VW Memories
This page is a collection of memories, adventures and crazy things people did with their VW's.
Updated on 2/22/98
When I was a kid, my family had two Beetles; one was a red
convertible--I can still remember sitting on top of the back seat while
my dad drove around with the top down. Now I'm 20 and I have one of my
own, a beautiful little light blue '70 bug. My grandmother bought it,
drove it in Greece. Two of my uncles drove it too. And now it's ALL
MINE! She drives like a dream and I vow to never sell her. Yes, there
have been some problems, but I don't care what people say, I can't help
but feel a little bit superior, even when I'm pushing her down a hill!
By the way, I need to do something with my seatbelts (they don't
retract). Does anyone have any advice on finding some used ones or
finding some kind of retractable device to put on them?Forgot to add: One time I was turning a curve in my light blue '70 bug
and, driving like an idiot, I was looking in the backseat as I did so.
When I finally did look up it was to see 2 trashcans right before I
crashed into them. Next it was a mailbox. Luckily I stopped before I
hit the tree. I got out to survey the damage. What did I find? My
baby had snapped a metal mailbox post in two and all she got was ding on
her headlight rim! What a champ! Aimee (luvbug70@email.unc.edu)
My favorite times in my baja bugs ('60 and a '72) were offroading and climbing hills. I used to go out to this
one hill and watch the 4wheel drives try to climb it. Usually they couldn't but my trusty V-Dubs always did.
This hill was about 45 degrees and about 100 feet high.One baja had streettires(L-60-15) and stillout
climbedthe4x4's. I don't have a bug right now but am looking for another. This will be a cruisin' ride. I haven't
had a bug in 13 yrs. and miss that sound of the exhaust.
Robert Meydag, Sfmason@worldnet.att.net
Hi folks,
I have a second-hand Beetle story. In the early 70's we lived on the
South Texas coast near Brownsville. That is hurricane country and we had
all traveled inland to San Antonio to avoid hurricane Celia. My dad was
anxious to get back and check out the damage so he headed out in his 65
Beetle right after the storm passed. He soon ran into trouble when he
came upon a massive traffic jam on the lonely south Texas highway. The
road ahead was flooded a foot or more deep for miles and all the cars
and 18 wheelers were stopped on the side waiting (for evaporation I
guess). Not being a very patient man and anxoius to get home, he put the
little bug in gear and straddled what he presumed to be the center of
the road. Despite water over his ankles inside the car he managed to
make progress and as he passed the idling big rigs each one would
produce a blast on their air horn and pull in behind him. His little bug
led the convoy safely into the Rio Grande Valley.
Although I wasen't with him on the ride he loved to tell the story and I
couldn't dispute him as the sour smell of wet upholstery lingered for
years in the little Beetle.
Carl Spicer, pepper1@flash.net
Hello, I'm old, now. But I had a '62 beetle around 1970 or so. One time
I took my stepfather for a ride on some powerline roads where they were
riding dirt bikes. I had ridden a dirt bike there, and there was this
one hill, that some of the smaller bikes couldn't get to the top. We
were riding along on the side road that bypassed the hill, suddenly
without thinking, I headed straight for and up the hill with my heart
in my mouth. We made it!
semrau (semrau@ibm.net)
MY ONLY VW "MEMORIES" ARE OF THE FABULOUS AND SWEET 1998 BEETLE. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE NEW ONE IN THE ST.LOUIS AUTO SHOW IN JANUARY OF '98. THE NEW BEETLES ARE SOOO MUCH BETTER LOOKING AND WITH THE ENGINE AND SAFTEY, I WILL BE THE FIRST AT THE LOCAL VW DEALER!!!
GOOD LUCK VW!!!!!!!!!!!!
REGARDS,
PRENTISS SCUDDER
PRENIV@SWBELL.NET
P.S. I AM ONLY 11 YEARS OLD AND THAT WILL NOT STOP ME!!!!!!!!!!
My first volkswagen memory was when I was about 4 or so. My oldest brother (being about 18 years older
than me) decided to take me out to the beach in his 67 ragtop Baja approprately named, for the time, Herbie.
As we approached the Beach access for Peter Iredale beach(located at the top of Oregon near Astoria) we
quickly discovered that the access was blocked with debris from a winter storm. Not a problem by brother
simply reached down, shifted into 1st gear and away we went bounceing over rocks,dunes, logs and leaveing
even the most mighty 4x4s stareing in jealous rage at our disregard for roads. I WAS HOOKED FOR LIFE!
Since that day I have owned many VW's. I would like to say that my first car was a Bug but it wasnt, it was a
Chevy Luv, OK so I guess I had a brain fart, but my next car was. I have owned (in order) an 84 GTI, 73
squareback, 74 beetle, 67 beetle, 74 scricco, 78 scricco, 70 bus, another 67 bug, 86 jetta, 59 dune buggy, and
a 73 BAJA.
But my absolute best VW memory would have to be this:
In 1991 my girlfriend and I went to check out a 1974 bug that a friend of mine had for sale. My friend was
the original owner of the car purchaseing it in 1975 from a lot in sothern california. I immedately fell in love
with the car, shoot it only had 64,000 miles on it, but I was in college liveing in a trailer and couldn't afford
to buy the car. So I told my friend that I would try to buy the car as soon as I could afford to, but by the time I
saw my friend the next time she informed me that the car had been sold. I was dissapointed to say the least.
Several months had passed, My Girlfriend Beth (same one) moved in together and were getting ready for
Christmas. I wasn't even prepared for what happen next. Christmas Day and all the gifts were laid to rest
under the tree. We had meager offerings at best, but had each other and that was enough. As we began
opening gifts I notice an anxious air around Beth I thought it was the season getting the best of her. She
handed me a gift box , I thought jewelery, how would I tell her that I don't wear jewelery, I opened the box
and inside was a cheap little bug toy. I thought that was odd, but smiled made believe that it was the coolest
thing I had ever seen and moved on to the next gift, Another gift box. I was sure it was jewelery this time. I
opened it and could not believe my eyes. There wrapped in tissue lay the key to that little bug that I was so
fond of. What can I say I was the best gift I had ever been given.
The next summer I married Beth, two years later she gave me a beautiful daughter, and four months ago a
handsome son. How am I ever going to top that? Maybe I wont but I'm going to try.
Charles E Phillips (chkbthan@pacifier.com)
My memory...
Bug, Beetle, whatever you call it, its still be your best friend. I call it Turtle. I own many cars
but my '66 type one is still my favorite car of all time. Bought it from a guy in Maryville,
Tennessee while attending college. I still drive daily. I call her "Little-volkie."
Ben Moua (benfly@ecentral.com)
I may be only 16 but I still have had many VW memories in Beetles. I have
had VW Beetles in my home since I was three. The first was my dad's 71
Super Beetle I can always remember that car sitting in our driveway in
Hunigton Beach California. That Lime Green Cal-Look Street Rodder I wish
I had now. But as I turned five that old 71 was traded by my dad Curt
Shanks for a 68 Beetle with a factory sunroof. That car had it real good
it had a lowered front end, dual Dellortos carbs, 1776 cc. engine,
Rivera Rims and a custom interior in the original factory black, and
the dual quiet pack exhaust, man was that car beautiful, but all good
things come to an end some time, as we moved to Indiana because all of
our relatives were here, my dad decided to sell his awesome raspberry bug
when he found that VW's were just not the car for the huge Indiana
winters, because the salt just recks havoc on them, but just recently my
dad was going to the video store here in Kokomo Indiana and saw this bug
driving up and at his first thought he probably thought oh just one of
those kids that tried to make a Cal-Look Street Rider from an old beetle
that was rusted out so all they do here is fill them full with bondo and
think no one will notice. But anyway sorry to go on like that as this
car pulled up my dad saw the factory sunroof and thought could this be
mine? It was his in fact he could tell by the sunroof crank his friend
had made for him in California and immediately fell in love again, the
car looked the same except for the red and blue layered paint job which
was really cool, and the white interior which brightened it up in there
a lot, it still had those Rivera Rims and the same motor my dad put in
that car, well the guy that owned it also owned a local body shop in town
and he told my dad that when he was taking the headlight buckets off of
the car he noticed the raspberry paint job underneath, he said he was
going to sell that car soon so my dad gave him our number and said
call-me. So the guy called in a few day and said he wanted to sell the
car for $7,000 dollars, unfortunately my dad said that the car had
sentimental value but not 7,000 dollars worth. But that car had a lot of
value to me i remember sitting in that back seat looking down at the
black interior and hearing that motor purr with dual quiet packs. Well I
now have three VW beetles and love them to pieces. One is a 1973 Super
Beetle that was originally a racing car in california, kind a sounds like
a herbie story doesn't it . Well this cal since being to California
Edition didn't have as much rust as other 25 year old cars here in
Indiana, but the car had been sitting behind a man's dad's house that
went to our church we went and looked at it one day and the next week
picked it up on a flatbed trailer. Got it home and now we are restoring
it like one of my dad's old Cal-Look VW's . It is going to take a while
but it will be worth it when it is done. Me driving around in that car
with it's purple and black interior and yellow paint, also in our
driveway is a 72 and 74 Super Beetle for parts well I have saved the 72
from the crusher by putting on lights and giving it some TLC some one
wanted to buy it but I simply said no I love that car to much to part
with it. Even though I've only had it for 3 weeks I still love my little
beetle. Well thanks for your time and I hope everyone that reads this
writes to me and tells me their stories. (joshshanks@juno.com) I hope you
write and thanks, and remember don't get rid of your VW because of the
rust or heater or looks cars have feelings to.
Josh Shanks
I don't have too many beetle memories to offer, having just bought
my first one. I'm 21 years old, and have been into VW's for about 3
years now. I have a 1978 type IV bus, Klaus, and I love her (yes her)
dearly, but Klaus had to be stored this winter for a Porsche motor
installation. I got lucky, however, and scored a 1968 Beetle with a
dead auto-stick tranny for $350. It also came with a used 4-speed,
and a used 1600cc dual port. The bearings in the motor had no play, so
after fabricating a shift rod, slapping in the 4-speed and the motor, I
was on the road. It's been 4 days now, and she's still running good
(knock on wood). I think I'm in love.
Between my 3 room mates and myself we own 5 V-dubs. Most are
busses; mine is the only bug. She cruises me out of a pretty extreme
driveway, and several miles on logging roads, then 10 miles of highway,
to get me to work everyday. She's totally straight, and I think has
only 65,500 original miles on the chassis. My favorite memory so far
would be the first time the motor fired for me (in the car). Some fool
installed the distributor drive gear 180 degrees off, making for one
very sloppy valve adjustment before I caught the error. I recommend
everyone check their plug wire position rather than trust the top dead
center mark on the distributor. I was mistaken in assuming mine was
correct. I thought the motor was history. She was very unhappy. After
proper valve lash was set, another used fuel pump was added, and a carb
rebuild she fired right up, idled cold, and has given me no trouble
since (I know, give it time). I expect many memories from this fine
German girl (she was built there), and eventually I hope to pass her on
to my child (unborn, as yet). That's a long way off though. Next
summer, when Klaus returns to the road, I'm going to put up the Bug (she
has no name yet) for an extensive rebuild. We here on the Oregon Coast
have the benefit of having a local engine builder of top quality. He
builds motors for sand rails. I just heard a brand new 2180 fire up on
the engine stand the other day. Hmmmmm.... 160 horsepower in a
Beetle?? Look out.
Many thanks for a great site.
Submitted by Astroman.
Astroman@antisocial.com
Feel free to E-mail me.
Hello!
My favorite VW memories doesn't have anything to do with actually
owning one, but instead, being a lifetime passenger of one.
I'm 22, and for as long as I can remember, my grandpa has had a
beetle that he uses for errands around town in CA. My earliest
memories of it began when he would take me to the local barbershop
every time my family came for a visit. I can even remember when
I could fit into the small storage space in the back!
Anyhow, in addition to being a passenger in this car, it was also
the car I first learned to drive in...amazingly the car survived! :)
To this day, he still has the car and keeps it in pristine condition.
But I'm not the only grandkid who wants the car. Nearly all of us do,
and so my grandpa decided to just sell the car when he can no longer
drive it, instead of leaving it to one grandkid.
But whether or not my cousins have the same memories of that car as I
do makes no difference. That car is part of the family, so when he
sells it, I'll find the person he sold it to and offer him double what
he paid. Sounds ridiculous, but when you're talking about a memory
machine, twice the price isn't so bad after all...
Tony W.
Bar Harbor, ME
twittrien@yahoo.com
My first car was a 64 Beetle (bought in 1970, when I was a Junior in
HS). It started me on my lifelong love affair with VW, and I've owned 14
different models since (air and H2O). It is not so much my old
memories, but a brand new one I'll tell you about. Last week, I was
blessed with the opportunity to purchase an original, nearly flawless,
37,000 mile 1965 Beetle at a very generously fair price. It has been my
dream for many years to own another Beetle, and to make it into a
restoration project to enjoy with my 8-year old son, Alex. This car
that I have just purchased is so far beyond my wildest dreams (it is
truly and honestly a museum-quality machine that looks and operates as
new) that I still am walking about one or two inches above the ground.
Anyway, the memories this car will bring are all tantalizingly in the
future, as I plan to keep and preserve it as long as I possibly can, and
when the time comes, to lovingly pass it on to my son. I've talked too
much already so will close now.
Sincerely,
Larry L. Tebo
Urbana, IL
email: milehig1@ix.netcom.com
My father had a beetle all the time I was growing up. My brother
totaled two of them. I learned to drive in a 65. My sister attempted
but never mastered the shift. The first car I bought on my own was a
63. I didn't know any better, but someone had slipped a 36 hp engine in
it. It would do 58 mph pedal to the medal. Dad bought a 73 bettle
new. We drove it for 100,000 miles and sold it because he was afraid it
would tear up soon.(Had never been apart) Five years later, I bought it
from the person in very bad shape and 230,000 miles on it. I have since
rebuilt it and drive it usually a few miles a month. My beetle memories
could go on and on! In 1965, we had a big snow here(Mississippi) and
Dad's 63 beetle was about the only car in our small town that could
navigate the frozen roads. Remember the old commercial for VW which
said "Ever wonder how the man who drives the snowplow gets to the
snowplow?"
The Halls
thehalls@tecinfo.com
I did it. Eighteen hours ago I became the father of my sixth VW Beetle.
The 1973 Super Beetle sitting up the street became mine for the tidy sum
of $900. I offered $850 because there are a couple wiring problems with
the rear lights, but the guy wouldn't back down -- and I wanted the car.
This one is actually being endorsed by my wife. As soon as she got home
last night she wanted a ride (she wasn't even daunted by the lack of
current plates and no tail lights, so we went around the block). As soon
as I fired it up she commented that it sounded like the best one I have
had to date (the 1970 Baja I played with a few years ago was too noisy
for her and left too big of an oil spot in the driveway). She even had
me pull over to the side of the road and she got behind the wheel to try
her hand at driving (also a first in our bug history .. again, the Baja
was too noisy, and too fast). We'll have to work on the karma thing so
she doesn't race the engine and burn the clutch while getting it to
engage (a little bit of Muir continues to live in us all).
I've never been a big fan of the Supers. My three-year-to-date project
is a 1969 Beetle Sedan. I like the torsion bar for lowering and the ease
of removing the body for pan work (a complete rebuild in the 69s case).
But I have to admit, the Super seems bigger inside and from a past one I
have owned, I know they have good road characteristics. At least this
one has a little history, being the first year for having the curved
windscreen (my other was a 71, first year for the Supers).
I've yet to name the car. I may leave that to my wife. However, it is
striking me as a Clarence or Chauncy. I'll know more after I pull the
engine for cleaning, tightening and tuning, and fix a couple rust
blemishes on the nose.
Thanks for letting me bend your ear. There are hardly any VW fans in my
neck of the woods (Central Illinois), and they just don't understand how
quickly they get under your skin.
Adios,
Russell Stare
russtare@midwest.net
Hey VW fans,
About a year ago, I got my first beetle. She is a beauty, '69, light
blue beetle. It had been sitting for a few years, so I had some repairs
to make. After two engines, two throttle cables, a new generator, new
exhaust system and a new windshield, she was better than before.
Unfourtunately, during a rainstorm, I slide into a ditch and smashed the
front end in a little. No matter, she runs like a top. I could really
use some info fixing the front end if anyone has any advice.
To me the car will always be "Baby Blue". My motto is "a man
without a car is like a man without a soul".
Jeremy Ecklund
eckob@hotmail.com
i'm just 16 now and my father bought me my bug two summers ago. we
passed it in virginia a few tymes and were admiring it but never even
thought about buying it. the, one day, we stoped at the home which it
was siting in front of. the candy-apple red '69 convertable looked soo
sad, sitting there in all its pride but still having to put up w/ that
pesky for sale sign on its dash.
we looked it over, brought back many fond memories of my father which i
had to hear about all the way home. after thinking it over my father
bought it the next day. we wondered why such a charm was sitting there
so long w/out any persective buyers. we soon found out.
the old man who owned it bragged about its great engine, which he built
himself. not days later, we had to drop a new motor in it because it
overheated. so, all problems fixed. right? nope! after taking such
careful care of it for about a year (it being the only car to make it
out of our neihborhood in the blizzard of 96), some ignorant guy hit my
poor little bug w/ his olds. picture this, and olds running into the
back of a bug. though the engine stayed pretty much intact, the lid,
bumper, tail lites, everything, ruined. then, after closer inspection,
my mechanic, joe, found "irreversable internal damage". another engine.
this tyme a 1600 cc! plus, we needed paint, not being able to match the
paint we had to choose a new colour for my bug. (the guys who hit me is
paying out of his you know waht by now....) so, shortly after, my bug
became ford's new metallic plum, w/ extra sparkles!
the painter did a bum job and it just kills my poor little bug's
appearence. i was mad but couldn't do much about it.
so, when the money comes in, or when somebody hits me again, i'll have
my car in perfect condition. untill then, i have to settle w/ the
mechanical excellence and roaring tail pipe of my '69 convertable
beetle!
have you been passed by a volkswagon lately?!
John H. Hess
jhhess@ibm.net
I once had a beetle I loved it so much it was my baby, I had even named it it was Ivan. Now me and Ivan were together thru thick and thin he was a 1959 Beetle in perfect condition and I kept him that way, until one day a drunk driver put an end to Ivans life. I was so heart broken. But Ivan is still in my garage I've been restoring his beauty and now ten years later Ivan will live once more.
I love my bug
AstroHippi@Aol.com
Until reading these stories I thought my situation was unlike anybody else's.
After reading these stories I decided to share with you my similar stories.
I got my 73 SB in 94 when I turned 16. My neighbor (a vw enthusiast) talked
my dad into buying it for me. It was then that my dad and I learned of the
many problems that a 25 year old car can have. Some of the problems that
I've had are broken accelerator cable, broken connecting rods (time for a new
engine!), and an ignition system that malfunctioned at the worst times
(usually in heavy traffic). You wouldn't believe the number of enemies you
make when your car stops in the middle of a busy intersection. I've replaced
the carburetor, ignition system, steering damper, speedo cable, a lot of
wires, the engine TWICE!!! and a bunch of other parts.
After my dad and I (mostly my dad) spent literally thousands of
dollars on the Super Beetle from hell my dad has tried to talk me into
selling it. Of course I sad "no way" because as many of you probably know,
once you become attached to these little things you just can't get rid of
them. For the past year of so, my bug has been reliable (except for the
endless electrical problems) and glad I have such a good lookin daily driver.
I'm even taking it on a five hour drive to school with me in August. Nobody
thinks it will make it but I know it will never die (I hope).
VW's FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark Vichich
vichicmd@miamiu.muohio.edu
My earliest memory of a beetle was when i was three or four years old,
around 1968. Aunt Betty was changing the am radio channels by pushing in
the buttons and I was sitting in the very back behind the back seat. There
was a space just behind the seat and i could fit in there. That was my
favorite place to ride.
Now it's 1997 and i have a 1972 bug. The paintjob was pathetic so i got
the spray paint out and painted the car black. It was a disaster by the
time I was through, so I had to make an emergency trip to Maacco. I removed
the back seat and installed some of my own interior designs.I'll get Ruby
that flashy paintjob she deserves next year. Yes, her name is Ruby, because
that was the color when i bought her for $600.00. She is looking better
everyday.
Sally A. Burnette, Winston-Salem, NC
(spendmoney@mindspring.com)
My first meeting with a VW Beetle was in Nigeria , Africa, in the mid sixties.
My Dad was a port pilot in Lagos then. OPEL was very popular car then , and my Father wanted to buy one... In fact we never rode in an OPEL, because my Dad fell in love...with a VW Beetle.
All because of the Walt Disney and his Herbie, the BEETLE. He went to see that film and suddenly he knew, that only a Beetle could help him live.
Since then, a Beetle has been a "member" of our family for over 10 years.
Now, after many years, I also have a Beetle, it is a 1973, and her name is KASIA (KATY). My husband says that I and KATY fit together, and my sons say, that they can't imagine me in some other car...
We make trips all over Poland - our last one was over 4000km throughout Poland. The trip was fantastic, and KATY was doing perfect...
Now we are preparing KATY for a VW Bettle meeting in Sztum, North Poland, which is due to take place at the beginning of July.
On the last VW meeting in Gdynia, there were over 120 VWs, and we had great fun observing how people react seeing such a number of these cars going through the main street of a town...
Best regards for all the Beetle fans
Katy, KATY, and the family.
(menos@menos.gda.pl)
In 1965 while in the army in Germany I bought my very first car and it was a 1951 VW
beetle with those turn signal indicators that jumped out of the posts just behind the
doors when turned on. I was really proud of my first car. It had been restored just a
year or two before I bought it. I was warned that it had mechanical brakes, but I did
not really understand the significants of that statement until I had to make an evasive
manuver to avoid coliding with a drunk pedestrian. Unfortunately the mechanical brakes
would not stop me fast enough and I connected with a post and totaled my first and only
VW beetle. I've always wanted another. The first one only lasted about 3 weeks. Boy was
I heart broken. I hope all of you enjoy your toys!
Sincerely,
dane (dane@oio.net)
Wishin' I had one 2
My dad had a v.w. franchise from 1961 till 1968 . When I was 5 years old
my mother and I were on our way to my grandmothers . I always rode in
the small compartment in the back . When we arrived at my grandmothers
house my grandfather was waiting for us on the front step. I remember
watching him through the window of the car talking to my mom and then my
mom started to cry . I ran out of the volkswagen and asked her what was
wrong and she told me that President Kennedy was shot, it was Nov. 22,
1963 and I can remember it and that volkswagen like it was
yesterday.
Submitted by Jim Quirk
Sydney Nova Scotia, Canada (j.k.quirk@ns.sympatico.ca)
I bought my parents' '66 bug a couple of years ago, although I had been
driving it a while before that. It had been in the family since '82 and
it is in wonderful shape. My fondest memory of the bug is when my best
friend and I were in the Eastern Oregon high desert on a long camping
trip. The bug was loaded to the brim and I had said before the trip
that the only thing that could go wrong would be that the accelerator
cable could break. My friend was going to "knock on wood," but there
ain't no wood in a bug. The cable broke fifty miles away from the
nearest asphalt road. So we figured, everybody says that anybody can
fix a bug! SO, we rigged up a hand accelerator cable from the engine
with a camera strap, large safety pin, bungie cords, six feet of rope,
and a carabener. It went through the rear left window and into my left
hand. My friend shifted for me and I managed the break, clutch,
steering wheel, and the rope. It was great. In the end, we were sorry
to replace ourt ingenious contraption. Nothing does beat a bug. I'll
drive it 'til the day I die.
--KUBA
Submitted by Vera Langer (vlanger@sprynet.com)
Greetings,
Since everyone has been telling their little stories, I thought I might as well too.
I'm 26 years old and I've owned my 1970 beetle since 1988, but have only put about 1-2
miles on him as I've taken him apart and am trying to put him back together. His name is
Lil' Fela and is bright yellow (Toyota MR2 yellow to be exact) I should have him up and
running this summer.
I also have a 57' Porsche speedster replica that I've been working on for about 5
years. (His name is Baby) We bought a custom pan from a bad company and had to fix a lot
of stuff (bent left rear trailing arm, raised front beam, too lowered rear etc...) we
really got screwed by this company. (E-mail me if you want details)
(jhicks04@sprynet.com) Not to mention Fiberfab in Florida...pathetic company. But all is
going well now. I have all the parts and I'm slowly putting them together.
But reciently (last October) I got one of my other toys together and running. A Manx
dune buggy. It's a dead-on copy of the Meyers Manx and I own two. One, his name is Otto,
I got up and running on a 58' pan (no, I didn't trash a beetle to do it, it came like
this) and the other...well the other is NOS! The body has never been mounted and is
sitting on a shortened pan ready to be built. Maybe I'll build it later. :)
So you can see, my family is getting pretty big. I'm trying to "adopt" a few more. I
know of a original 1954 for sale and a 1957 body laying around. Hey, somebody has to
take care of them, right? Feel free to E-mail me if you want.
Cheers and happy bugging!
Submitted by Jeff Hicks (jhicks04@sprynet.com)
Hi!
Finally, I get to tell someone my passion for VW Bugs!
I'm on my second VW Bug. My first was a 1969
that my parents bought for me in the summer of 1987.
I was going into my junior year in high school.
It was my first car. My parents didn't want me to
have an unrealiable car, so instead of buying me
a couple hundred dollar bug, they felt more
comfortable buying one that had already been
restored, and was a show car. Our first mistake: you can't
take a show car which is only driven every few months and
make it a teenager's "rammin" vehicle. Anyway, there are
a lot of stories that I could probably write a book on...
End of story for that cute little car was after a short
year and a half, my mechanic refused to take
responsiblitie for fixing it. The car was rotted out
and after many trips to the body shop, and a new
engine in that short period of time... My parents made
me sell what was left of it.
Never fear! When I was dating my husband, I told him
that whoever I was to marry, would one day have to buy me
a VW Conv't bug so that I could take better care of it,
and this time, keep for ever! Only after hearing me
beg ever waking hour on how I wanted a bug of my own.
I answered my first ad in a local newspaper, and with-in
24 hours, the bug was on a flatbed to my house!
My husband had it totally restored for me to it's
original state.
I only drive it to shows, and enter it for the pure fun of
bragging. I have put it up for the winter behind locked
doors so nothing could possibly happen to it...
We'll see. ha, ha.
So, if you're ever at a car show in New York, and
see my '73 Pheonix Red Conv't with "Elizabeth's" written
on the back, be sure to stop by and say "howdy!"
That's all folks! See you around...Happy VW 'cruisin'!
Beth (spalding@superior.net)
Bob,
I just wanted to let you know a little bit about my 1970
VW Bug. I got this car for my 16th birthday in 1993- it was
my dream car, but it was already 23 years old and wasn't
in the greatest condition ever. One day a few of my friends
went to the lake in the bug(there were five of us don't ask
me how we all fit). Anyway, the floor in the back seat was
rotted and fell out on the highway! My friends almost had
a heartattack,but everyone was alright. Let me tell you,
Bob, after this happened, I used the car for a year without
a floor in the back- everyone thought I was crazy, but the
car ran like a charm and went on almost no gas at all.
(I personally think gas is more like a luxury than a
necessity for the Bug.) Eventually, I had to get another
car to make the two hour trip back and forth to college
every month (it got a little cold in the bug during the
winter months). But let me tell you, Bob, I am now a
student at Villanova University in Pennsylvania and
the walls in my dorm are covered with pictures of me
and my bug. I think they are the greatest cars ever
created and I am already saving up to buy another
one in the near future.
Your VW buddy at heart,
Angelo Randazzo, Pa.
Me and my dad were at the lights and a PORSCHE 911
Carrera (I could hardly beleive it) pulled up beside us.
As the Light went green My Dad put the "pedal to the metal"
and beat the Porsche. The driver stuck up his rude finger.
Me and My dad pulled over , got out and waved as the 21
year old driver drove past . He stuck the dreaded finger
up once again and almost hit a crossing pedestrian.
And as I say " NOTHING BEATS A B E E T L E!"
From Michael Yates (ljyates@ozemail.com.au)
I actually fit in the front seat of one. I'm 6'3". That was something wild.
Submitted by Larry (larster@buffnet.net)
I never owned a VW, when I was in college 30 years ago the VW was the
transportation of the students. Lots of my friends had them. Submitted by
Dick (rausch1@buffnet.net
I had a '62 VW bus, a rare one with cargo doors on both sides and the
full Westphalia camper setup. Believe it or not, I got it in a straight
trade for my Corvair Monza Spider, and feel that I got the better end of the
deal. This was in 1969.
So this bus and I traveled cross-country nine times, from Oregon State
U., where I was going to school, to my parents' house here in Buffalo. I
had a manual for it, even though the only thing it ever needed was oil
changes and minor tune-ups. So on the trips, every 2500 miles no matter
where I was (the top of the Rockies or the Loop in Chicago) I would change
the oil and adjust the valves.
My favorite story of my bus, which was called Argle Bargle (a Scottish
term that means "confusion") was the day I went to hear a speech by Ken
Kesey at Lewis & Clark College. It was a pretty spring day, and Kesey had
us all go out on the lawn instead of sitting in the auditorium, and once we
were out there, he took up a collection for burgers, pop and chips. He
spotted my bus and comandeered me to drive him to the supermarket, then
cooked burgers on my grill as he talked non-stop. So, even though I never
rode Kesey's bus, he rode mine. Good memories. Submitted by Mario (nunezm@buffnet.net)
Let the world know about your VW memories and adventures.
Also, the crazy things you did with your VW. Past or present. To add a memory E-mail me the details.
beetle@buffnet.net