dune buggies and hotVWs October 2020

Grand National Roadster Show “A Gathering of Hot VWs” Rescheduled to May 14-16, 2021 A few months ago, we broke the exciting news about the Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS), an event featuring air-cooled Volkswagens. We have several updates/news to share with you. Here is a recap just in case you missed my previous column and news about the GNRS. This premier indoor event, usually held every year in January, started in 1949 in Oakland, California. Back in the day, it was sometimes referred to as the Oakland Roadster Show – it remained its unofficial nickname to many. The GNRS is the oldest and longest-running indoor car show in the world. For over seven decades, the affair’s grand prize known as “America’s Most Beautiful Roadster” (AMBR) has arguably been the most sought-after award…

I'm Exhausted! Early Cal Look Exhaust Choices The other day, I was hanging out with some of my Cal Look friends, and we were talking about the Cal Look, as we often do! Anyway, the talk was about how little things have changed with the Cal Look from the sixties to now. One area that has changed a lot is the exhaust system. When I think back to the early days, I remember the beginnings of the VW exhaust systems. The Empi extractor exhaust was the first mass-produced Volkswagen exhaust system; however, a lot of So-Cal VW clubs were using local muffler shops such as Anchor Muffler in Anaheim, Pomeroys in Santa Ana and Mesa Muffler in Costa Mesa. Back in those early days, Der Kleiner Panzers – the club whose cars created…

Flat,Curved and in a Doghouse Flat or Curved? Jon, I am looking to build a Beetle for rally racing, and consider using a Super Beetle. But I’m wondering: Is there any advantage, as far as using the later “curved windscreen” model? Other than the windshield design, are there any technical differences between the Beetle’s flat and curved windshields? If you had to build an off-road-like Class 11 or a rally car, which model would you pick? Jeff Miller Vancouver, Canada Jeff, that’s a great question! The windshield design doesn’t go along with the suspension on all years. Here’s how it works (on US models at least): The ’71 to ’73 model years have the “early” suspension. These have the “three bolt” struts. This includes the flat and curved windshield models. The early suspension is…

COVID Car Show I’m writing this in what will go down in history books as the Year That Never Was. While it is difficult to comprehend the full effect of what has happened, nor where we’ll be by the time you read this, I can say with absolute certainty that this pandemic will forever alter life as we know it for years to come. When coronavirus first hit here in Michigan in March, none of us realized how rapid and widespread it would become. Our Michigan Vintage Volkswagen Club was still hopeful of holding our annual show in May. Other area car shows and cruises were still actively planning their events. But it was readily apparent by April, despite the shutdown, that our numbers were still climbing. And suddenly car shows and…

In Memory of Stefan Bau Photographer, 1964-2020 Stefan Bau is no longer here. He was 56 years old. His photos captured our VW lives here in Germany and Europe for over a decade and made many many VW moments immortal. It was back in 1998 when we worked together for the first time. Back then, I was a staff writer at VW Speed and was allowed to “try out” the new photographer. Stefan Bau was his name, the car that was supposed to be photographed was a blue Cal Look Type 3 Notchback. Already on the way to the shoot, it was clear that we got along very well. At that time, he lived in the same village as I did, we both had a soft spot for old cars and could talk…

Vans vs. Vans Something Special The Volkswagen Transporter has always been something special. When it was introduced, there was nothing like it. Cars were cars, and trucks were trucks. There were delivery vans; however, these were large commercial vehicles like the International Metro van, the Divco milk truck, or the Marmon-Herrington DeliVr-all. There were buses long and short, but they too were heavy vehicles. There was no light delivery vehicle the size of a normal car. Mind you now that the VW Bus is only about 9 inches longer than a Beetle, with the same wheelbase, although it does have a slightly wider wheel track. The Transporter was basically an entirely new class of vehicle. It functionality and use of space was genius, and it was soon copied by several European auto makers…