The car above may look like an abortion, but it is one of the most interesting cars I have ever encountered. While it’s covered in various layers of bondo and body fillers, underneath all that nastiness is a body of bonafide metal, making this a coach built body. But by whom? The story, if it can be authenticated, goes that VW outsourced a side project to a body work school in Germany, and the car above you is the result. While it hasn’t yet been stripped to bare metal to see exactly how it was constructed, most of us speculate its a hodgepodge of one off, hand rolled steel pieces as well as modified or trimmed body parts from several VW’s of the era- including the Karmann Ghia, Beetle, and early Porsche’s. It’s also quite possible that this vehicle may have eventually given rise to the early Notchback prototypes, and the engine bay is extremely reminiscent of some strange Brazilian VW’s from later in history. Regardless of WHAT exactly it is and HOW it was built, this 50’s VW is an extremely rare piece of history.

This car looks more familiar! You might recognize this ride from Familienfest 14!

You may also recall that this car got negative marks when I first saw it because it ran so poorly… well let me tell you what an improvement! It ran like a Swiss watch when I was there, and I got a good chance to talk to the owner about what was giving him trouble last time– clogged and incorrectly sized jets in the carb. Happens to the best of us, and I can say that it makes all the difference.

Well webriders, thats all for today, but check out the gallery and make sure to check in again for San Diego Locals at the end of the week! Different club, different location, and different rides. This is Dr. VW– out.

Howdy Webriders! Dr. VW here for our last installment of the Familienfest 14 coverage! We spent the last two blogs covering in depth the shows more radical rides, but in this segment we’ll talk about the two best and worst cars from Familienfest 14! Hit the jump to check out what differentiates a hero from a zero.

First up… the heroes. This yellow Doublecab took Dr. VW’s vote for  second best of show. Tastefully restored and flawlessly executed, the doublecab represents an interesting factory version of the bus that wasn’t always popular, and probably never this flashy. Clearly designed for work and delivery use, single and double cab busses are not only rare, but sadly unloved for most of their entire history, leaving many in unsalvageable states of disrepair. It has only been in the last 10 years or so that these variations became popular among the show crowd, as the 21 window ragtop samba busses skyrocketed in price and became scarcer and scarcer to find for the restoration/show circuit. This yellow creation was an interesting mix between show flash and spartan utility, featuring a simple, period correct, gray interior but offsetting it with the flashy pop-out windows. Freakin sweet.

On the flip side, this car is a zero. Now before you scratch your heads, there is a reason why this car made it onto the “worst list”. No, I’m not a fan of flames but in this case it was done well. The reason this car got my vote for one of the worst was not its looks, its gorgeous, but it was the lack of priorities. This car was all flash and no substance, with a poorly built and even more poorly tuned engine that shuddered and gasped and ran like absolute crap. The sound from the exhaust was sickly, even the newer members of the crowd laughed as it struggled to idle. In this case, the car earned its spot on the worst list because if you’re going to show up with a car, at least have it running right. The VW scene is pretty laid back when it comes to looks- you could bring a beater into the show for all anyone cares- but these engines are practically idiot proof, and a 5 year old could tune them; so many people see no excuse why a car that flashy should run so poorly. They get an A for effort, but an F for execution.

Another Hero! This Type 34 Ghia got my nod for best of show. Aside from being extremely rare, this car was built right and restored to original specs, no small feat for a car that is rarely found complete and features TONS of year only, model only, and type only parts– none of which are reproduced. Furthermore, finding one this straight and rust free is like the holy grail, as the 34 or “razor” Ghias were one of the few “unibody” VW/ Karmann chassis. With no aftermarket body metal (or any other T3 or T34 specific parts for that matter) being reproduced, building a show quality razor ghia is not a task for the faint of heart. Even simple basic items like window seals, tail light lenses, etc, are NLA and impossible to find in good condition, even on a good day with a stack of cash in hand. This car was immaculate, a definite labor of love and worth far more in parts alone than any of the cars at the show.

And finally… our last zero. This “hoodride” split window bug. Now, I won’t go so far to call myself a purist, but you have to draw the line somewhere. A lot of people really dig this beater, lowered, and rally/stencil look, but I am not a fan. Furthermore, I feel that a car as special as a split window ought to be brought back from the grave, not stenciled over and allowed to continue rusting away. Pictures speak louder than words.

Well webriders, that wraps up our Familienfest 14 coverage! Be sure to stay tuned for Foriegn Fridays this week! This is Dr. VW– out.

Howdy Webriders! Dr. VW here with Foriegn Fridays. I realize it isn’t friday but thats because I didn’t want to spill the beans too early! Saturday, as some of you might remember from one of my previous posts, was Familienfest 14; and as promised Dr. VW was there to get the best shots from the show! This is part 1 of a 4 part series, so buckle in because this is a Foreign Friday Auto Adventure!

I suppose it makes sense to start off with a summary of the entire day, and then get into juicy details later on in other posts. I woke up exceptionally (for me) early and made my way down to the IKEA parking lot in order to lead a small cruise of T3’s from the San Diego area up to the show. From there, I met up with Doug and his ALL METAL lead sled Karmann Ghia, who will be the subject of a later post. I’ve actually seen this Ghia several times in the last three years at various events, but it was great to finally meet the owner and speak to him in person. Word on the street is, he has something else in the pipeline…

From there I had a few brat’s and bought my T shirt and raffle tickets, and proceeded to check out the T3’s. Not as many showed up this year as the previous Familienfest, mostly due to the absence of the 1500 club. There was however, a newcomer to the San Diego T3 community. He ended up taking 2nd place in the T3 Category.

From there I hit up the swap meet, which was mostly full of Bus stuff but still had some neat items; one booth had a table with nothing but Judson Superchargers and Magnetos, incredibly rare accessories for early 36 and 40 HP type 1’s. I managed to score as well, picking up a relatively difficult to find tachometer, in perfect working order, for a measly 5 dollars! Then it was on to the Porsche Speedsters… love those things.

Onwards to the Bus and Camper displays, with a little jaunt into the Bug sections. A few standouts, including a sparkling blue bug (which looked great but ran like crap) and a rad blue flamed bug that took 2nd place in the late model Type 1 category. From there, I kicked back with my fellow T3 enthusiasts and waited for the announcement of the winners and the raffle prizes. (unfortunately I didn’t win the Rancho Performance Street/Strip freeway Flyer Transmission– damn.)

Well that was Familienfest in a very, very small nutshell! Stay tuned for more in depth coverage of several standout rides and other topics of interest in the coming days! In the meantime, peruse the galleries and head down to the forums to discuss your favorites! This is Dr. VW, signing off.

Howdy Webriders! Dr. VW here for this weeks installment of Foreign Fridays! With the summer halfway over, many of the show season’s events have come and gone. The VW Classic, several Good Guys events, etc, have had their day and their coverage. Very soon however, two of the best events of the summer are going to kick into high gear, with one already underway! I’m talking about two premiere aircooled VW events- Familienfest and the Type Three Invasion.

“The Invasion”

as it is known, is an event that takes place every two years strictly for type three aircooled VW owners. The type three is the orphaned child of aircooled VW’s, and is often as misunderstood as it is neglected. However, a proud owner of a T3 myself, I always fantasize about making a pilgrimage to the Invasion. The idea behind the invasion is to choose a small town somewhere in America, and invite all T3 owners to meet there for an exclusive, friendly get together between like-minded enthusiasts. Previous Invasion events have been hosted in Hershey Pennsylvania, Crater Lake Oregon, and Portland Oregon. This year, Ypsilanti Michigan is the chosen destination, with a camp-out, BBQ, Tech sessions and several cruises planned; as well as a donation event for charity. This year it was too far out of the way to attend, but the next event you can count on Dr. VW making an appearance!

A much closer, and more annual event- Familienfest 14- takes place on August 23rd, making it one of the last big events of the summer. This show and swap is one of the few that still takes place right on the grass, making it a very popular event! I was there last year, check out the gallery for my swap spot and some of the cars that made it to the show. This year, I plan to attend with my Squareback, now much prettier than it was last time!  Familienfest is a great show because it brings together local people. Unlike the VW classic and large events like Good Guys, Familienfest is still small enough to attract mainly local San Diegan’s, helping people network and make friends with people who not only share their interests, but also live close enough to lend a hand every now and then. It’s a unique experience that is seldom found at many auto events, and a very cool experience.

Well Webriders, thats all for this week! But if you want to attend Familienfest be sure to buy your ticket in advance! Information can be found here. This is Dr. VW- signing off.

Every year in Irvine California, there is a show, or rather a set of shows, collectively known as “Classic Weekend”. The VW Classic is a once a year event that draws aircooled VW enthusiasts from across the globe, and is widely considered to be “THE” event of the show season. As a result, many clubs, shops and organizations choose to hold their own events around the same time leading up to and following the main event. All across LA, shops like ISPwest throw open their doors to type threes, while the group OCTO holds its annual Bus only show and swap. Another event that is attended by many show goers is the VTO Blackstar camp out. The VTO camp out is only a few miles from the Classic show grounds and is nestled in the mountains to the east of Irvine. I myself have attended the ISP BBQ, Berg Enterprises Rally, VTO camp out, and VW Classic two years in a row, but this year I missed out; and I really did miss out!

Our story begins a few weeks ago on thesamba.com’s split bus forum, and the entire thread can be perused here. In a nutshell, the wife of a young couple is looking for help and advice on where to go and what to do about her husbands 66 split camper. The bus itself was in rough shape, but by no means a parts car. In fact, most agreed that a tune up and a quick once over would get it back into running condition, even if it wasn’t the prettiest car in the world. Problem was, money was tight, and figuring out what should get repaired and what shouldn’t was a little confusing. However, a few members offered to donate some parts to help jumpstart the repairs. One thing lead to another, and she was invited to attend the OCTO bus event and the VW classic, to network and pick up donated parts. The story caught with the Bus community, and soon enough parts and offers for free help were pouring in. Everything seemed to snowball, and with the help of the SV2 Bus club and several prominent members of the forum, a plan was hatched: do a quikie restoration by Bus experts at the VTO camp out and then present the finished car to her husband at the OCTO or Classic, depending on how quickly work got done.

The amount of help and support the members of the samba bus forum offered to this woman might be unprecedented… aside from securing transport for the non running car over 110 miles to the campground, members donated all new master and slave brake cylinders, soft brake hoses, new gas lines, almost new carb,  rebuilt distributor, other engine parts, new upholstery for the seats, new body panels and doors, rubber seals for the windows, and countless fluids as well as a rebuilt original radio. In of itself, that’s a lot of help, but the samba members also set up a paypal account for people across the globe to donate for things like new tires, paint supplies, and other parts for the future after the quickie restoration. Aside from the money and parts, several members stepped up and offered their technical skill, offering to do free work on the bus while it was at the campground, prepping it for its unveiling.

As the classic weekend approached, an Overhaulin’ esque story unfolded, with the wife convincing her husband to attend the OCTO event with her while the Bus was simultaneously transported to the VTO camp  out event at Blackstar canyon. Once there, the work began. One member offered up his body work and metal skills, bringing his welder and replacing the lower 4 inches of the rusted out front nose, as well as patching the rockers and lower windshield frames. Others tore the engine down and rebuilt it, while still others finished cleaning up the interior and upholstering the seats. The process took a little over a day, with the bus being completed and ready for the road this morning at OCTO. There, the bus was unveiled, much to the delight of the owner and his incredibly devoted wife. Original papers from Europe, known as the bus’s “birth certificate” were even procured! As we speak, the owner and his wife are probably spending their first night in the newly restored camper together at Blackstar.

While the bus is far from finished, in a matter of a day members of an online forum put together an ad hoc restoration at a campground, using donated parts, skills, labor, and time. What they delivered was a reborn car, from a broken down lawn ornament to a reliable daily driver with the hardest parts of the body work finished. The most incredible part about this story is undoubtedly the community spirit apparent on the Samba. While all of this went down just today, more information, pictures and youtube videos, are forthcoming; so stay tuned webriders! VW enthusiasts, bus owners, and car lovers alike should be on the edge of their seats! I just wish I had been able to attend this year as I have in the past and throw my own assistance into the effort.

Hope you guys enjoyed that story! Remember to head down to the forums for links and updates as they come in, tomorrow is the Classic! This is Dr. VW- out.