VW Trends Vol. 3, No. 1 Summer 2023

48IPA BEER LAUNCH CAR SHOW

$7.99 USA $9.99 CANADA

VOL. 3, NO. 1

SUMMER 2023

TRENDS GOES

ROAD TRIPPIN’

TENNESSEE • COLORADO • VIRGINIA

4,000+ PEOPLE AT BUG-OUT 85!

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

CONTRIBUTORS Larry Bohannon, Ryan Bonham, John Bunker, Dave Cormack, Rich Crafton, Bob Daniels, Eric Geisert, Eric Golden, Adam Simpson, Bruce Simurda, Jason Smith, George Trosley, David Zemla

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

Reprinting in whole or in part is expressly forbidden except with written permission from the publisher. ©2023, STA Publishing, LLC. Periodical postage paid in Newport Beach, California and at additional mailing offices.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: A minimum of six weeks’ notice is required, and you must provide STA Publishing with old and new addresses. Send to: STA Publishing, Attn: VWT CHANGE OF ADDRESS, 4533 MacArthur Blvd. Suite 5208, Newport Beach, CA, 92660. Or change your address via email to info@vwtrendsmagazine.com. By the way, if you are EVER driving across the country and get stuck behind one of those double-high cattle trucks, remember that at 70 mph, cow urine acts like a pressure washer. Yes, that did happen, and no, it wasn’t fun. Which leads me to my next point: It’s better to get pissed OFF than pissed ON. Thank you, I’ll be here all issue.

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

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

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

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

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

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VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

SUMMER 2023 • VOL. 3 NO. 1

DEPARTMENTS 4 TOP DEAD CENTER: On the road with Dan Leadbetter.

6 WHAT’S NEW: Valve covers, super diff kit, smoothies, and lots more.

8 WHAT YEAR IS IT? A tough sell in the States for 1949.

12 CLUB SPOTLIGHT: Desert Dubs VW Car Club.

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

52 GARAGE BUILT: DIY in the Great White North.

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60 TOYS IN THE ATTIC: 48 IPA Alps Oval Special.

64 TROSLEY: VW Friends.

FEATURES 14 PRETTY AS A PENNY: A show winner that didn’t require big bucks.

28 McGEE’S GREEN GHIA: Super-clean and battle-ready.

32 WICKED COOLER: The Single Cab of Greg Butcher’s dreams.

36 FLAT FOUR SHOP TOUR: Behind the scenes with our man in Japan.

46 BIG BAD LADYBUG An all-show, all-go, ’58 Volksrod.

48 A TALE OF TWO THREES: Morgan Inmire’s Squareback and Fastback.

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COAST-TO-COAST EVENTS 20 COLORADO COOL: The 2022 Painters Grinding Colorado Bug-In. 24 HOT DUBS, COLD SUDS: The VWT 48 IPA beer launch and car show.

42 BUG OUT 85: 4,000+ people and a triumphant Virginia return.

50 FUNFEST 2023: Mid America Motorworks throws an Illinois party.

56 BUG-A-PALÜZA 2023: Big fun in Tennessee.

TECHNICAL 18 FROM TDI TO OMG: Upgrade your water-pumper’s software.

40 BEAM IN A BOX: EMPI: total flexibility in setting up your car’s front beam.

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54 WE’RE EXHAUSTED: Adding a Techtonics Tuning cat-back exhaust system.

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36 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

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TOP DEAD CENTER WHAT A LONG, STRANGE TRIP IT’S BEEN

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s I write this, I’ve kinda-sorta recovered from the second leg of the “Where in the world is Dan Leadbetter” tour. I barely caught my breath before we were thrust headlong into the SoCal VW Week (actually two weeks, but who’s counting). Man, SOOO much has happened since the last time we spoke: so many miles covered, SO many selfies taken, so many new friends, so many hotel rooms, and lastly, SOOOO much fun! Let’s dissect things a bit, shall we?

The Southwest/Pacific Northwest The first leg of the tour was the shakedown leg, broken down into two parts as a kind of dry run for the 63-day second tour leg.

I was off to Edgefinder in Arizona and the Bug Bloom show. Arizona was CRAZY! Apparently, I picked the same weekend that Taylor Swift chose to kick off her Eras tour. The people at Edgefinder put on the Bug Bloom, and it was an awesome show!

I went back home for two days, then to Techtronics in Sheridan, Oregon, to do a tech story (Project Showrunner got a new cat-back exhaust, more on that elsewhere in this issue). Little did I know it was going to rain pretty much the whole way there and most of the way back!

After a great stay with the folks at Techtronics, it was off to the Bug Barn in Grant’s Pass. Lots of folks came out to say hi and take selfies! Then to Chico, California, to Latenight Aircooled, to hang with Bryan Houston and the gang. They won the biggest turnout of the first leg of the tour with about 25 VWs coming out. It was a great time, for sure. The last stop on leg one was Bugformance in Sacramento, California.

Always a treat getting to hang with these guys. Lots of fun and always a good time!

The East Coast I was back home for less than a week when I set out at 3 a.m. for the next adventure.

The second leg of the tour was AMAZING! I met so many people and had such a blast driving around, hitting all the shows, and checking out as many EMPI dealers as I could. Project Showrunner did awesomely, averaging 53.6 mpg at 85 mph. Aside

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VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

from building a gaspowered, air-cooled Bug, I don’t think I’ll own anything but diesel from now on. But let’s look at the totals: Miles: 11,195 Gallons of diesel: 243.36 Gallons of sweet tea: Too many to mention (can you say diabetes?)

Hotel rooms: 21 Number of selfies for contest: Countless New friends made: Countless Traffic accidents: 1 I got to see the Roswell UFO information center, the world’s biggest pistachio, the world’s largest pencil, the Jack Daniels distillery, and so many other things — I really could write a book.

I learned a lot of things about myself.

First, I REALLY like driving! Being behind the wheel, rocking my Spotify playlist, and letting cruise control take over is just soothing to my soul. Secondly, much like Joe Bob Briggs of The Last Drive-In fame, I absolutely LOVE Cracker Barrel restaurants. (I thought I might run into Joe Bob and Darcy, but it didn’t happen.

Joe Bob, if you ever read this, let’s go to Cracker Barrel… my treat.) I made it my personal mission to spell out “JOE BOB” on the checkerboards in front of every Cracker Barrel I stopped at. Yeah, I’m a mutant.

Mike Yegar at Mid America Motorsports blessed me with a Meyers Manx model kit signed by Bruce Meyers.

ILLUSTRATION: RON PETRO

I met and got to know many amazing and generous people along the way. Lots of folks came out to see me and to say thanks for bringing VW Trends back; some even brought gifts. Lots of VW clubs brought me shirts and stickers. Alan Shankles custom-made a bunch of VW Trends socks (we’re working a deal so you can get some on our website). Mike Yegar at Mid America Motorsports blessed me with a Meyers Manx model kit, still shrink-wrapped!

Bruce Meyers had signed the front and side of the box. I’ll most likely be buried with it.

But the biggest thing I learned about myself is just how much I LOVE putting VW Trends together for you each issue!

Seriously, it’s a labor of love, and I can’t even begin to tell you just how appreciative I am that you allow myself and the rest of the VWT team into your homes each quarter. Your support, emails, handshakes, post shares, hugs, and well-wishes are not taken for granted. I am super-clear that it’s really you, the constant reader and enthusiast, that allows us to do what we love. So, thank you, from the top, middle, and bottom of my heart. Thanks again to everyone that came out to see me on the second leg of the Where In The World Is Dan Leadbetter Tour. This trip was so successful, we’ll be doing it each year! You still have time to enter to win a lifetime subscription to VW Trends. Can’t find me to take a selfie? Go to vwtrendsmagazine. com and download and print the Dan Leadbetter mask to take a picture with (don’t forget the hashtags: #ifounddan, #vwtrendsmagazine, and #empi_inc).

So enjoy this issue. As always, would love to hear your feedback!

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

WHAT’S NEW EMPI VALVE COVER SET: Made from investment cast aluminum with cast-in EMPI logo and polished ribs on a black background.

The finned design helps reduce upper cylinder head temperature, and there’s enough clearance for most high-lift rocker arms. Boss can be drilled for venting to a breather box. The special C-channel-type gaskets and stud seals ensure positive sealing.

Installation on ’67 and earlier Beetles may require trimming of the body for clearance. Complete with all gaskets and hardware.

Search part number 00-8852-0 at empius.com.

FOLTS BILLET ALUMINUM TYPE 1 IRS SUPER DIFF KIT: Manufactured by DFT and available through Rancho Performance Transaxles, this exclusive billet-aluminum Type 1 IRS Super Diff provides extraordinary strength and your choice of a wide variety of building options. The kit accommodates all 091 Type 2 internals and bearings. Each kit includes Super Diff and hat with bearings and side covers machined from aircraft-quality billet aluminum, O-rings, shims, spider-gear pins, block, seals, and races.

Does not include spiders, side gears, or thrust washers. MSRP is currently $1,495.00 for the complete kit as shown. Available by calling Rancho direct at (714) 680-6737 or in their online store at ranchotransaaxles.com.

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VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

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

Not really the hot ticket for street cars, as down shifting requires a couple of extra movements, but the straight-up gear transition is fast, positive and great for cutting ET times at the track. Machined from solid billet and pre-fit with HP seals, the FAST FAB nose cone comes anodized in clear or black with applications for both VW Type 1 and Mendeola 2D transaxles.

Each kit ships complete with all installation hardware and retails for $295. Note: Disassembly is required in order to drill and tap the shift rails. Requires use of a vertical gate shift linkage. Call Rancho 714-680-6737 or go to ranchotransaxles.com.

REMOTEatOIL FILTER ADAPTERS FROM AVIAID: Lubrication systems pioneer Aviaid has expanded its line of remote oil filter adapters to include CNC-machined billet aluminum units for three popular sizes of OEM and aftermarket spin-on type filters that include 3", 3-5/8" and 4-1/2" diameter canisters. Additionally, Aviaid manufactures special billet aluminum remote pressure regulators with mounts to accommodate 3-5/8" or 4-1/2" diameter filters. They come with a pair of 1/8" NPT ports (female) for use with oil pressure and oil temperature gauges. There are also taps for accessories like valve spring oilers, turbo feeds, etc. The company offers complete drysump systems for virtually any 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12-cylinder engine.

For details aviaid.com, call (818) 998-8991, or send an e-mail to aviaidHP@gmail.com.

GET THE SCOOP: Creative Car Craft offers this awesome scooped, early style/shape decklid that will work on any year Beetle and is perfect for street or racing applications. This super-lightweight, pin-on-style decklid has a center scoop to allow more air flow into the engine compartment, so it’s super useful as well as good looking! This decklid is a replica of the one used on Nascar Herbie in the movie Herbie Fully Loaded. It can be ordered in Creative Car Craft’s hand-laid fiberglass or real carbon fiber with grey primer finish. Get yours today at Creative Car Craft: 6245 Woodbury Highway, Manchester, TN 37355. Call (239) 283-8989 or (423) 9390289 or visit creativecarcraft.com.

SMITTY’S SMOOTHIES CUSTOM WHEELS: Looking for something cool to trick out your VW? Wheels are always a good way to go! Smitty’s Smoothies makes these awesome three-piece custom VW wheels!

The centers are laser-cut from 1/4 steel plates, and the inner and outer lips are polished aluminum. Looking for even more customizing? Smitty can paint the centers any color you want, and the bolts can be chrome, black, or even different colors. These custom VW wheels will look amazing on your Volkswagen and take approximately six to eight weeks from the time they are ordered to complete.

Get your cool new wheels started today: Call Smitty at (423) 457-2472 or visit smittyssmoothies.net.

STAINLESS STEEL ZOOM TUBE EXHAUST FOR BEETLE: We already drive old cars, so what else do we need?

We need the parts that we used back in the day… The Zoom Tube was a classic bolt-on addition in the ’80s and is still proving popular with owners today. It’s now available in stainless steel. Produced by FORST, this polished pipe is a quick and easy mod to remind you of the past every time you turn the key. Head over to HeritagePartsCentre.com and look up part number AC251011, or email sales@heritagepartscentre.com.

MST SERPENTINE PULLEY SYSTEM: famous for reliability, consistency, and overall quality — while making your engine look amazing! This system delivers a slight horsepower improvement by reducing belt slip and delivering more cooling to your engine than the standard V-belt setup. You’ll love how much quieter your engine runs, too!

Available in a variety of anodized colors including black, blue, silver, red, and lime green. Includes crank pulley with CNC- machined timing marks, alternator/generator pulley, idler bracket assembly with bearing, custom stainless steel crank bolt and alternator/ generator nut, 4-rib belt, mounting hardware, billet aluminum sand seal adapter with hardware, SCAT sand seal. Go to partsbymst.com or email mary@ partsbymst.com.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

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1949 WHAT YEAR IS IT?

A tough sell in the States • by Jason Smith

eetles were first exported from Germany in early January 1949, when a shipment left for Holland. On January 17, Dutchman Ben Pon arrived in New York, having been sent to the States by VW Director General Heinz Nordhoff with a gray Standard model Beetle to try and drum up enthusiasm for the quirky and plain little German car.

It didn’t work. The American press called it “Hitler’s car,” and Pon had to sell the gray Beetle and all his supplies just to make enough money to get back to Holland.

In April, Nordhoff himself went to the United States but made about as much progress as Pon had — which is to say, none.

In July 1949, Volkswagen introduced its new export or Deluxe model, which was specifically targeted to the tastes of foreign customers unlikely to be satisfied with the company’s bare-bones and austere Standard model. (Deluxe model production had started in early June, 1949.)

VOLKSWAGEN AG

B

▲ Hen’s tooth: Only 364 Cabriolets were built for 1949. That was the smallest production run for any post-war Beetle. By 1971, when the Beetle was in peak production, VW could churn out 364 cars in about two and a half hours (assuming around-the-clock production).

But in 1949, the company was building only one cabriolet per day, give or take. Chassis numbers for 1949 models were 91 922 to 138 554.

The Deluxe model came with chrome bumpers, hubcaps, door handles, headlight trim rings, and running board trim. The interior material was of higher quality than that of the Standard, and glossy exterior paint was available for the first time, in fourteen colors. (1945 through 1948 Beetles were only available in matte grey, blue, and black.) The company also introduced its Cabriolet in 1949, which Karmann began building in June.

In May 1949, the 50,000th post-war Beetle rolled off the assembly line.

In 1950, New York-based Austrian Max Hoffman, who owned a European car showroom in Manhattan and who had met Nordhoff in 1949, agreed to become America’s east coast VW importer. At first Hoffman’s sales were few and far between — only 157 cars sold in 1950 — but he eventually made the Beetle stick in America. The rest is history.

MODIFICATIONS FOR 1949*

*PARTIAL LIST. PRIMARILY APPLIES TO U.S.-MARKET CARS.

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VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

 Bolster pillows! Upmarket fabric! A two-spoke steering wheel! With their 1949 Deluxe model, VW really pulled out all the stops in an attempt to penetrate the export (and specifically, American) market. It didn’t immediately work.

 To Germans living in a postwar economy and used to the Standard Beetle, the 1949 Deluxe must have seemed unbelievably extravagant. Look at all that chrome! And an eight-day clock? Eat your hearts out, clock winders!

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SAMBA

 License plate indentation on rear deck dropped.  Inside pull cable release for front hood; no lock on hood handle.  Solex carburetor introduced as standard equipment.  Starting crank hole dropped.  Grooved bumper with flared guards introduced.  Hubcaps feature small VW logo.  Air-flap control on fan shroud discontinued.  Deluxe interior features ivory dash panels and knobs, eight-day clock, two-spoke steering wheel, and rear bolster pillows.

L41 BLACK

L11 PASTEL GREEN

USED 1949–53

L13 MEDIUM GREEN

USED 1949–52

L14 RESEDA GREEN

USED 1949–52

L19 ATLANTIC BLUE USED 1949–53

BEETLE PRODUCTION, 1949–79

BUILT IN LES 19 ET 45,782 SEDANS

1.25M

: 49

BE

USED ALL YEARS, 1949–79

99+1

1949 PAINT COLORS

1M

750K

364 CABRIOLETS

(0.78% OF 1949 PRODUCTION)

500K

500K

L21 PEARL GRAY USED 1949–53

250K

L23 SILVER GRAY USED 1949–52

L32 DARK BLUE

’49

’79

USED 1949–52

L351 CORAL RED

USED 1949–50

PRODUCTION FOR 1949

L51 BORDEAUX RED

USED 1949–50

L60 IVORY

USED 1949–52

L61 YELLOW

USED 1949–50

L70 MEDIUM BROWN

USED 1949–53

L71 BEIGE

USED 1949–53

TOTAL NUMBER BUILT: 46,146  0.2% of total Beetle production CABRIOLETS BUILT: 364  0.002% of total Beetle production  .78% of ’49 Beetle production NUMBER BUILT IN GERMANY: 46,146  100% of ’49 Beetle production  Sedans were built in Wolfsburg  Cabriolets were built in Osnabrück

’49 BEETLE PRODUCTION TRIVIA:  In 1947, Volkswagen exported its first vehicles: Five sedans went to The Netherlands.  1949 saw the first Beetle shipped to the United States.  By 1950, the company exported one-third of its entire production to countries all over the world.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SAMBA

ALSO IN 1949

APRIL 8, 1949: “GERMANS SEE PEOPLE’S CAR — AT LONG LAST: A dozen years ago, Adolf Hitler promised a shiny new Volkswagen to any German with the 1,000 marks to pay for it. The war intervened, and not a People’s Car reached the people. … The stubby, one-style jobs of the original design, with air-cooled rear engines, are finally rolling out for civilians at a rate of 40,000 a year. … The chiefs at Wolfsburg say they can get rid of every Volkswagen their 8,000 workers produce.”

1949 gave us the movies White Heat, All The King’s Men, and Adam’s Rib. The 45rpm record was introduced. The year in popular music began with “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth” and ended with “Mule Train.” Big albums came from Bing Crosby, Doris Day, and Frankie Laine. World heavyweight boxing champ Joe Louis retired. A B-50 Superfortress bomber became the first airplane to complete a non-stop, around-the-world flight. The U.S. had Harry Truman in the White House and a population of about 149 million.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

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WIN A LIFETIME SUBSCRIPTION TO VW TRENDS!

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS DAN LEADBETTER? Follow VW Trends to find him:

? ?

? ?

VWTrendsMagazine

@VWTrendsMagazine

?

? ?

? ?

T

hat’s right, you can win a lifetime subscription to VW Trends! Let’s say you’re 25 years old, and you live until you’re 85: That’s a minimum value of $1,797.60 (based on $29.96 a year for 60 years). Plus, if the magazine goes bimonthly or monthly, you still get every issue for free!

Okay, I’m in. How do I win? Super easy.

Dan Leadbetter (VW Trends Publisher and Editor-in Chief) will be driving across the country in 2023 hitting as many VW shows, parts houses, VW meets, club meetings, and VW cars and coffees as he can. We’ll be posting where and when he’s going to

• SUMMER 10 VW VW TRENDS TRENDS • SUMMER’23 ’23

be on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

What if I can’t find Dan or make it to All you need to do is find him, take a selfie where he’ll be? Great question. We want with him and post it to all your social to make this fun and easy for everyone! media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, If you can’t get to one of the spots Dan whatever) and hashtag it #ifounddan and will be at, just download the Official Dan #vwtrendsmagazine and #empi_inc. At the Leadbetter Download & Cut Out Mask at end of the year, we’ll pick one lucky person vwtrendsmagazine.com, and get a friend to that followed the wear it for the selfie! instructions (be sure to Don’t forget to use the WANNA FIND OUT WHERE hashtag it so we can find hashtags when you DAN WILL BE? you) to win a lifetime post on social media, Follow us on social media: Instagram: @vwtrendsmagazine subscription. You can or your entry will be Facebook: VWTrendsMagazine enter more than once, disqualified. Let’s have but only one entry per some fun! person per location!

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 11

DESERT DUBS VW CAR CLUB

T

he Desert Dubs VW Car Club was formed and incorporated in January 2021 around a backyard fire pit on a winter evening in Arizona. The goal was to create a club that united individuals interested in maintaining and customizing air-cooled VWs to attract prestige and respect within the VW community. The founding members were determined to build a

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club centered not just on the quality of the car, but on the quality of the members — and most importantly, focused on family and community.

The club has been focused on participating in local coffee and cars events, VW shows, car shows, parades, and charity events. They’ve hosted shows with a community focus, holding canned food and toy drives and photo sessions with Santa and the Easter Bunny. They’ve extended their presence by attending the Volks Jam by the Parker Dam, Let’s Talk Dubs in Vegas, and California Week. They were a host club for the 2022 Bug-o-Rama in Phoenix and the featured club at the 2023 Goodguys show in Scottsdale.

The club is also bringing some of the old school back: You can spot a Desert Dubs member (there are currently 13) by their hand-painted rear window. Each member works with legendary painter and pinstriper Efrain “Bugs” Gonzales ( @elbugsdidit ) to design colors specific to their car. In the spirit of car clubs of the past, all club members have a vintage-style mechanic’s jacket with the club’s logo across the back and the member’s name on the front.

Desert Dubs members can often be found helping others in the VW community get their cars back on the road.

They truly believe in helping people learn how to maintain and repair their own vehicles, and their philosophy is, if you have some knowledge, share it!

The club’s mission statement: Desert Dubs is a club open to all air-cooled VW’s. The purpose of the club is to bring friends and families together with a common goal to preserve, restore, maintain, and customize members’ rides. They maintain a working relationship with neighboring clubs to help support the Arizona VW scene. They contribute to their local community through charities and goodwill events while fostering an environment for any and all to support.

When Desert Dubs roll in together to an event, they are almost a car show unto themselves. Members are:

•Stacks •Pulleys •Block Offs •Dist Clamps

ROSSWULF Purveyors of Speed & Style Vintage AirCooled

•Shift Couplers ...And More

www.rosswulf.com

 Andy H: ’58 pressed-bumper Single Cab Bus  Jason P: ’55 Canadian Std. Oval-window Beetle  Jason K: ’60 Split-window Bus  Robert: ’56 Oval-window Beetle  Matthew: ’69 Karmann Ghia  Brandon: ’62 convertible Beetle (air ride)  Tony: ’61 Custom Beetle (raspberry red)  Keith: ’63 Beetle (air ride)  Steven: ’64 Ragtop Beetle  Chad: ’64 Beetle (air ride)  Philip: ’65 Beetle (Bahama Blue, white)  Chris: ’66 Beetle  Andy B: ’68 Beetle Follow or contact Desert Dubs: @desertdubs_az Desert Dubs and Friends youtube.com/@DesertDubs desertdubs.com azdesertdubs@gmail.com Want your club to be in the spotlight? Send a few high-rez images (5–10MB each) of your club members, a few of your more high-profile VWs, and a couple of paragraphs on how and why you got started to dan@vwtrendsmagazine.com.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 13

PRETTY AS A PENNY Think you need a suitcase of cash to build a show-winning Bug? Shawn Mitchell would disagree!

By DG Leadbetter • Photos by John Bunker

W

e’ve all had this internal conversation before: You’re at a VW show looking at all the cool VWs and say to yourself, “Man, I’ll never have the cash to create one of these beauties.” You can do one of two things: You can either start collecting pop bottles (wow, did I just date myself?) to scrape together cash, or figure out an alternative way to achieve your goal. That’s exactly what Shawn Mitchell, a 17-year Army veteran, of Lakewood, Washington, did.

In April, 2010, on his way to work, Shawn spotted a ’57 Oval sitting at the side of the road with a “For Sale” sign on it. To be sure, it was worse for wear. The front end had been hit, the floor pans were all but gone, it had the wrong deck lid, and the rear clip had been cut off. Not to mention it was

14 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

on a ’69 pan. The real kicker was the person that owned it wanted a ton of money. After some intense wheeling and dealing, Shawn picked it up for $2,000.

With the Oval in his possession, Shawn set out to turn this beat-up shell into a real looker. Not wanting to break the bank or take money from his pellet stove business and chimney sweeping service, Shawn knew he had to get creative. And creative he got!

Since Shawn didn’t have the luxury of owning a body shop with a boatload of tools and fabricating equipment, he built a rotisserie for what was left of the pan.

After media blasting the tunnel, installing brand new pans, and giving it a fresh coat of Raptor bedliner, it was time for an upgrade on the front end. Wanting to get the stance of the ’57 a little more aggressive, Shawn

added a 2-inch narrowed beam and 2-inch dropped spindles. To help with stopping, Shaw upgraded the stock drum brakes to a new set of EMPI disc brakes.

With the pan up to snuff, it was time to work on the body. Shawn hand-built a body rotisserie to get access to all the spots that needed some TLC. Save for about 10 hours of bodywork, the engine, brake lines, and final cut and polish, Shawn did all the work on his VW by himself! This included (but was not limited to) hand-forming sheet metal repair pieces, fabricating the bumpers, and body and paint. When you’re building a Volkswagen on a budget, doing as much work as you can yourself is a must.

It was now time to paint the body, fenders and doors. Shawn’s original color choice was a Dodge Charger copper color

The rear taillights were replaced by these super-cool LED skulls.

(which was the original reason the Bug was named Penny), but after seeing the price tag on the paint, he chose another route. As luck would have it, he found a couple gallons of mistinted PPG Deltron 2000 paint at the local paint store. The two gallons weren’t exactly the same color, so to remedy the problem, both colors were mixed together to create a one-off color Shawn calls “My Orange.”

But who would paint Penny? Well, Shawn, of course! The only problem was Shawn had never painted a car in his life. After watching countless YouTube painting tutorials, Shawn grabbed some $9.95 Harbor Freight HVLP Purple paint guns and sprayed the super-smooth surface with countless layers of the unique color.

Shawn wanted a two-tone Bug, but he didn’t want to copy-cat the other VWs out there. While at Spirit Halloween, he found a really cool skull lace tablecloth. Being a fan of lowrider lace paintwork, he decided to pay homage to those wild paint jobs, while still holding true to his vision.

After two days and lots of clear coat, the unique two-tone paint scheme was a reality! The lace motif was carried

The 1776cc was from Mouse Meat, Inc. in Tacoma, Washington, and features 8.5:1 compression, dual Webers, lots of detailing, deep sump pan, and dual quiet-pack exhaust.

through to the headlights and split bumpers. How well was a home-spun paint job received? Well taking three awards for paintwork ain’t too shabby!

Penny’s interior is straightforward, but it has some really cool upgrades.

The dash was cut up pretty badly, so Shawn made a patch panel to cover up the butchery and provide a home for the Dakota Digital gauges (including an oval speedo/GPS gauge). The heated seats are from a 2017 Subaru WRX. The rear seat was removed for a cleaner look and to provide a space

Shawn really deserves all the credit for this build. This is exactly what you can do with a vision, ingenuity, creativity, and some good YouTube videos!

for the stereo system. The Kenwood Bluetooth stereo, Kenwood 300watt amp, and Infinity speakers are neatly hidden below the panel. A new Sunbright headliner was added, showing off the curves of the roof.

The salt-and-pepper loop carpet is from V-Dubs Upholstery of San Diego.

Shifting chores are handled through a three-skull Beer Tap handle mounted on an EMPI shifter.

Powering the Oval is a solid 1776cc assembled by Stig Bugly at Mouse Meat, Inc. in Tacoma, Washington.

This powerplant has 8.5:1 compression, dual-port heads topped with dual 34 ICT Webers, an external oil filter and deep sump pan, and dual quiet pack exhaust. The engine is detailed with the lace/skull motif and has solid heater tubes. A stock ’69 transaxle puts the estimated 70hp to the ground.

Shawn saved a pretty Penny by doing most of the work himself, and the final product is definitely worth a million bucks … as well as the multiple awards Shawn has won with her. This just goes to show that with a little ingenuity and creativity, you don’t have to spend a million bucks to have a one-of-a-kind unique show car!

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 15

Check out the custom, home-built split bumpers! The skull/lace theme is carried out through the bumpers and headlights.

EMPI 15” 5-spoke wheels mounted on Langolden rubber at all four corners is the perfect combo for Shawn’s ride. Shawn turned the beat-up shell of a ’57 Oval into a looker by doing most of the work himself.

The rebuilt dash provides a home for Dakota Digital gauges, including oil pressure, oil temperature, voltmeter, and an oval center gauge.

The interior is simple, but elegant. Note the three-skull shifter (actually a beer tap) and heated Subaru seats!

16 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

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FROM TDI TO OMG! A simple software upgrade from APR can transform your TDI into the machine it was meant to be •• by Dan Leadbetter

 Here’s the brains of your TDI. Fortunately, this doesn’t even need to be removed to install the APR Stage 1 ECU upgrade.  Here’s the results (from the APR website) after installing the upgrade. While we didn’t have access to dyno to confirm these numbers, our seat-of-the-pants evaluation over 11,000 miles tells us they’re pretty spot-on!

NORTH AMERICAN ENGINES

W

hen we bought Project Showrunner, we were thinking it would be purely utilitarian. You know, loading it up, going to shows, going home. We really didn’t think about some of the slightly annoying things that diesel owners have to put up with.

You know: turbo lag, a slight shudder when accelerating from a complete stop, and sluggishness when you drop the hammer.

While we were at German Dreams in Bakersfield, California, getting Solo Werks coilovers put on the VW, we lamented some of our diesel annoyances. German Dreams suggested we do an APR Stage 1 software upgrade. We were concerned about having to remove the ECU, but they assured us this was a download through the OBDII port. With our fears alleviated, we said, “Let’s do it!”

At an MSRP of just $399.99 (not including labor at an authorized installer), APR’s ECU Upgrade is one of the best dollar-tohorsepower changes you can make to ramp up your engine’s efficiency and performance. According to APR’s website, “We optimize everything to make your engine more powerful. We adjust air-fuel ratios, advance ignition, increase boost pressure, alter cam positions and lift profiles, and more, all depending on the type of engine and management system, of course! We don’t take shortcuts, and we don’t take risks. We do it the right way.” The installation took a little over an hour, and was super easy and headache-free.

Several months after the upgrade, we took Showrunner on an 11,000-mile road trip, and here’s our findings: definitely more horsepower and torque. As in, this TDI now WANTS to run at 90 MPH, while getting mileage in the high 47’s to mid-50’s. (Yes, that’s 50 miles per gallon with a fully loaded-down car plus a not-so-small driver!) Throttle response is definitely better — I’ve unintentionally chirped the tires multiple times from a dead stop — and that shudder on acceleration is completely gone. Bottom line: Was it worth $399.99 plus installation cost? Absolutely 100%!

If you’re a TDI owner, this is seriously one of the best things you can do for your ride. When you call, please let them know VW Trends sent you!

18 VW TRENDS • SUMMER SUMMER’23 ’23

HORSEPOWER GAIN

TORQUE GAIN

BHW 2.0 TDI PD EA188

+39

+49 ft/lbs

CBEA 2.0 CR EA189

+30

+35 ft/lbs

CJAA 2.0 CR EA189

+30

+35 ft/lbs

CKRA 2.0 CR EA189

+30

+35 ft/lbs

CRUA 2.0 CR EA288

+30

+54 ft/lbs

CVCA 2.0 CR EA288

+30

+54 ft/lbs

DEJA 2.0 CR EA288

+30

+54 ft/lbs

1. First thing is to do is make sure a battery tender is attached so there’s a constant 14.2 volts during the download. You have to have constant power or else it’s a no-go.

APR, Opelika, Alabama (800) 680-7921 www.goapr.com German Dreams, Bakersfield, California (661) 397-3961 facebook.com/germandreamsperformance

2. If you have a VW TDI, chances are your OBDII port is on the driver’s side of the car under the dash. This cable runs to a laptop where the software is downloaded and installed.

3. With the software downloaded and the vehicle ready, it was time to hit the “enter” button and get the upgrade underway.

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• SUMMER ’23 19

COLORADO COOL!

With a great turnout and mild temps, the 2022 Painters Grinding Colorado Bug-In had to be one of the coolest ever on Thunder Mountain.

Story and photos by Bruce Simurda Racing at Bandimere Speedway is like nowhere else! The NHRA facility is located on the side of a mountain (aptly called “Thunder Mountain”) at an elevation of 5,800 feet.

W

hen it comes to Volkswagen events that include drag racing, few have a facility comparable to Colorado’s Bandimere Speedway in Morrison.

Affectionately called “Thunder Mountain,” it was founded way back in 1958 by John Bandimere Sr. as an alternative for kids who were street racing on the outskirts of Denver. Through the years, it has grown into one of the finest drag racing facilities in the nation, complete with seating for 23,000 spectators. That, of course, is a few more than what’s needed for the annual Painters Grinding Colorado Bug-In, but it’s always good to have room to grow, right?

Bandimere was literally sculpted right into the side of a hill with three different tiers: spectator parking at the bottom, drag strip in the center, and drag pits on top.

When it comes to the annual Bug-In, it’s the upper paved area that sees the most action, because it has plenty of paved room for the car show, swap meet, and drag pits.

From there you can also watch the drag

20 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

races below, or easily walk down to the seat area to enjoy the action.

The 2022 Painter’s Grinding Colorado Bug-In was held on July 24th, which is typically a very hot time of the year. But this day the weather was unseasonably cool, with high clouds that threatened but never delivered moisture until later in the day … talk about luck! That was a welcome relief to the many attendees and to show-car owners who stay with their cars throughout the day to answer questions from curious onlookers.

And we saw a lot of familiar faces to chat with again this year, like Matt Raible of Centennial, Colorado, who again brought his beautiful white and yellow ’66 21-Window Bus. This T2 looks mild custom from the outside, with its polished Porsche wheels, but inside the engine compartment lies a six-cylinder Porsche 911 engine attached to a 915 gearbox! The interior features pristine white upholstery trimmed with yellow piping, and Matt was

awarded Best Interior and Best of Show.

Last years’ top winners, the Tibbetts from Albuquerque, New Mexico, were also back. But they didn’t bring their showwinning vintage Buggy. Instead, they had a pair of ’56 Ovals — Margaret’s green looker with chrome BRMs and 2180cc engine, and Reggie’s over-the-top blue custom with full tube chassis and 550 horsepower Chevy V8!

Appropriately named Sweet Pea and Split Personality, both cars won their respective classes, and Reggie’s took Best Engine.

There were quite a few water-cooled VWs as well, as the Bug-In has three show classes just for the newer VWs. The beautiful red ’87 Cabriolet of Alejandro Corona took the win in Water Cooled Open.

As nice as this ’vert is on the outside, where it really stands out is its mega-detailed engine compartment, complete with an upgraded R32 six cylinder engine… just beautiful!

Besides all the beautiful and unique show cars, people enjoyed the swap meet, which

Watercooled Open winner Alejandro Corona’s beautiful red ’87 Cabriolet is a regular at the Colorado Bug-In, with a Porsche 3.2-liter V6 shoehorned into the engine compartment.

seemed bigger and better than ever, and a variety of vendor booths such as Painter’s Grinding and EMPI. This year Painter’s Grinding had a ceremony celebrating the life of company founder Dayton Painter, who passed away on December 22, 2021. Dayton started Painter’s Grinding in his garage back in 1973, was a huge supporter of the Colorado Bug-In for many years, and will surely be missed.

When the action fired up on Bandimere’s quarter-mile track, no one was sure if the weather wound cooperate long enough to get the program completed, but as they say, the show must go on! And it did, with four classes of VW Drag racing — Quick 8, Pro Eliminator, Sportsman, and Water Cooled — along with a non-VW event, the kids in Junior Dragster racing JR Race Car Titan 16. It turned out to be a lot of action, with only a few small oil-downs at the start line, which made the program run smoothly, thanks in

Top honors for Best of Show and Bus ’67-Earlier went to Matt Raible’s ’66 21-Window. The Bus is more than just looks, with a Porsche 911 engine and 915 trans lurking out back!

As the event’s main sponsor, the crew from Painter’s Grinding was on hand with their booth and a ton of cars — these guys know their VWs!

large part to the professional track crew at Bandimere. In Painter’s Grinding Quick 8, “Fast Eddie” Radillo from Denver got the win with a 12.803/101.26mph against John Redding of Grand Junction, who ran a faster 12.701/95.82mph — the edge was in the reaction time. Radillo was also in the NuVintage Pro Eliminator final,

but this time came up short as Randy Caldwell of Loveland ran an impressive 12.623/101.64mph in his blue Buggy for the win. The CBI Sportsman by East Plains final was an interesting matchup, with the same two racers who lined up for the final in 2021 — Mauro Delgado in his blue Single Cab and Mike Leatherbery in a white/flamed Bug (last year he was in a blue ’67). Delgado’s lightning-quick .077 reaction time got him the win after running 20.277/63.98 (vs. Leatherbery’s 15.904/76.74mph and .122 reaction). In Water Cooled by Emich, the blue R32 of Longmont’s Dylan Witt took the win over the white Golf of Westminster’s Josh King, running 12.602/109.01 to King’s 15.856/89.61mph.

As if on cue, not fifteen minutes after the final race the clouds opened and the 2022 Colorado Bug-In came to a close. Call it luck, or maybe great timing, but this was one very cool event!

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 21

Bill Walker’s ’71 D-Cab is powered by a 2055cc sporting dual Kadrons. Kyle Tucker’s flamed ’69 Volksrod has some covert details as well.

Here’s Joe Ramirez’s custom purple ’67 (note gas heater) and Phyllis Woodson’s beautiful blue ’74, the Stock Beetle ’68-Later class winner.

So much right, so much wrong … but we loved this VW-powered Snow Track. Note that the engine sits sideways. Wonder if the dual-exhaust setup helps defrost the windshield?

The Colorado Bug-In’s swap meet is always a must-attend for VW enthusiasts from across the state.

You don’t see 8-spoke wheels on a Type 3 every day, but they may have helped Mike Stonner of Keenesburg take the Type 3 win with his sweet blue ’70 Fastback.

Kevin Biel’s class-winning ’68 Baja from Denver looks way too clean to take into the dirt and mud — they say the first time is always the hardest!

“Hey honey, look what I found in the swap meet!” This guy definitely had some big plans, with at least four bumpers, a two-barrel carb and more in that wagon.

You don’t see a lot of chop-tops today, but Mike O’Keefe’s radical ‘66 from Littleton got a lot of attention and the Full Custom/Radical class win.

LEFT: Ruth Colaiannia of Littleton certainly is “Ruthless” when it comes to drag racing! Here, she launches her Bug hard during qualifying. MIDDLE: In the Pro Eliminator final, Randy Caldwell of Loveland (buggy) cut the better light (0.170 vs. 0.228) to take the win over a faster (103.28 vs. 101.54mph) Eddie Radillo of Denver. RIGHT: Along with the VW drag racing program, JR Race Car Titan 16s were running their finals between rounds. No kidding around here: These junior racers are serious!

22 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

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VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 23

Ashlynn Sacchette and her dad Jack brought out their race Bug.

HOT DUBS & COLD SUDS

VW SHOW & 48 IPA

BEER LAUNCH! VW Trends and Chapman Crafted Beer release the VW-themed beer you’ve been waiting for!

by VWT staff photos by Larry Bohannon and Rich Crafton

EMPI brought out their Meyers Manx and VW Trends cover model Shannon Rae to sign posters! Here’s Shannon with iconic VW photographer (and longtime VW Trends friend) RK Smith.

ll of us at VW Trends love going to Volkswagen shows. And a nice cold beer is a perfect pairing for wandering around checking out cool VWs. Until now, there wasn’t a beer that embraced the VW culture. Now, Budweiser, Coors Light, and Modelo are fine, but man, why couldn’t someone come up with an awesome beer that captures the spirit of the VW community?

We shared our thoughts with VWT social media manager and street team leader Larry Bohannon, who said, “I got a guy.” After meeting with the folks at Chapman Crafted Beer in Old Towne Orange, California, we discovered that they aren’t just expert beer crafters, they’re VW people as well! That sealed the deal right there, and the collaboration started.

We already knew the name was the bomb. I mean, come on: 48 IPA? That was a no-brainer. But we needed a brew that matched the awesomeness of the name. So, Dave, the master beer brewer at Chapman, came up with a unique India pale ale that was easy to drink, crisp, refreshing, and not too hoppy — perfect to drink at car

shows! Now we just needed the perfect event to launch 48 IPA. How about a car show? That’s how Hot Dubs and Cold Suds came to life!

We picked Saturday, June 10, for the event, since it was right at the start of the three-week VW event extravaganza in Southern California. There were people from all over the world in Southern California for the events, so the show had an international flair! We spoke to people from France, Belgium, and Sweden.

The car show area was exclusive and filled up fast! There was an amazing selection of Volkswagens on display: full-blown race cars, vintage masterpieces, cool customs, rat rods, dune buggies, Buses, Westies, and more. VIP pre-registrants got a 48 IPA T-shirt, key chain, stickers, and a 4-pack of 48 IPA beer! EMPI came out in force with a booth and their fresh-off-the-press Meyer’s Manx Buggy. If that weren’t enough, they brought out VW Trends cover model Shannon Rae to sign posters! EMPI was also kind enough to donate a set of EMPI 8-spoke wheels that we raffled off to one lucky car show entrant. On the other side of the brewery, people could

A

24 VW • SUMMER VW TRENDS TRENDS • SUMMER’23 ’23

The Chapman’s Choice award went to Dave Nord and his immaculate ’57 seafoam Beetle. From left to right: VWT editor and publisher Dan Leadbetter, Chapman Crafted Beer co-owner Randy Nelson, Dave Nord, Chapman Crafted Beer co-owner Wil Dee, VWT publisher Rich Crafton, VWT art director Jason Smith, and Chapman Crafted tasting room/events manager Dakota Sims.

The real star of the show was the VW Trends/Chapman Crafted 48 IPA! Here’s beertender Jared Henderson pouring the first 48 IPA of the day.

People were hanging out, playing cornhole, buying subscriptions and swag at the VW Trends booth, and of course, enjoying an ice cold 48 IPA!

grab a 48 IPA, eat some awesome food, hang out and talk shop. VW Trends had a booth and was selling subscriptions and T-shirts to the eager crowd.

At the end of the day, we had to narrow down the amazing show VWs and pick three winners. It was a VERY tough decision, as all of them were top notch.

All in all, it was an amazing day! The event went off without a hitch, people had a great time (such a good time that loads of people stayed to hang out long after the event was over), and 48 IPA got rave reviews from everyone in attendance. In fact, we had such a blast, we’re gonna do it again next year! See you in 2024!

Best of Show went to Bob Sowersby (third from right, below) and his superclean ’53 Oval with more accessories than you could shake a stick at!

Hot Dubs and Cold Suds had it all — from Rat Rods to Resto-Customs to slick stockers, there was something for everyone!

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 25

VW Trends Editor’s Choice went to Chad Amaro and his stunning ’66 split window Bus. This Type 2 is a daily driver!

Dan Finley, who owns this super-slick red and black Type 34 Ghia, won the raffle for a set of EMPI 8-spoke wheels.

We’ll be back next year!

26 VW • SUMMER VW TRENDS TRENDS • SUMMER’23 ’23

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 27

McGEE’S GREEN GHIA This ’71 KG ’vert is super-clean on the outside, battle-ready on the inside!

by Dan Leadbetter 28 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

“M

y love affair with VWs started by reading VW Trends at lunchtime when I was 14 years old,” Wade McGee of Powder Springs, Georgia, told us. But the Bug really didn’t bite until a little later. At the tender age of 15, Wade was illegally driving a ’78 Corolla he bought from his preacher for $40. It needed a clutch. Wade fixed

it and drove the car for six months before a friend offered him $800 for it. Walking home with 800 clams in his pocket, Wade saw a ’65 Ghia for sale. The guy wanted $800, but Wade got him down to $790 (he needed gas money). The deal was done, and Wade was officially hooked on VWs. It seemed like a simple start, but

This KG was formerly a high school shop car. It was then sold to a guy who had it for a little more than 15 years before losing interest in it. Wade snagged it for $3,000.

Wade went down the rabbit hole pretty deep. Since that time, besides the aforementioned ’65 Ghia, Wade has owned a ’74 Ghia convertible, a ’67 Beetle, multiple water-cooled VWs (including several Sciroccos and GTIs), and the ’71 Ghia convertible you see before you.

This KG was formerly a high school shop car. It was then sold to a guy in Alabama who had it on jackstands for a little more than 15 years before losing interest in it. Wade snagged it for a mere $3,000.

Once the VW was in his posses-

sion, Wade began taking care of the was going to be a headliner. Wade’s not exterior. Fortunately, the body was a fan of headliners and decided to go rust-free, something you don’t find too without. He ordered a new Black cloth often these days. Donning his weldconvertible top from MTM. Since he ing helmet, Wade and his friend Will wasn’t going to use a headliner, Wade Jackson went over every square inch of had to spitball how much of the cloth the body to make sure it was all set for top needed to be removed for a clean fit prep and paint. This included shaving and installation. He told MTM to cut the rear lowers and front turn signals, a quarter-inch off all the way around. since Wade likes When the top to keep things showed up, it fit simple. like a glove!

Next was the With the paint. Danny paint dry and wet Sawyer from sanded, Wade reKeith Sawyer placed the stock Performance headlights with in Kennesaw, a set of Summit Georgia, overRacing LED City saw spraying Lights, which the PPG LR6 add a modern Green — a VW touch.

The stock Porsche Fuchs (5.5" in the front, 6" Polo color — on bumpers were in the rear) are mounted on Achilles the body, interior rechromed and Economist all-season radials. and convertible reinstalled, as frame. was the rest of You may be asking, “Why would the chrome trim. This Ghia was really he paint the convertible frame? It’s taking shape! just going to get covered up with the A VW this cool can’t sit on a stock headliner!” You’d be right — if there suspension, so Valley Autoworks was

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 29

Wade wanted his interior to evoke a P-51 Mustang fighter plane. He designed the look of the interior, and the folks from Iron Ace brought it to life! Looks like it’s ready for battle! All rewired stock gauges keep Wade informed. Note the wood floor mats.

The 1776 engine was built by Joe at Herrel’s VW Bug Parts in Carollton, Georgia. It features CB Performance 90.5mm pistons and barrels, Scat counterweighted crank, balanced and bushed rods with ARP bolts, an Engle 110 camshaft, MOFOCO portmatched dual-port heads, and a set of Weber 44 IDF carbs.

This angle gives you an idea of the how the 4-inch narrowed beam sits the VW. Wade shaved the front turn signals and had the bumpers and other trim re-chromed.

30 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

tapped for a 4-inch narrowed beam with narrowed tie-rods, outfitted with Airkewled drop spindles and custom 10-inch shocks. To keep things stable, a 28mm sway bar was added.

Out back, adjustable rear plates with Bilstien shocks brought the KG down to a respectable stance. For tires and wheels, Wade chose 15-inch Porsche Fuchs (5.5" in the front, 6" in the rear) mounted on Achilles Economist all-season radials. EMPI discs and lines on all four corners provide the stopping power.

Now it was time for some much-needed go power! Wade reached out to Herrel’s VW Bug Parts in Carollton, Georgia, to build him a rock-solid 1776cc motor worthy of being installed in this clean Ghia. The motor features CB Performance 90.5mm pistons and barrels, Scat counterweighted crank, and balanced and bushed rods with ARP bolts. Other engine mods include an Engle 110 camshaft, MOFOCO port-matched dual-port heads, a set of Weber 44 IDF carbs, Compufire ignition system, MST pulley system, and JayCee alternator stand. The fan shroud is a 36hp style, and spent gases exit through a CB Performance header system with a QP muffler.

The interior looks like it belongs in a fighter plane rather than a street-savvy Karmann Ghia. Inspired by the P-51 Mustang, Wade designed the look of the interior, and the folks from Iron Ace brought Wade’s vision to life. The bomber-style seats feature distressed black leather cushions. The console features two drink holders, an old-school authentic EMPI T-handle shifter, and e-brake. The door, quarter panels, and rear seat lid follow the theme perfectly. The steering wheel is by MOMO, and OEM gauges keep Wade informed of the engine’s internal workings. The carpet is a black, fine loop with wood floormats. No stereo in this ride — all you need to hear is the rumble of the 1776 monster out back.

If you’re ever in Georgia and a PoloGreen Ghia passes you on the freeway, stick your hand out and wave! Wade deserves multiple thumbs up for his super slick ’71!

PLUS +

www.hayburner.co.uk

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 31

WICKED COOLER

32 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

Greg Butcher found the perfect Single Cab and built the VW of his dreams.

By Bob Daniels

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 33

T

o many, growing up in Florida seems like a dream. Greg Butcher lived that dream. Back in the 1980s, when Greg wasn’t in school, he spent most of his days surfing. His first job was delivering pizza, and even though his surfer lifestyle didn’t cost much, he had a passion for cars, particularly VWs. To supplement his income, Greg and his best friend Charlie would raid the local junkyards, find old VWs, bring them back to life, then sell them for extra cash. But as the years passed, Greg found that delivering pizzas and flipping VWs wasn’t really cutting it anymore. He faced reality and got a “real” job as a car audio technician.

If you grew up in the late ’80s and early ’90s, you may recall the car audio craze: huge stereo systems, equalizers, racks of amps powering massive walls of subwoofers, and so on. Greg was instantly hooked. He now owns Custom Auto & Video in Winter Park, Florida. Greg hasn’t really ever stopped loving VWs, but with his business thriving, he thought it was time to build something extra special. His surfing days are not entirely behind him,

34 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

Greg Butcher loves his Bus, and why shouldn’t he? It’s the VW of his dreams!

but stand-up paddle boards are now more commonplace. While browsing eBay auctions, Greg came across “a wicked cool 1963 patina Single Cab with custom-built racks for paddle boarding!” He placed a bid, not really expecting to win. But when the seller lifted the reserve at the last minute, Greg yelled in excitement to his girlfriend, “We just bought a new VW!” The Bus was only a few hours away. Greg made a few calls, borrowed a trailer, and in a matter of days after the close of the auction, the truck was in his possession.

Greg has owned his fair share of VWs, but

this one was different from the start. He cruised it around for about a year until the time came to finally build a VW the way he had dreamed of, from start to finish.

Greg says, “Although the Bus looked wicked cool, it needed some love.” He contacted Jason Stratton at Stratton Motorsports in Winter Park, and that’s when the transformation began. Jason and his crew stripped the body down to bare metal, and surprisingly, it was fairly rust free. After a couple of spots were repaired it was quickly off to paint. The two-tone L380 Green and L87 Off-White Glasurit paint was applied, then wet sanded and buffed to perfection.

With the body ready, it was time to make it a roller. A KCW 4-inch narrowed beam with 2½-inch dropped spindles was installed in front. The back uses a Pro Street transaxle (3.44 ring and pinion and .082 4th gear) provided by Wright Gearbox in Riverside, California, along with adjustable spring plates. After the EMPI disc brakes were added, the Bus got a set of 17inch chrome Radar wheels with Hankook 205/40 fronts and 215/45 rears, and the stance was complete.

When it came time to do the motor, Greg

Greg, Dickey’s Upholstery, and Stratton Motorsports collaborated to create an amazing interior in tan vinyl and tweed. The tweed, also used for the headliner, has a hint of teal and really complements the rest of Greg’s Type II. Now THAT’S a motor! This isn’t some tame grocery-getter engine — it’s a massive 2332cc ground-pounder loaded with goodies from CB Performance. Oh, did we mention it also has air conditioning?

At first glance, you’d think it was a stock speedo. Nope, this is an ISP speedo, tach, and fuel gauge system, color matched perfectly!

went all in. Wright Gearbox built a brandnew 2332cc loaded with goodies from CB Performance: CB 84mm crank, lifters, ignition, rockers, and 044 heads, just to name a few. With all that from CB, why not add CB fuel injection too? Top that off with a Porsche-style cooling tin, and you’ve got one sweet engine!

But wait, there’s more. You’ll notice the belt on the serpentine system is a bit different. That’s because Greg lives in Florida, where air conditioning is mandatory. The compressor is mounted underneath the engine tin, and if you didn’t notice the belt configuration, you would have no clue that an AC system was installed.

The interior was the last step of the process, and it was now time for Greg himself to shine. He used his own talents, in collaboration with Dickey’s Upholstery in Longwood, Florida, and Stratton Motorsports, to create an amazing interior and sound system. As you can imagine, a guy who installs audio systems and home

theaters for a living silk-dome tweeters isn’t going to install in the door panels. a Sparkomatic Speaking of the cassette deck in door panels, those the dash and call it and the seats were a day! No sir! This done in a twoType II sports an tone tan vinyl and 1800-watt Pioneer/ tweed. The tweed, JL Audio sound also used for the Talk about integration: The backup system. To quote headliner, has a camera is right in the license plate!

Floridian Vanilla hint of teal in it, and Ice, this Bus has really compliments enough bass “to shake and kick holes in the the exterior. ground!”

So what about that air conditioning?

Remember that hidden AC compressor?

Once again, everything is neatly hidden.

The stereo system and interior are much The air vents and control knobs are mountthe same. The overhead console houses a ed just below the front seat. I can’t begin to Pioneer touchscreen control unit (which is express how well everything on this Single also the screen for a backup camera secretly Cab was executed. hidden behind the license plate). Inside As time passes, we all mature. Car audio the treasure chests conceal a custom built, installations become home theater installaLED-lit subwoofer enclosure that houses tions, and the junkyard flips become a year four JL Audio 12W3 V2 12-inch subwoofers and a half restoration. Rooted in most evthat can only be seen through an access hole eryone, especially us car nuts, is some nosbehind the seat. The passenger-side treatalgia, and car enthusiasts often do what we sure chest hides two concealed Interstate do as a reminder of our past. Greg now has batteries, battery posts, and a cutoff. The the VW of his dreams, and he and his longdriver’s side hides two JL Audio amps: a JL time girlfriend Laura can cruise the streets 1000/1 to handle the subwoofers and a JL of Florida, listening to an earth-shattering 600/4 to handle the component speakers in sound system, reminiscing about days gone the doors. The only real obvious evidence by. Greg started his project with something of the stereo at all is the JL Audio C5-653 he described as “wicked cool,” but now, 3-way component speaker system: 6.5-inch especially with air conditioning, it’s even woofers, 4-inch mid-ranges, and 0.75-inch Wicked Cooler!

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 35

FLAT4 SHOP TOUR

BY ERIC GEISERT, OUR MAN IN YOKOHAMA, JAPAN

In Japan, finding any kind of space for anything is very difficult, so you might appreciate how impressive it is to see this big two-story vintage VW parts store (with adjacent repair shop and parking area) on a third of an acre.

52-year-old Nao Fujita in front of the original FLAT4 sign that used to hang at their California-based shop back in the ’90s. The only location now for the company is in Yokohama, Japan.

A customer’s car is being dropped off at FLAT4’s three-bay repair shop, located across the parking lot from their showroom.

This is half of the second-floor showroom at FLAT4’s world headquarters in Yokohama. Need a Haynes repair manual written in Japanese for your Ghia? They’ve got them.

36 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

FLAT4 also works on, builds, and does government inspections on vintage cars. There are no sand dunes in Japan, so it’s rare to see a Baja Bug here.

FLAT4 also buys and sells vintage VWs. A 1954 barndoor Bus is rare in most of the world and very rare in Japan, and this one is numbers-matching and all original inside.

The 8-million Yen pricetag translates to about $63,000.

S

ometimes a story needs a little context. were outside the country, it was damn near In the custom VW world, there’s a impossible to enjoy the hobby the way those pretty good dividing line between things in SoCal were experiencing it. that happened before the last Bug-In and So imagine living in Japan in the ’70s things that have happened since — and and wanting to find parts for your Bug. we’re talking about the original Bug-In that There had been a VW dealership network was held at Orange County International in Japan since the late ’50s, but that was Raceway in Southern California between only a source for new factory parts. What 1968 and 1982. That time frame also if someone started importing parts from includes era-specific aftermarket parts parts houses and U.S.-based speed shops companies such as Small Car Specialties, to Japan? That’s what Takashi Komori Johnny’s Speed figured out how to and Chrome, do when he created and the original FLAT4 in 1976.

EMPI in Riverside, Initially he California (not the was buying parts company that exists through a U.S.today). based broker.

Back then, But soon Komori finding old parts for realized he could your 20-year-old have his own SoCalSplit-window was based business for easy, and ’67 Bugs sourcing parts. So and Buses were still in 1991, he opened driving around on an office in Santa the highways and Monica, California, still cheap (nobody and began buying really cared about whatever his a barndoor or any countrymen needed other kind of Bus to fix up, repair, and back then). It was customize their the golden era for VWs. FLAT4’s exceptional version of the those lucky enough Meanwhile, ‘60s-era BRM wheel was the product that put the company on the map back to be involved with in the late ’80s, in the early ’90s. FLAT4 even included VWs. Nao Fujita the foundry castings in the spoke faces But outside was attending to match the look of the original.

SoCal it was a college in New different story.

Hampshire. He The Cal Look scene was slowly creeping was an American-motorcycle type of guy across the U.S., and there were some great but that wasn’t going to cut it with the New pockets of interest popping up here and England winters. So he bought a commuter there, like in Texas and Virginia. But if you car, which happened to be a ’66 Bug. After

You can bet there are not more than a handful of restored ’50 convertible VWs in Japan. This one, in FLAT4’s showroom, is not for sale.

a move to Penn State in Pennsylvania, he got involved with some friends who were into VWs. They introduced Nao to VW Trends and Hot VWs magazines and also began to teach him how to work on his car (he confesses he didn’t even know at the time how to fill the oil). That kinship led to Nao attending quite a few VW swap meets (including the Manassas Bug-Out), buying and selling parts to make a few bucks while attending college.

In the early ’90s, Nao saw an announcement from FLAT4 about the release of a new reproduction BRM wheel to the Cal-Look VW market. Nao called them up and asked if they needed any help.

They said yes, so Nao sent a resume, went to California for an interview with Komori, and got the job.

In the late ’90s, the Santa Monica branch of FLAT4 closed. The sole remaining FLAT4 location filled a fivestory building in the new auto dealership area of Tokyo. It was an economic boomtime in Japan, and sellers at the Pomona Auto Swap Meet in SoCal would often see groups of Japanese carrying briefcases full of cash and buying up vintage VWs and other cars at every meet.

FLAT4 had been doing pretty well in the ’90s selling other people’s products, and after introducing their own BRM wheel, they began making many more of their own parts and expanding that side of the business. Among the first items were steering wheels and horn buttons (their steering wheel line now covers vintage VWs, Cal-Look, and Bus), and exhaust systems and other necessary parts soon followed.

In 2018 Komori decided to retire and Fujita was named president of FLAT4.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 37

Among the first items FLAT4 created were vintage and GT-type steering wheels, and you have to make horn buttons for them, too! Years ago FLAT4 created an Abarthstyle vintage muffler system and they still carry the product today.

Nao’s work of expanding the business continues to this day. It’s tough on one hand, because there are fewer old Volkswagens out there than ever, but Nao feels there’s still a strong demand for his parts and for the hobby in general.

The fact that companies are willing to invest in tooling to fabricate brand-new 23-window Bus bodies tells you something about the current shape of the vintage VW aftermarket — let alone the sky-high prices that some of the original pre-’68 Buses are bringing at car auctions around the country.

The shop moved out of downtown Tokyo in 2021 to Yokohama, very close to the Yokohama Convention Center, where the massive Mooneyes custom car show happens each year. FLAT4 now occupies a

two-story building with a large showroom, vintage parts display, online sale offices, a separate three-bay repair shop building, another area for used VW car sales, and customer parking spaces (which are very rare in Japan).

Nao will continue to look for new opportunities and new products for FLAT4 — one of which is a new 17-inch GT steering wheel for Bus owners that is due to hit the market by the time you read this.

And it seems Takashi Komori’s initial thoughts on creating FLAT4 nearly 50 years ago still ring true today: Even though you may own a rare car, you still have to be able to drive it, and FLAT4 will continue to be there to help folks make that happen.

Bob McClurg has been photographing drag cars at Southern California tracks since 1964, but caught this shot of the original I/Gas Inch Pincher, Too! at an IHRA event in Dallas in the early ‘70s.

A “parade” of invited vehicles always opens Japan’s prestigious Mooneyes car show in Yokohama, and FLAT4’s Inch Pincher participated in the 2022 drive-in.

When FLAT4 cloned the Inch Pincher in the early ’90s, they used a ’54 oval that had already been chopped by the previous owner. In its latest restoration from a couple years ago, a big-window section was installed to bring the look closer to the original version.

Usually parked alongside the Inch Pincher, Too! clone is this Cold Fire metalflake EMPI Imp that uses a whole host of products from EMPI’s ’70s-era catalog, including DDS crankshaft and pistons, EMPI Sprint Star wheels and bucket seats, and a 14-inch GT steering wheel.

38 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

To replicate the look of the original, FLAT4 used an Autometer tach with a custom repro full-sweep 8,000rpm Sun Tach gauge face, and a DDS Bus shifter with a T handle and Line Lock button.

The EMPI GT steering wheel is another addition not found in the original.

A VERY BRIEF INCH PINCHER HISTORY LESSON

T

here have been only three Inch Pincher drag cars, but body variations in those through the years muddy the picture a bit. The first was a ’56 Oval Darrell Vittone (son of EMPI founder Joe Vittone) once used as a daily driver. Dan Gurney road-raced it in the Bahamas (with Dean Lowry overseeing) in both ’63 and ’64. The Oval’s rear window was eventually taken out in favor of a bigger early-’60s window, and the roof was covered with vinyl in a multi-colored flower motif to go along with the orange ‘n’ flame paint scheme.

By 1971, Darrell had built EMPI’s next racecar using the pan from the original Inch Pincher and a chopped ’59 body with a Plexiglas moonroof. It was raced once at the ’71 Winternationals in an all-white paint job with Inch Pincher, Too! lettered on the doors. When it showed up at the next race it was covered with the nowfamous multi-panel, multi-colored paint job done by Rollin “Molly” Sanders. It was also an EMPI-owned vehicle and, when EMPI was sold to Filter Dynamics in 1971, the car went with the sale.

Darrell continued to race the car for the

by New York-based Richard Guarino, 1971–72 season (winning the Eliminator who ran Competition Car Parts — and class at the ’72 Winternationals), but an EMPI dealer. The Inch Pincher III soon left EMPI to start his own business is currently in Japan and owned by named Race FLAT4. As for Shop. After 1972, the first two Inch Filter Dynamics Pinchers, folks “in promoted their the know” about products using such things mostly the Inch Pincher agree the first Too! at various and second Inch racing events Pincher bodies no with different longer exist. drivers, but it In the early never achieved ’90s, to help the stature it had highlight the when Darrell debut of their raced it. The new BRM-type car was sold to wheel, FLAT4 different drivers built a clone of The Santana crank pulley, 48 Weber IDAs, and blue fuel line were found on over the next Inch Pincher, Too!, the original Inch Pincher II. The 1995cc few years and it which you see motor (82 x 88) is set up with a 9:1 apparently has here. It’s pretty compression. been lost to time. faithful to the The Inch original, though Pincher III, a copper-colored ’52 Splitsome of the original race stickers have window, was driven on the East Coast been changed to FLAT4 stickers.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 39

TECH

A new front end can really refresh your driving experience. If you’re looking for a replacement front beam for your ’66 to ’77 Type 1, EMPI’s 22-3110-0 gives you a stock-width front beam with stock spindles. But that’s really just the start, as there are SO many customization options.

FIRST LOOK:

EMPI’S

BEAM IN A BOX Have it your way! (Why didn’t someone think of this sooner?)

By VW Trends staff

R

emember those Hungry may not have issues lurking Man TV dinners? They in the wings? EMPI has also had EVERYTHING! From the upped the ante with their new, main course (usually Salisbury exclusive forged trailing arms steak or fried chicken) to the and spindles, euro ball joints, mashed potatoes to the berry torsion leaves, bearings, and cobbler — which got so nuclear seals. They top it off with fresh hot it made your head explode grease and zerk fittings with — those aluminum-packaged all fasteners torqued to factory wonders had it all. Now that specs! See? This really is a onewe’re all older and wiser (and stop front-end shop! hopefully not getting all of our You want a stock-width front food from the freezer section end and stock spindles? Order One really cool aspect of the Beam in a Box: It includes EMPI’s at the store), we can appreciate the 22-3110-0! Want a stocknew exclusive forged trailing arms and spindles (note that the convenience of an all-inwidth beam with dropped shocks aren’t included). one package. Well, for VW faspindles? Order the 22-3110natics, EMPI has come up with 0! Want to step it up a notch a front-end solution called Beam in a Box end, made exactly how you want it, with no with a stock-width adjustable beam with which gives you total flexibility in setting guesswork. EMPI has taken a cue from the stock spindles? Order the 22-3114-0! How up your VW’s front beam. old Burger King slogan “Have it your way,” about a stock-width adjustable beam with If you’ve been into VWs for any amount and created the Beam in a Box in five (count dropped spindles? EMPI’s got you covered of time, you know there’s a million things ’em, FIVE) flavors so you can order a brand- with the 22-3116-0. Wanna get crazy with you can do to the front end. But mods can new beam just how you want it! Let’s take a a two-inch narrowed adjustable beam with take a lot a lot of time, and not every shop look at Beam in a Box. drop spindles? Then get yourself a 22-3118can provide all the services you want or EMPI assembles these beams in Ana0. As you can see, EMPI’s got something need. And of course, there’s the hassle of heim, California, using all-new compofor everyone! The BIAB is ready for your trying to find good, solid parts to start nents. Nope, no more buying sketchy used choice of shocks, steering gear, and brakes with. Thankfully, for owners of ’66 through beams from some guy in a back alley off (like EMPI’s sweet disc brake kits: Since ’77 Type 1’s, EMPI has come to the rescue the internet and hoping for the best. Why you now have a new beam, why not upgrade with a brand new, solid, high-quality front roll the dice with a used beam that may or the brakes at the same time?)

40 VW TRENDS • SUMMER SUMMER’23 ’23

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At the end of the day, all you need to do is figure out what shocks and braking system you want your ride to have. It’s really that simple.

VWTRENDSMAGAZINE.COM VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 41

4,000+ PEOPLE AT BUG OUT 85!

A legendary east coast show makes an unprecedented return • by DG Leadbetter • photos by Elliott Golden

I

f you’ve been in the VW scene for more than 10 years, you’ve heard of the Bug Out in Virginia. VW Trends has been covering the Bug Out since the ’80s, and it’s always been a favorite East Coast Event.

Less Steger, of Less’s Buggy Shop in Denver, North Carolina, was the mastermind and promoter of this event for years, and we were sad when the event went away three years ago.

But the wait is over: Bug Out is back!

Less handed the torch to Krystopher Scott, who brought Bug Out back to its former glory. Long before the show even happened, it was already creating a buzz on social media as word got out that the event was making a return. Krys had some big shoes to fill, given Bug Out’s long history as one of the premiere events on the East Coast.

When we arrived at Sumerduck Raceway in Sumerduck, Virginia, on May 28,

42 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

2023, there was already a line forming for the car show and the drag races. The excitement was palpable, and people were really stoked. And while the weather looked slightly overcast, that couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm for the day one bit.

Swap meet, vendors, car show participants, and drag racers were let in to get things ready before the festivities began.

It looked to be a great show. And then the hordes of spectators began to line up. More than 4,000 people came out to Bug Out 85… definitely an awesome showing for a first-time event promoter! Once The Star Spangled Banner was sung by XXXX, the day got underway!

There was plenty to see and do at the show. In addition to rows and rows of show cars, there was a kids’ area to keep the little ones busy while mom and dad checked out the rest of the show. Of course, what’s a great

VW without entertainment? Rapper and VW enthuisiast D.Note busted out his song Volkx Lyfe, among others, while The Transmitters kept the party going throughout the day. Speaking of things to see, it was nice to see the return of the Miss Bug Out contest.

This isn’t a crazy bikini contest like we had back in the day, but times have changed and it was no less fun to watch! Four young ladies came out to vie for the title, and when the applause died down, the winner was Crystal Delena, who stole the crowd’s heart.

In the car show, there were tons of every type of VW you could think of. Bugs to Buses, Type 3s, even a Hebmüller. John S. brought out a very rare ’50 Split window (1 of 326) to display. Water-cooleds were out in force (one even killed the Bracket Racing; more on that later) with some really amazing show and race vehicles. Best of Show in the Air-Cooled Class went to Aus-

When the dust had settled, watercooled VWs dominated the bracket racing. Robert Hall (second from left) took first place in his Golf R. Tommy Mauviel (far right) took third in Pro Elite in his Jetta GLI.

The car show was packed to the gills and featured some of the finest east coast metal!

VW Trends was at the show as part of the “Where in the World is Dan Leadbetter?” tour. Lots of folks stopped by to snap selfies with Dan in hopes of winning a lifetime subscription.

tin Johnson III and his ’56 Resto-Custom Oval window. Best interior went to Rodney Sanford and his super slick ’66 Beetle (check out the full feature on Rodney’s ride in the Summer 2022 issue of VW Trends). Best in Show Water-Cooled went to Blair Peterman’s ’77 barn-find, all-original Rabbit.

Drag racing is always a lot of fun to watch, because you never know what’s going to happen. And Bug Out 85 was no exception! Robert Hall smoked everyone in the bracket racing, nailing a solid 7.2 time, while Jayson Coleman came in second with an 8.01 on 7.90! In the Pro Elite Class, Chris Cazeault came in first place with a 9.78 on 9.75 and Dave Plogger nabbed second place with 8.58 on a 8.50. The Real Street Class saw Mike Ploger take first place with a 10.15 on 10.32 while Allen Baxter took second place with an 11.65 on a 11.70 breakout.

Bug Out 85 was an amazing comeback after a three-year hiatus! The Bug Out in Virginia should definitely be on your list.

We don’t know how he found time to do it, but Bug Out promoter Krystopher Scott hand-made the cool custom trophies for the show. Those things are incredible!

Austin Johnson III took home Best of Show with his awesome blue ’56 Bug.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 43

Belle La Rouge (far left) was decked out in ’70s attire for the show, and lots of folks snapped pics of her with their show cars. The lovely Krista (far right, green dress) took home top honors as the newly crowned Miss Bug Out 85!

Coming to Bug Out 85 from SoCal was rapper and die-hard VW enthusiast Darrin “D.Note” Milton Sr., who busted out several songs, including his single, Volkx Lyfe. Check him out on Spotify (search for D.Note).

Rodney Sanford’s ultra-clean ’66 Java Green Beetle snagged Best Interior Air Cooled. (See our feature on the car in the Summer 2022 issue.) Good job, Rodney!

Best of Show in the Water-Cooled class was Blair Peterman and his barn-find, ultralow mileage ’77 Rabbit.

44 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

The swap meet was really hopping all day. Lots of sellers were wheeling and dealing before the event even started.

Patina is awesome, and the winner of Best Patina at Bug Out 85 was Mark Gordon and his ’64 Bug.

Best Display was awarded to Michael Tolley and his ’14 New Beetle Convertible.

AUGUST 04–06: Camp VDUBlicious, Gilroy, CA VDUBlicious.com @vdublicious 06: CVA’s Dubs & Suds, South Glastonbury, CT Contact Bill Arute 860-395-9964 or bill@ ctvwa.org 06: Vacationland Volkswagen Association 33rd Annual VW, Acton, ME Contact Dave at 207-240-4091 12: Augtoberfest, Campbellford, CAN fb.me/e/3hGqKoNex 12: Central Ohio Vintage VW Club Volkfest 32, Pataskala, OH Contact Ryan Cisco: ryancisco@gmail.com or 740-7090183 19: Air-Cooled at the Orchard, Middlefield, CT Contact Bill Arute 860-395-9964 or bill@ctvwa.org 26: Tannehill VolksJam, McCalla, AL volksjam.com or facebook.com/events/384493457021534 SEPTEMBER 01–04: Buses Nowhere Near The Arch #37, near Monroe City, MO bnnta.com 09: Eastcoast VW German Invasion 13, Shelby, NC Call or text Rick Bradshaw: 704-460-1895 15–16: VWs in the Valley 11, Maggie Valley, NC Contact Robert Eastwood 276-6201246 or eastwoodr@yahoo.com vwaircooledassociation.com

Street sand rails are alive and well on the east coast.

Marvin Mitchell brought out his ’73 sand rail and took home Best in Show Sand Rail Class for his trouble!

OCTOBER 01: 17th Annual Fall Bug Run, Martin, MI us131msp.com or facebook.com/us131bugrun 06–07: Let’s Talk Dubs One Crazy Weekend, Las Vegas, NV letstalkdubs.com @ letstalkdubs @billtvegas @thewagen @LasVegasVWClub 07: Big Bair Takeover, Big Bear, CA facebook.com/Bigbairtakeover @big_bair_ takeover 07: Wharf Invasion, Santa Cruz, CA VDUBlicious.com @vdublicious

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 45

BIG BAD LADYBUG BIG BAD LADYBUG BIG BAD LADYBUG

Theresa and her LadyBug in action at Woodburn Dragstrip.

Theresa Good-Hornbeck’s ’58 VolksRod is all show AND go!

Story and photos by Ryan Bonham “Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home…”

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he home of this Ladybug is at the drag strip, where it does plenty of flying of its own over the quarter or eighth mile, depending on the event.

Theresa Good-Hornbeck, a school bus driver for the Three Rivers School District, said she watched her husband of 32 years, Paul, enjoying the VW drag racing sport for several years before deciding to join in on the fun. After all, couples that race together, stay together, as they say.

Their stable of race cars includes Paul’s 2026cc Type 1-powered VolksRod, dubbed the StudeBug — it’s an Oval Window Bug at the front grafted to a Studebaker pickup cab in the

46 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

back — and Paul’s 2180cc-powered bracket racer ’65 sedan. Theresa said her husband had been racing for five or six years when he volunteered her to participate in the Powder Puff class at a 2021 Fast4Cartel event. She quickly became hooked.

Theresa’s ’58 Ladybug used to be a black-primered rat rod that she and Paul primarily took to local car shows for eight years.

“I said, ‘I want to drive that car, that’s my car,’ ” Theresa said.

Paul tore the car apart and commenced work to bring it to the level seen here. He performed 90 percent of the body work, which included welding the fender bolt holes and smoothing the sharp edges left behind in the wheel wells and such. He commissioned John with Brotherton Pipeline to paint the car in its unique colors.

The red is a Honda Fit color, while the black portion is GM. Early hot rodstyle headlights add to the early rod

vibe. A Speedway dropped straight-axle provides LadyBug’s nose-down stance up front. Torq-Thrust wheels (four-inch width in front, six-inch out back) round out the exterior, with 125R/15 rubber up front and 6-inch cheater slicks out back.

Paul commissioned Bob Heckhouse of Wolf Creek to stitch up LadyBug’s interior. Along with two-toned black and grey door and quarter panels, the seats are upholstered in tuck-and-roll style. The headliner is a black perforated vinyl custom design, while the carpeting is black square-weave.

Under the front hood, the minimalist trunk features an amp for the stereo and a spun-aluminum gas tank.

Additional details include a 5-inch tach with shift light, EMPI Hurst-style shifter, and custom steering wheel.

The red-over-black motif continues over the dashboard. A CD player and rear speaker deck with 6x9-inch speakers add a modern flair.

The LadyBug’s been runner-up in motivated by a Powder Puff at the Paul-built 1915cc Fast4Cartel’s 2021 Type 1, based on a Summer Slam event magnesium case in Medford. She and featuring a also finished third 69mm EMPI counat the 2021 Bugsterweighted crank n-Bikes event at and VZ-30 cam Coos Bay Speedway. with stock 1.1 rockBest times so far ers. A pair of EMPI have been 16.2 in HPMX 44mm the quarter mile carbs top off the 40 and 9.2 at a recent x 35.5mm heads, eighth-mile Fastwhile a 1-3/4-inch 4Cartel race. merged exhaust and “My goal is to Theresa’s racing pursuits commenced during Fast4Cartel’s 2021 season in stinger extract the get better and to go the Powder Puff class. spent gases. Dave down to Irwindale,” Casperson rebuilt she said. She wants the ’68 long-axle swingaxle for drag racing to compete in the very popular Powder Puff use, adding a Super Diff, heavy-duty side program at Irwindale Raceway in SoCal. covers, solid buggy mounts, a Berg midHaving tracked the popularity of the class mount, and a Kafer Bar for good measure. online and in magazines, she’s determined Theresa noted it has been a challenge to add her LadyBug to the lineup soon. learning the nuances of bracket racing, but If you happen to hit up a VW drag racing no question she wants to go faster. 2022 event in southern Oregon, keep an eye out was a tough year with limited opportunifor a red-and-black blur screaming down ties to continue getting in valuable practice, the dragstrip. But don’t blink, or you may as four of nine races in Medford got rained just miss Theresa Good-Hornbeck and her out, she said. Her best finish to date has LadyBug buzzing by in full flight!

An extremely imaginative build, Theresa Good-Hornbeck’s ’58 Volksrod combines old-school hot-rod style with unmistakably familiar air-cooled Volkswagen charm.

Motivating Theresa’s LadyBug is a 1915cc Type 1 mill, featuring 44mm HPMX carburetors from EMPI, an Engle VZ30 cam and heads featuring 40mm x 35.5mm valves.

Highlights of the car’s old-school hot-rod theme include a Speedway Motors dropped straight front axle, GM disc brake calipers and a spun aluminum gas tank.

Bob Heckhouse of Wolf Creek stitched up the black and grey tuck-and-roll interior. Other details include a 5-inch shift light tach and EMPI Hurst-style shifter.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 47

A TALE OF

TWO

THREES Morgan Inmire’s

Squareback

and Fastback

By Dave Cormack

This Squareback came from the factory as a right-hand-drive car.

Morgan is very happy to have resurrected his mother’s old Squareback. The name of the paint color is Kalahari Beige, but it sure looks orange to us. At any rate, you should see this Type 3 in person!

Morgan had the fuel-injected 1600cc engine rebuilt to stock specs, just as it was when “Mutti” used it.

I

Morgan Inmire’s Squareback makes for a pleasing contrast parked next to a mural of Crescent City’s lighthouses.

48 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

n the 1950s, Volkswagen had a three-model series (Beetle, Bus, KG Type 14) using the same 1100cc 36hp motor. With a worldwide export expansion program at the top of their priorities, VW knew they needed a middle-class series of cars with a larger motor. In 1957, one of VW’s Wolfsburg factory buildings suffered a fire and was gutted. VW engineers secretly began the new 1500 model line development in this building, with the windows covered and access limited. By 1960, three 1500 models were being exhaustively tested: the Sedan (Notchback), Wagon (Variant), and Sports Coupe (KG T34).

Morgan filled the front trunk area with some very stylish period correct luggage.

The new 1500cc engine was redesigned in a flat format to allow a third storage compartment. Compared to the existing product line, the 1500 series had more standard-equipment features, and the interiors were more comfortable. Prices were higher too, with the Notchback costing 35 percent more than the Beetle. VW announced that it would not discontinue the Beetle; rather, the 1500 series (also known as the Type 3) would be an additional model line.

Production lasted from 1962 to 1973, with over 2.6 million cars built. Progressive refinements in the Type 3 included a 45hp motor (1962-63), 54hp motor (1964-73),

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The Fastback presents a somewhat racy, cutting edge appearance when compared to the Bug and Bus. Morgan brought this tired Type 3 back to its beautiful original state.

 Compared to its Type 1 and Type 2 brethren, the Fastback’s interior was actually quite plush.  Morgan added a plaque to commemorate the first two owners of the car.

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front disc brakes (1966), 12-volt electrical (1967), fuel injection (1968), and a fully automatic transmission (1968).

Morgan Inmire, of Jackson, Wyoming, came by his Type 3 affliction honestly: He got it from his parents. Mom Inmire purchased this ’73 Squareback, and it became the family “ranch car” in Australia. Eventually, Mom (or “Mutti,” as Australians call their moms) gave the car to Morgan, who restored the car from 2011 to 2015. Most of the work was done

by Vintage Vee Dub in Campsie, New South Wales, Australia. The engine and transmission were rebuilt to stock specifications. The interior needed a full refresh, so the seats were reupholstered in Australian-pattern basket weave, and a white perforated headliner was installed.

If you were living in Australia in 1973 and wanted a Volkswagen Squareback, this is what you would have bought. Morgan

calls this car Mutti in honor of his Mom. Take a look: How many differences can you spot between this car and its U.S. counterpart?

Next, we come to Edna Joy, Morgan’s ’73 Fastback, with electronic fuel injection and an automatic transaxle. The car’s name pays homage to the original owner, Edna Cairns, who bought it new in Reno, Nevada; and to a Ms. Joy, who purchased the car from Edna’s son with 15,000 miles on the odometer. Morgan bought the Fastback from Ms. Joy in 2021 with 71,500 miles on it. Amazingly, this car is all numbers-matching.

Edna Joy is one of the few U.S.-delivered Type 3s with a fully automatic transaxle. If you want to restore a later Type 3, take a good long look at these two cars — this is what you’re aiming for.

Congratulations, Morgan: Your Threes are number one!

Watercooled VW and Audi Performance Parts · Exhaust Systems · Performance Downpipes · Performance Headers · Large Hi-flow Valves · HD Springs & Ti Retainers · Piston Sets · Short Shift Kit for the Mk1, Mk2 and Mk3

1-800-821-0598 www.techtonicstuning.com VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 49

Friday night before the Funfest, the city of Effingham hosted a welcome event downtown with live music, food and drink vendors, and, of course, Volkswagen enthusiasts.

Mid America Motorworks has the coolest stuff! How about this extremely rare ’47 Plattenwagen? Only three are known to exist.

MID AMERICA MOTORWORKS

VW FUNFEST 2023 One weekend yields a lifetime of memories! • Courtesy of Mid America Motorworks

E

ffingham, Illinois became a hub of VW enthusiasts on June 16 and 17 as Mid America Motorworks hosted Funfest for Air-Cooled VW 2023. Volkswagen lovers from around the globe gathered to celebrate the iconic air-cooled VW. The festival grounds on Mid America Motorworks’ corporate campus welcomed VWs of all shapes and sizes, from Beetle to Bus and everything in between.

Passionate owners were more than eager to share stories, swap tips, and display their prized possessions. The air was electric with the sound of engines and the friendly banter of like-minded enthusiasts.

Funfest offered activities to keep attendees entertained throughout the weekend, including Volkswagen history trivia, a stein hoist competition, caricatures by artist Dan Wild, an exhaust sound-off competition, and more.

The swap meet provided a treasure trove of memorabilia, spare parts, and collectibles. Family fun was in full swing, with activities for the kiddos including a

50 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

towering inflatable slide, bounce house, obstacle course, T-shirt tie dyeing, a sack race, and more. Food trucks and vendors served barbecue, hot dogs, donuts, shaved ice, and more.

The entertainment featured a live DJ, VW-themed movies, informative seminars, and Q&A sessions with industry experts including Darby Milnor (The VW Doctor) from Midwest Autosavers, Erik Elmauer of the Herbie the Love Bug Collectables Museum, and Bill Hickmott of B&D Custom Performance.

On Friday evening, hundreds of VW owners lined up to take part in the road tour that wound through the beautiful countryside and around scenic Lake Sara before cruising into downtown Effingham.

After the VWs rolled in, they were greeted

by Mike Yager, founder and chief cheerleader of Mid America Motorworks, along with crowds of local spectators.

All weekend, VW owners were able to kick back, relax, and enjoy each other’s company in the warm June sun. The

No shortage of food at the Funfest!

Lots to see, do, and eat! There were food trucks, BBQ, hot dogs, donuts, shaved ice, and more.

Volksmart shopping area buzzed with attendees lining up to receive event goodie bags and tickets to win incredible prizes donated by EMPI and Dan’s Dune Buggies.

Others shopped event deals on VW merchandise and parts. Inside Volksmart, key pieces of Mid America Motorworks’ MY Garage Museum were on display, including one of the original Herbies from the 2005 film Herbie: Fully Loaded.

Mid America Motorworks also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the New Beetle, a modern-day water-cooled classic that captured hearts with its charming design and irresistible personality.

Funfest for Air-Cooled VW 2023 captured the hearts of vintage Volkswagen enthusiasts and left them yearning for more. From the vibrant display of restored and custom vehicles to the road activities and competitions, live entertainment and seminars, mouthwatering cuisine and treats, and memorable road tour and parade, Funfest created memories that will be cherished for years to come.

Mike Yager (right), founder and chief Cheerleader of Mid America Motorworks, presents Don Maldonado with the Chief’s Choice award for his stunning Blue Karmann Ghia.

Mid America Motorworks saw a brisk business as people came to see all the cool stuff inside MAM headquarters and to pick up some parts and accessories.

Plenty of swap meeters came out to sell tons of used parts to the eager crowd.

Check out this sweet Herbie tribute owned by Max Doering.

A stein hoist competition? Keep the full stein up until the last one drops!

Water-cooled VWs were represented as well! Check out this bone-stock ’80 Rabbit.

Mike and Laurie Yager received a beautiful etched Funfest cookie Jar as a gift from a very talented artisan.

The show featured Buggies to Bajas and everything in between. Sand rails are still very popular.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 51

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

T Annie is the absolute epitome of garage builder. She’s restoring what started as a particularly rough ’69 Bug that sat in a field for far too many snowy winters.

DIY IN THE GREAT WHITE NORTH

By David Zemla

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

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

52 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

his issue’s Garage Built column comes to us from the Great White North and is our first Canadian builder. Annie began her VW odyssey like a lot of us, as a teenager looking for a cheap car. Her ’71 Super Beetle would last two years before Annie, off to college and in need of more modern transportation, would hand it off to a father/son team looking for a project car. Not surprisingly, that childhood commuter would haunt her well into adulthood.

(Don’t lie, the same thing happened to you!)

Flash forward to current times and Annie is a married adult living a somewhat normal life when the VW urge returns. Her husband stoked the aircooled embers back to a full-fledged flame by locating the car she is currently restoring.

Annie, who grew up working with her hands, says, “I have no formal mechanical training, but wrenching has always appealed to me. I’ve done woodworking, plumbing, and electrical, so the Bug wasn’t a huge stretch.” In fact, Annie is a sought-after artist, building, of all things, high-end Star Wars props. There’s a sixmonth waiting list for her work.

Working out of a 20x30 space at her home in Alberta on the Western side of Canada, Annie started with a particularly

rough ’69 Bug now named Helen Wheels (get it?). The car had sat in a field for far too many snowy winters and showed it in all the typical spots — and even in some that were not so typical. “The Bug was in bad shape,” she says, “but I felt a connection to it and knew it was going to be a test of everything I knew, as well as teach me new things.”

Annie has developed quite a social media following and does an amazing job of narrating her work, even responding to the many comments in her posts. She’s well into the resto and has completed the pans and channels using basic tools and a trusty Lincoln 140 MIG welder. She’s built a largely stock 1600 for the car and plans to run the trans as is. Suspension will be factory based, with the exception of disc brakes.

“I’m probably at the tail end of the metal work, have recently replaced the entire package tray, and am now forming my own patch panels,” she says. “The process is tedious, but satisfying.” Like a lot of us, she already has a second car on the back burner (she says it’ll get the Baja treatment when this car is finished). Annie’s story is particularly inspiring as she tackles the daunting tasks of a resto and shares her experiences along the way. We encourage you to follow her antics on Instagram @annies_vw. If you also have a garage full of VWs you’d like to share, drop your submission to dzemla@ gmail.com or DM David @airkooledgarage.

Do yourself a favor and follow Annie on Instagram @annies_vw as she brings a fresh perspective and enthusiasm to even the most mundane VW restoration task.

Annie’s ’69 Bug restoration has required the typical pans and channels as well as lower quarters and package tray fixes — and she’s making it all happen with fairly basic tools.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 53

The shiny new exhaust tips may be a giveaway to what lurks underneath. But the difference was immediate. We experienced better throttle response right off the bat, and a slight subtle growl when we hit the gas.

WE’RE EXHAUSTED Adding a Techtonics Tuning cat-back exhaust system to your water-cooled VW makes a big difference! •• By DG Leadbetter

A

s any VW enthusiast will tell you, sometimes you just can’t diameter than your stock muffler. This wider opening allows more leave things alone. If there’s even a possibility of upgrading space for the gases to flow more freely. or redoing a stock component, nine times out of ten, we’ll jump Secondly, you can expect better gas mileage. The cat-back imon it. Doesn’t matter if it’s interior, exterior, or drivetrain… better proves airflow, meaning your powerplant doesn’t work as hard to is ALWAYS better. Our 2015 Golf Sportwagon was doing just fine eliminate the exhaust. Less load on the engine equals more miles with its APR Stage 1 ECU software upgrade, but we wanted more! per gallon.

The next logical step was a cat-back exhaust system.

Lastly, adding a cat-back can improve your ride’s sound. DeSo exactly what is a cat-back system, anyway? For starters, it pending on the muffler you choose, you can get a more aggressive has nothing to do with felines. A cat-back is an exhaust pipe moditone, or something a little more robust than stock. There’s a ton of fication designed to help improve airflow. As the name implies, the choices out there. system runs from the catalytic converter to the exhaust tips.

We reached out to our friends at Techtonics Tuning in SheriOkay, Mr. Wizard, how’s my water-cooled VW going to benefit dan, Oregon. They’re one of the leaders in the water-cooled VW exfrom a cat-back system? Great question! Let’s break it down: First, haust industry. They invited us up to their headquarters to follow increased horsepower. If the engine doesn’t have to flex its muscles along as they gave our 2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI S a much-needmore than it should to push spent gases out, ed exhaust upgrade. This is more of an it can use that energy to make more horseoverview on what goes into installing a power! There’s somewhere between a 10 cat-back system in your ride. Always know Techtonics Tuning and 15% power loss with the stock exhaust your limitations when it comes to installing Sheridan, Oregon system. What? Yes, really: That stock exsomething. When in doubt, always opt to sales@techtonicstuning.com (503) 843-2700 or (800) 821-0598 haust could be a roadblock to your VW’s full have professionals do the install for you, so potential. Cat-back systems have a larger you know it’s done right.

54 VW TRENDS • SUMMER SUMMER’23 ’23

1. First and foremost, we gotta get the Sportwagen up in the air!

5. For this build, Techtonics went with 2.5” diameter US made T-304 Stainless steel tubing. As you can see, the end needed to be flared to fit. Techtonics has all the machinery needed to make your exhaust system. No reason to outsource anything.

8. Here’s the new Techtonics Tuning catback system ready to be installed. This baby is smaller, lighter, and MUCH more efficient than the stock unit!

9. Always test fit everything to make sure there are no surprises when it’s time to tighten everything down.

2. The stock system, while functional, really can’t provide enough flow to make the Volkswagen’s potential shine through. For reference, the stock muffler is 24 inches long (that’s two feet, for you math geniuses). It’s big, bulky, and frankly not cool enough for our ride.

6. The new hangers are formed to the exact size on the jig, then welded to the system.

10. Everything fit like a glove! Now it’s time to re-install the hangers.

3. Yep, time to break out the sawzall (or grinding disc) and cut this thing out to make room for the new Tectonics unit.

7. The larger 63.5mm (2.5") cat-back tubing needed to be shrunk to fit the diameter of the stock exhaust (55mm).

4. With the front tubing cut, it’s time to unbolt the two hangers from the chassis using a 13mm socket. New hangers will be made on the jig and welded to the new, smaller Borla muffler.

11. Everything is checked and rechecked to make sure the fitment is spot-on before the final tightening.

12. All that’s left to do is tighten the exhaust tips and our Golf Sportwagen TDI S is ready to rock!

VW VWTRENDS TRENDS •• SUMMER ’23 55

BUG-A-PALÜZA 2023 BIG FUN IN THE SOUTHEAST • BY ADAM SIMPSON

VW

enthusiasts in the southeast look forward to April for good reason: Bug-a-Paluza in East Ridge, Tennessee. What began in 1999 as a small gathering of Chattanooga-area enthusiasts organized by the Scenic City Volks Folks has evolved into one of the region’s largest events. Held at Camp Jordan, the show spans both Saturday and Sunday with many attendees arriving Friday to camp on the grounds. Preregistration is a must — the 2023 event sold out months in advance.

Unpredictable weather is always a concern for the southern Spring, and Mother Nature has thrown some crazy weather at past events. Humid heat, bitter cold, rain, and even snow isn’t out of the question. A threat of rain and storms loomed in the forecast the week prior. However, on Saturday morning, the sun was out in full force providing summer-like temperatures, perfect for spending a day outside at a VW show.

As the show kicked off, the sun shone on an eclectic group of eye-catching rides such as Ed Beard’s ’51 Beetle, winner of the Oldest VW in Attendance award. While Brasilias have become more common stateside

56 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

in recent years, it’s hard to miss Francisco Hernandez’s bright green ragtop slammed on polished Porsche phone dials. If your tastes sway toward water pumpers, there was a plethora of eye candy in that department as well. Some of the standouts were a group of very clean second-gen Sciroccos, a TDI-swapped Rabbit truck, a Mexican-spec Caribe coupe, and a Mk1 Jetta.

Bug-a-Palüza brings in folks from all over the southeast, and even some from much farther away: It was hard to miss the VW Vocho Club of Chicago with their grill made from a Beetle rear end and the front clip from a Bay Bus. (And if you didn’t see it, you could definitely smell what they were cooking. It’d make you hungry every time you walked by.)

Restoration shops like Metalmorphosis of Hazel Green, Alabama, had examples of their work on display to entice potential customers. Cars they built took home four awards. The best paint winner, a Beetle named Rose, was full of so many intricate details so that you could look at the car ten times and find some new touch every time.

Of course, no show is complete without

a swap meet and of course, Bug-a-Palüza had that, too. Rare used and NOS parts, the new parts you need to make it home, original literature, hand-crafted trinkets, toys, and maybe even a purse with Buses to take home to your niece: It was all there for the taking. Rounding out Saturday’s events were fun activities such as the Low Car Limbo and stereo and exhaust soundoffs.

The threat of rain scared away many of Sunday’s participants as the number of cars on the grounds dwindled significantly from the previous days. But aside from a sudden yet brief burst of wind and rain, the day shaped up to be an enjoyably slow-paced way to wrap up the weekend’s activities. As many were loading up their cars and wares for the trip home, the two major raffle items were given to their lucky winners, with a narrowed beam going to David Copeland and a fresh IRS trans to T. Houghton.

Following this and the 50/50 drawing, the remaining crowd gathered for the award ceremony, wrapping up yet another successful, fun-filled Bug-a-Palüza event. 2024 will bring another one you won’t want to miss.

Chris Carson’s stunning ‘65 took home first place in the Type III and IV class.

Waterpumpers, such as Javier Ramirez’s ‘84 Rabbit sitting on Borbets, made a good showing.

Lee Hicks’ ‘59 Mango looked out of this world sitting on a set of Cosmics.

Brasilias have become a more common sight at stateside shows in recent years, yet bright green paint and polished Porsche Phone Dials make Francisco Hernandez’s ride a standout.

Taste the rainbow! James-Jimbo Steele’s brightly colored interior sets off his already stunning ‘59 Beetle.

The sleek lines of the Scirocco never go out of style.

The deep red paint and suicide doors made this Beetle a standout among a crowd of Beetles at the show.

Chad Walker rides around in style on Beetle fender converted to an electric scooter. He and his dad Ricky build these when they aren’t building VWs.

Stefan Schutte’s ‘70 had many touches from the original Cal-Look era, such as buggy bars and an original hoodmounted EMPI tachometer.

Astol Rodriguez’s ‘74 Thing was eyecatching with its Turkis paint. It caught the judges’ eyes too, and took home first place in Thing Custom.

Bert Krupp’s ’71 Police Beetle was a crowd favorite and took home the award for Best Display.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 57

Patrick Turner’s German Look ‘75 Super earned first place in the Super Beetle Custom class.

Even the kids could find treasure in the swap meet from vendors selling toys and hand-crafted keepsakes.

Vintage Speed is alive and well, as evidenced by this Judson Supercharged 36hp.

This Beetle from Long Restoration has many unique touches, such as flush bumperettes and headlights mounted lower on the fenders.

I am Groot! Alan Ross’ ‘78 Bus sat for so many years a tree grew between the bumper and body, and there it remains as part of the Bus’s story.

Matthew Tolbert’s lovely Sealing Wax Red ‘61 Double Cab took home first place in the Stock Type II class.

This may look like a Mk1 Jetta, but it’s actually a Mexican-market ‘85 VW Atlantic owned by Alfredo Gomezcana.

58 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

The VW Vocho Club of Chicago knows how to have a good time!

Start ‘em young! 12-year-old Lukas Howlett shines up the family ‘63 Beetle.

Ariel Justiniano’s dazzling blue ’71 Ghia won third place in the Ghia Custom class.

Serafin Jovet’s ‘70 Westy: How can you not love retro stripes on a Bus?

When Ed rallies the troops, this is what happens! Fifty Volkswagens of every shape and color showed up to hang out in Gadsden, Alabama.

When Ed throws a party, he throws a PARTY! With less than a week’s notice, he got more than 50 VWs to show up — on a day when his shop wasn’t even open!

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY What started as a simple stop on the “Where in the world is Dan Leadbetter?” tour turned into an impromptu open house show and shine! • By DG Leadbetter

We had the best time meeting all of Ed’s customers (or friends, as he prefers to call them), taking selfies and just getting to know this awesome group of people!

I

absolutely LOVE the South! And not just when I rolled up to Ed’s place on Saturday for the sweet tea … although that’s a big morning! draw for me. It’s the people that make it Ed’s shop is filled to the brim with every awesome. Everyone is super kind, friendly VW part you could ever need, including just and willing to lend a hand. So, let’s narrow about every EMPI part imaginable (two that scope to the Southern VW community! stories worth — you should see the baseWithout question, the VW crowd in the ment!) And he has a full-blown machine South loves to party — and if there’s no par- shop where he builds some of the best VW ty happening, they’ll make one! That’s exmotors around (several people called him actly what happened in April in Alabama.

The Wizard.)

When I was at Bug-a-Palüza in Tennessee, The VWs started pouring in, and I was told by someone that I HAD to meet when it was all said and done, there were Ed from Ed’s Foreign Car Parts in Gadsden, about 50 vehicles. And we’re talking some Alabama. Long story AMAZING VWs — short, I met Ed and Bugs, Buses, Trikes, Ed’s Foreign Car Parts we hit it off. I told him water-cooled, and 535 Locust Street about the tour I was more. Ed made sure Gadsden, AL 35901 (256) 546-9279 doing, and how I’d love people were well fed, facebook/edsforeigncarparts to come by his shop as grilled hot dogs, the following Saturday chips and soda were as one of the stops. He the order of the day. said, “Let me see what I can pull together.”

Four winners were picked to split the I texted Ed in the middle of the week. money from the sale of raffle tickets. Tons He told me he decided to do an open house of fun! in conjunction with my visit, and that a few The bottom line: My stop at Ed’s Foreign VWs might be showing. I thought, “Well Car Parts was awesome, and one for the rethat’ll be cool. Make a little more of a party cord books! Everyone had a great time, tons out of it.” To be completely honest, I was of selfies were taken, no one left hungry, not prepared for what was going to happen and a good time was had by all.

You can’t have a proper party without some food! Ed made sure the crowd was well fed with hot dogs, chips, and soda.

When we said all types of VWs showed up, we meant ALL types! Check out this cool truck conversion.

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 59

VW TRENDS 48IPA ALPS OVAL SPECIAL

A hopped-up toy refurb for VW Trends’ beer launch party • by Arthur Junior Editor’s note: When VW Trends decided to private-label our own 48IPA beer, we let all our freelancers know about the launch party held Saturday, June 10, in Old Towne, Orange, California. Everyone was super excited about it, especially our European toy contact, Arthur Junior. Arthur thought it would be cool to put together a VW toy to commemorate.

Well, of course we were on board — how could we say no? Arthur had recently picked up a mid-1950s ALPS Oval tin toy that had seen better days and was in dire need of repair. It would be a great candidate for the project. So take it away, Arthur!

T

his Oval Window VW toy was manufactured by Japanese toy company ALPS Shoji Ltd., Tokyo. The company’s trademark insignia is a mountain, but in my opinion it looks more like the Swiss Alps than Mount Fuji. Regardless, the body of this toy is made of stamped tin plate with a very nice VW silhouette. There’s little distortion, except in the front and rear quarter panel area. The tin body has cut-out windows, including the Oval rear window and door wind wings.

The front hood indentation, door seam

60 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

lines, rain gutter, and bumblebee-wing deck lid are stamped in the body.

One of the way-too-cool features is the detail of the 14 punched-out louvers under the Oval window. A clear plastic insert with a tin molding is used for the front windshield. There’s also a silver-painted raised line along the side of the toy for side molding detail.

The body is not painted, but instead lithographed with colors of red, blue, green or gray. The taillights, license plate light, and rear hood handle are also lithographed. Shiny metal button

1. This ALPS Oval is pretty rusty and beatup. It’s going to need some serious detail work and TLC, but at least all the original parts are there. I carefully removed the body from the chassis by bending up eight metal tabs.

headlights and a front hood handle finish off the details. The overall size of the large ALPS VW is about 200mm, which is 8 inches, or about 1/20 scale.

The ALPS VW has a tin plate insert with a colorful lithographed detailed interior. Unfortunately, it’s not that of a 50’s era VW. I’m not sure what it represents, other than perhaps a fancy carnival ride or golf cart vehicle? Who knows? The red, white, and blue tuck and roll seats, red steering wheel, and airplane-style dashboard with all the gauges and lights glowing are definitely not from a VW. Looking through the Oval window one can see the ALPS name, mountains, “Made in Japan” and a globe with Saturn-like rings. The globe insignia indicates that this toy was for the export market.

The tin chassis was usually lithographed in black and had a high-torque friction motor attached. Real rubber tires and shiny hubcaps, with or without the VW emblem, were installed; the front wheels did not steer. The chassis, which had tin nickel-plated front and rear bumpers, was secured to the body with eight metal body tabs.

The ALPS Oval VW was shipped in a cardboard box that came in two different style graphics of a Volkswagen.

The “before” photos of this ALPS Oval clearly show how rusty and beat up it was. It needed some detailed work and TLC to get back on the road again, especially in time for the 48IPA BEER LAUNCH party! The best thing going for this ALPS VW is that all the original parts are there — usually a bumper, hubcap, or rubber tire is missing.

Let’s start the refurb and custom

5. All dressed up with somewhere to go!

With the body painted, and all of the details detailed, the ALPS was looking really good, but it needed something extra to make it … well … EXTRA!

7. I applied the decals to the body and then sealed them with a couple of coats of clear paint. Time for reassembly!

2. The friction motor is normally attached to the chassis with four tabs, but this one was attached with twisted wire.

6. I created a special set of decals for the 48IPA Beer Launch Party and printed them on a clear water transfer decal sheet using a color laser printer.

3. I wire brushed the friction motor, bumpers, hubcaps, windshield trim, headlights, and hood handle.

4. Based on the lithographed interior, I decided to use four colors for the exterior: red, white, blue, and black.

job! First, I carefully removed the body from the chassis by straightening the eight metal tabs. Then I removed the tin interior insert, headlights, and hood handle from the body. The friction motor is normally attached to the chassis with 4 tabs, but strangely, this one was attached with twisted wire.

(Later in the process, I soldered the motor to the chassis to secure it.) Then I removed the front wheel axle, tires, and bumpers.

I stripped the body and chassis with paint-removing gel and exposed the bare metal. I smoothed out the dents by using some modelers putty. The body and chassis are now ready for primer and paint. Now comes the decision of what colors to use. There are four colors used on the crazy lithographed interior: red, white, blue, and black. So I’ll use those colors: white for the body, red and blue for the fenders, and black for the running boards, chassis, and for detailing here and there. Painting the fenders is a two-step process.

I wire brushed the friction motor,

8. The finished toy is nothing short of spectacular — the perfect VW toy to commemorate the perfect beer!

bumpers, hubcaps, windshield trim, headlights, and front hood handle for a clean, shiny look. The hubcaps require a multi-step painting process. I painted the windshield trim and front hood handle black. I silicone-treated the real rubber tires for that new-tire look.

I created a special set of decals for the 48 IPA Beer Launch Party, then printed them on a water-transfer decal sheet using a color laser printer.

I applied the decals to the body and sealed them with a couple of coats of clear paint.

I attached the friction motor, tires, hubcaps, and bumpers to the chassis, and it’s now ready to roll. I added a license plate light and two taillights to the body. I reinstalled the windshield trim, front hood handle, and interior insert. Finally, I reunited the finished body and chassis and bent the body tabs back over.

We’re now definitely ready to cruise to the VW Trends 48 IPA Launch Party with the ALPS HOT DUBS for some COLD SUDS!

VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23 61

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62 VW TRENDS • SUMMER ’23

From Restoration to High Performace and everything in between

EMPI has ALL the parts YOU NEED! Authentic EMPI parts are only available through EMPI Authorized distributors.

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Visit your Authorized EMPI Distributor Today!