Indholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2016 i VolksWorld

“Reece has to be patient and await his turn behind the wheel” Being only 15, Reece Burrows isn’t quite old enough to drive, but that didn’t stop him purchasing his first car two years ago when he was 13. Talk about starting ’em young! He got to know about his 1955 Beetle through friends living in Denmark, from where the car was purchased. It was incredibly sound, still running its original 1200cc engine and hardly required any work at all. Even the interior trim is original and very well preserved. An unusual accessory is the rear luggage rack that Reece says was custom made for the car, with a quick release mechanism so it can be easily removed to access to the engine. The bodywork has been repainted at some…

Idon’t often quote my dad, but he said something to me once that really struck a chord, and it’s definitely applicable here. Perfectionism is a blessing and a curse. Son. Sure, there are some people who can build cars in incredibly short order, but I wager they do not give the amount of thought to any single detail on their cars that Steve has given to every single detail on this car. It’s been an abject lesson in overthinking, but the end result is, quite simply, magnificent. As with any long-term project, much of what goes into it is forgotten. It has to be, or you would go mad. For example, when I asked Steve to make some brief notes for me, he wrote 532 words on the air ride…

“I wanted something that would do 0-60 in six seconds and 70mph all day long” We’ll start the ball rolling by introducing you to Dave Anderson from Owstwick in the East Riding area of Yorkshire. He’s what I’d class as a real grafter, and his hard work rewards him with the coin he needs to fund his passion for cars. He’s not a single marque supporter, far from it. In fact, this 58-year old has a focussed plan, which we think you’ll like the sound of as much as we did. Dave: “I’ve started a bit of a collection of what I consider to be iconic cars from different countries, and definitely consider the Oval Beetle to be one of those.” The collection also includes a French Citroën 2CV, a…

Stannie Hall is one of those shows I simply hate missing. Not only is it the first VW show I ever attended, it’s also my local show and less than half an hour from my home. But that’s not the real reason, not by a long chalk. Like the rest of my VolksWorld cohorts, Stanford Hall has become a staple part of my show calendar because you always know what to expect – acres of picturesque countryside chock full of vintage VWs of all shapes and sizes. There’s always something for all tastes, either in the car park (which is a show in itself ) or on the showfields. Be it stock Type 3s, slammed Splits or concours Ovals, you name it, it’s all on display here. That said, my…

What started as a dream for Peter Ferguson from Northern Ireland became reality on Saturday May 28 when the UK premiere of Damon Ristau’s Bug Movie took place in the appropriate format of a drive-in movie at the end of a convoy from Warrenpoint, along the Mourne Coastal Route to Donald Park in Newcastle, County Down. With messages of support from present-day exponents of the VW scene who are also featured in the movie, including A-list actor, Ewan McGregor, and Randy Carlsson of oldbug.com, the whole thing was a raging success, even blessed with an unusual burst of sunshine. Damon, and his wife, Elisabeth, flew over to be part of the action and a jolly good time was had by all.…

“Jumpstart – a show for the living and the dead!” Jumpstart has continued to grow every year, and shows no signs of slowing down. It’s hard to pinpoint why it’s become Ireland’s largest air-cooled VW event, but it may have something to do with the very generous goodie bags given to each VW on the day, the oodles of prizes to be won from some of the best suppliers within the VW scene, the typically Irish relaxed vibe and the unique setting. Whatever it is, it all just works! The tiny village of Loughmore oozes character from its stone walls, imposing castle, old mill, scenic picnic area by the river and, of course, the Cottage Tea Rooms, which couldn’t be any more quaint if they tried. In fact, the Cottage…

Andrew has owned his Karmann Ghia since 1987, having bought it in a damaged state back then for just £500. The car had been hit along the driver’s side and, as a result, the window wouldn’t shut properly. Later, the car was targeted by vandals, who let the handbrake off while it was parked on a hill, causing further damage to the front. “I was looking for a project and the Karmann fitted the bill perfectly” remembers Andrew. “I had the damage repaired at Joe Herinckx’s workshop in Essex and all these years later, I’m still married, have raised three children, but have managed to keep hold of the car!” The Karmann originally left the factory painted in what Andrew describes as “bamboo-type yellow, with a good many other colours…

“Everything on my cars works as it should. It really annoys me if it doesn’t” Forgive me the misquote of poodle-haired rocker, Sammy Hagar, in the headline, but when Steve Gilbert said those very words during the course of our lengthy conversation about this car, the time was right. You see this car, and any car Steve has anything to do with, is all about the drive. He’s got a good eye for a car, but he’s the first to admit he’s not all about the looks. Take his opinion on wheels for example: “I don’t like spending a shit ton of money on wheels. I don’t care if they’re snide or original or whatever, if you like ’em, bang ’em on.” But wheels are only part of the equation.…

“There was only love or hate, not much in between” It’s hard to believe, but 20 years ago only a few people liked the Razor Edge Ghia. When the VW scene was in full swing in the ’90s, everybody wanted a Beetle, or a regular Type 14 Ghia. Some opted for a Type 3, but that was about it. Buses? No, not sporty enough. A Type 34 Ghia? What’s that? The Type 3-based coupé didn’t receive a lot of magazine coverage, and there were no books around dedicated to the Sergio Sartorelli-designed vehicle. However, there were exceptions to the rule. Yours truly has owned one of these Volkswagens since 1992 and back then was asked frequently by friends about my new Beemer! Because no one knew what it was, and…

Are you brave enough to take on the soapbox course at this years Camper&Bus Show at Eastnor Castle? Many have tried, but not all who have entered have made it to the end in their home-built gravity racers. A hugely popular part of the show, the Soapbox Challenge welcomes all entries, but the wackier the racer, or the stronger the VW theme, the bigger the cheer you’ll receive from the expectant crowd. Make it all the way to the end (or crash spectacularly in the attempt) and you’ll be an even bigger hero! It’s not too late to take part. Visit www.volksworldshows.com to find all the necessary information on how to enter. We look forward to seeing you there over the weekend of July 29-31.…

Bay dropped spindles From: www.vwheritage.com  Price: £179.95 If you’re smoking about in a Late (’68-’79) Bay Window with a balljoint beam, these are for you. Dropped spindles allow you to drop the front of your Bus by 6cm without impacting on ride quality. Unlike weld-in adjusters, they’re an easy, bolt-on fit, though you should be aware they will increase your track by 1cm each side, and require the use of post-’73 VW brakes, or a wide-5 disc brake conversion 12V night heater From: www.t7design.co.uk  Price: £150 inc. delivery A ducted 12V electric night heater that’s perfect for the Camper owner. Significantly cheaper than a gas or petrol heater, and power efficient so it doesn’t kill your starter or leisure battery, this has to be one of…

Robert has owned quite a number of Volkswagens over the years, his first being a 1947 Beetle, which he bought for £50 when he was in the army and stationed in Germany, and which he fondly remembers as being a lovely little car. “It had six-volt electrics and in the winter it would get covered in snow yet the engine always started. I wish now that I had kept that Beetle ” he says ruefully. His current VW is this Type 3 Fastback that had been stored in a garden in Eastwood, near Southend on Sea, Essex, for 10 years. “I’d known about the car for quite a while, as I used to see it sitting there when I was taking my dog for a walk ” Robert recalls. “I’ve…

We are always interested to find out why the owners of the motors featured on these pages chose to go down the air-cooled route. For photographer, Dave Hall, it was his cousin James’ fault and his memories of being collected from school in a backfiring blue 1303 Beetle. Back then, Dave was a sprightly 13-year old, wearing short trousers and with hair he could style, but he knew from then on he needed an air-cooled in his life. To feed his new obsession, he purchased a copy of VolksWorld and spent hours drooling over the concoctions that were being built in 1993. His determination to own a VW came true four years later when his college friend, Spencer, put his Ford Peppermint Green ’72 Beetle up for sale. “The old…

 It’s often said that inside every VW lover there’s a Porsche owner trying to get out. And that may be true, because who reading this wouldn’t love an early 911 or a 356? Both share a few common links with the Beetle, but one thing they don’t is their price tag. Even the budget 911, the four-cylinder 912, has risen beyond the budget of most every day air-cooled enthusiasts, but there is still one affordable air-cooled Porsche, the 914. So what you might say, that’s still no reason to have one in VolksWorld. Except it is, because as a joint project between the two companies, the 914 is as much Volkswagen as it is Porsche. “It features parts from the Beetle, Karman Ghia and Bay Window Bus” It’s fair to…

Last month, we took a look at some of the reasons why you might want to blueprint an engine, whether you are building it for high performance or simply as a mileage muncher in the back of a Camper. It boils down to the fact that an engine, when put together to the right tolerances, and with a good dose of attention to detail, will make more power, run cooler and last longer than one that is just lashed together. It takes time and several assembly / disassembly processes to achieve a blueprinted engine, but it will pay off in the long run. In this feature we will concentrate on the core of the engine, the crankcase. On the case Following on from the previous instalment, you now have all…