On the cover: Ready for new adventures! The Overlander 1965 Bus photographed in Utah. (Photo: Eric Arnold)
A NOT-SO-TAME STOCKER!
Heavily involved in the VW drag racing scene over three decades ago, brothers Nick and Danny Romero took a break from Vee Dubs in 2003. Yet their itch to return playing with air-cooled toys proved too strong to resist, hence they recently went to work on Nick’s ’64 sedan, a car bound to become a tame stocker. Well, plans changed along the way…
MOAB BUS ADVENTURE!
Twice a year, VWs from around the Southwest converge in Moab, Utah, for a campout and tour put on by Lin and Sonny Ottinger. Lin Ottinger, now 95, has been an icon in Moab for decades.
BUGGY WONDER YEARS
In case you missed the latest hotVWs issues (you should subscribe, ya know?), we have been digging into a forgotten box of high-quality color slides from the 1960s and early ’70s, most featuring dune buggies. This month’s focus is on the good-looking, street rod-inspired Berry Mini-T.
THE CAVE REVEAL
Many European VW enthusiasts probably know about him, and maybe some in the USA too. Walter Jelinek of The Bug Box in Germany, whom we highlight in this Cave Reveal feature, used to run one of the most upscale VW shops in Europe and built numerous magazine-featured VWs, particularly in the 1990s and 2000s. He is still renowned as one of the top builders in the world. However, he now enjoys a slower VW life, residing in the beautiful small town of Weiden in der Oberpfalz, located in the eastern part of Germany, along with his perfect Vee-Dub man cave.
THE OVERLANDER
After years of seeing the shell of an 11-window Bus sitting on railroad ties outside a Utah storage building, Jason Smurthwaite would ultimately parlay restoration of the owner’s 1970 camper in trade for the 1965 body. This would lead him down the path of not only owning his first Split Window Bus, but also building a tribute to the family who once owned it.
COMING TO AMERICA!
Volkswagen’s new electric vehicle, the ID. Buzz has arrived in America, carrying forward the DNA of one of the greatest automotive icons ever—the VW Bus—into the era of electric mobility. To celebrate this milestone, 300 VW Buses gathered in Huntington Beach, California, unveiling the longer wheelbase version of the US-market ID. Buzz.
FROM FLOWER POWER TO ELECTRIC POWER
Many hotVWs readers will recognize the name Steve Stanford, whose art has been gracing our pages since the 1990s. It’s been a while since we last featured his work, hence we recently asked him to sketch a new piece, based on VW’s latest offering – the ID. Buzz!
HOT ROD 36HP MOTOR V2.O PART 6
In our last installment, we showed you the process of completing the long-block engine. Finally, we fired up my 1488cc 36-horse hot rod V2.0 motor. However, we encountered a small mishap during the installation of the oil pump, resulting in a significant problem—no oil pressure. Fortunately, we promptly corrected the error, ensuring proper oil pressure. It started immediately, emitting a very healthy sound. Now, we are prepared to reinstall the engine into my ’58 Bug.
HOTVWS DRAG DAY
Since Rich Kimball of Periscope Enterprises brought the HotVWs Drag Day back to Southern California in 2002, the tradition continues with the event attracting a massive crowd. The action-packed drag race, car show, and swap meet are always certain to entertain VW fans from all over the nation.
And More!