2022 - Hot VWs Magazine

On the cover : Traffic jam in the city of Hessisch Oldendorf... Heaven! (Photo: Shin Watanabe)

THE DAKOTA MONSTER
LOOKING AT THE PICTURES, SOME OF YOU READERS – EVEN WITH THE BEST EYE FOR VWS – MAY FIND SOMETHING PECULIAR ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OF THIS 1964 DOUBLE CAB PICKUP. SURE ENOUGH, THERE IS A LOT GOING ON WITH THIS TRUCK DUBBED “DAKOTA MONSTER”. IT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BLOW SOME MINDS.

FOUR DAYS IN VW HEAVEN!
HO22: HESSISCH OLDENDORF INTERNATIONAL VINTAGE VOLKSWAGEN SHOW. TWO DAYS AFTER WE WRAPPED THE MASSIVE THREE-WEEK-LONG SO CAL VW WEEK, WE TOOK AN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT, FLEW OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, AND LANDED IN EUROPE TO COVER A MONSTER VINTAGE VW TREFFEN (WHICH MEANS MEETING IN ENGLISH) HELD IN GERMANY. ENJOY THE BEST OF THE BEST – FOUR DAYS IN VINTAGE VW PARADISE.

SNOW WHITE WAGON
A TYPE 2 PICKUP THAT TOURED WEST GERMANY TO PROMOTE A MORTGAGE COMPANY. WE ARE PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS RAREST-OF-THE-RARE TYPE 2 FROM GERMANY, A CUSTOM-MADE SINGLE CAB ORDERED BY A LOCAL BUILDING SOCIETY. EMPLOYEES TOURED WITH THIS UNIQUE TRUCK TO PROMOTE ONE OF THEIR FINANCIAL PRODUCTS IN THE LATE 1950S AND EARLY ’60S. THIS VEHICLE WAS A PART OF GERMANY’S ECONOMIC MIRACLE AFTER WWII.

TWEAKING THE ANTIQUE
VOLKSWAGEN HAD ITS WESTFALIA MODEL VERY WELL SORTED OUT BY THE TIME IT DISCONTINUED THE BAY WINDOW IN 1979. YET IAN HEBNER MANAGED TO ADD A FEW SMART FEATURES, SUCH AS A PULL-OUT KITCHEN AND A DIFFERENT SEATING ARRANGEMENT, MAKING THE VEHICLE BOTH UNIQUE AND PRACTICAL.

EMPI OPEN HOUSE
LAST YEAR, EMPI JOINED THE SO CAL VW EVENT WEEK WITH ITS NEW OPEN HOUSE – IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. THE WELL-KNOWN COMPANY DID IT AGAIN IN 2022, INVITING VW AND PORSCHE FANS TO THEIR HEADQUAR- TERS FOR A DAY OF FUN ACTIVITIES.


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On the cover : Yes, they are street legal... and they deliver 420hp as well! (Photo: Shin Watanabe)

MEYER’S MANX 2.0 EV
MEYERS MANX INC. (ORIGINALLY B.F. MEYERS & CO.) WAS TAKEN OVER BY TWO MANX ENTHUSIASTS IN NOVEMBER 2020. THIS LED TO SIGNIFICANT MOVES FORWARD, STARTING WITH UNVEILING THE NEW MEYERS MANX MODEL CALLED MEYERS MANX 2.0 EV THIS YEAR.

ALL IN THE OHANA!
BORN AND RAISED IN HAWAII, TOM KINNEY MOVED TO CRESCENT CITY, CALIFORNIA 25 YEARS AGO, AND ENJOYS A GREAT LIFE AS A HUSBAND, FATHER, GRANDPA, SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS OWNER AND VOLKSWAGEN ENTHUSIAST/COLLECTOR. HIS LATEST PROJECTS ARE THIS PAIR OF ULTIMATE RACE CARS, YET STILL STREET LEGAL, BUILT FOR HIMSELF AND HIS SON-IN-LAW WITH THE SUPPORT OF HIS OHANA – THAT’S FAMILY IN HAWAIIAN.

THE NEW CLASSIC WEEKEND!2022
MANY READERS WILL BE FAMILIAR WITH THE VW CLASSIC. SOME MIGHT HAVE EVEN BEEN THERE AND HAVE GREAT MEMORIES OF THIS LEGENDARY SO-CAL EVENT. THE FIRST EDITION WAS HELD AT IRVINE MEADOWS IN 1985 AND WAS CONSIDERED BY MANY AS “THE GREATEST VW SHOW ON EARTH” FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES AFTERWARDS. YET IT FADED OUT AFTER THE PROMOTERS LOST THEIR LONG-RUN VENUE IN 2014. EIGHT YEARS LATER, THE CLASSIC RETURNS TO ORANGE COUNTY!

OCTO SHOW SPLIT SPLASH!
THE FIRST WEEKEND OF THE SO CAL VW WEEK DID NOT PROVIDE ENTHUSI- ASTS MUCH RESPITE, WITH FIVE EVENTS LISTED ON THE AGENDA. BUT FOR TYPE 2 BUFFS, ONLY ONE MEET MATTERED: THE OCTO SHOW, WHICH OFFERED A SPECIAL DISPLAY OF PG/SG BUSES. NOT FAMILIAR WITH THEM? READ ON...

WHEN RUST MEETS PERFORMANCE
IF YOU SPOT MICHAEL CRUZ’S 1963 NOTCHBACK CRUISING THE STREETS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, IT’LL BE SURE TO CATCH YOUR ATTENTION, BUT NOT FOR THE USUAL REASONS.


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On the cover : Three VWs celebrating the fabulous Race Shop history! (Photo: Dean Kirsten)

THE REVIVAL OF DARRELL VITTONE’S RACE CAR FINALE
Imagine if you will, spending eight years searching for a particular car, then finding it, buying it, followed by an 18-month restoration. After all that, putting that same Bug on a huge ocean freighter and sending it halfway around the globe to a European destina- tion, and hoping it makes it to Chimay on time for a huge event. Yes, it has been a wild five-week ordeal with plenty of ups and downs, and at one point, there was a very good chance that we would miss our deadline and racing it at the European Bug-In (EBI).

KING OF THE STREET
IN THIS ISSUE PARTLY DEVOTED TO THE REAL STREET DRAG CLASS, IT WOULD SEEM FITTING TO FOCUS ON ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THE BREED. INTRODUCING DAVID RUIZ’S PERFECTLY FINISHED 259HP EUROPEAN OVAL, THE CLASS’S RECORD HOLDER WITH A 7.15-SECOND PASS OVER THE EIGHTH MILE.

REAL STREET THE REAL DEAL
STREET LEGAL PRO TREE VW DRAG RACING INVOLVING SUPER-DETAILED AND FAST STREET-LEGAL VWS – THAT’S WHAT THE REAL STREET CLASS IS ALL ABOUT. THIS IS ONE OF THE HOTTEST CATEGORIES IN CALIFORNIA’S VOLKSWAGEN DRAG SCENE, MAINLY RUNNING DURING THE TRIPLE CROWN SERIES EVENTS (BUG-IN AND HOTVWS DRAG DAY). WANT TO COMPETE IN THE CLASS? WE WILL SHOW YOU HOW.

CLASS 5 ACTION
A hardworking successful business owner, a husband, a father of two daughters, and a racer for life: MIKE MOCABY from Orange County, California is all that. He also shined in Off-Road Racing during the 1980s and '90s with his dad LYN, after LYN unexpectedly passed away six years ago, MIKE found their CLASS 5 unlimited VAJA race car - A BUG they raced together 30 years ago.

SILVERADO CAMPOUT & CARSHOW
WHAT A UNIQUE LOCATION! SILVERADO CAMPOUT & CAR SHOW IS CONVE- NIENTLY LOCATED CLOSE TO MANY MAJOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAN CITIES. BUT ONCE YOU ENTER THE VENUE, YOU WILL FEEL LIKE YOU’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND ISOLATED FROM THE BUSY “REAL WORLD”.


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On the cover : And... ACTION! Herbies having fun at Daytona Int’l Speedway. (Photo: Shin Watanabe)

BREAKING NEWS! HERBIE GOES TO HO22
A new world record was set in Germany! Eight real movie Herbies gathered during the premier vintage Volkswagen treffen held in Hessisch Oldendorf, Germany. A hardcore Herbie fan from the Netherlands, Koen Verhaegen, did a fantastic job presenting these cars to spectators from 40 countries. The fleet was displayed in the city’s main town square, attracting VW fans and the local audience. Herbie did it AGAIN!

HAPPY 53-YEAR ANNIVERSARY HERBIE
THE LOVE BUG HOOKED COUNTLESS PEOPLE INTO THE VW WORLD IN 1969. THREE YEARS AGO, WE PUBLISHED A MASSIVE COVERAGE OF THE 50TH ANNI- VERSARY OF HERBIE THE LOVE BUG. BUT MANY PEOPLE ASKED THE EVENT PROMOTERS AFTERWARDS: “WHY NOT ORGANIZE A 53RD ANNIVERSARY?”

NASCAR HERBIE
LIFELONG HERBIE THE LOVE BUG MOVIE FAN COREY SEIBERT FROM VINTON, IOWA, WAS LOOKING FOR A UNIQUE PROJECT TO TAKE TO THE HERBIE THE LOVE BUG’S 53RD ANNIVERSARY EVENT HELD IN DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – THE HOME OF NASCAR. “I WANT TO DRIVE A NASCAR HERBIE AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY!” COREY JUST HAD THE IDEAL VEHICLE, BUT ONLY HAD FOUR MONTHS TO COMPLETE IT...

HERBIE RIDES AGAIN IN DAYTONA
ONCE AGAIN, GAIL LOVE FROM CLERMONT, FL, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS HERBIE OWNERS AND FANS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, GOT TO WORK SOON AFTER THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY ON THE PLANNING OF THE 53RD – A TWO-YEAR-LONG PROJECT.

RARE HERBIE COLLECTIBLES
ERIK ELMAUER HAS BEEN COLLECTING HERBIE GOODIES SINCE THE MID-1980S AND HIS COLLECTION IS STILL GROWING – SPECIAL THANKS TO HIM FOR THE RARE HERBIE COLLECTIBLES FEATURED WITHIN THESE PAGES. HE GOT HOOKED ON HERBIE DURING HIS CHILDHOOD BACK IN THE ’80S, BUT HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE ALSO BEEN HARDCORE VW ENTHU- SIASTS. IN FACT, HIS FATHER TOOK HIM TO A VW DEALERSHIP, WHERE HE SHOOK A BUG (!) FROM ONE SIDE, TELLING HIM: “IT’S SAYING HELLO!”


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On the cover : Corvair? Certainly not! That’s Pedro Sainz’s ‘68 Type 34 Automatic (Photo: Shin Watanabe)

NORWAY TO NORCAL
This mostly original Pearl White 1962 NOTCHBACK is one of the earliest running and driving TYPE 3s in the United States. Originally from Norway and imported to the USA by now owner Jacim Ferreira over 10 years ago, this early VW 1500 is a regular around NorCal shows and events.

RADICAL RASPBERRY
When it comes to TYPE 3 VOLKSWAGENs, there aren't many more hardcore than Paul Davis of Yucaipa, California. Having owned 30 of them in the past, he certainly knows the its and outs. When the opportunity arose to build an ultimate throw-back-style square, he jumped faster than David Lee Roth did in 1984!

RARE TYPE 3 STUFF
Let's dig through some rare TYPE 3 accessories and parts, which you usually don't find at swap meets or shows.

NEVER SAY NEVER
Restoring a TYPE 34 KARMANN GHIA is a real challenge, the lack of spare parts, limited supply of reproduction components, and the low number of surviving examples make it a daunting task. After completing the restoration of such a rare model, you might tell yourself: "Never again". Except if you are a hardcore type 34 fan such as Pedro Sainz. Here is his third fully restored type 34 project, one of 75 that have survived - an automatic TYPE 34.

TYPE 3 RALLY
In 2011, Tom Reay and Scott Taylor decided to put on a Rally-Inspired 3-day event on the Central California Coast to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the VW TYPE 3. They called this event the "TYPE 3 RALLY."


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On the cover : Kimbel Ritch’s ‘54 convertible, looking great in Strato Silver! (Photo: Shin Watanabe)

HEB HO, LET’S GO!
A VW enthusiast for over 50 years, KARL SCHULER has owned his fair share of desirable models, his latest treasure being this 1949 HEBMÜLLER – the 296th manufactured.

ALETTER FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER HEB #296
Hebmüller 14-00296” is the first of two Type 14A VW “Hebs” that were owned and restored by me, Pete Banholzer of Fairfax, Virginia, USA. Feature chassis number 1-0126 870, it was rolled off from Hebmüller's factory on December 13, 1949. It was sold through MAHAG VW of Munich, Germany.

BUSES & BALLOONS
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO plays host to the largest hot air baloon festival in the world. In tandem, and less than one mile away is buses and baloons, a VW camping event with unbelievable views and an experience you won't soon forget.

KIMBLEWAGEN KABRIOLETT
After being absent from the VW scene for 11 years, Kimbel Ritch finally realized that Volkswagens were “always there” during his happiest times in the past. So, eight years ago, he decided to return to the scene and bought two rare 1954 Beetles in six months. One was a fully restored, ready to go Type 111 (Standard sedan), and the other a Type 151 – a European Karmann Cabriolet model that needed to be gone through. While collecting trophies with the Standard model, he spent seven years completing the restoration of this early Oval-era convertible.

VOLKSWAGEN INFORMATIONEN
Information news for the VOLKSWAGEN sales and service organization. Featuring unseen color VW scenes from the 1950S and '60S.


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On the cover : This month, some Super Beetle love with Sam Mebane’s ‘71 sedan! (Photo: Shin Watanabe)

JBUGS’ 1971 GERMAN LOOK SUPER BEETLE
Sam Mebane is a long-time employee of one of the biggest supporters of our hobby: JBugs. He has worked for the company for 24 years (and still counting) and has been the general manager for most of them. Yet some of you might know him for being the face of JBugs’ tech support and YouTube channel host. We are excited to feature his latest project, a German Look-inspired Super Beetle.

PREVIEW GUIDE: HESSISCH OLDENDORF
You can still make it to this vintage VW event held in GERMANY. This is the item on top of the bucket list for many VOLKSWAGEN lovers.

EUROPEAN DELIVERY
Indiana resident Earl Haas has found an SO-23 Westfalia with a well-documented history, complemented with fantastic vintage photos. They go back to 1960, when the first owners traveled through 11 European countries with their brand-new purchase!

THE WORLD OF SPEED
Since 1914, when the first world record was set there, the place to go fast has been the BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS. The history of VOLKSWAGEN racing at BONNEVILLE began with legend DICK BEITH and MEL ELLIS setting records with BEETLES in the early 1960s.

FAMILY BONDS
Your father owns a super BEETLE with a healthy TYPE 4 engine. Your uncle used to shoe-horn 911 engines in BUGS. And even your granddad never missed an opportunity to be in the workshop. It all has to leave permanent marks on you.


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On the cover : Jim Holmes was happy to recreate our February ‘75 cover shot! (Photo: Shin Watanabe)

A GATHERING OF HOT VWS GNRS
It was a once-in-a-lifetime exhibit you’ll never see again, revolving around a selection of historically significant Volk- swagens gathered in the same hall. It was an extraordinary moment not only for the VW commu- nity but also for the Grand National Roadster Show – the world’s most prestigious hot rod/custom auto- mobile event – which history spans over 72 years. And the display became a highlight in Dune Buggies & hotVWs Magazine’s own 55-year history as well.

THE CAL LOOK HISTORY RESTORED
Back from the grave the ARONSON/HOLMES looker is back to its full 1975 glory!

BLITZ ON THE BEACH
Why else would racers and fans drive from out of state and piece together highway routes due to wildfires and highway closures, just to get to Samoa Drag- strip? The answer is simple: Because they are a part of one of the coolest VW racing communities on the West Coast.

PHTCHK! ISLAND FAMILY CRUISER
A husband and father of four, Richard Carvalho from Aiea, Hawaii, enjoys building cars and is always looking for new project cars. Reminiscing to his lovely wife Leilani about a red Bay Window Bus he used to have in high school led to the purchase of his/her latest toy...

THE OLD VOLKS SHOW
Having an active VOLKSWAGEN CLUB in your area can be considered a blessing, as it gives you access to a variety of activities and allows you to meet friends who share the same passion - these groups contribute to a fulfilling "VWLIFE". This is especially true if you experience Oklahoma's Volkswagen scene. The VW club of Oklahoma organizes fun and pleasant events such as the old Volks show, which welcomes enthusiasts from the area and surrounding states.


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On the cover : Rarest of the rare! Ed Hugues’ 1950 Barndoor delivery van. (Photo: Shin Watanabe)

RADIUM BUS
Dune Buggies and hotVWs Magazine is proud to feature one of the oldest surviving Type 2s in the World – a 1950 Panel Van in the hands of Ed Hughes. A true piece of art and the product of 20 years of research, craftsmanship and love, resulting in a perfect restoration.

BITCHIN’ BARNDOOR
If you wanted the most luxurious and expensive Volk- swagen offered in 1953 you would have purchased a 23-window Deluxe Microbus. These Barndoor-era Type 2s continue to reign as the most sought after and valuable VW Buses on the planet.

KELLEY PARK SHOW 2021
We had to wait patiently for 28 months. After canceling the 2020 event and postponing the 2021 date by four months, the promoters finally managed to bring back their premier vintage VW get-together held in San Jose, California: the Annual Spring Meet at Kelley Park (aka Kelley Park Show), which welcomed 224 vintage Volkswagens.

SUPER FOODS!
Ben Pon got the idea for the Volkswagen Transporter after seeing the flatbed “Plattenwagens” that the Wolfsburg factory used to transport parts. His famous drawing shows a full box bodied Transporter, which is what the factory made for the first couple years. Then in 1952, VW came back to their roots and introduced a new model, with a new design for the pickup truck.

SO CAL VINTAGE TREFFEN
EVERY TWO YEARS, VINTAGE VW ENTHUSIASTS FROM ALL OVER THE NATION GATHER IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO CELEBRATE CLASSIC AIR-COOLED VOLKSWAGENS – THE SO CAL VINTAGE TREFFEN IS CONSIDERED BY MANY AS THE PREMIER VINTAGE VW MEET IN THE USA.


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On the cover : Jose Medrano’s ‘66 sedan runs genuine BRM magnesium wheels. (Photo: Stephan Szantai)

NORCAL HUSTLING
George Moreira found inspiration in 1970s vintage gassers and the California Look, when building his ’67 sedan.

DREAM MACHINE
DAVE ROSIQUE JUST COULDN’T BELIEVE WHAT HE SAW ON A FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE AD, AFTER HIS BELGIAN FRIEND FABIAN DEWAR TAGGED HIM IN A POST. IT WAS THE CAR HE HAD ASSEMBLED 40-PLUS YEARS EARLIER.

ROOTED IN TRADITION
What is a California Look VW? Boy, are we going to open a can of worms! Having evolved since the ’70s, it seems difficult to find a consensus on the subject. Well, let’s look for answers to the conundrum by navigating through the Cal Look maze...

THE TACO GETTER
Back in the late 1970s, Roland McNew became a member of Californian club Der Kleiner Kampfwagens (DKK, founded in 1977) with his ’71 Squareback. Decades later, he decided it was time to get back in the game!

CAL LOOK FOR LIFE
José Medrano thought he was “done with VWs”, after selling his well- known, street-driven 12-second Oval Window in 2001. But along came this ’66 sedan, followed by a set of genuine magnesium BRMs...


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On the cover : Dave Kindig built an amazing ‘50 Heb for Tracey & David Maxwell. (Photo: Chadly Johnson)

RAREST RESTO MOD
Many hours have been spent in heated debates between car enthusiasts discussing the rarest cars ever produced.

SMILES FOR MILES
THE MANX CLUB TOOK OVER BIG BEAR LAKE, CELEBRATING BRUCE MEYERS’ LIFE ACHIEVEMENTS

CARRERA WEISS MASTERPIECE
Following eight years of passionate, hard work, a $600 Craigslist-found Bug was trans- formed into a top-notch and fully detailed show vehicle.

FOR THE RACER BY THE RACERS
They did it again. The Fast4Cartel Summer Slam III welcomed 63 VW racers and offered action-packed drag races, along with fun activities at Medford Dragstrip, Oregon.

BLACK & WHITE MOTION
Mark Merrill owns one of the most impressive air-cooled VW collections in the USA, which includes a handful of coachbuilt vehicles. Let’s take a look at his beautifully restored 1953 Dannenhauer & Stauss and a ’58 Denzel...


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On the cover : Tony Trevino’s Custom 1961 VW Double Cab (Photo: Boston Brown)

SNEAK PEEK GNRS
Are you ready for The Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS)? It is the oldest and longest-running indoor car show in the world, and one building will be solely devoted to Volkswagens!

SEEKING AN ADVENTURE
When you work for the city Parks and Recreation Department, you get the inside scoop on the best places for outdoor fun. Sometimes getting to these spots requires a specialized vehicle. This was certainly the case for Tony Trevino of Roseville, California...

GREY AREA
A father’s 30-plus-year welder/fabricator experience and his son’s advanced engineering skills led to a project car that boggles the mind.

DKP CRUISE NIGHT IN GARDEN GROVE
If you are a Cal Look VW owner or enthusiast, you will likely understand what it means to receive this trophy – arguably the most desired award for Cal Look owners. Der Kleiner Panzers (DKP), the iconic California Look Volkswagen club, presents their Club Members Choice Award to one VW owner only at their pre-Bug-In cruise night held annually on Historic Main Street in Garden Grove, California.

THE OPEN HOUSE
THE 2021 SOCAL VW WEEK’S PROGRAM GREW IN SIZE IN 2021, HAVING ADDITIONAL EVENTS SPREAD OVER THREE WEEKENDS. THE MAJOR ADDI- TION WAS THE EMPI OPEN HOUSE HELD ON SATURDAY, DURING THE THIRD WEEKEND OF ACTIVITIES. EMPI INVITED VOLKSWAGEN FANS TO THEIR HEADQUARTERS FOR A BUSY, FUN-FILLED DAY.


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