dune buggies and hotVWs July 2021

As of April 26th, a total of 96 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, or 29 percent of the country’s population, according to the CDC’s data. Since the COVID-19 vaccine distribution began in the United States in December, the number of cases drastically dropped. Now, where we are headquartered in sunny California, fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask outdoors, even though you should still follow the CDC’s guidance – you should still wear one in large crowds and indoor public spaces. But for sure, things are getting better every day. Finally, VW events are coming back. As I am writing this column, one of the most popular campout events in Southern California, the Orange Empire Bus Company’s Spring Picnic & Campout at Featherly Park, will be happening…

There is a funny thing about our hobby, or maybe it’s just a funny thing within me. I find myself easily obsessed with something new to learn and play with. I have often said that my favorite car is the “next one” and my long list of past cars and builds are certainly a testament to that. Maybe it’s a bit of automotive A.D.D. on my part, and if I analyze it too deeply, I am sure that I probably should seek out professional help to combat this issue. I just can’t help myself! I’ve got to have a new toy, always. I’m truly sick that way. My latest obsession is an obvious one, the fiberglass dune buggy. After the crazy sale of my green Meyers Manx “MOG” earlier this year…

It was a Friday afternoon around 5PM and I am at work (Gene Berg Enterprises), along with my friend and coworker Greg Aronson. We headed to our respective homes to clean up and get ready for a typical Friday night in So-Cal. Living across the street, I simply just walk and go get ready. Around 6PM, I head to Carl’s drive-in for dinner to meet up with my DKP brothers. Mike Mahaffey and Bill Arroyo are already there, and pretty soon Greg, Don Crane, Dave Dolan, Jim Edmiston and more arrive. We begin with dinner brought to us by car hops and, yes, for the most part they are good-looking women! Soon, the majority of the Panzers have arrived. Those of us with magnesium BRM wheels have moved out front on…

I Want Drums! Hi Jon, Could you tell me the advantages and disadvantages of converting from disc brakes to drum brakes… (Yes, from discs to drums!) I own a 1967 Beetle with disc brakes. I believe the previous owner converted from drums to discs. I want to bring my ’67 back to stock, but some friends told me I shouldn’t do it. Steve Johnson Downey, CA Steve, I’m sure that you’re not the only one who wants to bring his car back to “original” specifications. Most folks that do this are going to let their car sit in a museum, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You’re going to lose quite a bit in braking performance by getting rid of the disc brakes. Subjectively, maybe 20% or so. You’ll also have to re-adjust…

When I first got interested in Buses in the early ‘90s, there was no internet to find VW information. We only had books and magazines. There have been dozens of English language books written about Volkswagens, but they were mainly about the company itself, or Bugs with only brief mentions of Type 2s. A couple of those books do have good chapters about Transporters. The all-time best book about vintage VWs is Volkswagen Nine Lives Later (Post 1965). Its chapter about Type 2s is great. Then, finally, in the ‘80s there were books written solely on the topic of Buses. There were a few German language texts that have never been translated to English, but one slipped through and was translated in 1989, Volkswagen Transporter/Bus 1949-67 (Zeichner 1986). Although it…

Idon’t know about the US, but since Playmobil was invented in 1974, over here in Germany no child’s room can be imagined without these little toy people and their horses, buildings and vehicles. As I was Born in 1971, Playmobil was my favorite toy until the age of 9 or 10, and I really loved to play with the various themes, like cowboys and Native Americans, knights or city life. The only thing bothering me were the conventionalized cars and trucks. Yes, I know, most kids don’t care, but I was a gearhead already at the age of… well… ever. My first word was “Auto” – that’s “car” in English. I would have cared. Anyways, Playmobil never made miniatures of existing cars as long as I was a kid. And didn’t…