THE BEST PLACE TO BUY OR SELL YOUR VW: 100s INSIDE!

06
£3.60
June 2005
www.volksworld.com 9 77095 4 01 61 81

EXCLUSIVE!
We bring you

NEW-STALGIA
You can buy a brand new classic VW Camper like this
the full story on
the new Herbie
film cars

VW How To
& Tech Tips
Turbo Rat Split
Sixties Style Buggy

FREE INSIDE: RADICAL DESIGN CENTRESPREAD POSTER

contents
p8 p22 p36

Regulars p8
14
16
27
29
Mailbox Your letters in print
On the scene The latest from the VW world
Walkerbout Back to my roots
Pye’s eye The cut chemist
“
The Love Bug, Herbie is back

”
on the big screen this year

31 Life of Brian The old days

41 Stop check Your rides
92 Subscriptions Subscribe now
Features
8 Herbie Fully Loaded The legend returns
22 Simply Straight One cool Buggy
32 VW Models Kits and toys
36 Finding Remo A whale of a time
44 Rat Bus Turbocharged madness
50 Irish Cab RHD Oval Cabriolet
70 Out of the box Brand new Bay

Classic VW
56 Retro VW Action Things
60 Lost and found A thing to pick grapes
64 Kdf Observer 1960 VWs

Type 2 Zone
68 Bus depot The latest news
69 Bus scene Buyer beware
Technical
78 Projects VolksWorld staff cars
82 How to: Floorpan replacement How to do it
86 How to: Window rubbers Simple job? Let’s see
89 Tech What’s wrong? Come on, tell us

4 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 the
Call our quotation hotline now on:
08451 240 240
team
Editor Ivan McCutcheon

Art Editor Steve Gosling

Staff Writer Jon Gilbert

Tech Editor Matt Keene

Features Editor Mike Pye

Sub Editor Hayley Mathie

Ed Assistant Carol Linfield

Deputy Ad Manager

p44 Kara Goodwin 020 8726 8334

Telesales
Dave Simmons 020 8726 8335

Group Ad Manager
Kevin Attridge 020 8726 8333

Marketing Manager
Richard Marcroft

Automotive Design
Eric Black www.eblackdesign.com

Contributors
Brian Burrows • Stephan Bau • Kiki de
Bois • Zoë Harrison • Rikki James • Peter
Noad • Bob Shaill • Steve Walker

Publisher Gavin de Carle

Managing Director Paul Williams

VolksWorld Magazine is a Focus Network publication,
published by Country & Leisure Media Ltd, part of IPC
Media.
VolksWorld, IPC Focus Network, Leon House, 233 High
Street Croydon, CR9 1HZ
Tel: (020) 8726 8354, Fax: (020) 8726 8399
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.volksworld.com
© 2005 IPC Media Ltd, all rights reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part is forbidden, save with the permission,
in writing, of the publishers.
Subscription rates for one year: See page 92 for details.
Back Issues Dept, PO BOX 772, Peterborough, PE2 6WJ.
www.mags-uk.com/ipc. Subscription hotline: intl +44
(0)845 676 7778 .
Colour origination by Planart Limited, 9 Morocco Street,
London SE1 3HB. Printed by Polestar (Colchester)
Newcomen Way, Severall Industrial Estate, Colchester.
Distribution by MarketForce, 5th Floor Lowrise Building,
Kings Reach Tower, Stanford Street, London, SE1 9LS.
Tel: (020) 7633 3300. Back issues and binders: VolksWorld
Back Issues, PO BOX 772, Peterborough, PE2 6WJ.
Tel: (01733) 385170.
VolksWorld is distributed in the United States by EWA,
369 Springfield Avenue, Berkley Heights, NJ 07922.
VolksWorld (USPS 009-041) is published monthly by IPC
Focus Network in England. Periodicals Postage Paid
at Green Brook NJ 08812. US subscriptions cost $69
from EWA, 205 US Highway 22, Green Brook, NJ 08812.
Postmaster: send address changes to VolksWorld, 205 US
Highway 22, Green Brook, NJ 08812.
VolksWorld welcomes letters and technical queries.
However, we do not undertake to publish or reply to every
letter we receive. We reserve the right to edit letters that
we do publish, although the views expressed therein are
not necessarily those of the magazine nor of IPC Media

p70
Ltd. VolksWorld cannot accept responsibility for any
unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations.

ISSN 0954-0164

“
Ever wondered what it
would be like to buy a
brand new VW?
www.volksworld.com June 2005 5
8 June 2005 www.volksworld.com
The great Vee Dub legend is back for a second round of
animated antics, inspiring a new generation of VW fans
Words: Randy Carlson Pics: Julien-David Collombet

sk any VW enthusiast what the comedian Michael Keaton, as well as Matt

A most famous Beetle is and

the most likely answer will be
“Herbie”. The ‘Herbie, The
Love Bug’ films sparked the
childhood enthusiasm of many of today’s
adult VW collectors. Herbie’s supernatural
powers and undeniable cute factor are
Dillon, Breckin Meyer and Justin Long.
To share my Herbie story, we need to look
back to the beginning of 2004. As a trader
of anything VW, I have the opportunity to
play with VWs on a daily basis. I also build
cars for myself and eventual resale, just to
keep things creative and fun.
attractive to all ages and genders and his With three small children of my own,
image is etched into all our memories. the thought of building a Herbie had
Disney Studios is always keen to crossed my mind on many occasions.
capitalise on good memories and After a trip to the famed Pomona Swap
so Herbie is back to inspire another Meet, I came home with a 1964 Beetle
generation of VW fans. The new film, sedan with a ragtop carefully grafted in.
entitled ‘Herbie Fully Loaded’ will be The price was reasonable and the car, not
released in the US on 24 June 2005 and being particularly original, was the perfect
stars teen queen Lindsay Lohan, veteran canvas. Over the next month I assembled
my Herbie, much to the delight of my
LEFT The legendary Herbie returns to the big
boys. Once completed, I popped an ad
screen this year and we can’t wait to go to the
on The Samba to field the interest level
cinema. See you there

www.volksworld.com June 2005 9

 and the next day I received a phone Car Coordinator for the film, offering to help
call from a local buyer. find more cars. Over the next few months
This was none other than Disney 36 Beetles were selected to become
Studios, who were preparing for the Herbies, with roughly half of those coming
start of production of a new Herbie through me. It was a wild hunt, to be sure.
film. They had sold off all the previous Once acquired, the cars were parked
Herbies and needed one to start with. in a workshop in North Hollywood for
Mine popped up on the radar as if construction and restoration. A skilled staff
timed by the cosmos. I hadn’t planned of mechanics was assembled and work
to sell it so quickly, but the opportunity began. Several cars were sent to a special
to see my Herbie replica become a real effects firm for wild modifications, while the
icon seemed like a dream, so off it went. others received more general restoration.
I delivered it to Burbank and spoke with I helped on an advisory basis but, for
Randy White, the Picture

ABOVE The Pimped out

Herbie doesn’t get our vote.
It looks like something
you’d see at VW Action
in 1984.
RIGHT Artwork to show
how Disney wanted the
cars to look for the film.
We love the NASCAR style
Herbie – it ran at 138mph

10 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 ABOVE The NASCAR Herbie – harder and faster.
With a full-on race motor from FAT Performance each one received the same dents and
and all the right stuff, this is a Herbie that isn’t damage for continuity’s sake.
just fast on film, it’s fast in real life Herbie survives the destruction and is
transformed into a NASCAR spec racecar,
complete with full rollcage, Goodyear
were several cars built. The first look is racing tires, Lexan windows and a serious
Classic Herbie, when the old Bug is found performance drive-train. One of the
in a junkyard. He’s worn out and dirty, NASCAR Herbies was clocked at just over
but still has some life in him. When he 138mph on the track in Fontana California,
emerges from the junkyard he quickly gets which is seriously fast in an old Beetle.
back to his old antics and surprises some This was thanks to engines built by Cal
Japanese Import boy racers, building Look legends, FAT Performance.
a reputation around town. My favourite cars were the special effects
He then gets pimped out with boy racer vehicles, which were equipped with a wide
goodies, including a big rear wing, lots variety of contraptions that would make
of chrome, a wild neon lit interior and Herbie do amazing things. Two Wheelie
the most part, I just watched in awe as the a stereo system with speakers bigger Herbies were built, one with a huge
cars came together. than your head. Pimp Herbie, as he was counterweight off the back, the other with
I was surprised at the quality of the named by the crew, features House of a lifting arm and wheel underneath. The
workmanship (I expected much less for film Kolor pearlescent paintwork, custom body counterweight car was used for scenes
use), as the cars came out fantastically. modifications and a chromed dual carb filmed from the front, while the lifting arm
Even the really rough cars looked good. engine. While certainly not my cup of tea, car was filmed from the rear. Two other
The strangest thing about the process, it was fun to see up close. cars, dubbed the ‘Ole Herbies’ were built
though, was that each car was restored and After losing a race, Pimp Herbie falls with lifting arm and wheel set ups that
then made to look old. Brand new bumpers into the hands of the bad guys and is
BELOW Special effect cars were built with dual
were ‘rusted’ by the creative folks and new stripped of all his high tech equipment
steering wheels and reverse mounted bodies so
interiors were made to look old and dirty. and entered into a demolition derby. The
that they could drive backwards at speed
There are four basic looks to Herbie Demo Derby Herbies were wild, as
in the film and for each look there

www.volksworld.com June 2005 11

would pop Herbie onto it’s right or left to sneak in among the extras for a pass ABOVE The special effect cars included the
side wheels for two wheel driving stunts. by the camera. When you hear the line: counterweighted Pimp Herbie, which wheelies
Another car had its body turned backwards “You can take the car out of the junkyard, when standing still, and the reversed body
for high speed driving in reverse. Others but you can’t take the junkyard out of the Herbie. A front engined air-cooled Beetle
were built to dance, hop, shake, quiver and car” look for my ugly mug in the crowd. I
collapse, while some had winking headlight have little hope of seeing myself but, who over most of the standard parts to them,
eyebrows, opening doors, hoods and knows, it is possible. I also rented two of while keeping any of the recognisable
ragtops. The list goes on and on. my vehicles, the custom New Beetle and Herbie bits for myself.
The filming took place all around the Barris Surf Buggy, to the production I tried to secure one of the actual cars
Southern California and I made it a point to company for a car show scene. Needless from the movie, but the powers that be
be there for as much of it as I could. One to say, I will be scanning the background would have none of that, so I did the next
of the scenes was filmed in the parking lot for glimpses of them as well. best thing and built my own NASCAR
where I bought the Beetle that got me into In the end, the cars were stashed in Herbie from the remaining parts. When the
the project. Some of the racing scenes the Disney archives and will most likely film hits the big screen I can pile my kids
were filmed at Irwindale Raceway, the be used to promote the film. A few of the onto the back seat for a trip to the movies,
home of the VW Drag Day, while others cars that were severely damaged in filming capping off one of the most exciting VW
were spread across the southland in were destroyed, but not until they were experiences I have ever been witness to.
different venues. At one location I dared stripped of all useable parts. I made a I’m very excited to see the film in its
bid for the remaining parts and leftovers completion and am even more excited that
BELOW The camera car was a Herbie with the
from the film, which was accepted, and another generation of kids will be exposed
front cut off the body. This was fixed to a trailer
two truck loads later my warehouse was to Herbie, bringing more fun to the scene.
with a platform attached at the front. Simple,
brimming with Herbie parts. I split the load Visit the website at www.herbiemovie.com
really. Many of the Herbie spares went to Randy
with the folks at BFY Obsolete, handing and make sure you check out the film when
it comes to your area.

LEFT NASCAR or Pimp

styled Herbie? There’s
not much to think about.
One sucks, the other
rocks. If we were going
to build a Herbie replica,
it’d be based on the
NASCAR Bug

12 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 [email protected]
Have you got something to say? Email us or send your letters to:
Carol Linfield, Mailbox, VolksWorld, IPC media, Leon house, 233 High Street, Croydon, CR9 1HZ

Keep it local
Mike, seeing your page in this month’s VolksWorld
made me think of my local engineers and what
excellent service they provide. Having just built a 1914
engine with Porsche fan and having bought bits from
all over the place, you won’t be surprised to hear that
many of them didn’t fit and I had to get a substantial
amount of fabrication and machining done. I can
recommend two excellent and friendly engineers to
anyone in the North London/Hertfordshire area. The
first is Bob Harmann Motor Engineers of Watford
(01923 226700), who provide a full engine balancing
and machining service, and the second is Bob from
Poplarworth in Hertford (01992 586887), a general
engineer and precision sheet metal worker.
I’ve attached a few photos of the work that Bob
(Poplarworth) has done for me recently. He charged
a fiver to cut, drill and thread two custom-made
brackets for welding to my floorpan to secure a new
oil cooler. Support your local engineer, indeed.
Cheers
Matt Elms

Starting young FYI

Please find attached a photo of I am writing with reference to Matt’s article in the March edition concerning ‘The Dreaded
11-month-old Jasper Taylor enjoying a MoT’. At the risk of sounding anorak, let me explain. I have been an Authorised Examiner
browse through your fantastic VolksWorld for the last 15 years and feel it necessary to offer my advice again.
magazine. We would be thrilled if he could It should not be a frightening experience for the owner of any vehicle who has it
be squeezed into one of your editions. regularly serviced, as the MoT standard is far below that of any service standard carried
Many Thanks out by a reputable garage (Try using a garage that comes by recommendation.). The
Clare Aspey MoT is only on the condition it is in when presented. A service standard tends to assess
West Yorkshire the future wear and items checked are evaluated on whether they will last to the next
service. If not, the assessor will recommend replacement.
Anyway, I digress. My reason for writing is to say that axle gaiters are not a testable
item unless they are outer ones on a steered axle (i.e. front wheel drive) and the only
warning light required on VWs up to ’81 is an indicator tell-tale. However, even that
doesn’t need to be a light, it can be audible.
Please don’t take this as a put-down. I just thought you might be interested in the
information.
Mark Hensman

Biker boy
This is my VW-engined bike. It has a 1600
Weld it twin-port motor with Solex twin 40s and
While on holiday in sunny Cornwall, I uses the Beetle transaxle, with crownwheel
spotted this VW on the way to Lands’ End. reversed and through-shaft added, and
Obviously, whoever owns this vehicle is a solenoid switching between 1/2 and 3/4.
excellent at welding and I must say that it It’s been on the road a couple
really looks good in the metal. of years now with on-going
BJ Lewington mods to improve it. I rode it to
London the Harpenden ‘Classics on
the Common’ show last year,
a journey of around 240 miles
all told, and ride it to work
when the weather allows. It’s
not a mega-money trailered
show machine, so it has to
earn its keep.
Regards
Daryl P Ketley

14 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 Sponsored by Sureterm Direct.
‘Higher Quality Lower Prices’
Call Sureterm Direct on 0870 20 20 230

Bonkers
I am an avid VolksWorld reader and have owned VWs all my life. I always enjoy
seeing the unusual VWs from around the world in the Mailbox section. They
just get everywhere, don’t they? It’s great. My wife and I have a good laugh
when we are away travelling and spend too much time taking photos of VWs.
People think we are bonkers. Sad, isn’t it?
Anyway, please see the photo of a Split Panel Van found in South East
Thailand last week. Need somewhere to store your quad bike? It would be
great if you could publish it. My wife will not think we are bonkers after all.
Well, not much, anyway.
Nice one.
Mark Cox

Be there Legal matters

Keep up the great mag. We came back from Australia last year (with our Kombi shortly I am 13 years old and want to buy a
to follow) and saw that there was a show within spitting distance of my dad’s place, Split-screen Camper Van. Is it legal for me
VWoodstock. It was, apparently, a good show and we were dead exited at the thought of to buy one now and keep it in the garage
going this year, but it doesn’t appear to be on the events calendar. Does this mean that until I am allowed to drive?
there is no VWoodstock 2005? If so, gutted! Mark Lawrence
Vic & Dan
Yes, it is legal for you to buy a car and
The show you are referring to is the VW Action Summer Party held at the Herts store it, no matter what your age. Just
County Showground. The Summer Party has a different theme each year. In its first make sure that you declare the vehicle
year it was ‘Beach Party’, last year was ‘Woodstock’ and this year it is ‘Beetlemania’. off road to avoid a hefty fine.
It is a great show, so pop along on 10-12 June and see for yourself. Here is the DVLA’s official response:
The DVLA is responsible for maintaining
a register of vehicles and their keepers,
i.e. those responsible for the vehicle’s use
and licensing. The legislation governing
the registration of vehicles does not
put a restriction on the age of a vehicle
keeper. However, DVLA adopt a policy
that underpins the importance of an
accurate vehicle register. Where a vehicle
is licensed for road use, we request that
the vehicle is registered in the name of
the person responsible for the vehicle’s
licensing and use on the road. We will
accept applications to register in a
minor’s name where a Statutory Off Road
Notification is either made or is in force.

SUBSCRIBE NOW
Receive a Haynes Restoration
Manual when you subscribe to
VolksWorld for £10,08 and save 10%
when you subscribe by Direct Debit.
Check out pages 92-93 for more info.

To subscribe, call the order hotline now on:

0845 676 7778

Offer only available to new UK subscribers.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 15

 Send all your news and reviews to:
On the scene, VolksWorld, IPC media, Leon house, 233 High Street, Croydon, CR9 1HZ

Swan neck Mirrors Beach Buggy

• Who? Randy Carlson
• How much? US$195 per pair Meeting
• Contact: intl +1 714 290 0947 Buggy Club UK is organising an informal
• Web: www.oldbug.com meeting of VW Beach Buggies, Bajas and
Randy Carlson from oldbug.com is reproducing these very Rails at the VW Action Theme Weekend on
stylish Swan Neck Trim Mirrors for Beetles. They are top Friday 10 to Sunday 12 June at the Herts
quality and are as sexy as a mirror can be. They retail for County Show Ground. Buggy Club UK is an
US$195 a pair, complete with base gaskets, and Randy will Internet-based, free to join Buggy Club. If
send them anywhere in the world. He is making a limited run you join today, you could get in on the action
of them, so be quick. These baby’s are going to sell out. and join in the fun. A camping plot has been
reserved for the club and they will also be
displaying some of their cars. For more
details visit www.buggyclubuk.org.uk where
Oil filter brackets you will find the UK’s most active Beach
• Who? Bernard Newbury Buggy forum and hundreds of Buggy related
• How much? £16.00 photographs.
• Contact: 01702 710211
• Web: www.bernardnewbury.co.uk
If you are forever taking out your VW
engine and are fed up with having to
disconnect the full flow oil system
then these little brackets are just what
you need. They bolt directly onto the
exhaust studs of cylinder number four and are
designed to accept most filter housings. Made
from 6061-T1 aluminium, the brackets are very
durable and are available with a choice of a red
or blue anodised finish.

Bristol Volksfest
• Venue: NSAS, Wraxall, Bristol, BS48 1NE
• When: Sunday, 15 May
• Web: www.bristolvolksfest.co.uk
Now in its 11th year, Bristol Volksfest has moved to pastures new. The North Somerset
Agricultural Showground, seven miles from Junction 19, M5 will give visitors a chance to
enjoy the countryside just a couple of miles outside the City of Bristol (towards Weston
Super Mare). Organisers hope that this 134-acre site will become their permanent home.
This year’s show will include a spacious multi-class show and shine arena, free club
stands, Hot Rod and Custom Car display, trade stands, Saturday night camping and
entertainment for all the family. Admission is £7 per adult (under 12s free).

events Visit www.volksworld.com for this year’s full show listing

Stanford Hall All Types VW Show Run To The Sun 2005 Scottish VW Festival
When: 1 May When: 15 May When: 27-30 May When: 28-30 May
Venue: Stanford Hall, Leicestershire Venue: Bodelwyddan Castle, North Venue: Trevelgue Holiday Park, Venue: Agricultural Showground, Bigger
Contact: [email protected] Wales (camping from noon Saturday) Newquay, Cornwall Contact: 078 6695 9555 or
Web: www.stanfordhallvw.co.uk Web: www.alltypesvwshow.co.uk Web: www.runtothesun.co.uk [email protected]

16 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 Sponsored by Sureterm Direct.
‘Higher Quality Lower Prices’
this
month
Call Sureterm Direct on 0870 20 20 230

Dubs at the Park

W
hat a month this has been. We’ve
• Venue: South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell hardly had time to do everything
• When: Sunday, 15 May 2005, 12-5pm we’ve had to do, but then we’ve had
• Cost: £5 per VW to do it, so we’ve had to make time. Along with
• Contact: Paul Burgess 07801 654 547, Trevor putting this issue of the magazine together,
Wilson 07976 686 429, email [email protected] we’ve been organising the VolksWorld Show at
Sandown Park, which will have taken place by
or visit www.ltv-vwc.org.uk
the time you read this.
Following the success of the first ‘People’s Choice
As I sit here, it’s the Tuesday before the
Show and Shine’, the LTVVWC is organising a second
show. We’ve just got back after the Easter
show. The event has been described as one of the most
break, which saw really good weather. Good
friendly and laid-back shows of 2004 and this year will
Friday meant our annual trip to Wheels Day
be no different, transforming the lawned grounds of the
at Rushmore Arena near Aldershot, Hants.
18th century South Hill Park Arts Centre in Bracknell into
It’s a great day out organised by Grahame
one huge car park and display. Any VW, any age, any
Smith and the Surrey Street Rodders. This is
condition can be nominated in one of several categories
an event that sees VWs and Hot Rods come
and everyone attending the show is a judge – a true people’s choice. Live entertainment
together. It’s also one of the only events
will be provided by bands and DJs, plus there will be traders, displays and a children’s
where you can score more then ten points
area. Refreshments and a BBQ will be available from the Arts Centre bar and café.
‘Ted Spotting’. It’s always fun to see people
who think they’re Eddie Cochran out in
public. Being follically challenged, I always
Heater control knobs like seeing interesting hairdos and you’ll see
some of the worst in Britain at Wheels Day.
• Who? Karmann Konnection
The rest of the weekend was spent making
• How much? £16.95 per pair inc. VAT the most of the first chance I had this year
• Contact: 01702 601 155 to clean my New Beetle hack. After a winter
• Web: www.karmannkonnection.com out on the road, it was no five-minute job.
After being unavailable for almost 10 years, Karmann Konnection now have in stock these Then I loaded up my Westy ready to slip off
late heater control knobs, which fit on the levers either side of the handbrake. They are to the New Forest on Sunday for a chilled
correct for late Karmann Ghias from 1971-74 and US spec Beetle Cabriolets from 1971-79. night away from it all. When I woke up in the
Order them online at the KK website or pick up the phone and give the guys a call. morning at the Forestry Commission campsite
at Roundhill and opened the curtains, one of
the wild ponies was grazing right outside the
wwweb watch Camper. It seemed a world away from our
office in Croydon, but is only about 100 miles.
www.blaupunktusa.com This week will be a mad one. We’ve
This month’s Internet trawl dug up some very interesting stuff. Check out the pictures of these Dubs, which got to complete this issue today, then
we found lurking in the Blaupunkt website. They have a whole host of demo vehicles but their best two, in our pass everything for printing by the end of
opinion, are the air-cooled duo. Both are owned by a guy named Mike Zimmerman and built by a company tomorrow. Then I’ve got to be at Harwich
called ‘Poor Boys’. His ’69 Custom Bug features 12 brain thumping sub woofers powered by seven amps, Port by 8:30am on Thursday to meet the
while the ’65 Split Bus has far too many weird and wonderful flashy things to list. If you want to lose your star exhibit of the show, direct from the VW
hearing from an early age or are mad about sound then check out the site for more pictures and ideas. museum at Wolfsburg, Germany. VW has
been kind enough to loan us one of the most
important cars from its collection and I’ve got
to make sure that the car gets from Harwich
to Sandown safely. To be honest, I’m really
looking forward to it. More on this next month.
On Friday, we’ll be at Sandown from early
morning setting up the show. By Sunday I
don’t think I’ll even have the energy to pack
the Westy up to get away from it all. Anyway,
it’ll be the start of another week at
VolksWorld. Don’t worry, we
love every minute of it.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 17

Hakuna Matata
• Who? No Worries
• How much? Starts at £34.99 for chrome, plus £3.50 for postage.
Gold plated versions are £74.99, with 40 per cent off, one month only.
• Contact: [email protected] or 0208 621 8460
The original No Worries bonnet badges are available in a limited run. There are
250 chrome and 100 gold plated versions available. These authentic badges are
cheaper than those for sale on eBay and Mark Redmond, who founded No Worries
in 1988, will donate £2 from every sale to Save The Children and a VW-related charity.
A copy of Mark’s band’s demo will go out to all who buy a gold plated badge.
Contrary to belief, No Worries Clothing and Accessories didn’t go bust, they just ceased to
trade after the No Worries Beetle Bash Festival went under in 1996. Mark is selling a range of No Worries clothing
on eBay, under username Markymarkatnoworries.

Karmann Ghia’s 50th DVD Player

Anniversary UK Meeting • Who? Any Centurion
recommended dealer (see website)
• When: 24-26 June
• Contact: Clive & Janet Richardson on 01892 730366 or [email protected] • How much? SSP £599.99
• Web: www.kgoc-gb.org • Contact: www.centurionsystems.co.uk
The Karmann Ghia Owners Club (GB) will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of this Check out this latest head unit from
famous car at their International Meeting, held in and around Dover, Kent. Festivities will Centurion Electronics. It plays a
include driving tours of the area and visits to places of interest. There are trophies to be multitude of media types, such as DVD,
won, with judging of the cars (by fellow owners) taking place in the grounds of Dover CD, CDR, CDRW and MP3s. When we
Castle on Saturday afternoon. Trophies will be awarded at the Saturday evening party, tested it we managed to get 78 hours
with live fifties/sixties style entertainment. Entry is open to members of KGOC(GB) and worth of MP3s (with no compression)
anyone driving a Karmann Ghia. Numbers are limited, so book early. onto one DVD. You would have to cover
some serious miles to listen to that lot.
Of course, the best bit about it is the
DVD player and 6.5-inch screen.
If you happen to have a spare two

hours and want to sit in your car then

why not watch a movie. OK, it is more
TDi Terror of a gimmick than providing any
One of the most innovative Type practical use, but you never know. The
2 Campers you’ll see around at quality is fantastic and the on-screen
the moment, this VW turbo diesel menus in Radio or CD mode are easy
engined Bus is utterly stunning. Next to use. There are no controls on the
month we’ll see just how much work unit itself, as everything is done via the
Graham Colledge has invested in remote. This provides a bit of security,
this project. We were dumbfounded as the unit is useless without it and the
by the story behind the wiring loom remote slips into your jacket pocket
alone. Prepare for madness! nicely. Do not lose it, though, as you
will be in a right pickle.
On sale 20 May

18 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 Sponsored by Sureterm Direct.
‘Higher Quality Lower Prices’
Call Sureterm Direct on 0870 20 20 230

RIGHT AND ABOVE VolksWorld covers the VW

scene wherever it’s happening and, from the look of
things, it’s really happening in Malaysia

Malaysia Bug Fest Words & Pics: John Wanstall

alaysia’s VW Beetle showcase the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia. The best modified Beetle had been rebuilt

M of the year, Bugfest, had more

than three hundred and fifty
cars on show, wowing more
than ten thousand visitors. Many loving
owners had spent years and thousands
With temperatures hitting the nineties,
a blue sea and a stretch of golden sand
in the background, it was a perfect
backdrop for the many pride and joys that
had parked up. With a final polish in the
by Chong Kok Kiang, an enthusiast who
has forgotten just how many Beetles he
has owned in the past. His present car, a
1969, 1200cc was purchased five years
ago. He has rebuilt the vehicle annually
of dollars preparing their machines for boiling sun, the battle for the best Beetle and usually wins the class when he
the final test, the keen eyes of the Danga began. The cars on show were certainly exhibits. The vehicle is magnificent, with
Bay judges. impressive, with their carefully chromed, a chromed engine bored out to 1.8cc,
The annual event is held along a modified engines, beautiful paintwork and turning out 80hp, oil cooler and twin
three-mile golden stretch of Danga Bay luxurious interiors all waiting for inspection. Weber crabs. The interior is luxurious,
in Johor, Malaysia and was launched ten Adjudicating was a difficult job and with a redesigned dashboard, Porsche
years ago by a handful of enthusiastic the judges later admitted that these seats and a brand new sound system.
owners, all happy to show off their were some of the best turned out Beetles Chong has spent more than £20,000 on
carefully polished cars. they had ever seen. The event showpiece modifications over the years and does
The VW Beetle is a cheap and popular was a 1956 1200 Bridal Beetle owned not plan to sell this model.
form of transport for many in South East by Malaysian Alex Siaw. The car won best The Bugfest has gone from strength
Asia and more than thirty thousand are restoration, best engine, and an award to strength and next year they hope to
driven on the roads of Thailand, Malaysia, for car of cars. attract more than five hundred cars.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 19

Simply
Words: Jon Gilbert Pics: Zoë Harrison

Mark Dryden’s Manx Buggy

is a clean piece of work,
with all the components to
make it a top ride

straight

22 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 he Meyers Manx is considered

T to be one of the best looking

Buggy ’shells on the market.
Based on a 1963 design by
Bruce Meyers, it is fair to say
that it was (and still is) leagues ahead of
its time. We would go as far as saying that
its smooth lines are timeless.
“
He seems to have ‘tweaked’ everything
that he has fitted
Buggy from there,” he says.
The ’shell was in good shape and, as
legend has it, was the last Manx bodyshell
”
pods on for a while but didn’t really take to
them. “They looked bl**dy awful,” he said.
This is a topic that frequently crops
A good thing about the Manx is that it moulded by Mel Hubbard. Luckily, it hadn’t up when a group of Buggy enthusiasts
suits most styles. With the right combo of been cut or molested in any way. A lot of get together. Few people like side pods
wheels, stance and interior, you can make people modify the ’shell to make it fit better while the rest do not like seeing the glass
a modern street Buggy, a full-on off-road or to make life easier when accessing the matting finish. Mark didn’t like the matting
racer or your own custom creation. engine. An example of this is when people being on show and was clearly not keen
Mark Dryden from Flatlands Engineering cut the rear panel to obtain better access on the side pods, so he took up the task
owns this great example of the Manx, to the dynamo or carbs. This is a logical of flattening the sides and painting them
which has been treated to a lot of his own way forward but some attempts have black, a decision that we feel was well
trick developments. He purchased a part proved to look a little dire. made and certainly worth the labour.
restored rolling ’shell in June 2002 for a Mark opted to leave the main body well As many of you know, few Buggies are
measly £150. “My plan really was to get alone and directed his efforts to the side of painted, with the colour added during the
hold of a tax exempt floorpan and build the the Manx’s tub. He tried putting some side moulding process and then gel coated.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 23

 “
Gel coat is pretty durable and offers
excellent protection against scratches I have never been a big fan of all

”
and the like. Mark’s ’shell has had Brilliant
Chartreuse metalflake added to the gel
this cheap chrome crap
coat. One of his friends, Chris, then chrome on brass and weighs a ton, but The dash is relatively empty, with a stock
painted a few coats of 2K clear lacquer certainly looks the business. early type speedo and no fuel gauge. “I like
over the body to give it more depth and He seems to have “tweaked” everything. clean and simple things. I always wanted a
shine. When the sun shines it looks Even the seats are the usual GRP tub clean look to the dash with no mounts for
amazing, although Mark’s girlfriend did say style with removable covers, but slightly the speedo. Getting it to fit with the window
that the colour reminded her of a baby’s modified for comfort. “They were the most wiper mechanism was probably the most
first poo. “She likes it, really, and drives it uncomfortable things I have ever sat in time consuming part of the build, along
regularly,” he added. so I had to do something about it. With a with getting the wipers to sit properly on
little thought and work, I managed to fit a the screen so they didn’t stick up in the
Hands on new type of pad under the covers. I also middle.” All the electrics are hidden under
Once the floorpan had been fully detailed designed an adaptor wedge to incline the the rear seat in the spare wheel well and
and the ’shell fitted up, Mark could fit seats slightly to improve my driving position. there is a small panel behind the passenger
everything else. He fixed the Bug Pack The rear seats are my own bases covered seat with ignition, oil and dynamo lights.
windscreen without any trouble and in the same metalflake vinyl as the fronts.”
knocked up his own type of hidden mounts Once these were sorted, he installed a pair BELOW Our Editor reckons that this is one of the
to try and keep things looking clean. He of Williams three-point harnesses to keep coolest Buggies he’s ever seen. He said “If I was
even made his own type of filler cap. It is him and the passenger strapped in. going to own a Buggy it’d have to be this one!”

24 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

Nuts and bolts
As far as the suspension is concerned,
Mark has put SPAX adjustable shocks
all round, up-rated the bushes to the
polyurethane type, installed adjustable
spring plates on the rear and a Puma
adjustable beam on the front. He has
also put on long travel ball joints and CB
Performance dropped spindles. He is not
sure how much it has been dropped by, as
he kept dropping it until it looked good.
Stopping is taken care of by discs
up front, with all new components,
and likewise with the drums at the rear.
The brakes were machined from blanks
and drilled to have a Chevy stud pattern.
This meant that Mark could bolt on very
cool American racing equipment Torque
Thrust D wheels.
The engine is a standard 1600cc unit
with a lightened flywheel, which has been
detailed using stock, but slightly modified,
tinware in order to get it to fit right. “I didn’t
encounter any problems when building the
engine. In fact, it all went rather smoothly.
I had the crank polished by Bob at

RIGHT The interior is a real nostalgia trip. The

best thing about this Buggy is that it works well
as a complete vehicle

LEFT American Racing Torque Thrust-D

alloys add to the sixties feel of this great
little Buggy – show winning detail
Prestige Bodylines, who also supplied me silencer. “I upgraded all the engine mounts It might be simple, but it certainly works
with the other parts I needed to recondition and shifter coupling again for the stronger for us. It is a super clean Buggy with a lot
the engine. I replaced all the bearings, put polyurethane versions. The stock 1300 of attention to detail, which is probably
new piston rings in, reground the valves, gearbox was then stripped down while why it won the Best Buggy trophy at the
detailed and reused all the stock external I had everything out. I cleaned it, detailed VolksWorld Show in 2004. “That was a real
parts. I have never been a big fan of all this the case, re-shimmed the axle tubes, buzz and I had a big old cheesy grin all
cheap chrome crap. The motor runs great replaced the bearings and seals and then the way home,” he said.
with no oil leaks – just the job.” sprayed the tubes in 2k black.” Shortly So what is next for Mark and the
A pair of Weber 34 ICTs have been bolted after that the Buggy was taken to a garage Buggy? “The plan now is to enjoy
on to give the engine that extra oomph, to get the timing set correctly, the mixture the car and drive it. I will use it as a
along with a Thunderbird ceramic-coated set and the carbs synchronised. demonstration vehicle for my business.
header system. The tailpipe is actually a Prospective Buggy builders can have
silencer off a Harley motorcycle, which was Invaluable a drive of it, as it shows what can be
fitted to the header using a stainless steal “I have no idea exactly how much I have accomplished without breaking the bank.
home-made adaptor. Is there no end to this spent on the build, as I never kept track on I love the way it looks and I doubt I will do
guy’s DIY skills? it all. Who would want to? I know I didn’t anything more to it. I do, however, have
The numberplate mount was designed spend too much, though, as the car is loads of ideas up my sleeve for new cars
to cap off the heat risers and support the fairly simple,” said Mark. that I will be building in the future.”

www.volksworld.com June 2005 25

 Steve Walker - VolksWorld’s roving reporter
on the VW scene

Sure Start ow and why are you here? I am Beetle and were driven

H not asking for the meaning of

life, nor am I questioning natural
selection, religion or asking for
details on ‘the facts of life’. I think I have
just about grasped the latter.
to ‘work’. Simon’s
mum hammered the
hell out of that car,
often pointing out that
it did “what it says on
It’s simple, really. There must have been the clock”. I don’t think
a determining factor that brought us all into I had ever been that
the world of air-cooled Volkswagens. My fast in a car before
own path into VW ownership was pretty and it stuck.
straightforward. Not only did our neighbour We all know that So that’s me sorted. Now for you – were
own a Marina blue 1200 Beetle of early stock Beetles are not particularly quick but, you a product of the Cal Look boom years,
seventies vintage, but, from the earliest of for an impressionable boy, the sound, smell when a VW was the coolest car in the
years, I had an interest in cars. It was mainly and feel of that car made a deep impression. UK fashion stakes? Perhaps your parents
from a backseat perspective, although my Odd things like the dash air vents, the plastic or relatives had VWs? Maybe you’re pretty
dad said I knew all makes and models of ‘weave’ of the seats and the thunk of the door new to this aspect of Volkswagens, having
car from the year dot. He also said I used closing are as clear in the mind as if it were moved across from a Golf or other modern
cars? Maybe you just fancied a Camper

“
I knew every make and model of car and the rest followed or maybe the
VW scene attracted you, followed by an

”
from the year dot interest in the cars?
Suffice to say, the route to where
we are now is personal to you and I hope
to try and paint pictures of trains and eat yesterday – a strange feeling considering the it is special in the way it is unique. I have
worms. Somehow, I don’t see that. number of Beetles I have owned since then. not thought about those influential times
Secondary school brings a lot of changes VW seeds sewn, we fast-forward to waving for many years, yet they have given
to our lives. For me, it brought Simon Bown, goodbye to school, facing responsibilities me so much since. My life would have
who became my best friend for many years, and careers. Slowly, best friends become a been so different had it not been for
and the green 1303 his mum used to ferry us little more distant and the urge to drive kicks that 1303. (The car remained with the
about in. Simon’s parents owned their own in. I became a compulsive reader of the then Bowns until one sad day when Simon put
silver refining business and the premises Safer VW Motoring and car choice was a it through a neighbour’s front garden
were on a partially built out of town industrial formality. I bought a LHD 1970 sunroof Beetle and firmly into a cherry tree – gone but
estate. Each Sunday we hopped into the for £180 and the rest, as they say, is history. not forgotten.)

www.volksworld.com June 2005 27

 What Mike Pye, VolksWorld’s Features Editor,
has been up to this month

LEFT The Doctor starts the

surgery on the Oval. Today, it
would have been repaired

The ultimate sin

onfession time – I can keep my evil one side. It seemed to make sense, ignoring

C secret hidden no longer. What I’m

about to tell you happened almost
ten years ago and yet it is only
now that I feel I can bring myself to own up
to what Doctor Detail and I did one Saturday
the small matter of the gradient of the slope
the garages were set on. We finally got the
body half off the pan, with the two of us stuck
between it like a pair of struggling human
props, our only option being one last almighty
some partial de-seaming of the gutters, but
that was by the by. One minute later the roof
was off – our first crude chop executed in a
morning on a council estate in Guildford. shove that would clear the two troublesome matter of minutes. We took it in turns to cut
We’d been out drinking the night before and wheels that were getting in our way. A heave away sections of the body, like enthusiastic
were nursing brain crushing hangovers, but and a gasp and the body crossed its balance butchers carving up a joint of meat, until all
The Doctor was losing the lock-up and we point and creaked over. we were left with was a pile of sheet metal – a
had a job to do. That job was the disposal of

“
a Beetle that had been in said garage since it
was t-boned by another car. I’d never seen a man with long

”
We began by dragging it out into the early
morning sunlight and unbolting the body hair move so fast
from the floorpan. A few bolts sheared, a
few weren’t attached at all and the couple Over and over and over it went, gaining kind of flat pack Ikea-style Beetle.
we forgot just pulled through the rotten sills. momentum all the time as it rolled away from This isn’t the first time I’ve done something
There was no way, in the state we were in, us down the slope in the direction of the like this, and it won’t be the last. The first was
that we would have been able to lift the body Doctor’s Bay Window Van. I’d never seen a my mum’s old ’72 1300. Fifteen years outside
off between us and it was then that we hit man with long hair move so fast. With arms in the elements put paid to that one and I’ve
upon the idea of simply pushing it off from flailing, the Doctor pursued the careering done it again more recently, although the ’67
body down the slope. The 1300 at least donated part of its roof and a
noise was unbelievable, couple of side window sections to a worthy
as the rolling carcass cause. Neither of these I feel burdened to
showered lumps of confess. The reason for this confession? Not
mud, rust and underseal to apologise to any neighbours we might
across the car park. By have woken up with the cacophonous din
luck, the body came to we made that morning, but rather to all the
a halt before it hit the people out there who would kill for a genuine
Doctor’s car, just. Oval Window Beetle. I’m sorry, father. We
After dragging it back have sinned. We are guilty of the crime of
up the hill, we fired up the cutting up (and accidentally rolling down a
petrol grinder and began hill) a 1956 Oval Window Beetle. And to make
slicing through the rotten matters worse, it was one of those funny
sheet metal. Amazingly, ones with a big, canvas filled hole in the roof
the damage from the and the steering wheel on the right hand side.
rollover was limited to Ah, I feel better already…

www.volksworld.com June 2005 29

 Brian Burrows – VW event organiser and
host of www.volkszone.com

New Look
he first year of the nineties had Another new car was

T been the busiest for VW events to

date and many VW enthusiasts,
including me, were looking forward
to the future. As 1991 dawned, I received a
call from Brett Hawksbee. I had sponsored
debuted at the Spring
Championships – the
new, roof-chopped,
split-windowed, turbo Bug
of Keith Seume, christened ‘No Mercy’. took top honours.
his Speedster Dragster in 1990 and Keith had it on display at VW Action 1990 Keith and I would have to wait until round
assumed he was looking for a similar deal. and VolksWorld had it on the front cover in two of the VWDRC Championship, held at
He wasn’t. This time, he offered me the April 1991, with a full six-page feature inside. Volksfest at Avon Park Raceway in May 1991.
car for sale – lock, stock, the lot. My CD John Brewster had done a wonderful job on Keith managed a win straight off, beating
design business was going from strength the bodywork and it looked resplendent in Gary Angell’s Bugbear in the final of the
to strength, so I took all of two minutes to its blood orange paintjob. heads-up ‘Quick 8’ after Gary was reinstated
agree a deal and the Speedster was mine. Showgoers experienced four seasons in or, at least, ‘replaced’ my Speedster after we
The first thing I did was design a paint one day, with snow, blazing sunshine and encountered transmission troubles. Keith
scheme that would incorporate my company everything in-between. Sadly, no racing took couldn’t repeat his success in the VWDRC

“
He offered me the car for sale –

”
lock, stock, the lot
colours of pink and grey, although in the place, but the show ‘n’ shine
end the grey became silver in keeping with was held in a huge marquee
Porsche’s racing colours of the fifties and with the boys from Paintbox
sixties. The ’shell was hastily shipped to and Thump! Thump! fairing
Paintbox’s premises and Simon and Shane well. Paul Jackson-Turner’s Cal
worked their magic, following the drawings Custom, complete with lift-up
I had supplied. The final touches were added tank and many other tricks,
by Thump! Thump!’s Gary Constable,
who airbrushed the headlights, tail lights Championship round, though, with
and ‘chrome’ trim details. Paul Miller carrying on where he had
Mark Hughes did the vinyl graphics left off in 1990 and beating Keith in his
for me and it was finally given its name Microgiant ‘Prince of Darkness’ car.
– ‘Outrage’. I had built up a good Paul Jackson-Turner won another
relationship with Paul Hughes and his show ‘n’ shine trophy and other notable
gang of Essex monkeys, particularly winners included Claire Thatcher, with
Keith and Jan Deal, while sponsoring her ’64 Resto Cal Bug, and Jon Abbott
the car in 1990 and I saw no reason not (later of JAVA fame), in his beautifully
to continue with the same team. restored ’67 Bug. Jon had made a
Outrage debuted its new livery at name for himself with his yellow Wizard
the German Car Company VW Spring Roadster (a VolksWorld cover car in
Championships at Santa Pod in April May 1991) and this new toy would
1991. Brett was now using the banner feature in VolksWorld’s hallowed pages
of ‘Triple One Fun Factory’ (a reference only one issue later (June 1991). This
to the VW Part Number prefix) to was the first and only time this has
promote these events and had roped happened, as far as I know.
the likes of myself and Thump! Thump! For June 1991, the whole ‘New Wave
in to support it. My end involved Circus’ would return to Santa Pod for
designing some free adverts and the big one, Bug Jam. Memories from
programmes for the shows. this one in the next issue.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 31

 vw
models
Volkswagen model kits and toys can be made to look really good
when the builder puts a little extra thought into it
Pics: Kiki de Bois & Steve Gosling

MOON SPLIT
We spotted this superb Split
Panel Van in the model display
tent at Wheels Day. It was
based on a plastic kit, but was
fitted with a battery operated
‘hydraulic’ suspension
system. The level of build
quality was superb and
the paintwork was show
quality. We loved the
Mooneyes theme and
especially liked the red
solids with beauty rings.

RED BUG
Smoothed eighties Cal Look
Split-window Bug with Porsche
nipple hubcaps on colour-coded
solids. Engine detailing GREEN BUG
is amazing. This little green Bug
is something you could
easily build yourself.
Why not have a
go and share
your results
with us?

’53 SPLIT RAGTOP

This modeller went all out not only to build a high
quality Resto Cal Bug, but also to build a themed
display. It doesn’t matter if you start with a kit or a
die-cast toy, the options are endless. This display
even has spotlights. We loved the narrowed front
end and fat rear. A top piece of work!

32 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 DONKEY CART
This model is based on a photograph of a
Volkswagen, built way back in the late forties or
early fifties. The modeller went to great lengths to
make this vehicle special. The seat is cloth and the
brackets, which hold the wooden brace together,
are made from pieces of road signs, although they
are obviously faked miniatures. A great model.

GERMAN FOLKS
Based on a pretty stock model kit, the end result is a
German Folks Klub styled Resto Cal Ragtop in Coral
red. Again, build quality is high. There are no glue
smears on the windows of this baby.

BLACK LOOKER
Twin carb engine with blue tinware, US spec towel rail
bumpers, pop outs, gravel guards and a bit of camber on the
back. A cool ride!

RESTO GHIA
Ruby red Resto Ghia with a cream cap.
Building a model in the colours of your
choice with the wheels you like is a lot
easier than building a real one.

CLASSIC STOCKER
Who said you had to build a customised
VW model? No one. Building a well detailed
classic VW is just as much fun and you
don’t need to source parts from other
models. The fun is in the end result.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 33

 LEFT No, they’re not Mk1 Granada coupé
wheels. They’re a very rare 1972 Porsche option.
Take a good look too, as you’ll probably never
see another set in your life

36 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

While searching for a set of desirable Porsche wheels for the
finishing touch on his ’67 Looker, Karsten Feldsieper stumbled
across a set of wheels that redefine the word ‘rare’
Words: Mike Pye, Pics: Stefan Bau

ook up Remotec wheels on 914/6s in the early seventies, these wheels

L Kinky Mick’s Wheel Shack

website and it says, “a set of
these would be quite impossible
to find, but they sure are a great
looking wheel… Very cool way to stand out
from the masses” (or words to that effect).
For Karsten Feldsieper from the Ruhr area
have had a renaissance, with beautifully
detailed examples appearing on a few
high profile Lookers.

Right on the money

Karsten sensibly called his local Porsche
parts store and, after describing the
of Germany, locating a set of “impossible wheels he was looking for, was surprised
to find” wheels was one of those fortunate to hear the reply, “Yes, I think I’ve got some
circumstances that comes very occasionally of those.” Even better was the answer
in a person’s lifetime. Having originally he received when he enquired about the
converted his ’67 1300 to 1500-spec price: “200 Euros”.
four-stud discs and drums so that he could Needless to say, he was round like a
run a set of EMPI eight-spoke replicas, he shot, only to have his hopes dashed when
soon realised the error of his ways and the guy brought out a set of wheels that,
yearned for a set of better looking five-stud while interesting, were not the Gas Burners
wheels. The answer, he decided, was to he so eagerly sought. However, while
convert to Porsche 5x130 stud pattern, his chatting with the bloke who ran the store,
eye firmly on a set of highly desirable Mahle he started to look at the wheels in a new
‘Gas Burner’ magnesium wheels. light. Instead of all silver, what if the ribs
An optional wheel for Porsche 911s and were polished out and the remains painted

www.volksworld.com June 2005 37

ABOVE RIGHT As if owning one of the rarest
sets of Porsche wheels in existence isn’t enough,
Karsten’s topped ’em off with an original finish
’67-only 4.5J Fuchs for a spare. Cool, huh?

RIGHT 1776ccs of luftkühler, as they say in the

club – good enough for 98 brake and mid-sixteens

black? After all, they were 6x15-inch and,

with a 32mm ET, would tuck into the arches
on his car nicely. Plus the guy was only
asking 200 Euros for them. So Karsten
bought them and resolved to look a bit
deeper into what they were.
Cast with Remotec between the lug
holes, that seemed a good place to start
and, as luck would have it, the company Being a big fan of Old School Cal Look
still exists and they were able to check (or whatever you want to argue about us
their archives. It turns out that only 500 calling it this month), Karsten kept the
of these wheels were made, and that’s bodywork modifications to a minimum,
not 500 sets either, that’s 500 wheels. As the wing-mounted indicators being
they were manufactured in 1972, Kinky disposed of and Lucas units relocated to
Mick is clearly right on the money with his the fronts of the wings.
comments. They were also made in VW
four-stud pattern for VW/Porsche 914s, The need for Swede
but these Porsche pattern versions are the Out back, a highly desirable ’67 Cabriolet
daddy-os, especially when shod with 145 decklid allows extra air into the engine
and 205/70 Firestones F-560s and bolted bay to cool down the 1776cc motor. Built
up to a car as nice as this. by Axel ‘Swede’ Bethke, the little motor is
Having bought the car in 1994, in good a fully built unit based on an AS41 case,
running shape, Karsten did what so many clearanced for 90.5mm barrels and drilled
of us seem to do and took the car straight for full flow oiling with a front-mounted
off the road for a rebuild. That started with external cooler. With a stock 69mm
some welding in the rear corners of the crank and a Reichart cam and with the
heater channels, a patch under the battery heads buttoned up to a useable 8.9:1
tray and various other small areas that compression ratio, it’s good enough for
needed attention. The car had been stored 100ps at the flywheel and 16.53
for almost ten years prior to him buying quarter-mile times which, as Karsten
it, but had clearly seen some use previous put it, isn’t bad for an all steel car with
to that. Nothing was too terrible, though, him on board.
and soon it was time for Jörg Breidendach Giving it some oomph are a pair of
at the Beetle Factory in Wuppertal to carefully ported and polished heads with
do his thing with the spraygun, coating 40 and 35.5mm valves, a brace of 40IDF
the exterior of the car in a fresh layer of Webers and a ceramic coated Dynomax
L639 Zenithblau. turbo muffler on a similarly coated merged

“
He’s driven it to the UK for the VolksWorld

”
Show and to Sweden, Greece and Majorca
38 June 2005 www.volksworld.com
 The fierce ones
Being one of the founder members
of the DFL, Der Fieser Luftkühlers,
Karsten is a dyed-in-the-wool
California Look VW fan and his love
of the old school way of doing things
is obvious in his great looking ride.
ABOVE A regular visitor to the VolksWorld Show, good, useable, regular driver. The DFL have an awesome array of
Karsten is a VW lover trapped in a bear’s body Following the best Old School Cal Look club cars and make frequent trips to
doctrine, the interior is close to stock. shows together, proudly displaying
header. Bosch products provide the sparks The original ’67 seats sit front and back, their club colours. Have a look at their
and NGK plugs light the fuel. re-trimmed in a style sympathetic to the website at www.dflvwclub.de if you
It may not be the lariest motor, but there overall theme, with partially pleated door want to see how good a club website
are reasons for this – one, the car has its panels. A 14-inch Nardi woodrim replaces can be. Of the 12 club cars currently
original 1300 gearbox and, two, Karsten the factory D-ring steering wheel and a shown, five are rolling on Fuchs, two
uses it, and not just on Sundays either. As manly Berg shifter with line loc button takes on Gas Burners and, of course, one
well as travelling around mainland Europe, the place of the feeble stock gearstick. on Remotecs. Clearly, these guys
he’s driven it to the UK for the VolksWorld An Autometer Monster tach with shift light have a thing for highly desirable early
Show, to Sweden, Greece and Majorca, makes sure Karsten can make full use of Porsche wheels. The standard of the
and all with nothing more than one minor the extra horses, should he feel like it. club cars is right up there, as is their
freshen up of the motor. It’s an established formula and perhaps website. We highly recommend it.
Brakes are 1500-style discs and drums the most commonly chosen base car
with Porsche bolt pattern, while Bilstein for this kind of treatment, but there’s just
shocks, a twist on the front beam and a something about this car that people love.
15mm anti-roll bar up front make for a Oh yes, that’ll be those wheels again then.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 39

To get your face in VolksWorld, send us a photo of yourself with your car to [email protected]
and we will send you a questionnaire

Rock solid
Name? Neil Raspison Age? 32
Where are you from? I live in Nottingham, but am from Plymouth.
What VW have you got? 1967 Cal Look Beetle and a 1968 stock
Beetle.
What work/mods have you done to it? Twin 40 mm carbs, 1776 engine,
Cobra interior, adjustable lowered beam.
What are your plans for this car? A decent sound system to drown out
the engine noise on the motorway.
What is your favourite thing about your VW? The noisy 1776 on Sunday
mornings and the rock solid ride.
What VW would you most like? When I get the money, a Splitty.
What is your favourite thing about the VW scene? The sometimes
strange people you come across.
Favourite food? Peanut butter and Marmite sandwich.
Favourite restaurant? Red Hot Buffet Shack.
What would your tip of the day be? If your engine stops leaking oil, it is
time to fill it up.

Let’s split
Name? Kevin Counsell Age? Young at heart
Where are you from? SE London
What VW have you got? A Wizard Roadster and a Type 2.
I also have a kid’s battery car.
What work have you done to the Wizard? Everything.
Engine size? 1600 with twin Weber carbs.
Cost of build? Lots of late nights, heartache and money from
the wife.
How long have you owned it? Two years.
What are your future plans for this car? I’d like to get a
Split-screen.
What, grafted into the Wizard? No, I want to get a Split-screen
Camper.
What is your favourite thing about your VW? Everyone looking
as I drive the Wizard.
What is your tip of the day? Go out and make lots of money.

Wild ranger
Name? James Johnson Age? 19 Where are you from? Nottingham
What VW have you got? A 1973 Bay-window Camper
What work have you done to it? Gave it the camo treatment, put
kangaroo bars and big tyres on.
Cost of build? The whole Van has cost no more than £700.
How many VWs have you owned? Eight in total.
What are your plans for this car? Its going 4WD, with engine and running
gear from a Range Rover.
What is your favourite thing about the VW scene? The people are sound.
What is the worst thing about the VW scene? The competition – it’s fierce,
the cars just get better and the times get quicker.
Single or hitched? I’m with my girlfriend, Pam. She’s great – cuppa
brought to the garage every five minutes. What more could a man want?

www.volksworld.com June 2005 41

Words & Pics: Matt Keene

Ian Terry’s 1956 Double Door Panel Van is as ratty as they come and that’s just the way he wants it
e have a plethora of styles and Rat Look go together? Surely, one is hinges on the words ‘originality’ and

W in the Volkswagen scene,

ranging from wild off-road
desert inspired racers,
such as Baja Bugs and
Sand Rails, to the more sedate, clean styles
of Cal Look and Resto Look. These styles
are cyclical and yesterday’s fashion often
antithesis to the other? Well, yes and no. Up
until a few years ago, what was perceived
to be Rat Look in the UK tended to be a
ropey old air-cooled VW that had somehow
scraped through an MoT despite looking
like a contender from Scrapheap Challenge.
You know the sort – sixteen coats of paint,
‘patina’. In order to win favour among the
ever-growing population of today’s Rat
Look VW fraternity, original paint is the
key, the more sun-bleached and surface
rusted the better. Add original sign writing
and you have yourself a winner. We are
not talking rusted out wrecks here, though.
finds favour among petrolheads years later, mostly emulsion and different colours, a ton The type of VW that hits the spot is one
only to become passé as trends evolve. of welded panels, smoky motors achieving that needs little in the way of welding in
Rat Look VWs aren’t a new phenomenon. greater volume than a sound check at order to please the man from the ministry.
They have been around for years, but it a Motorhead concert. Yes, to be a worthy contender in today’s
seems the quality of Rat Look has changed. The answer to what distinguishes fickle scene your ratter needs to be solid
“Quality”, I hear you say. How do quality today’s Rat Looker from that of yesteryear and original, yet have patina aplenty.

44 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 ABOVE This double
door ’56 might look
like it has seen better
days, but trust us, the
best days of its life are
just around the corner.
You just can’t keep an
old VW down

LEFT Looking like Mad

Max’s parts chaser,
this Bus is plain nasty

www.volksworld.com June 2005 45

Enter our feature Bus, belonging to patina. He then set about creating his
die-hard VW and Porsche enthusiast, Ian vision of a tough Rat Look Volkswagen.
Terry. Ian hails from a small village near Believe me, this Bus is hard as nails.
Maidstone and is a self-confessed VW nut. It sits a tad closer to the tarmac than
He has owned just about every type of Wolfsburg intended it to, thanks to a little
air-cooled VW possible, most of which ingenuity on Ian’s part. He has created his
have been, and I am sure he won’t mind own adjustable IRS rear suspension set
me saying this, plain ratty. This Bus is up, as well as a narrowed and adjustable
the jewel in Ian’s crown of Volkswagens front beam. Helping the stance no end are
because it is so ‘spot-on’. a beautiful set of Flat 4 Sprint Star wheels,
When he first saw this Bus for sale which suit this Bus a treat, and which Ian
on www.thesamba.com in April 2002 he found while on honeymoon in the US in
nearly wet his pants. Not only was it an January 2004. What started out as a skiing
early example, 1956 to be exact, but it also holiday to Lake Tahoe ended up as a
sported its original paint and sign written parts purchasing mission, which saw the
livery. To top it all off, it was a much heralded newlyweds cruising up and down Orange
‘double loading door’ Bus. Now, the County visiting the speed shops of well
non-Bus lovers among you may not get too known VW performance gurus, such as
excited about this fact but, trust me, early Gene Berg, Ron Lumus, Scat and Top-line.
Type 2 owners love M-code options and this Ian was hunting for parts for his planned
is one box they love to see checked. engine – a turbocharged Type 1 motor
The Bus was in Albuquerque, New built to make his Bus a contender for BWA
Mexico and was a daily driver belonging top spot. Based on a new all-aluminium

to a chap called Kelly Cooper. Not being ABOVE Not what you’d expect to see in the back
one to let a good deal pass, Ian got of a ratter. The engine is now being blueprinted
straight on the blower to buy it. by Matt Keene to get even more power
With the deal signed and sealed he
concentrated his efforts on having the Van crankcase machined by Stateside Tuning,
shipped to the UK, which turned out to be this beast sports a 78.8mm Scat chromoly
a lot more hassle than you might think. The forged crankshaft and 90.5mm pistons,
reason was that when the Bus arrived at giving a healthy 2027cc of blown fury. The
the shipping agents in Los Angeles, there camshaft is a turbo-friendly Engle TCS20,
was a general West Coast shipping strike which is mated to straight-cut gears.
that was set to last for ages. Not being one Berg chromoly pushrods are operated
to give up easily, Ian arranged for the Bus by Scat lightweight lifters, which provide
to be railroaded across the breadth of the the motivation for the Scat 1.25:1 rockers
US to New York, where it boarded a ship on bolt-up shafts in the CB Performance
bound for Felixstowe. This meant that he CNC ported 044 cylinder heads. Crowning
didn’t see the Van for a further six months the engine is a CB Performance turbo
until it arrived in January 2003. kit blowing through a pair of turbo-spec
Once the vehicle was safely at home, he 44mm Webers on big-beef manifolds.
sealed the paintwork with six litres of matt Presently, the package pumps out around
cellulose clear lacquer to stop the harsh 200bhp, but there is more to come, as Ian
UK climate attacking the well-preserved is having a custom-made chargecooler

46 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

“
This beast gives a healthy 2027cc

”
of blown fury
ABOVE It might look at home in the scrapyard, Other than retro-fitment of a genuine set of
but don’t judge this book by its cover. With a safaris, he has kept the Bus pretty much
200bhp turbo motor in it, this Van honks how it came, as it made sense not to mess
with a winning formula.
and turbo ignition system built by Matt The Bus’s UK debut was at Peppercorn
Keene. These will allow him to crank up 2003, halfway through its transformation.
the boost without fear of detonation and Ian trailered it to the show and was
should see bhp rise to approximately 230 astonished by the crowd’s response. The
ponies (a tad more than the original 30 or Bus was a showstopper. Since then it
so that Volkswagen deemed necessary to has only been to one show and that was
motivate this Panel Van). Peppercorn 2004, where it arrived under its
For the oil-cooling system, Ian found own steam, sporting its new turbo motor
help in a recent VolksWorld ‘How To’ feature and wowing an even larger crowd.
and duplicated the set up seen on fellow Ian would like to thank his wife, Julie, for
Bus-nut Andy Carroll’s awesome Barn Door her understanding; his mum and dad for
Samba. Over 200bhp and stock brakes are the use of their garage and Matt Keene for
not a good combo, so Creative Engineering helping him compile a turbo compatible
supplied a set of CSP’s finest disc brakes, engine spec. He has recently purchased his
along with a set of dropped spindles to aid dream VW, a 1956 23-window, which means
the Bus squat even further in the weeds. that this Panel Van may well be up for grabs.
The original roof rack still sits atop, as If you fancy one of the best Rat Look Buses
Ian loves its form and practical aspects. in the UK, give Ian a call on 07860 370980.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 47

50 June 2005 www.volksworld.com
 Lifetime
achievement
With so few right-hand drive ’55 Karmann Cabriolets produced
and even fewer around today, it’s astonishing to find that John
Kremer has owned this example, his first car, since 1973
Words: Mike Pye, Pics: Zoë Harrison
n 1955 the average German VW to go out with me in the first place.” Six

I factory worker earned 336DM a

month and a standard Beetle cost
3950DM. That’s approximately a year’s
wages to buy a basic Beetle. It’s not
surprising then that few people plumped
for the extravagant Cabriolet, a whopping
2550DM more expensive than a standard
years of constant use took its toll, though,
and, after failing an MoT on seized brakes,
it was clear that a more fundamental
restoration was needed.
John went on to marry Jane and, in
1980, took a lecturing post at Queen’s
University in Belfast. The story could have
at 6500DM. This is clearly reflected in the come to an end there, but John’s father
production figures – VW built fewer than towed the car to Stranraer and onto a ferry
280,000 Beetles in 1955, while only 3597 with John towing it off the other end at
left-hand drive Karmann Cabriolets were Larne in Ireland and straight into a garage
registered in West Germany in the same at Queens, where it sat for the next few
year. As such, a right-hand drive, 1955 years. “It never entered my head to sell the
Cabriolet is now a rare and desirable car. car, even when times were hard. I just can’t
John Kremer of County Antrim in imagine not having it,” he says.
Northern Ireland is one of the fortunate Seven years later, he found the perfect
few who own one of these sought after man to do the Cab’s next restoration,
cars and, having kept it through three though this time it was to be a more
restorations, three children and some professional undertaking. Alan Hodgett is
fundamental life changes, he’s not about well known among Beetle enthusiasts in
to give it up. VWs have been in his blood Ireland and is a veritable font of knowledge
from the start. “I spent my summers on early VWs. According to John, he is
as a child touring Europe in Barn Door also one of the nicest people you could
Campers and we always seemed to have hope to meet and, having set up a small
either a Beetle, a Variant, a Fastback or a VW garage in Belfast in 1987, he took on
Camper,” he said. John’s Cab as his first restoration job. He
This might explain how he ended up made a very good job of it, but it didn’t
being given a Beetle for his 17th birthday. happen overnight and it was the early
It’s not just any old Beetle, though. This nineties before John got the car back. The
right-hand drive 1955 Cabriolet cost his restoration continued there with the help of
parents £30 in 1973, but, by the sound of a local mechanic, Trevor Crawford.
it, they didn’t get a lot for their money. “The By this time the car had been blasted,
car was in a very dilapidated state – lying in repainted and the repair work completed.
a shed, hood in tatters, engine knackered The only new panels are the floorpans, the
and bodywork bashed about.” wings (replaced with a set of genuine Oval
To get the car on the road, John had ones) and the correct, pre-’56, non-exhaust
the local saddler make a new hood and cut out rear valance. Alan repaired the rest
the local blacksmith do the welding, while of the bodywork himself. “The colour is
he got stuck into the rest of the bodywork one that we found after a lot of searching
and the mechanical overhaul. “That first that matched the original as closely as
restoration was a real learning experience possible. It is a Mercedes colour, 31431.”
for me, and while rough and ready, at least There was some dispute about the tail
it meant I had the car on the road during lights, as John was told that a May ’55
my student years. Without a shadow of a car should have hearts but, as the original
doubt, it was the reason why Jane wanted wings were definitely on the car with these

www.volksworld.com June 2005 51

“
It never entered my head

”
to sell the car, even when
times were hard
ABOVE There is something special about this After all this time the car was in need of though the engine is not the factory unit and
Karmann Beetle. It has belonged to the current a new hood and John sourced this in the John cannot remember what happened to
owner for 31 years and he never plans to sell it States too, the triple layer canvas hood it. “It must have been thrown away at some
with off-white headliner coming from Rocky stage before I realised how important it was.”
Hella light units, he’s convinced that they are Mountain Motorworks. Before the buffers The engine is an early 1960 30-horse,
correct for the car. We agree, as in the bible get their flat hats on, “I haven’t put the which John bought from the classifieds in
according to Etzold, the changeover date thin chrome strip on the hood as yet and Safer Motoring magazine in 1978. This is
is 1 October 1954. The headlight lenses probably won’t,” said John. Okay? bolted up to the original gearbox, which has
were replaced with Hella scripted versions, The interior panels and seats were all never given a problem in 106,298 miles.
while chromework was either rechromed or, re-covered by a local coach fitter, Joseph All it took was a new set of Camac 5.60x15
in the case of the bumpers, replaced with Wright’s in Belfast, using material that was crossplies on the original wheels and the
new old stock. “Wherever possible we tried as close to the original as they could find. Cab was ready to roll once more.
to use the original parts and rechromed as Wright’s also fitted the hood and the Dylan Having been part of his life for so long,
necessary.” The only part missing was the Cheasley square weave carpet set. I wondered if John would ever sell the car?
rear-view mirror, for which a replacement The mechanical components were rebuilt “Never and I hope neither will my children.
was eventually found in San Diego. using the original parts as far as possible, Before the project, I could never understand
why so many people want to sell their
cars when they’ve finished restoring them,
but now I can appreciate the psychology
a bit more. The journey can seem more
interesting than the destination. I want to
move to stage two now, though, and use
her more. So far she has only been to two
shows since completion in 1997 and that is
criminal. Roll on retirement.”
Do John and Jane’s kids appreciate
the car? It certainly sounds like it. They’ve
already laid claim to the two other later
Beetles in the Kremer stable, but who gets
the Cab remains to be seen. “It will depend
on who is nicest to Jane and I in our dotage.”
That said, something tells me the couple are
going to be well looked after in their old age.
John would like to say: “Thanks to my
parents, Alan Hodgett, Trevor Crawford and
Joseph Wright in particular. Although the
final restoration took a long time, I wouldn’t
have had it any other way. Learning from
Alan, helping him and sourcing parts was
immense fun and the cost was spread over
several years, so never hurt too much.”

www.volksworld.com June 2005 53

 VolksWorld’s Peter Noad looks at the VW Trekker

181 Cool
ABOVE This pair look determined to get to the
top of the hill at VW Action in 1980. The door did
not fall off – it was designed to be detachable

The VW Trekker was never meant to be a show stopper, but it did me for a ride in one. We went off road
provide hours of entertainment for off-road enthusiasts (deliberately) and mehrzwecked along
some forest tracks. When it was time to go
he 181/Thing/Trekker/Safari, to as the difference between the New Beetle back to Wolfsburg, we headed for the main

T mention just a few of its names,

was launched at the Frankfurt
Motor Show in 1969 and was in
production for about 10 years, with
right-hand drive models (built in Mexico)
and the original Bug. The 181 looks like it
was made in a backyard by somebody who
did not have any tools for bending metal
into curves. They managed to make round
wheel arches for the Kubel in 1940 so
road and found a barrier across the track
and a sign that said ‘Eingang Verboten’.
Actually, we didn’t want to Eingang, we
wanted to Ausfahrt, if you’ll pardon the
expression. We had Einganged on the
coming to the UK in 1975. It was first I don’t know why they had to be made other side of the forest where there was no
conceived as a military vehicle but of straight lines in 1969. Perhaps VW was barrier. Fortunately, as we were in a 181,
lacked four-wheel drive and was rapidly shy of making it resemble the military there was no problem. With the top folded,
superseded by the Audi-designed Iltis, vehicle too closely. sidescreens removed and windscreen
so the 181 was sold as a multi-purpose The guy posing with the gun was not folded down flat, we could crouch down
leisure vehicle for hunting, shooting ‘n’ supposed to be a soldier or a terrorist so our heads were below bonnet level and
fishing and general off-roading. One of (although if you were a fox or a pheasant drive under the barrier.
Volkswagen’s press promo pics of the you might think of him as a terrorist) and Despite lacking four-wheel drive, the
181 showed a guy in the back with a rifle. Volkswagen’s message was about having 181 was pretty good off-road, but then
That was in the good old days, before the fun. The 181 was a fun car, like a Dune so is a Beetle. The main advantage with
politicians decided that such activities, Buggy, Herbie Beetle, Formula Vee racer, or the 181 was that it had more ground
like dropping chewing gum in the streets, KG Convertible. Right, I think I get their drift. clearance. The early swing-axle models
made you a criminal or a terrorist. Another name for the 181 was with T2 reduction gears and high-level
It is perhaps stretching the imagination to Mehrzweckwagen (multi-purpose exhaust were better for ground clearance
suggest that the 181 was cool, but it gained vehicle to you and me) and I did a bit of than the later models with double-joint
quite a cult following as a macho-buggy, mehrzwecking during a visit to Wolfsburg suspension. VW should have fitted
with the retro military Kubel look. Actually, in 1970. The top brass at Volkswagenwerk a proper sumpguard, instead of the little
I think the difference in looks between the seemed to enjoy the novelty of grid that did no more than protect the
181 and the original Kubelwagen is as great mehrzwecking and the chief PR man took strainer plate. One magazine that

56 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 ABOVE LEFT Wolfsburg-registered 181
at VWA 1985, doing what the car was
designed to do

ABOVE Wide wheels and no bumper

– is this the racing version? This early
LHD 181 was competing in the speed
lap on grass at VW Action in 1987

LEFT Trekker competing in a VWOC

trial at Clee Hill, Shropshire in 1985

which was launched in 1976. This

did not use a Beetle floorpan
but had a monocoque ‘Plasteel’
bodyshell (presumably a
plastic-steel composite material)
with a VW engine and running
gear. The bonnet shape and
straight-line wheel arches were
copied from the 181 but, without
the floorpan, it was shorter and
bars, so there’s not much difference. looked more purposeful and Jeep-like,
‘road-tested’ a 181 bottomed the engine Buggies are more manoeuvrable and with only two doors.
on the ground while mehrzwecking along much lighter. You could save a bit of weight The Gurgel was equipped with a winch
a rough track and broke the gear selector by removing the quickly detachable doors, at the front, manually operated with a
case at the front mounting. seats and windscreens, but you were lever that looked a bit like a gun. It also
Quite a few of the Trekkers that were starting with a vehicle that was heavier had ‘Seletraction’, which I think meant
sold in the UK were used to compete in than a Beetle saloon. independent braking of the rear wheels to
trials. In theory, the extra ground clearance Most of the Trekkers that I saw in action act like a limited-slip differential or traction
was an advantage but, in practice, most in trials in the UK in the early eighties had control. The Gurgel appeared at VW Action
competitors who used Beetles raised the the look of a hard-used working vehicle ’76 and was on show at the VW main
ground clearance by adjusting the torsion – no custom paint jobs, fancy interiors, agents in Reading (Royal Berks Motor
alloy wheels or sound Co), but I don’t know how many were sold.
systems. A liberal coating The address for details was a firm called
of mud and a few dents Dixonica Agencies Ltd, in Twickenham,
seemed to be part of the Middx, so I guess it was imported.
‘battle-scarred’ style and Also in the mid-seventies, GP
were not removed. Speedshop, of Beach Buggy fame, decided
The Kubel look even to get on the Kubel-revival bandwagon,
inspired some kit cars, such but instead of a variation of a variation
as the Gurgel Xavante, (Gurgel/181), the GP Kubel was much
closer to the original. It was a plastic replica
LEFT The Gurgel Xavante kit car with round arches, with the headlamps on
was clearly inspired by the 181. top, steeper sloping bonnet with the spare
Protuberance at the front is not wheel on top and four ribs along the door
a rocket launcher – it’s a handle panels (the 181 had only two). They sold a
for the winch few between 1976 and 1980.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 57

 VolksWorld’s Bob Shaill looks at the ‘Rechkemmer’ VW Pick-up

Budget Beater
The ‘Rechkemmer’ VW Pick-up may seem bizarre, but it served a specific purpose – loading grapes
any people will remember the agricultural museum, near Stuttgart. While gave them the green light to dig it out. This

M ugly, shortened, ‘agricultural’

single-cab Barn Door Pick-up
shown at the last Bad Camberg
meeting. It was actually German born
Thomas Turnwald who spotted it first. I’m
checking out a Type 166 Schwimmwagen
on display, he looked up through a
window and saw this strange vehicle left
abandoned in the museum’s scrapyard.
Some weeks later ‘Coachbuilt VW
took some time, as the vehicle was covered
in all sorts of rubbish and vegetation. Once
cleared, they soon found the vehicle’s ID
plate and later, while on the Internet, Peter
was able to find out some of its history.
told that he was visiting a technique and Club’ member Peter Pfortner and Thomas The ID-plate read:
Turnwald decided to Manufactured: ‘Gustav Rechkemmer’ from
go and have a closer Nordheim by the river Necker
look at the strange Type: TP18
vehicle. On their arrival, Year of manufacture: 1965
some discussions Axle load: front 1000kg, rear 1480kg
were had with the Max. load: 2880kg
vehicle owner and he ID-No: KW 45752
A starter button is installed just behind the
LEFT The little 250cc driver’s legs. To stop the engine, you have to
air-cooled BMW Isetta simply pull off the ignition cable from the coil.
The vehicle braking system is rather
engine only produced
interesting. The front brakes are standard
around 12hp. Here it is
Type 2 VW hydraulic, while the rear are
pictured in an unrestored independently operated by a pair of
state. Note the side cables. The oversize rear wheels were
draught carburettor and taken from a tractor of unknown origin.
large cooling fan Behind the driver’s cab is a flat bed
platform made up from wood and steel.

60 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

LEFT Not a pretty sight – the vehicle
was tidied up just in time for its first
showing at the last Bad Camberg
meeting. Note that the flatbed had to
be raised in order to access the little
BMW engine

ABOVE The 1954 Barn Door cab has

had some modifications. The bench
seats have been removed during the
clean-up period

ABOVE RIGHT Access to the engine

and petrol tank is very good, although
the tipping flatbed was very heavy for
one person to operate

RIGHT This is where the

‘Rechkemmer’ Pick-up was found.
At this angle the vehicle looks like a
standard pick-up

This heavy platform had to be tipped

manually to gain access to the
engine and petrol tank.
The three platform side panels were passed, much to the amazement of the itself while being loaded up with grapes.
probably taken from a 1960s model engineers. Surviving records show that the The top speed was only around 18km/h.
pick-up. However, the two side panels had last time the vehicle should have been TÜV The family used the vehicle on a regular
to be shortened to suit. tested was in March 1981. basis up to 1980. It was later sold to
The small petrol tank is located next to Finding the Rechkemmer family via the another vineyard business and broke
the engine. The make is unknown but the Internet was easy. Peter spoke to, the down. During the restoration, they found
petrol cap is a VW item. builder, Erich Rechkemmer’s son-in-law, that the differential was broken and this is
When the ‘Rechkemmer’ Pick-up was who knew the vehicle very well and drove it probably why the vehicle was no longer
first registered and made TÜV legal, it was on several occasions during the seventies. used. No doubt it was not considered
fitted with tax free ‘green’ numberplates. Erich Rechkemmer had a grape vineyard worth repairing and the vehicle was written
This was because it was registered as in Nordheim. Not wanting to buy an off. It was later offered to the agricultural
an agricultural vehicle. The vehicle had expensive tractor for his wine business, museum but, sadly, it had no real value
to be tested once every two years and he decided in 1964 to construct his own and was not considered worth restoring.
we were told that on one occasion the special type of tractor with a flatbed. The It remained berthed outside and forgotten
TÜV-test engineers could not believe it was idea was that the vehicle could drive until spotted by Thomas Turnwald.
capable of carrying such heavy loads. A up close to the grape vines for loading The tidy up process lasted 12 months
ton of bagged-up stones were loaded onto purposes. With the very low ratio gears, and most of the parts were obtained from
the flatbed as part of the TÜV test and it the Bus could crawl along, virtually driving a local scrapyard. The work is ongoing.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 61

 VolksWorld’s Bob Shaill looks at changes in 1960

unknown
Pics: VW Works, Dimitri Urbain, Dario Faria, Bob Shaill and sources

August saw the introduction of the new 1961 year model Beetle, ABOVE This is one of the best colour
combinations for a Karmann Ghia. This
followed by new paint colours and various interior changes
example was once up for sale. We now wonder
where she is today
Bodywork new colours – Pastel blue (code L-391),
There were no recorded bodywork Ruby red (L-456), Beryl green (L-478), (L-452), Sea blue (L-360), Sierra beige
improvements within this period to any Turquoise green (L-380), Pearl white (L-87) (L-490), Lavender blue (L-397), Anthracite
of the VW range until 1 August. The first and Gulf blue (L-390). grey (L-469), Pacific (L-398), Pampas
recorded details were to the new paint Colours discontinued from the Beetle green (L-384), Ruby red (L-456) and Pearl
colours to the entire 1961 year model Deluxe range were: Jade green, Mango white (L-87). Colours discontinued were:
Type 1 range. green, Ceramic green, Flint grey, Arctic Platinum grey, Mango green, Paprika
From chassis number 3 192 507, blue, Indigo blue and Indian red. The red, Strato blue, Midnight blue, Malachite
the Beetle Deluxe models, including the colours discontinued from the Karmann green, Ferrite brown and Sea blue.
Karmann Cabriolets, had these Cabrio range were: Sargasso green, Slate On 1 August, with the introduction of
blue, Rock grey, Jade the new 1961 year model Deluxe Beetle,
green, Paprika red, Black the following bodywork changes were
and Alabaster grey. recorded. From chassis number 3 192 507
As for the Karmann the interior trim had a second padded sun
Ghia range, the new visor, a grab handle for the front passenger
colours were: Black and a modified ashtray. The interior trim
(L-41), Paprika red colours now matched the bodywork paint
colour. This included the sill panel covers
LEFT The roomy interior and the beadings match the vehicle finish.
of the same Karmann Ghia In the front luggage compartment
Coupe is very pleasing to the (including the standard model vehicle), the
quarter panels had a different shape and
eye. The blood orange cord
came with angled petrol tank supports.
and off-white leatherette seat
The front inner panel was now lower, with
covers look beautiful. It’s a a recess in the reinforcement plate. This
shame the original door panels recess housed the windscreen washer
on this car didn’t match bottle and brake fluid containers.

64 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 ABOVE A complete NOS set of rubber mats,
made especially for the new 1961 year model
Beetle. They were made by a previously unknown
firm called ‘Lastuk’ and came in several colours,
including this turquoise with dark green inserts

ABOVE LEFT This new Ruby red paintwork was

very popular, especially if the vehicle was fitted
with whitewall tyres. My first Beetle was a 1961
Ruby red model with registration number
RDY 99. I wonder were she is today

make it safer in an accident.

The front bonnet lock cable on the
right-hand drive Type 142, 144 Karmann
Ghias and 152 Karmann Cabrio models
now had their front bonnet lock cable
ABOVE The old style Beetle petrol tank is tap feed pipe was now 87mm in diameter, situated on the right-hand side, rather
pictured on the left. The new 1961 style tank rather than 78.5mm. than the left. The twin tail pipe rear apron
was a lot flatter and came with its cap and neck The whole luggage compartment was altered in shape and style, replacing
was two thirds larger than before and the so-called ‘H’ pattern panel.
on the left-hand side. Note the small pipe is for
the luggage lining (or millboard) was The interior trim for the standard
the petrol overflow. This new tank allowed far
lengthened to suit. For clarity, the front model Beetles now had a sun visor for
more luggage space luggage space was now 4.94 cubic feet, the driver and the driver’s seat had an
The petrol tank, including standard model as opposed to three cubic feet. adjustable backrest. The Deluxe models
Beetles, was considerably flatter and The front axle mountings now had now had an improved seat spring interior
deeper. The filler neck was now on the left treaded bushes and were 7mm longer. and padding.
side with a small ventilation pipe. The fuel Also, the two securing bolt holders were The first recorded body improvement
moved to the back of the panel. The front to the new Beetle was on 9 August. From
inner panel that was attached by two bolts chassis number 3 298 321 the door
Type 1 chassis numbers to the top of the front axle was now only check rod had a spring between the door
July 3 178 361 – 3 204 566 accessible with the tank removed. check rod and mounting.
August 3 294 567 – 3 267 185 The door handles (including the On 27 September the Karmann Ghia
Sept 3 267 186 – 3 335 847
standard model Beetles) were modified, Coupe models were produced with
60

along with the lock cylinder. The key rubber packing at the upper end of the
Engine numbers (1192cc 30bhp) slot was now horizontal, with a taper channel between the quarter and door
July 3 909 831 – 3 927 802
August 3 927 803 – 3 900 380 and dust excluder flap. There were also windows. This began from chassis
Sept 3 900 381 – 3 902 552 three new key profiles with heading code number 3 273 002.
letters SC, SU and SV. The door striker plate on the Karmann
Engine numbers (1192cc 34bhp) On the Karmann Cabriolet models, Cabrio now had a rubber washer
19

July * * * the top snap catches were altered in between the wedge and shoulder of the
August 5 000 001 – 5 073 407 shape and secured with screws, rather stop sleeve. This began on 30 September
Sept 5 073 408 – 5 157 563 than rivets. The top lock was modified to from chassis number 3 340 032.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 65

 Sponsored by:

Just Kampers bring you the latest news from the world of the
VW Transporter. For your free Just Kampers catalogue call
0845 120 718 or, for more info, visit www.justcampers.com

Scat Shifter
• Who? SSP and VW Heritage
• How much? £107.95
• Contact? 08707 706196 or 01273 495 850
• Web? www.streetstyleandpower.com and www.vwheritage.com
New in at VW Heritage and Street Style and Power are these super
cool Scat Dragfast Bus shifters. They are available for Buses
from 1962-67 in a shorter model or 1968 onwards for the
longer model. If you fancy a shorter throw between
gear shifting or if your current gear stick has more
wobble than a jelly convention, this could be
the shifter for you.

CSP Pipes
• Who? Custom and Speed Parts
• How much? TBA
• Contact? Machine 7 – 02476 356 456, Creative Engineering
– 01258 863 600
• Web? www.customspeedparts.com
CSP have sent us details on these new tailpipes, which they are producing
for Buses. They will be available in the UK at both of CSP’s main suppliers
(see contact information above). There are two types of pipe available, depending on your
application, both of which are made from polished stainless steel. The first version will fit Bay
Window Buses with a 1700-2000cc engine produced up until 1979, T3 Buses with 2000cc
engines up to 1982 and a T3 Bus with a 1900cc Waterboxer up to 1986. The second type will
fit all other T3 Buses with a Waterboxer motor produced between 1986 and ’92.

BWA at Big Bang

• When? 1-2 May
• Where? Santa Pod Raceway
Buses With Attitude have once again been invited to put on a racing
session at the Big Bang this year. The session is one hour long and will
be on Sunday from 6:30pm onwards. The session will start about half an
hour after the convoy of Buses arrives from Stanford Hall.
If you’ve been building a fast Split over the winter and think it has what
it takes to become a member of BWA, this is your chance to prove it.
Rikki James will have the BWA wings (stickers) and be on hand for those
of you who want to have a crack at qualifying. Plus, the session will be
videoed for the BWA website, so you may even see yourself on there.
For more information, call Rikki on 07802 884 583.

And for the big kids

• Who? Just Campers
• How much? £6.95
• Contact? 0845 121 5656 or [email protected]
• Web? www.justcampers.co.uk
This 3D Camper puzzle has been manufactured exclusively for Just Kampers. It will provide
hours of fun and, trust us, it is not as easy as it looks. We were scratching our heads for ages.
Tip out all the pieces and put them back in the correct order to give your brain a tease.
Order yours from JK today.

68 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 Rikki James – Resident Bus specialist and
SSVC Special Display Organiser

RIGHT Sadly, this

photo is as close
as we’ll get to seeing
the Nuclear Atom
Bus in the UK

Keeping it real
izarre as it is, I am writing this in the Bus was stolen. Not only

B March, with my central heating

on full blast, knowing that this
column will be in the June issue
of VolksWorld. By that time, half of the VW
season will be over. As I sit here, the snow
that, but the true owner had
been contacted and wanted
the ’61 back, even though the
Bus was a non-runner and in an
undrivable state before Pete and
has just melted and the VolksWorld Show is Maria invested so much in it.
around the corner. The winter is a long cold The couple tried to come to
time. Even with the all year round meetings, a financial agreement with the
like the Ace Cafe and the Midlands Meet, owner, but he refused to reply
the long dark nights do drag on. to their emails and phone calls. You’re (www.busselecta.com), created by Richard
At this point in time I am so looking forward probably thinking, “Why on earth did they Whitlock from Cheltenham, is part of this.
to this year’s VW show season. I’ve got a buy a Bus from the other side of the world The site allows you to take a stock Bus
feeling that this year is going to be one of the without title papers?” Well, they didn’t. The and redesign it to your own personal
best Bus seasons ever – all we need to do is Bus came with all the appropriate papers specification. It’s a clever set up, which
keep our fingers crossed for the weather. and appeared to be legitimate. is easy to use and can give you an insight
On a more serious note, I have just found To cut a long story short, Pete and Maria into how your Bus will look before you start
out some rather disturbing news about a have lost their dream Bus and their life building it. All sorts of variations of this
couple of Split Screen Van Club members savings to a certain guy in Arizona. site can be found on the Internet and it’s
who decided to ship a Bus in from the

“
USA. People are doing it all the time, but,
in this case, things went pear shaped. I’ve got a feeling that this year is going to

”
Peter and Maria Royal bought a 1961
logo’d Panel Van (the Nuclear Atom Bus)
be one of the best Bus seasons ever
from a reputable Bus dealer in California,
who was going to do all the welding and Moral of the story? If you’re buying and amazing how different people have taken it
preparation, narrow and lower the front shipping a Bus from another country, try to a step further. However, Bus Selecta is still
beam, IRS the rear running gear, refresh the find out if it has any history and contact the the best out there. It has been broadened
engine and add a set of JGE raiders wheels previous owner to make sure everything is to include Bug Selecta, Type 3 Selecta and
and trick tyres. Having followed the progress legitimate, if only for piece of mind. I know Porsche Selecta, all of which operate in the
of this particular Bus, I was quite excited it’s a lot of hassle, but if you’re spending your same manner as the original.
about seeing it, because it was a very cool own hard earned cash, it’s worth it. If you It would appear that there is no stopping
and different bit of kit. have the option, buy a Bus that has been this man’s computer skills. Just recently
As the shipping day arrived and passed, owned by as few people as possible, it’s Richard did a number on my Samba using
I called Pete and Maria to see how it was all less likely to have been messed with. I’m not Photoshop and created a kind of caricature
going. The reply I got was, “It’s not.” It turns trying to put you off buying Buses abroad, of it, along with a few others. Keep up the
out that US customs have their own vehicle just informing you of some of the risks. good work, Rich. You’re probably saving
database, as well as the DMV (Department Finally, on a lighter note, have you some of us from building a Bus that we
of Motor Vehicles, DVLA equivalent), and noticed how a kind of computer sub-culture would have second thoughts about.
according to the US Customs database, has appeared? The Bus Selecta I certainly used it to do mine and still do.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 69

70 June 2005 www.volksworld.com
 here’s nothing quite like the

T feeling of picking up a brand

new car. There’s the new smell,
the way everything feels tight
and the knowledge that you
are the first owner of the vehicle. I have
often thought that it would have been
cool to walk into a VW dealership in the
sixties or seventies and pick up the VW
I’d ordered and been waiting to have
You’d be hard pushed to find a Dub fan who delivered, given its pre-delivery inspection
would turn down a tour in a time machine to and registered in my name.
Another one of my VW daydreams is
pick up a brand new Camper, but all you really what I’d do if I had a time machine and
need to do is take a trip to Brazil programmed it to take me back to the parts
Words: Ivan McCutcheon Pics: Dan Pullen department at a VW main agent in 1955.
I think I’d spend quite a bit of money, but
then again, the parts would be at 1955
prices, so I’d be more than happy. I’d strap
the lot onto the roof of the time machine, on
the new Westfalia roof rack I’d just bought.
These are only daydreams, but one very
fortunate reality is that you can still buy a
new classic VW, thanks to VW of Brazil. I’m
sure most of the hardcore know this already,
but for those new to VWs we’ve got some
very good news. The Camper you see here
is the last type of new air-cooled VW you
can buy in the world and is based on the
VW Kombi being built in Brazil.
The way it works is that a company in
Gloucestershire, called Beetles UK, ships
brand new Kombis over from Brazil and
makes the changes needed to make them
comply with UK road regulations. The base
vehicle is an updated, but very similar
version of the classic Bay-window Bus from
the early seventies. When you spend a bit
of time comparing it to the original ones,
you’ll find that there are differences in the
roof, the doors, the bumpers and a few
other bits and bobs but, at a glance, it’s
an old VW. Trust me when I say that this is
what almost everyone thinks when they see
it for the first time. While we were doing this
photoshoot, I was amazed at how many
people thought it was a freshly restored
classic. Those with a little more savvy
would question the numberplate. “Have
you had to re-register it or something?”
They were all stunned when they were
informed that it was new. “What? They still
make ’em,” they would say.
Yes, they still make ’em, and Richard
Hughes has got one. Richard is a
born-again VW nut, who got into them in
the latter part of the eighties and bought
himself a Bay-window Camper. He’s
not about to tell you that it was anything
special. In fact, it was a rotten old wreck,

www.volksworld.com June 2005 71

“
I’ve had 90mph out of it, but it’s not to

”
be recommended when it’s windy

but it got him to Bug Jam and a few other with his needs. The colour choice was
VW shows before the amount of upkeep totally down to him. The basic Kombi on
it needed saw him lose the will to keep it. which the Danbury is based comes in
After parting with the Camper, he went all white, but the guys at Danbury told Richard
normal on us and started driving cars we that he could have the lower half painted
don’t even want to talk about here. in any colour he wanted. “It took me two
Anyway, the story is that Richard had months to make the decision and, in the
always fancied another VW Camper, but he end, I went for a VW colour, Flash red,” he
decided that if he was going to have one said. As you can see, it certainly makes
it would have to be in a lot better condition his Camper stand out. He was also able
than the last one. As things turned out, to choose the interior trim, wheels and a
he’d been putting in a lot of overtime number of other bits.
at work and when his wages came in For those who are not familiar with these
he thought it was his chance to get the Brazilian Buses or Lotação, as they are
Camper he really wanted. He had seen the officially known, we should point out that
Danbury Rio advertised by Beetles UK and they are powered by 1584cc fuel-injected BELOW RIGHT The Camper conversion by
was impressed with what he saw when he engines, which produce 58 horsepower at Danbury is a well thought out bit of kit. The
went over to check one out. 4200rpm. In standard Kombi form, before quality level is high and, after spending a day
Danbury Motor Caravans is part of all the camping kit is fitted, you’re looking checking it out, we’d say it’s a job well done
Beetles UK (www.beetles-uk.com) and, at acceleration times of 0 to 62mph in
having had a good look at the conversion, 24,8 seconds and a maximum speed of BELOW The conversion from left- to right-hand
I have to admit that I was impressed 75mph. (Richard told us that he’s had drive is done so well that it’s hard to spot. The
too. Richard was able to choose the “about 90mph” out of his, although he went steering wheel is a lot newer looking than the old
specification for his new Camper to fit in on to say that “it’s not to be recommended Bay-window ’wheel from the seventies

72 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

www.volksworld.com June 2005 73
when it’s windy.” We’re guessing he did

“
this on a private test track.) He slept in the Camper in the street

”
Richard bought the Camper by putting
down a 10 per cent deposit, that being the outside his house
overtime money he’d earned, and covered
the balance on finance. As he plans to then set off on the journey home. He was used on Brazilian Kombis, such as link
keep the Camper “until it is dead or I am”, getting to know the Camper and, like a true pin front ends with disc brakes, VW Polo
he is more than happy to pay for it over a gentleman, he broke her in gently. When fuel-injection parts and other components
period of time and pay a little more for the they got home, he decided that they’d from the VW parts bin, might make this an
pleasure of doing so. It’s not something spend their first night together and slept in interesting vehicle to work on.
we’ve really thought about, considering the Camper in the street outside his house. I suppose the $64,000 question is
that the only finance we’ve ever had to buy He said it got a bit nippy during the night whether or not Richard is happy with his
a classic car is a bank loan, but then this (probably something to do with the fact Danbury Rio. His answer was short and
was a new car so it does make sense. that it was mid-winter), so he snuck into his to the point: “Absolutely.” Having seen the
Picking the new Camper up in house at about 6am. reactions of people we saw on the day of
November 2003 was a fantastic Since then, he’s covered about 18,300 the photoshoot, we can assure you that
experience. He signed all the paperwork, kilometres and hasn’t had a single this Camper certainly draws a crowd.
was given a rundown of how problem. He has had it regularly service Richard Hughes would like to thank
everything worked, at Farnborough VW Centre in Hampshire Jonathan Hughes for his inspiration; all
(01252 521152) and has been very happy the friends he’s made over the last year,
with their work. I’m thinking aloud here, especially the Guildford ‘Dub Addicts’;
but we’re guessing that the the folks on Volkszone.com for their
subtle nuances in parts encouraging words; Just Kampers for
helping him spend his money and the
guys at Farnborough VW Centre for their
help and advice.

74 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 What we’ve been up to in the workshop this month

or the most part of this year, Steve

F and myself have had to put up

with jibes from our mates and
questions from people in the scene
about why the car we almost finished for
the show last year has not been finished year we ‘borrowed’ the 2007 motor out of an original loom that was taken out of the
since. Well, here’s the answer. Steve’s Ghia because it was fully detailed car over 10 years ago into working order
I guess few people who saw it last year and looked the part. Then, for the Hot Rod is a big job. So far, I’ve spent over £100 on
realised just how mocked up it really was, Supernationals, we pulled the stroker motor wiring products alone. Then it needs holes
including us. There we were telling people and replaced it with a tarted-up 1200 sans drilled for wiring, fluid lines, etc and, as it’s
that all we had to do was “connect up tinware, just because it was lying around fully painted, that requires careful thought.
the steering” and it was on the road. Not and looked better than no engine at all. It needs a fuel tank, too, for obvious
true. In fact, it was almost an anticlimax Now we actually want to drive the car, reasons, a new steering box, a new starter,
finally getting Dr Gonzo steering and and that means having a motor that works battery and regulator. Big thanks to Shaun
braking under its own steam, such was the and not just one that fires up, but one that Hollamby at Big Boys Toys for doing us a
magnitude of what was still left to do. works with the rest of the car, i.e. the clutch, killer deal on these bits at least.
Even with that major hurdle successfully the starter motor and the electrical system. And why is it every fiddly little piece we
negotiated, it was still very much a case of We’ve settled on the 1500cc single-port need to finish the car, from brake pipe tabs,
back to the drawing board for the rest of that came in Steve’s Ghia originally, as it to floorpan grommets, battery hold downs
the car. It was also a money thing. We built will mate up to the gearbox we have in the and fluid reservoir brackets, either doesn’t
the car on a very limited budget originally, car, no problem. We also know it works, fit or has been pirated over the years and
but suddenly we had to start throwing which is a bonus, and it will give us plenty now needs making from scratch?
money at it again and, for one reason or of power to shake the car down. The moral of the story? Well, there are a
another, that was something neither of us However, there’s a load more to getting it few. The first is not to strip a car completely
had. At the VolksWorld Show last running than just bolting an engine in. when working on it. The second is to build
For a start, it needs wiring and getting a car fully before painting it. The third is not
to lie to yourself about how much you have
LEFT AND BELOW Wiring is best left to
the experts, but we got there in the end
left to do. You can kid people at a show, but
you can’t kid yourself. More’s the pity…

78 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 “ There’s a load more to getting it running
than just bolting an engine in
”

his month has been the busiest for RIGHT Matt took on an unfinished

T quite some time. As I write this the

VolksWorld Show is a week away
and I am struggling to meet my
personal goals. I had planned to debut
my part-finished racecar at the show but
project just to get the carbs
help of good friends Mark Gosling
and Jamie Smith, set about finishing
the car in record time. The previous
owner was a paint and body man by
a rather large spanner was chucked in the trade and had restored the bodywork
works in the form of a 1961 Beetle. to a very high standard. This meant
I am not complaining, as the part that any work we carried out needed
restored sloper I purchased is a real gem, to be spiffing, too.
but it has consumed the last two months The list of work we did this month
of my life, as I intend to drive it to the show includes: body panel assembly, new
as a finished vehicle. I bought the Bug by headlining (TMI), new seat covers (TMI), Lambourne’s 1962 Devon Camper
pure coincidence. I was selling a set of new carpet set (Karmann Konnection), full (featured in VolksWorld a few years back).
Rocket Racing Mags on eBay and the chap mechanical assembly, engine build and full It already had a 2007cc motor, but was
who came to collect them had a friend who detail (a stock 1600 single-port), blasted a second short of BWA membership
had restored a classic Bug 15 years ago, and powder coated wheels, NOS bumpers, so a new motor was built to meticulous
but had never finished assembling and new German running boards, full window standards. A stint at the rolling road
detailing the car and was thinking of selling rubber and trim install. The car is pretty confirmed that the new motor made the
it. It came with a 2180cc SPG roller bearing much turn key and is about to go for its first correct numbers (226 bhp and 259 ft/lb of
crank motor sporting 48 IDAs. MoT test since the 1980s. torque) and a few runs at a recent RWYB at
To cut a long story short, the 1961 Bug Running parallel with the 1961 Bug Santa Pod netted a 15.4 quarter at 95mph,
found a new home, but a severe shortage project was a 2028cc turbo charged even though Chris was boiling the tyres in
of workshop space meant that I, with the and chargecooled motor build for Chris the first three gears. BWA membership is
now confirmed and Chris can’t wait until
Big Bang to give his Bus a proper blast.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 79

 Mike Pye talks us through the basics
of rust repair, from the point of view of
saving money and having a go at it

DIY
yourself at home

Restoration
Over the next few months we aim to show you how to repair the common rot areas on a Beetle with
the minimum of fuss and the maximum of satisfaction
here are few things more

T disheartening to a new Beetle owner

than your car failing its MoT due to
rust. Sadly, though, this is all too
common. The good news is that repair
panels are plentiful and all but the most ham
fisted will be able to successfully undertake
some pretty major repairs at home.

How far to go
If your car has failed on one section of rust
alone, such as a hole in the bottom of the
sill, then you don’t need to split the body
from the pan to repair it. Keeping a car on
the road this way is not bodging, provided
you do the work properly. If your car has
failed on more terminal rot then assess
it thoroughly, starting at one point and
working from there. All our repair panels
came from VW Heritage Parts in Henfield,
West Sussex and we are very grateful to
them for this series of features. Before you begin:
The heater channels are the most likely Firstly, work safely. Take your time, be
areas to need attention on a Beetle and are aware of fire risks and use safety gear.
the logical point to start but, if your car also Secondly, make sure you have the
needs floorpans replaced (like ours), then it tools for the job. You don’t need a fully
is up to you which you do first. equipped workshop but there are a few
tools you can’t do the job without (see
Things to look out for right). Look out for second-hand stuff,
Assuming that your car has not had the too, especially welders. My SiP 180 cost
body welded to the pan by some arch £50 and is quite adequate for the kind of
bodger, assume at least some of the work we’re going to undertake here.
floorpan to body bolts will shear off when Thirdly, work methodically and tackle one
you’re removing them. If you’re replacing the bit at a time. We were doing some drastic
heater channels, this isn’t a problem, but if body modifications and the body had already
not, try a blob of weld on the end of the bolts been split from the pan. While this makes
– the heat should cause the parts to expand things easier to photograph, it is not the
and allow you to get a pair of mole grips on method we recommend. Keep as much of
the end to twist the remains out. your car together as possible and you’ll make
If you buy cheap panels, don’t expect life easier for yourself. You don’t want to end
them just to slot into place without some up with a partially stripped unfinished project.
work on your part. The key is to always Fourthly, buy as many books on the
retain a positive reference point on the car. subject as you can afford. Lindsay Porter’s
It’s worth having someone around Guide to Purchase and Do-it-yourself
when you undertake work like this, even if Restoration is a great starting point.
just to watch what you’re doing and make If you don’t have the use of a garage,
sure that you’re not about to cut through you may want to pay someone to do the
something you can’t see or to tell you when work for you, as working outside is dirty,
something has caught light. It’s also great noisy, often cold and generally pretty
moral support and they can make tea. antisocial. You have been warned.

82 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 Sponsored by Big Boys Toys www.bigboystoys-uk.com Tel: 0845 2300101

1 Even if both floorpan halves need replacing, only tackle one at a

time. You may get away with a half repair section if only a small
area has rotted out, but we opted to fit complete new halves in our car
2 Disconnect the battery first, then strip out the interior on the side
you’re working on. If your carpets are in good condition, you may
get away with removing the tacks and taping them up out the way

3 VW thoughtfully added molten bitumen to the floorpan for sound

deadening – very effective, but a bugger for trapping moisture.
A hot air gun, a scraper and patience make light work of this
4 Work along the tunnel exposing the seam where the floorpan half
joins the backbone of the chassis. Try and get a feel for how the
car was put together at the factory. Vacuum the crud out regularly

5 Jack the car up and secure on axle stands. Looking underneath,

it should be obvious how the floorpans fit with the rest of the car
– a spot welded flange along the tunnel and bolts around the edges
6 Work your way along the edge of the pan half, undoing the 13mm
bolts that secure it to the heater channel. We’ve used a picture
here of a new pan half to show this more easily

7 The next stage is to cut the pan half out along the inner flange
with a grinder and cutting disc. This is more easily achieved from
underneath, but start by cutting a section inside the car
8 Making a start inside gives you a good reference line to follow
underneath to cut in the areas that are harder to reach. You don’t
have to get this cut perfect, but avoid cutting the flange itself

www.volksworld.com June 2005 83

9 Any short areas you missed can be cut through with a hammer and
chisel. Don’t forget the extra two bolts in the crossmembers under
the back seat and to cut where the body and pan meet here
10 The pan half is now ready to be removed. Some pressure from
within the car (kneeling on it usually works) will dislodge the
seal made by the floorpan gasket and the panel should fall through

11 Either drill out the spot

welds or tap a small chisel 12 Once you’ve made a start,
you should be able to roll
up the scrap flange with grips. The
13 What you want to be
left with is the original
(and very thick) tunnel flange
14 Here the finger grinder
is invaluable, making light
work of grinding off any remnants
between the two sections of the
flange and open it up to a gap spot welds will just pop as you go underneath exposed like this of the spot welds

15 Follow this up with a clean and strip disc in a drill and clean the
flange back to bright shiny metal, perfect for welding to. Be sure
to wear eye protection at all times when using these discs
16 Time spent at this stage cleaning all the flanges and, if
necessary, straightening them is time well spent. You want to
make the best possible joining surfaces for the new panel

17 If your car is really rotten (like ours) it’s the front and rear
corners that will cause you trouble. These two shots illustrate
how bad things can be and how few points of reference can be left
18 Trial fit the new panel. It
has to be inserted at an
angle and jiggled into place
19 We had to make cuts in
the rear corners to get the
new panel to sit down properly

84 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 Sponsored by Big Boys Toys www.bigboystoys-uk.com Tel: 0845 2300101

20 Repair panels are made to fit all years of car and can be quite
crude in detail. Don’t be surprised if some of the holes don’t line
up perfectly, just mark them in place and modify the panel off the car
21 You’ll probably have realised by now that welding in the new
panel is a relatively small part of the job, but don’t rush to get it
done. Time spent in preparation will pay dividends in the long term

22 If your heater channels are as rotten as ours then there will be

nowhere to bolt the pan half to. Just use as many bolts as you
can and make sure you’re happy that it is sitting square in the car
23 Once you’re happy with the fit and you’ve cleaned all the
flanges back to shiny metal, you’re ready to weld. That extra
person will come in handy here to help press the two parts together

24 A few short welds with good penetration will hold the panel in
place initially. Unless you have access to a heavy-duty, long arm
spot welder, you won’t be able to replicate the factory welds here
25 The back corners where the pan halves meet the tunnel under
the rear seat are important areas to get right. Tighten the two
crossmember bolts and cut the panel to fit if necessary

26 Make doubly sure you’re happy with the position of the new panel, as this will become your
primary frame of reference when you fit the heater channels. Structural integrity is more
important here than pretty welds and chances are you’ll fit carpets or sound deadening anyway
27 After welding, wire brush,
grind (if necessary) and get
some protection on straight away

Next month: new heater channels

 Window
rubbers
Installing new Deluxe trim and window rubbers is a tricky task if you haven’t done it
before. Here’s a handy feature to help you do it yourself
t’s not every day that you need to twice. Don’t laugh, it happened to me on head-scratching and a brew later I realised

I install window rubbers, but believe

me, if you haven’t done it before you
may well come unstuck. The reason
for this is that Deluxe trim rubber has to
be installed in a certain order, and, if like
the 1961 Bug featured here.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, after
installing the windows and rubbers first
time round sans trim, it dawned on me that
it is virtually impossible to install Deluxe
what needed to be done. The task is made
much simpler and quicker if you make
yourself a tool out of a piece of brake pipe
bent to shape and squashed slightly at
one end. You will also need a length of
me you have a habit of charging into trim into the rubber with the window fitted 2-3mm diameter electrical cable, which
things like a bull in a china shop, you on the car due to the trim recess in the needs to be at least two-feet longer than
might find that you have to do the job rubber closing up. D’oh! A little the circumference of the largest window.

1 My 1961 Bug was in the final throws of a full

restoration. Installing windows was next 2 Karmann Konnection in Essex (01702
601155) supplies superb trim and rubbers 3 The joint on the rubber needs to be fitted to
the top of each window to avoid leaking

4 Fit rubber to window – squeezing rubber

between thumb and forefinger helps 5 The rubber will get tighter as you reach the
corners. Give it a gentle tug to fit 6 Make a simple tool from brake pipe tube.
Squash one end in a vice and bend at centre

7 Feed cable through tool and insert tool into

groove in rubber. Work your way around 8 You should have about 12-inch of cable at
the end. You need this to get a decent grip 9 Offer up half of the Deluxe trim and mark
where each end fits in relation to the rubber

86 June 2005 www.volksworld.com

 Sponsored by Big Boys Toys www.bigboystoys-uk.com Tel: 0845 2300101

10 To insert the trim you need to feed it

into the groove while pulling on the
cable, which opens the groove
11 The corners are slightly more tricky and
require a little tweaking of the trim for it
to fit in the groove
12 With both halves of the trim installed,
you can now fit the trim finishing clip.
These simply press firmly in

13 Repeat the entire process for the rest

of your windows. A piece of rubber and
clamp help hold trim
14 Use your brake pipe tool to feed cable
into window to body recess. It makes
easy work of this tricky task
15 You will need a friend to help you install
windows, as it is a two person task.
Bribes of tea and bickies help

16 Push and hold window firmly in

aperture and start by pulling cable to
pull rubber lip over body aperture
17 A gentle thumping of the fist helps tap
window into place. Don’t use excessive
force, for obvious reasons
18 The corners usually require careful
attention and judicious thumping.
Ensure window is square in recess

19 Often the window rubber will curl in on

itself. Judicious use of a blunt,
curved-edge tool lifts rubber
20 Once the window is firmly in place,
gently tap rubber with a soft mallet to
ensure rubber is fully home
21 Repeat the process for each window
and Bob’s your uncle. New trim and
rubbers look the biz

www.volksworld.com June 2005 87

 Send all your tech questions to:
Tech, VolksWorld, IPC media, Leon house, 233 High Street, Croydon, CR9 1HZ or email [email protected]

Got grille Gear up

Following an exhaustive (and fruitless) I have a ’72 Beetle with a 1600 twin-port engine. I’m trying to find where to get a
search of the Net, I am appealing for help five-speed gearbox from, how much they are and also who would be good to put it in
in locating some headlamp grilles to fit a my car. I live in Herts and don’t mind travelling around the country to have it done. Any
’65 Beetle or a Porsche 356. They are to fit suggestions would be gratefully received.
my new project car. Watch this space for Cheers
details. If anyone can offer advice, I would Chris Leonida
be eternally grateful and am sure to name

A
check you when I collect awards, etc. Five-speed conversions are
Tim Telcs available from Gene Berg
and can be ordered from

A
utocraft (024 76398217) have just Cogbox (0208 842 2580) in the
started to remanufacture cool UK. Due to the amount of work
stainless steel stoneguards for 356s involved, they are not cheap,
and early Bugs. Give them a call, as I am but certainly offer the best of
sure they have what you are looking for. both worlds – great acceleration
due to close ratio gears and
great top speed due a tall fifth
gear. Alternatively, you could
fit a 901 type gearbox from
an early Porsche 911 (up to
1972). These are five-speed, but
require considerable work to fit.
However, unless you modify your engine for greater power I see no reason to have a
five-speed box because the original gear ratios are well suited to a stock engine.

Tyred
I’d like to know if you can settle a question you’ve probably answered a ‘squillion’ times.
I have a custom 1984 T-25 with the obligatory cool (OZs) alloys and fat tyres (205/65/15s),
but would like to make everything look even cooler by going to a wider wheel (maybe 17 or
18-inch) with low profile tyres. I see VW Vans of all descriptions sporting such combinations.
My question: Are these combinations safe, given the weight potential that these Vans can
carry? I have been told by a number of tyre/wheel specialists that no van should really be
using tyres intended for cars (MPV tyres are OK, apparently) as (A) the side-wall forces
exerted on tyres during turns can tear them off the wheels (weight would amplify these
forces) and (B) the general inability and lack of strength of a 2/4 ply tyre to cope with the
heavy down force, which can be created by a well laden Van, could cause them to explode.
Going on this advice, I opted for the safe option and installed six-ply Hankook tyres
Gathering dust intended for full size MPVs. I reckoned that this would be a fairly safe compromise. So, I
am not getting a Fred Flintstone car ride (hard enough to knock your nuts out of alignment,
Please help? I have become the proud as with the factory 185/C70-14s) but a nice, firm, fairly smooth and tractable one. The tyres
owner of a 1972 Bay-front bad boy Camper are beefy enough to absorb any bumps/turns and smooth out the ride, yet robust enough
Van and my project needs a lot of work to to take any amount of weight I can throw at them. Plus, the outside diameter of the 65/15
get it on the road. One of the problems I profile is within a few millimetres of the factory size 70/14 – good news if you get a flat tyre.
am having is finding someone who can Are low profile tyres a safe option or are they a cool show item intended for looks
supply me with dust seals for the pistons rather than function? Should I stay with what I have and maybe fill up the well with chunky
on the front brake callipers. I have tried American muscle car style tyres in a 15-inch wheel size? Surely these tyres can handle the
most suppliers and have run out of options. weight/side forces, as they are meant for cars weighing up to twice as much as my Van?
I have read many of your mags and think Thanks. Great mag, by the way. I buy it all the time.
you may be the only ones who can help. Dan Hallam, Edinburgh
Who would have thought that after all the

A
parts I have purchased, this part would be Follow the advise of your tyre fitting specialist and opt for the tyres that are
impossible to find? known to be of adequate strength for your Van. Having said that, there are lots
David Fray of Type 25s out there running all sorts of aftermarket wheels with low profile
tyres. Bear in mind that Porsches and big Mercedes do weigh considerably more

A
Have you tried VW Heritage than your average VW Van. Also, most sports car low profiles are speed rated to
(01273 495800) or Just Kampers incredible speeds these days to comply with European law and that means that they
(0845 1266266)? I would be very must withstand incredible force. Ultimately, the choice is yours. However, it might
surprised if neither of these companies be wise to check with your insurance policy/agent to see whether there is a clause
were able to help, as their parts in the small print that might get you in hot water should you be unlucky enough to
databases are truly gigantic. have an accident caused by a blow-out.

www.volksworld.com June 2005 89