it comes out of the tunnel right next to the pedals.

Even if you’re an experienced Type 1 owner and carry a spare clutch and throttle cable for just such emergencies, it’s still a big pain to crawl around on your floor in the dark and replace either by the side of the road.

For as well-designed most early ’60s VWs are, the factory certainly didn’t make it easy for an owner to fix a broken clutch cable, as the pedal assembly (and its puzzle-like configuration) is a chore to get removed, fixed, and up and running again.

That is, unless your Bug’s spine has been altered by Brian Washburn of Washburn’s Metal in Orange, California, with one of

his slick weld-in EZ-Access Plate kits. In the past this was custom work Washburn performed on his customers’ cars (dune buggies and street cars alike) when they asked for it. But now Washburn offers his EZ-Access Plate in kit form for the home builder. The kit will make future cable repair a breeze, as it allows you to easily get inside the tunnel and to the backside of the pedal assembly to quickly do any repair.

It’s a weld-in assembly, which means you’ll need some skills to do the installation, but Washburn’s kit is much stronger than some screw-in versions out on the market. His ’68 And Newer type has a slightly different design (because the bracing inside the tunnel is slightly different) but we followed along as Washburn installed his ’67 And Older plate kit on a June ’67 Type 1 pan.

S

44 VW TRENDS • WINTER WINTER’23 ’23

4. Segmented step drill bits vary in size, and you can find them in the Snap-On catalog, at Harbor Freight, or anywhere in between. They’re a godsend when many holes are needed.

7. Using a cut-off wheel, Washburn cuts between the corner holes to open up the tunnel.

9. Adjustable welding pliers should be in every builder’s toolbox. When you need to clamp in tight or hard-to-reach areas, these babies work great!

8. Some hand filing and power sanding are needed to make the opening perfectly rectangular.

10. Washburn slips the inner plate into the tunnel, then clamps it. Sheet metal screws bring the plate as close as it can get to the inside edge of the opening.

5. The step drill makes quick work of the four 5/8-inch holes that form the corners of the access plate hole.

6. Moving to the perimeter holes, Washburn uses a quarter-inch drill bit (these holes will aid welding the inner plate to the spine).

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• WINTER ’23 45

15. A MIG welder is brought in to do a Rosette weld on each perimeter hole.

13. After the Arbor press gives the cover the same shape as the tunnel, Washburn uses a Hammerfab flush recess dimple die in each corner of the cover plate.

11. Washburn uses a simple arbor press to fabricate the access plate covers.

16. With the welds done, it’s now time to finish-grind them smooth.

12. Washburn uses pine blocks as forming dies (with an appropriate amount of spring-back calculated into the shape of the arc).

46 VW TRENDS • WINTER WINTER’23 ’23

14. Washburn then uses sheet metal screws and fender washers to locate the cover exactly in the opening before welding it in place.

17. After the pan is sandblasted and prepped for powercoating, the finished Washburn EZ Access Plate looks like the factory put it there.

BoB found this “strange” single-owner VW parked at a gas station in Germany in 1970. He was eventually able to buy it for $230.

WAIT, I BOUGHT A…

WHAT?!?!

BoB Gilmore’s $230 ’49 Hebmüller (yes, you read that right).

By Dan Leadbetter

B

oB Gilmore’s one of those guys that has been around the VW scene since about forever. Back in the day BoB was a contributor to VW Trends as our go-to toy aficionado and our vintage detective.

He’s been interested in vintage VWs for more than 52 years and still enjoys many aspects of the hobby, especially the KdF-Wagen era and vintage VW models and toys. BoB is a great guy to talk to has an incredible wealth of knowledge to share. But a lot of people don’t know the

48 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

story behind BoB’s ’49 Hebmüller.

The story starts in 1970 when BoB was in the U.S. Army, stationed in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, where he would help one of his Army buddies work on a ’49 Split Window. One day, while driving the countryside in his ’66 1300 Beetle, BoB pulled into an ESSO gas station in the town of Göggingen. He noticed a strange-looking Volkswagen convertible parked beside the gas station.

He didn’t know what it was, but saw it

BoB wrote to Volkswagenwerk to see if they could provide any information.

Yeah, nothing to see here other than BoB’s car is an uber-rare Hebmüller, serial number 1-0 126 410, delivered November 30, 1949!

had the same dashboard as his friend’s ’49, so it had to be pretty old.

Over the next few months, BoB kept going back to the gas station inquiring about the old VW. Finally, the owner sold it to him for 800DM (which was equivalent to $230 back then).

Even though he didn’t know what this faded, patina-laden, kinda black, yellow, and rusty red VW was, the one thing BoB did know was he was now the second owner. The VW had lost its valid German

Once he had the Heb back home in San Diego, BoB’s search for restoration parts began.

registration and couldn’t be driven on the road unless repairs were made (and because it didn’t have a motor). BoB found himself liking the car more and more as he worked to get it ready to ship back to the U.S. of A. BoB acquired a run-down ’50 Split Window with no valid registration for $25 — I know, these prices are killing me — and secretly drove it home late at night. He removed and rebuilt the 25hp motor for his funny-looking convertible. He did some minor body work and painted the car with a red-oxide primer.

BoB knew that if the old VW looked okay and had the basics in place (tires, lights, brakes, etc.), he could get it registered more leniently with a U.S. Army personal vehicle inspection. After he received his U.S. Army license plates, he was able to ship the car back home to San Diego, California, in 1972. He registered it with personalized blue-and-yellow California plates reading “MY 49 VW.” Next BoB started searching for information about the car (remember, this was before Google; every bit of correspondence was done through the postal service). He penned a letter to Volkswagenwerks, Germany, for additional information on VW serial number 1-0126410.

You can imagine his surprise when he got a letter back stating that he was the owner of a very rare ’49 Hebmüller VW Convertible, number 14-00258, of which only 700 were produced! HOLY CRAP! While looking for original parts, BoB met other vintage VW enthusiasts. He started making friends, who helped him get an understanding of what was original for this ’49 Hebmüller.

Here’s a picture of BoB in 1971 working on his Heb. At this point, he still had no idea what his $230 bought!

This is what separates the Bugs from the Hebs: From the lines of the VW, you kinda can’t tell if it’s coming or going!

BoB bought a 1950 Split Window for $25 to get a donor motor to rebuild for the Heb. The chrome and the Bus air cleaner are definitely NOT stock, but look amazing nonetheless!

The letter from Volkswagenwerks also stated that his VW was originally painted a coral red color. BoB thought that color had a pastel look that he wasn’t too fond of, and decided to paint the car another stock VW color, Ruby Red (L456).

After several years of restoration, the Hebmüller was still not quite finished to BoB’s liking, as he was still missing one component: a set of five 16-inch rims and tires. At that time, the editor of Volkswa-

By 1975, the Hebmüller was near completion with the exception of the 16-inch wheels and bumper braces.

gen Greats magazine contacted BoB and wanted to feature his Hebmüller, but BoB told him the car was not finished yet. The magazine guy persisted (as we oft do) and finally convinced BoB to do a photoshoot, which landed his Heb on the cover of the April 1975 issue of Volkswagen Greats.

The editor also asked if BoB would write a column called the “Vintage Voice.” This was the start of BoB writing articles for various VW magazines around the world, which he still does today.

During this time, BoB saw a need for vintage VW enthusiasts to come together. He had become good friends with Bill Pickering, who was from the East Coast, and BoB was, of course, on the West Coast. Together, they formed the Vintage Volkswagen Club of America (VVWCA) in 1976. Each month they produced a newsletter for members, with Bill and BoB alternating monthly responsibilities.

In February 1976, with the Hebmüller’s restoration finally finished, BoB entered it in its first ever VVWCA show at the Don Sharp VW dealership in Oceanside, California. BoB enjoyed driving it to VW shows and became really hooked on vintage Volkswagens. He used his rare Hebmüller to open doors with VW dealerships in the San Diego and Los Angeles areas for VVWCA club sponsorships and meeting places.

BoB also had an interest in locating and documenting the other Hebmüllers in the world, so he helped form the Hebmüller VW Type 14A Registry, with owners’ names and photos of their cars in a large 3-ring binder.

There were approximately 696 Hebmüller VW Type 14A vehicles produced

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 49

The super-clean interior looks like it just rolled off the assembly line!

The all-red paint really wasn’t working for BoB, so one afternoon he decided to add Ivory side panels to his VW… which he did in his garage!

(the exact number isn’t known for sure).

Today, 157 examples remain.

The original metal Hebmüller emblems (which were typically installed on the right front quarter panel) were usually corroded or missing, so BoB created a repro emblem made from zinc that was available to Hebmüller owners in the Registry.

In May 1976, after seeing the twotone paint schemes on VW Convertibles at car shows, BoB decided to paint the sides of his Heb an ivory color, Elfenbein L201 — in his own garage one afternoon!

BoB couldn’t believe what a difference it made. The color combo just popped!

A couple of years later, Hot VWs magazine started an annual vintage issue, and BoB’s Hebmüller landed on the front cover in June 1983. The August 1985 issue of VW Trends featured his Hebmüller in the Vintage Detective article.

Then in November 1988 the Heb was on the cover and featured inside the French magazine Super VW. It was also in Colin Burnham’s book Classic Volkswagens. If you happen to pick up a book published

by Neko Publishing in 1990 titled Encyclopedia of Classic Volkswagens, you’ll come across a 3-page spread on BoB’s Hebmüller.

After having the pleasure of driving,

showing, and making friends with his Hebmüller for 27 years, BoB decided it was time to let someone else have the same enjoyment. So in 1997, BoB sold it to Mr. Toshio Fujii of Japan. Like any parent, BoB made sure his rare VW was going to a good home, and is secure in knowing that Hebmüller 14-00258 is doing just fine with its proud third owner in a new location. The Hebmüller was driven to VW car shows in Japan for another 15 years. Sadly, the 25hp motor failed.

BoB is still in communication with Mr. Fujii, and has seen various photos of his VW currently under a total restoration project. Those photos can be seen at www.hebmueller-registry.com.

So, kids, the moral of this story is ALWAYS keep your eyes and ears open.

You just never know when you’ll stumble across a rare vintage VW for $200, and how it might change the course of your life. Our man BoB is living proof of that.

With a VW this cool, you know the magazines will come a runnin’! BoB’s Heb has been featured in Hot VWs, Super VW, Volkswagen Greats, VW Trends, and many others.

50 VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23

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VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 51

TECH

In the typical dual-carb setup, the cable rubs against the top of the throttle cable tube. Not the best for the cable, the tube, or your foot. You can see from the end of the guide tube what happens when the cable has been rubbing against it for thousands of miles — they have been known to saw through the tube!

THROTTLE CABLE FIX Two ways to keep your throttle cable from binding Story and photography by Dave “Kaferdave” Cormack

O

n every type of crossbar dual-carburetor linkage, either tube or hex bar, there is always one problem: As it comes out of the guide tube through the fan shroud, the throttle cable is at the wrong angle for ease of operation. If you look at your crossbar linkage, you’ll see that the cable is hitting the top of the tube. In extreme cases, especially with the braided cables used today, the throttle cable will saw through the tube.

Now, there are two ways to alleviate this problem: The Otto Wheel by VW nut Steve Otto of Medford, Oregon; and the JBE guide tube, by Joe Bence Enterprises of San Diego, California.

Let’s look at the Otto Wheel first: As you

52 VW TRENDS • WINTER WINTER’23 ’23

can see, this is a very well-made unit that will last a lot longer than the car it’s going on. The wheel itself has a sealed bearing, so it will withstand literally millions of openings and closings. Installation is simple: Line the Otto Wheel up with the throttle cable so it comes out in the center of the guide tube, make sure the bottom of the wheel is lined up with the cable, adjust the side-to-side so everything lines up, mark two holes in the slots of the bracket, and drill. You can attach it in a number of ways — with sheet metal screws, pop rivets, or you can go all out and put some nut-serts in there.

Second, we have the throttle cable guide tube from Joe Bence. This simply replaces

the stock throttle cable guide tube with one that has a nylon guide at the front of the tube and a wheel out at the carburetor linkage end. This one has a simple installation, too: Remove your old stock guide tube and stick this one through the fan shroud and front breastplate.

I always put a small hose clamp on the tube where it enters the shroud to keep the guide tube from moving in and out.

It is recommended that on both, you use a braided steel cable, instead of the stock single-wire cable.

Either one of these nifty little units will make your dual-carburetor driving much easier, giving a better feel to your pedal.

Give one a try, you’ll be glad you did!

 The Otto Wheel was invented by Steve Otto to help alleviate  The Joe Bence tube tackles the problem from a different the “crunchy” feel of the accelerator pedal on his Baja with angle: He uses a nylon-lined cable tube with a wheel on the end dual Weber IDF carbs.  The Otto Wheel just so there’s no rubbing or binding.  The JBE needs to be placed so that the cable is centered Tube simply goes through the original holes in SOURCES: on the pulley and coming out of the center of the shroud and is secured with a sheet-metal Steve Otto the guide tube. Once you have it set, mark the screw. If you have the shroud off, it might be Ottos69baja@gmail.com place, drill, and then nutsert, sheet metal screw, better to use a Nut-Sert or Riv-Nut, although an or pop rivet the Otto Wheel in place. Put the occasional quick check to make sure the sheet ottovdubsolutions.com cable back in, tighten the barrel nut, and you’re metal screw isn’t vibrating loose would certainly Joe Bence Enterprises done! do the trick. JBE also sells a nylon-lined tube for jbevw.com single-carb setups.

CLUB SUBSCRIPTION SPECIAL! SUBSCRIPTION, SHIRT, AND STICKERS: $40

VW Trends loves our friends involved in the club scene! So we’d like to offer you a special deal. How about a one-year subscription, a VW Trends T-shirt, and some stickers for just $40? That’s a savings of more than $20!

Just get a minimum of 10 members to sign up at the same time. It’s our way of saying thanks for helping make the VW community awesome! Want all the details? Email dan@vwtrendsmagazine.com and let’s get your club on the program!

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 53

These metal banks feature a very nice lithographs on the front. Note the counter on the front, so the soon-to-be new VW owner could keep track of their savings progress.

THE GEOBRA KDF WAGEN SAVERS BANK

by Arthur Junior

Editor’s note: This probably doesn’t need to be said, but we’ll say it anyway. You’ll see several swastikas in this article, and while VW Trends magazine doesn’t condone any form of hate speech or hate symbol, that particular emblem is part of history and part of the background of the Volkswagen. To that end, we chose not to cover it up or sanitize the images.

B

y 1938, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche had completed several prototypes that would eventually become the KdF Wagen, the German People’s Car, or Volkswagen Beetle as we know it today. A location in northern Germany had been chosen for the production factory, and on May 26, 1938, the cornerstone ceremony for the factory

54 VW TRENDS • WINTER WINTER’23 ’23

was held in the newly formed town of Stadt des KdF-Wagens, or the City of the KdF Wagens. Dr. Porsche (and Der Führer) were in attendance, along with three Type 38 vehicles — a Standard Sedan, a Sunroof Sedan and a Cabriolet — for the German people to view. That Standard Sedan model was a KdF Wagen (what would become a Split Window Beetle after WWII) and its basic design would be produced by the millions for many, many years to come.

The KdF abbreviation came from the German Labor Front slogan “Kraft durch Freude,” which means Strength through Joy. The KdF Wagen was at the 1939 Berlin Auto Show, and a special German postage stamp was issued depicting a happy family speeding along in their KdF Wagen.

The KdF Wagen was at the 1939 Berlin Auto Show, and a special German postage stamp was issued depicting a happy family speeding along the autobahn in their KdF Wagen.

The toy manufacturers of the time were producing KdF Wagens in miniature form as well. “The People’s Car” had become a very popular reality for the German people.

The Nazi labor organization Der Deutsches Arbeitsfront (DAF) established a savings plan system allowing for the purchase of a KdF Wagen over time. The plan enabled the German people to sign up to buy a car by buying a weekly five-Reichsmark paper saving stamp which was to be pasted in a KdF Wagen Savers booklet.

Think of it like the old S&H Green Stamps… remember those?

To promote the new KdF Wagen Savers program, a sales brochure was printed which contained numerous photographs of the KdF Wagen and general information.

It also included an application form to be completed and submitted to a local DAF office. After the DAF had approved the application, a confirmation postcard was mailed to the applicant informing them that they were authorized to purchase a KdF Wagen for 990 Reichsmarks (not including options

Once you saved five Reichsmarks, the bank’s door opened automatically and you could take your coins in to purchase a stamp for the booklet.

or insurance). The postcard also listed the reference number of a KdF Wagen reserved, at the factory, in the applicant’s name.

The DAF then issued a KdF Wagen Savers booklet (Sparkarte) that was to be filled with five-Reichsmark stamps, purchased weekly, until the required amount of Reichsmarks was accumulated (more than one stamp could be purchased at a time, but one per week was the minimum).

Several cards had to be filled, since one card held only 250 Reichsmarks worth of stamps. These stamps look similar to small postage stamps, with a small embossed white KdF Wagen and either a red or green background.

An additional two-year auto insurance plan was also provided, costing an extra 200 Reichsmarks. The Sunroof model was an additional 60 Reichsmarks. Upon completion of the 990- and 200-Reichsmark requirements for a KdF Sedan and insurance (which typically took about four and a half years of savings), the person would be required to travel to the KdF factory and pick up their new KdF Wagen — there was no local delivery plan. There was also no choice of color; KdF Wagens were only available in the official dark blue/grey.

Special German tin-coin registering banks (sparkasse) were made with a lithographed KdF Wagen design on the sides.

These kept track of five- and ten-Reichspfennig coin deposits (100 Reichspfennig equaled one Reichsmark). A Reichspfennig coin was placed in the slot on top of the bank and the lever pushed forward. A window on the bank indicated the number of coins that had been deposited. When five Reichsmarks were accumulated, the bank’s door blew wide open automatically and

all the saved coins tumbled and fell out. A person could then gather the coins to buy a five-Reichsmark savers stamp to paste in the Sparkarte.

Shown in this spotlight feature is one of three KdF Wagen versions of the savers bank that were produced in the late 1930s by the German toy company Georg Brandstätter, or GEOBRA, a toy manufacturing company in Fürth, Germany.

This particular GEOBRA KdF Savers Bank was bought in 2006 from a private estate sale in Potsdam, Germany (a former East German town near Berlin). The bank was heavy with coins when purchased and a spring hook was used to pick the lock on the front door. Amazingly, the bank was full of old German coins with dates ranging from 1937 to 1943. All the zinc and brass coins were in nice condition after being hidden away all those years in the bank and they all had the German WWII eagle with swastika on them. Time had really stood still for this discovery. There were 64 Reichsmark coins inside the bank, which added up exactly to the four Reichsmark and 60 Reichspfennig that were indicated on the bank’s MK-PFG window. WOW! Truly an awesome piece of history here, especially as the newest coins are dated 1943. Who knows what may have happened to the original owner of this bank, or why they stopped saving for that KdF Wagen?

The funds raised by the KdF Savers program were put in a special account of the Deutsche Arbeitsfront treasury. During the program, more than 380 million Reichsmarks were collected from about 700,000 German people of which about 336,000 had actually completed their KdF Wagen Savers program. However, not a single German person ever received a KdF Wagen! The funds from the Deutsche

Die Deutsche Arbeitsfront used this popular graphic slogan, which translated to: “You have to save five marks a week — Do you want to drive your own car (KdF Wagen)?”

It’s interesting to think of all of those people who were saving up to get a new KdF Wagen… Sadly, not ONE person ever got one.

Arbeitsfront treasury (located in a bank in the post-WWII Sovient zone) were claimed by the Russians.

During WWII, the KdF Wagen factory was busy producing the Kübelwagen jeep and the Schwimmwagen amphibious car.

About 630 KdF Wagens were built at the KdF Wagen factory, but they were used by the military or Nazi Party officials. The KdF Wagens were always on display and driven so that the German people saw them and kept hope that their KdF Wagen would be soon delivered.

All was not a total loss for German people who had a completed KdF Wagen Savers card. The KdF Wagen was a product of the fallen Nazi government, but the Volkswagen GmbH was a product of a new post-WWII German enterprise. In 1950, a group of KdF Savers pressed claim for credit toward purchase of a current production Volkswagen, which by that time had become a reality.

Their claim was in German court for years until a settlement was reached in October 1961. A complete KdF Wagen Savers card holder would receive 600 Deutsche Marks credit toward the purchase of a new production Volkswagen Sedan. Way back then, this amounted to about $150; the VW Sedan cost about $1,300. The card holder also had the option of taking 100 Deutsche Marks ($25) in cash.

After the reunification of Germany in 1990, Volkswagenwerk GmbH honored the previous settlement for former East German people who had a completed KdF Wagen Savers card — which was worthless in East Germany — with a special discount toward a new Volkswagen vehicle. Amazing Volkswagen history!

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• WINTER ’23 55

NEW SHOES! Old school is new cool • By Dan Leadbetter

I

n our last issue, you saw the bolt pattern. Ugh… that sounded like a transformation of Project Showrunner, logistical nightmare! which went from a stock 2015 VW Golf While at the EMPI open House, we were Sportwagen TDI S to a rolling billboard talking to Rick Sadler about our wheel for our magazine. Sunkist Graphics in issues. He cocks his head and says, “What’s Las Vegas, Nevada did an amazing job at the bolt pattern?” We told him it was a transforming the basic black VW Mark VII 5x112. He goes, “Wait here a sec.” He comes into something truly spectacular. back five minutes later and says, “Yeah, Next we started thinking about wheels. we’ve got a set of chrome 17x7 BRMs with We knew we wanted to go with something your lug pattern.” Wait, what? That sealed different, but what? There was no shortage the deal right there. of cool wheels out there for the SportEMPI was kind enough to get us a set Wagen, but nothing of sweet, all-chrome really caught our eye.

17-inch BRMs. We’d SOURCES: Everything we looked never seen any withSunkist Graphics: sunkistgrfx.com wasn’t… well… VW out the standard black EMPI: empius.com Trends-ish enough. insert before. WOW! CIP1: www2.cip1.com Just Tires: justtires.com We wanted to go These things are kinda old school but bright, and would look with a new twist. amazing on any VW. Maybe some cool Centerlines? Maybe some But anything VW Trends does has 8-spoke EMPIs? Hmm… Now we’re getting gotta be over the top! We told Erik Black, somewhere. What would be REALLY awethe owner of Sunkist Graphics, about the some? A set of BRMs! You can’t get much chrome EMPI BRMs. He goes, “Yeah, that’s more old school than that. But how to get cool, but how much cooler would they be them to fit the SportWagen? We’d have to with carbon-fiber inserts to match the roof, have custom adapters made for the wide-5 hood, and rear hatch?” HOLY CRAP! That

56 VW TRENDS • WINTER WINTER’23 ’23

never even crossed our minds! So let it be written, so let it be done.

Now wheels are great, but you aren’t going anywhere unless you’ve got a set of tires. We reached out to our good friends at CIP1 for a set of Nankang NS-25 215/45/17 radials. They’re perfect for all-weather driving. Since Showrunner is going to be going across country this year, the tires had to be solid, all-purpose rubber, great for all driving conditions. CIP1 delivered in spades!

Once the Nankang tires were mounted to the EMPI BRMs, it was back to Vegas to get the carbon fiber inserts. Sunkist Graphics and the DaVinci Twins turned the dream into a reality. So follow along as Showrunner gets some pretty slick new shoes!

A big tip of the VW Trends hat to Rob, Rick, and Henry at EMPI; California Import Parts; Erik, Dillan, and Zack at Sunkist Graphics; and Ali, Zach, and David at Just Tires for all of their help.

As a side note, we really gotta do something about the stance of this VW… stay tuned!

1. EMPI to the rescue! These super-slick 17x7" BRM rims (part #10-1089-0) are not only the perfect-looking wheel, they actually fit our water-cooled Sportwagen! They’re all chrome, and really sparkle in the sunlight.

2. Wheels are awesome, but without tires, you’re not going anywhere. Our friends at California Import Parts (better known as CIP1) hooked us up with a set of Nankang NS-25 215/45/17 radial tires. They’re perfect for all-weather driving and have a sweet, aggressive tread pattern.

4. With the tires mounted and balanced, it was off to Sunkist Graphics in Las Vegas to add the super-cool carbonfiber inserts. First, the BRMs need to be clean so the adhesive on the vinyl has an unadulterated surface to stick to.

5. Nope, this isn’t a thin-crust pizza, these are precision-cut carbon-fiber inserts.

Dillan lays them out so that the weave follows the same line once they are installed.

3. The tires and wheels have to be mounted before the coolness begins. Let’s not forget about balancing! If you want to keep your tires from wearing weird, make sure you get them balanced at least once a year.

6. A thin coat of adhesive primer is applied to make sure the inserts stay on even under the harshest of conditions.

7. The backing is removed from the 3M carbon-fiber wrap…

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• WINTER ’23 57

ADVERTISERS INDEX Airkewld. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 47 airkewld.com

8. … and the vinyl is carefully laid into the BRM inserts.

12. Funny thing about adding a wheel spacer: You need longer wheel studs!

EMPI was kind enough to get us a set of extra-long studs (part number 00-94960) so we’ll have plenty of threads when we bolt the wheel down.

Awesome Powdercoat . . . . . . . . . . pg. 63 awesomepowdercoat.com Bill & Steve’s Foreign Auto . . . . . . pg. 27 billandsteves.com California Import Parts . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 1 and inside back cover CIP1.com CB Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 5 cbperformance.com Doug’s Buggs and Bunnys. . . . . . . . pg. 7 dougsbnb.com

9. A special vinyl-wrap squeegee is used to double check every inch of the vinyl for any lifted corners or air bubbles.

13. David at Just Tires in Costa Mesa added a drop of red Loctite and installed the longer studs. Now the spacer slides right in. (If it doesn’t, install the studs through the spacer).

EMPI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back cover empius.com Hayburner Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 59 hayburner.co.uk Let’s Talk Dubs Podcast . . . . . . . . . . pg. 2 letstalkdubs.com Mid America Motorworks . . . . . . pg. 41 mamotorworks.com ProVolks Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 27 provolksranch.business.site Rancho Performance Transaxles.. pg. 51 ranchotransaxles.com

10. WOW! We knew the wheels were going to look awesome, but we had no idea just how awesome. Now we need to get them on the VW.

14. The wheels look awesome with the EMPI-supplied black Porsche lugs! The crowning touch is the chrome center cap with the old-school EMPI/BRM logo.

Ross Wulf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 7 rosswulf.com Sawtooth Air-Cooled. . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 27 facebook.com/Sawtoothaircooled

11. When we bolted the wheels to the Golf, they pressed up against the brake caliper in the front.

So it was back to EMPI for four aluminum spacers (part number 169915-0). These gave us just the right amount of clearance from the caliper.

58 VW TRENDS • WINTER WINTER’23 ’23

Southeastern VW Assoc. . . pgs. 27 & 63 sevwa.com Vintage VW Club of America. . . . pg. 28 vvwca.com

15. Before and after. WOW. What a difference a set of wheels and tires makes! Upgrading from the stock 15" rims to the chrome 17" BRMs and wider tires has Showrunner looking pretty mean… Now we just need to work on its street attitude.

SUBSCRIPTIONS! T-SHIRTS! STICKERS! PATCHES! BACK ISSUES! (OKAY, THAT’S ENOUGH EXCLAMATION POINTS.)

IT’S ALL WAITING FOR YOU AT: V W T R E N D S M A G A Z I N E •. C O M

PLUS +

www.hayburner.co.uk

LEARN BY DOING

by Rich Crafton “You, who are on the road must have a code that you can live by And so, become yourself, because the past is just a goodbye Teach your children well Their father’s hell did slowly go by And feed them on your dreams The one they pick’s the one you’ll know by…”

A

lthough these lyrics were written by Graham Nash concerning his estranged father, I couldn’t help but hear the tune in my head as something perfectly positive one sunny, glaringly hot day in Newport Beach, California. I was spending the day with Hailey and Jayson Stevenson, who you may remember from our story celebrating their blazing blue Empi Imp (“Joyful Imp,” Summer 2021 VWT).

While there was nothing wrong at all with this Buggy’s 2160cc powerplant, one can always seek to eke out a bit more performance. What better way than a little father and daughter bonding time spent building a custom bottom end?

This isn’t a tech article, but be assured every detail was followed to a T. “Anything worth doing is worth doing right” is the modus operandi illustrated here. Hailey was not only game, she came ready with a curiosity and willingness to learn new things and asked a ton of questions during the build. No bearings were left ungreased, all torques were to spec, and when something didn’t fit right, it was done again and again until correct.

While “getting it right” was important, the most meaningful take-away from the

60 VW TRENDS • WINTER WINTER’23 ’23

1. What, you expected cookies? Nope, just piping hot gears fresh out of the oven and baked to perfection — delicious!

day was the passing of the torch of knowledge, from dad to daughter. Making the experience a blend of laughter, fun and teachable moments ensures the next crop of VW enthusiasts will continue the traditions of dreaming, inventing, building, and creating cool rides and fun times.

As you look through the photos and captions, think about all the information and know-how you’ve accumulated through the years. Have you passed any of your expertise on? One thing is certain: Jayson is one proud dad and Hailey had a blast. Building is always better together.

Got a favorite mom/dad teaching moment? Send your stories to rich@vwtrendsmagazine.com

2. Hailey torques the ARP 2000 rod bolts.

9. Crank installed into the case 6. Hailey installs the circlip after the crank gears are in place.

3. Verifying correct (.006”) rod bolt stretch — no guessing on this build.

7. Liberal application of assembly lube on the bearings before installing the oil slinger. Note: manicure is optional.

4. Ready to install the Woodruff key

5. Hammer time: Hailey ensures the gears are seated the old-fashioned way: with a jack stand.

10. Hailey torques the cylinder head.

8. Finished product ready to be installed into the case… job well done.

11. Hailey uses an adjustable pushrod tool to obtain the correct pushrod length.

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• WINTER ’23 61

IN THE NEXT ISSUE

OF VW TRENDS JANUARY 14: Eurofest St. Augustine, FL | southeasteuromotorsports. com/southeasteurofeststaugustine

Big Bair Takeover

15: 16th Annual Quaker Steak and Lube Bugfest, Clearwater, FL | (813) 516-7061 or qslbugfest2023@ gmail.com FEBRUARY 4: O.C.T.O. Winter Meet 2023, Long Beach, CA | octo.org 17–20: Dubs by the Dam #13 Family VW Campout, Millerton Lake, CA | Paul at (559) 286-7588 25: Winter Volksfest 17, Raleigh, NC | southeasteuromotorsports.com/winter-volksfest-2023 MARCH 11: Women ‘n Wheels 2023, El Segundo, CA | automobiledrivingmuseum.org/event/women-nwheels-2023

Perfect Patina

25: das Blühende Gute Schau XVI (Blooming Good VW Show), Nacogdoches, TX | etvdub.com APRIL 16: Kelley Park Spring Meet, San Jose, CA | ggcvvwca.org

Showrunner Gets Dropped

All this and more coming to your mailbox mid-April 2023 62 VW TRENDS • WINTER WINTER’23 ’23

VW TRENDS • WINTER ’23 63

S S T E S L U L A E W IN H X E E E N TA T S S

BUGPACK MERGED 1-5/8” HEADER

B2-0081-S

Precision designed and engineered in Anaheim, CA. The BUGPACK Street Header is constructed of 1 5/8 diameter Stainless Steel, is TIG welded and features 3/8” Thick Flanges. This header offers a variety of configurations via its modular design, allowing you to install the Header and choose your preferred arrangement with three different muffler options to optimize the set-up that’s perfect for your VW. The B2-0081-S Header is designed to fit the B2-5570-S, B25580-S & B2-5602-S BUGPACK Mufflers. The B20081-S fits the 13-1600cc Sedan, Bus or Karmann Ghia.

BUGPACK HIDE-OUT MUFFLER FOR MERGED HEADER

B2-5570-S

The BUGPACK “Hide-Out” Muffler is one of 3 options available to install with the Merged Header. Made from Stainless Steel with thick flanges for a solid seal and TIG Welded for a long life. The B2-5570-S Muffler is designed to fit the B2-0081-S & B2-0111-S Merged Headers.

BUGPACK MONDO MUFFLER FOR MERGED HEADER

B2-5602-S

The BUGPACK Merged “Mondo” Muffler is one of 3 options available to install with the Merged Header. Made from Stainless Steel with thick flanges for a solid seal and TIG Welded for a long life. The B2-5602-S Muffler is designed to fit the B2-0081-S & B2-0111-S Merged Headers.

empius.com

Visit your Authorized EMPI Distributor Today!