dune buggies and hotVWs November 2021

As I am writing this column at the end of August, I am taking some time off to work on my beloved ‘58 Bug, getting ready to enter the 8th International So-Cal Vintage Treffen. This will be my fourth participation, and I wanted my ‘58 Bug to change its appearance, using a “back-to-stock” look. Six years ago, I pulled out the number-matching motor to preserve it and built a period-correct hot rod engine. Jon Chabot at Topline Parts assembled another (same year) 36hp-based power-plant with Wolfsburg West Okrasa-style dual-port heads, a 69.5mm stroker crank, a performance cam, AA Performance 80mm Porsche 356 Pre-A cylinders, Weber 40IDF carbs with Speedwell USA manifolds, etc. With 70hp, I almost doubled the horsepower. We can agree that it qualifies as a hot rod engine. While the…

Normally, the Kelley Park VW show in San Jose, California is in April, but alas, these are not normal times. So, after canceling the show for 2020, it was rescheduled to August this year, because April was still not possible due to the pandemic and vaccine distribution levels at the time. With the event finally back on, I just had to take a road trip to California. It doesn’t take much to get me on the road driving a Bus. To get the most out of my trip, I left a bit early and visited some folks along the way. The first day out would be the big driving day. I drove my ‘50 panel aka “SÜDFUNK”, and it makes the best parts hauler out of my fleet. I dropped off…

On the corner of Los Angeles Street and Chestnut Street was a building called the Pickwick Hotel. Just south of the Pickwick was Broadway Street and on the corner of Broadway and Los Angeles Street was a Chevron/Standard gas station, where we could buy Chevron White pump gas. Now the significance of all of this was that the Panzers had a clubhouse, and it was a ground level office at the Pickwick Hotel, which was a low rent flophouse where we would conduct our meetings on Sundays. We Panzers would get together on Sunday late afternoon to conduct club business. This could be anything from planning our events or attending other clubs’ events. Also, we could be voting on a possible new member or discussing the latest shuffle in the Top…

Bench Start Type 1 Engines Hey John. I recently used my 002 Bus bell housing to install a 1650cc into my John Deere tractor, which had a blown engine! Now I have no bench start bell housing. Can a 091 housing be used in its place to bench start Type 1 engines? From what I read, all I need is a different starter. Is this the case and what starter do I purchase? Russ Wenke San Jose, CA Russ, you could use the 091 housing, as it will accept a normal Type 1 flywheel. The only reason you might not want to is the cost of the starter required. The Bosch SR-19X rebuilt starter (’80 and later Vanagon) will set you back at least 200 dollars. It’s even more for a high-torque unit.…

Life is such a wild ride; you truly never know what is around the corner and every depth has its high to balance it out somehow. This past August I was riding high and planning for a big showing in Monterey for one of my cars. I had a place to stay lined up with a good friend. I had paid my entry fees for the shows I planned to attend. I was gearing up for a very good time, and a well-needed break away from home and the daily grind. Unfortunately, fate stepped in and so did Covid, getting the whole family sick and down for the count for a while. We all made it through without major issues (we were vaccinated by the way) and thankfully no lasting…

As there is nothing really happening in Germany due to the pandemic, I am going to tell you about the roots of Germany’s first Cal Look club, the Der Fieser Luftkühlers, or DFL as it is better known. Ron Fleming talked about this club – which I am part of – in hotVWs’ June 2021 issue. DFL is well known in the Cal Look world, but only a few know how the club came about. It all started in 1993 when I was living near Heidelberg, which is a well-known place in the middle of Germany. My buddy Götz had a Razoredge Ghia and through him I got involved with air-cooled Volkswagens. I bought a Type 3 Notchback and later my Type 34, which I still own to this day. But…